Books for Kids

Mr. Worry: A Story About OCD

http://www.hollyniner.com/_font_size__4___i_mr__worry__a_story_about_ocd__i__66334.htm

Author

Holly L. Niner

Genre

parenting/realistic fiction

Grade level(s) appropriateness

3rd grade and up

A brief synopsis or review

Kevin is finding it hard to get to sleep. Kevin has OCD and his fears are keeping him up at night. The book is a kid friendly way of helping other kids get through their fears by just facing them head on.

Theme/skill

OCD, getting over fears, growing up

Noteworthy features or issues with text

relatable content that is kid friendly

Teaching ideas

Think about your routines that you have that you may or may not want to break and write or draw about them
Think of ways that you could break out of your routines if you wanted to
Write letters to help Kevin break from his routines

Curriculum tie-ins and/or related activities

health

Read aloud suitability

Connections to other texts/content areas

books about OCD
books about facing fears

Rolling Along: The Story of Taylor and His Wheelchair

http://mommasbacon.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/rolling-along.jpg

Author

Jamee Riggio Heelan

Genre

realistic fiction/parenting

Grade level(s) appropriateness

3rd grade and up

A brief synopsis or review

This book is about a child named Taylor. He has CP which makes him different from his twin brother as well as others. He uses a wheelchair to get around. The book goes through how even though he uses a wheelchair, he is the same as his friends and family in many ways.

Theme/skill

same and different

Noteworthy features or issues with text

relatable content

Teaching ideas

Have students write journals about how you would help a student in your class feel welcome if they were in a wheelchair

Curriculum tie-ins and/or related activities

health

Read aloud suitability

Connections to other texts/content areas

books on wheelchairs
book about those without the ability to walk
books on CP

Can You Hear A Rainbow: A Story of a Deaf Boy Named Chris

http://inspiringplay.com/Books-detail/can-you-hear-a-rainbow-the-story-of-a-deaf-boy-named-chris/

Author

Jamee Riggio Heelan

Genre

Parenting/Realistic Fiction

Grade level(s) appropriateness

2nd grade and up

A brief synopsis or review

This book is the story of Chris. He is a child who is deaf but is able to see how he is the same and different from his friends and others around him inspite of being deaf. This book will help children to see that even if someone is different in one way it does not mean that they cannot be the same in others.

Theme/skill

different and same, being deaf, helping students who are deaf succeed in school

Noteworthy features or issues with text

the kid friendly wording

Teaching ideas

Give the kids noise canceling headphones to help them learn better about being deaf
Have students create same and different books to list the ways that they are the same and different from others

Curriculum tie-ins and/or related activities

health
science

Read aloud suitability

Connections to other texts/content areas

books on deafness

Other additional comments

This book is a kid friendly way to teach students about being deaf or being the same and different

An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793

http://notesfromthewood.blogspot.com/2012/04/american-plague-true-and-terrifying.html

Author

Jim Murphy

Genre

Non- Fiction

Grade level(s) appropriateness

5th grade and up

A brief synopsis or review

In 1793, there was a plague that had no cause. The residents of the city of Philadelphia fled in fear. This book traces the devastating course of the path of the epidemic in an interesting way for others to understand the events of the plague.

Theme/skill

disease, plague, death, history

Noteworthy features or issues with text

The readable content
Primary source documents from newspapers at the beginning of each chapter

Teaching ideas

Group poster project about after more research on the plague itself
Have students have a discussion on what they believe was the cause of the plague
Have students write diary entries as the people of Philadelphia at the time of the plague
Have students compare today's newspapers to those of newspapers of years ago

Curriculum tie-ins and/or related activities

history topics

Read aloud suitability

Better as an independent read

Connections to other texts/content areas

history class topics
science
ELA
the book 1793

Other additional comments

This book is a great way to help kids get into reading non-fiction text

Mockingbird

http://smallworldreads.blogspot.com/2010/06/book-review-mockingbird.html

Author

Kathryn Erskine

Genre

Realistic Fiction/ Young Adult Literature

Grade level(s) appropriateness

5th grade and up

A brief synopsis or review

Caitlin is a ten year old with Asperger's syndrom. She sees the world in black and white but recently the shades of grey are breaking through her world. After the death of her brother, she is trying to make sense of the world in order to be able to find closure.

Theme/skill

closure, autism, Asperger's syndrom, tragedy, growing up, friendships

Noteworthy features or issues with text

The point of view of the story being in the voice of a child with autism

Teaching ideas

For this book, I would have students think about what it means to have closure. Students would discuss their ideas about closure as a whole class.
Students will be asked to think of projects that they will start at the beginning of the year and after at the end of the year

Curriculum tie-ins and/or related activities

health
history of other school shootings

Read aloud suitability

Yes, can be read aloud. However the topics described in the novel are very difficult topics for students to handle without some guidance from the teacher through group discussions.

Connections to other texts/content areas

books on autism
books on school shootings
books on Asperger's syndrom

Other additional comments

I loved the way this book was written. I would recommend it to anyone. One of my favorite books to date.

Everything On It

http://contemplatrix.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/shel-silverstein-everything-on-it-book.jpeg

Author:

Shel Silverstein

Genre:

Poetry

Grade level appropriateness:

3rd grade and up

Theme:

Silly poems

Synopsis or Review:

I thought the book was a fun way to get kids thinking about poems. The pictures draw readers into the book. Even if poetry is not your favorite, the pictures and silly lines will have you read more and more.

Noteworthy features or issues with the text:

The silly topics for the poems and pictures to go along with them

Teaching ideas:

Have students write their own poems
Poem in your pocket

Curriculum tie-ins and/ or related activities:

Have students write their own poems.

Read aloud suitability:

Yes, definitely readable

Connections to other texts or content areas:

No other connections to other books outside of other Shel Silverstein books

Four Perfect Pebbles: A Holocaust Story

http://www.fourperfectpebbles.com/images/pebble.jpg
Author

Lila Perl and Marion Blumenthal Lazan

Genre

Realistic Fiction

Grade level(s) appropriateness

5th grade and up

A brief synopsis or review

The book is a real story of the struggle of Marion Blumenthal and her family survive the Holocaust. The author connects the idea of pebbles to the significance of the survival of family, members. Without finding four perfect pebbles to represent the family, the state of the family might be lost. I would recommend this book.

Theme/skill

family, bravery, hope, the will to survive

Noteworthy features or issues with text

The connection between the idea of perfect pebbles and the strength and survival of the family

Teaching ideas

Have students write diaries as if they are telling their story as a survivor of the Holocaust
Have students talk, write, and/or draw about something that they collect for the meaning behind it like the pebbles in the story

Curriculum tie-ins and/or related activities

Can be used to teach about the Holocaust in history class

Read aloud suitability

Could be read aloud with group discussion in between

Connections to other texts/content areas

Can be used to connect areas such as history

Thursday, December 5, 2013