Taylor K's Book Blog

Lexile Level: AD740L

In the story Max is looking to have fun, but his mother is tired of his behavior and sends him to bed without any supper. With Max's imagination, unexpectedly a forest grows inside his bedroom and Max is taken away to the land of the wild things. The wild things make Max their king, but Max is not happy. In the end Max returns home to his mother and father and finally eats his dinner.

I would use this story in my 1st to 4th grade classroom to teach students that an imagination can transport you far away from whatever problems you may be facing, but students need to know that  it is still most important to listen and respect the adults around you even when you don't want to. 

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This book is about a little boy's halloween night. He woke up and heard something outside of his house, so he peeked out the window and saw monsters outside all up and down the streets. Then it starts to name off cities in Alabama and monsters that are there. Then at the end of the book, he comes back home to find monsters in his house the whole time. There was a halloween ball and he won the best halloween costume prize. 

I would use this book during halloween to talk about halloween and direction/location with my students. I would use this book with 2nd grade to 5th grade. 

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Life in the wonderful town of ChewandSwallow is great, instead of snow, wind, or rain, they get a different kind of weather that falls from the sky three times a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But no one is too worried about the weather, until it takes a turn for the worse; the portions of food get larger and fall faster, until everyone in the town fears for their lives. With teamwork and marts, the residents are able to save themselves from the torrential food weather.

This book could be used as a kick starter for a science lesson or just for a fun read aloud. I would use this with grades 2nd to 5th grade.

Lexile Level: AD570L

Many variations of the three little pigs story are told with sympathy for the pigs who are being bullied by the big, bad wolf. In this story, the wolf tells that the entire event was a big misunderstanding. He admits to eating the pigs, but insisted it was after they accidentally died. He begs the reader for to feel sorry, and argues that judging his desire to eat pigs isn't fair since he can't help that he was hungry.

This book would be used to just explore a fun new twist to the three little pigs. I would use this book in 2nd grade to 4th grade. 

 Lexile Level: AD830L

This is a  book about a bull who is unlike all the other bulls in the pasture. He doesn't want to fight! The story finds Ferdinand in a pickle when he is picked to fight in Madrid, only he is distracted by flowers! Ferdinand is also an admirable role model because he is different, and he is comfortable with himself

This would be a great book for 2nd or 3rd grade, for social studies, you could teach a unit on Spain and talk about the culture of bullfighting and bulls; you could also use this book you always believe in the right thing and to believe in yourself. That you don't have to be like everyone else to fit in, you were born to stand out. 

Lexile Level: AD250L

This is a story that your kindergarten to first grade students would love and be engaged with. The old woman starts to swallow these silly objects that people would normally never swallow. This book would help with sequencing and retaining the memory and the order these objects were swallowed. 

Lexile Level: 680L

Wilbur the pig is born a runt, and the farmer decides he must face the axe.Fern steps in and saves him. She cares for the little pig, who later goes to a nearby farm. Wilbur discovers that his fate has been set for him. Horrified, he talks to a spider named Charlotte and she decides to try to help the pig out to save his life. The story is one of friendship, loyalty, and self-sacrifice. 

I would read this to older grades to show that the passing of time  has to happen so that life can go on, but with friendship and love and that the life was meant for something to help everyone you can. 

Lexile Level: 460L

The story is based on a little girl’s journey of dealing with her very unique name. She starts loving her name, she ends up getting teased about her name at school. Eventually with the help of her teacher, Chrysanthemum is able proudly love her name again.

I would read this to talk about bullying and show that everyone  is special and that we need to be accepting of others and yourself for who we are as individuals. 

Lexile Level: AD20L

This book is made up of pictures that could trick your brain into seeing different animals. The reader has to decide in the book if what they are looking at is in fact a duck or a rabbit. This book would be a great discussion starter to see what your students are thinking and to see who sees a duck and who sees a rabbit. I think kindergarten through second grade would love this book and to really open their minds to different possibilities. 

Lexile Level: AD460L

This book is about a hungry little caterpillar's journey of life. The main character, the caterpillar, has to overcome is appetite on his journey to become a butterfly. It counts the foods as the caterpillar eats every day until he becomes a butterfly. 

I would read this in my kindergarten class to talk about science and life cycles, it just give another spin on the material in a fun way. 

Lexile Level: 880L

This is a picture book about a big, scary looking fish who wants to find a friend. But no other fish will be friends with him because of the way he look, but on the inside he is the nicest fish you will ever meet in the ocean. No matter how hard he tries to be friendly and nice, all the other fish are afraid of him. He is finally able to make friends after one little fish gets caught in a net and Big Al saves them.

I would use this in my classroom on the first week of school and throughout the year to remind students that actions speak louder than words and you can't judge a book by its cover. 

ATOS: 3.6

Bully Beans is a book that teaches students about doing the right thing when it comes to bullying. Bobbette, is a main character that is a bully who threatens other children at her school. One day, a student goes home to tell her mother about Bobbette. In return, the mother gives her "bully beans" that she and her classmates can eat, so they will have the confidence to stand up against Bobbette and other bullys. This book helps children understand the concept of helping others even when you are too afraid to do it, that being bullied isn't right and it helps students build their social and character education skills as individuals. I would use this book as an intro to being kind to each other and to reinforce that bullying is not okay. 

Lexile Level: 530L

The Giving Tree is a heartfelt story about a tree who loved a young boy. The boy took everything that the tree had to offer and the tree was always there to make the boy happy. In this story, the boy ages and the tree transforms down to a stump, but the boy always returns to the tree, and the tree always loves the boy.

I would use this book in a kindergarten to 4th grade classroom. In a classroom I would use this book to have  discussions on giving and receiving, emotions, patience, kindness, and unconditional love. Children can learn about the importance of caring, giving, and how we should treat others

Lexile Level: 450L

This story based on the true experience of a Bosnian family forced to flee their country during the recent civil war. Eight year old Viktor watches as his father goes to join the Liberation Army. He, his mother, and younger sister, Marina, will soon be forced to leave their home. A stranger passes through Viktor's town on their way to the border and leaves his two golden fish with the family. But just a few days later, as they ready themselves to depart, Viktor releases the fish into their pond. After days and weeks of walking and of living in a refugee camp, the boy and his mother and sister share a glorious reunion with their dad and eventually return home. When the family returns home they are saddened to see that their home has been destroyed but in awe to see what was left in the pond. 

I would read this story to my 4-6th grade class to learn about history and to show that even through tragedy and hardship there is always hope and life at the end. 

Lexile Level: AD530L

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a story about the alphabet letters climbing a coconut tree. The lower-case letters climb up the tree, but the tree bends and the letters fall down. Then the capital letters relatives help the lower-case letters back up into the tree. Each of the lower-case letters get hurt falling down the tree and the book describes each letter’s injury. Then, at night, letter “A” dares the other letters to catch him while he climbs the coconut tree

I would use this book to help with learning the alphabet. This book is a fun way that is catchy and rhythmic that helps with learning the alphabet. 

Lexile Level: NP

Basically, twelve mice are dancing and prancing their way around the cat to get to the cake before midnight.

I would use this book in kindergarten or first grade to help with counting in my class and telling time, it is just another way to make math more fun for the students.