My Grateful Day

Author: Heather Rico Grades: Pre-K Synopsis: My Grateful Day captures the everyday gifts that children receive from nature and other people. Children will benefit when they learn to perceive what others do for them as gifts – no matter how small. When our little ones feel grateful for the extraordinary gifts of everyday, they can become happier. Debrief…

July 20, 2019

My Rotten Red-Headed Older Brother

Author: Patricia Polacco Grades: Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd Synopsis: There’s nothing worse than a rotten redheaded older brother who can do everything you can do better! Patricia’s brother Richard could run the fastest, climb the highest, and spit the farthest and still smile his extra-rotten, greeny-toothed, weasel-eyed grin. But when little Patricia wishes on a shooting star that…

Nests

Author: Pepe Márquez Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten Synopsis: Every bird needs a nest! Big or small, near or far, every bird’s nest is unique. And best of all, each nest is a special home for its family. Debrief Questions: This book talked about how birds and their nests are all different from each other. How are people and…

January 6, 2020

Paulie Pastrami Achieves World Peace

Author: James Proimos Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd Synopsis: Paulie Pastrami can’t whistle, he has trouble matching his socks, and he is usually picked last in sports. But he plans to achieve world peace before he turns eight. Through simple acts of kindness–from reading to the trees and being nice to his little sister to cheering…

August 2, 2019

Salt in His Shoes

Author: Deloris Jordan and Roslyn M. Jordan Grades: Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd Synopsis: As a child, Michael Jordan almost gave up on his hoop dreams, all because he feared he’d never grow tall enough to play the game that would one day make him famous. That’s when his mother and father stepped in and shared the…

Sheila Rae, The Brave

Author: Kevin Henkes Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st Synopsis: “I am very brave,” Sheila Rae said, patting herself on the back. She wasn’t afraid of anything—not thunder, not lightning, not the big black dog at the end of the block. And when she wanted to walk home a new way and Louise wouldn’t, she called her sister a scaredy-cat…

July 20, 2019

Stone Soup

Author: Jon J Muth Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd Synopsis: Three strangers, hungry and tired, pass through a war-torn village. Embittered and suspicious from the war, the people hide their food and close their windows tight. That is, until the clever strangers suggest making a soup from stones. Intrigued by the idea, everyone brings what…

August 2, 2019

Thank You, Mr. Falker

Author: Patricia Polacco Grades: Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd Synopsis: Patricia Polacco is now one of America’s most loved children’s book creators, but once upon a time, she was a little girl named Trisha starting school. Trisha could paint and draw beautifully, but when she looked at words on a page, all she could see was jumble. It…

July 20, 2019

The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room

Author: Kevin Henkes Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st Synopsis: Mama and Papa are frustrated that Brother and Sister can’t seem to pick up after themselves. One day, Mama Bear loses her temper and starts throwing away all of Brother and Sister’s toys. Brother and Sister shout in protest, so Papa Bear must step in to work a…

August 2, 2019

The Berenstain Bears Are Superbears!

Authors: Mike Berenstain Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st Synopsis: When Brother, Sister, and Honey Bear pretend to be their favorite superhero characters, the whole neighborhood joins in on the game. It’s fun to fight evildoers, but when a young neighbor falls off his bike, the Bear siblings get to be real-life heroes! Debrief Questions:  What did the bear siblings…

July 20, 2019

The Berenstain Bears Go to the Doctor

Author: Stan and Jan Berenstain Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten Synopsis: It’s time for a routine check-up with Dr. Gert Grizzly. Sister Bear is brave about her booster shot, and Brother Bear is fine, but–achoo!–is that Papa Bear sneezing? Debrief Questions: Have you ever been nervous about something, but it wasn’t so bad in the end? How can…

August 2, 2019

The Big Umbrella

Author: Amy June Bates Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten Synopsis: By the door there is an umbrella. It is big. It is so big that when it starts to rain there is room for everyone underneath. It doesn’t matter if you are tall. Or plaid. Or hairy. It doesn’t matter how many legs you have. Don’t worry that there won’t…

January 6, 2020

The Class from the Black Lagoon

Author: Mike Thaler Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd Synopsis: The main character, a teacher, is about to start a new school year with a class she has heard some nasty rumors about. She’s heard that the students turn into monsters when they get to school. They’re rowdy, rambunctious, and noisy: the exact opposite of the kind of…

July 20, 2019

The Day the Crayons Quit

Author: Drew Daywalt Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd Synopsis: Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: We quit! Beige is tired of playing second fiddle to Brown. Blue needs a break from coloring all that water, while Pink just…

August 2, 2019

The Family Book

Author: Todd Parr Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st Synopsis: The Family Book celebrates the love we feel for our families and all the different varieties they come in. Whether you have two moms or two dads, a big family or a small family, a clean family or a messy one, Todd Parr assures readers that no matter…

The Feelings Book

Author: Todd Parr Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten Synopsis: A surprising and silly book about moods, featuring such musings as “Sometimes I feel like staying in the bathtub all day”, and “Sometimes I feel brave”, illustrated with bold, bright, childlike drawings. Perfect for parents and teachers to use as a springboard for discussion about feelings. Debrief Questions: Pick out…

The Giving Tree

Author: Shel Silverstein Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd Synopsis: The book follows the lives of an apple tree and a boy. In his childhood, the boy enjoys playing with the tree, climbing her trunk, swinging from her branches, and eating her apples. However, as the boy grows older, he spends less time with the tree and…

The Little Red Hen

Author: Paul Galdone Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st Synopsis: Little Red Hen is a time-tested cautionary tale about how we reap what we sow. When the hen asks a cat, dog, and mouse for help planting some wheat, she gets no takers: “‘Not I!’ said the cat. ‘Not I!’ said the dog. ‘Not I!’ said the mouse.” They…

July 20, 2019

The Lorax

Author: Dr. Seuss Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd Synopsis: The now remorseful Once-ler–our faceless, bodiless narrator–tells the story himself. Long ago this enterprising villain chances upon a place filled with wondrous Truffula Trees, Swomee-Swans, Brown Bar-ba- loots, and Humming-Fishes. Bewitched by the beauty of the Truffula Tree tufts, he greedily chops them down to produce and…

The Recess Queen

Authors: Alexis O’Neill and Laura Huliska-Beith Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st Synopsis: Mean Jean was Recess Queen and nobody said any different. Nobody swung until Mean Jean swung. Nobody kicked until Mean Jean kicked. Nobody bounced until Mean Jean bounced. If kids ever crossed her, she’d push ’em and smoosh ’em lollapaloosh ’em, hammer ’em, slammer ’em, kitz and…