President Adams' Alligator and Other White House Pets 

by Peter W. Barnes and Cheryl Shaw Barnes

Summary:

President Adams' Alligator and Other White House Pets by Peter W. Barnes and Cheryl S. Barnes  is a story about the United States presidents and their pets. It starts off with Mrs. Tucker's classroom talking about what their favorite pet is. She then starts to tell the children about the different pets presidents have had in the White House from George Washington to Bill Clinton.

Evaluation:

 This is a great book for teaching children about presidents in a not so boring way. It also introduces the concept of voting by having a ballot at the end of the book that the reader can fill out for their favorite White House pet. I had no idea that there were some pretty non conventional pets in the white house. For example, Thomas Jefferson had two pet grizzly bears and a pet mockingbird named Dick. Jefferson would let Dick eat food out of his mouth and sing along when he played the violin. President Lincoln loved all kinds of animals and gave many to his children. President Lincoln gave his son Tad two goads named Nanny and Nanko, who Tad would tie up to a kitchen chair and race through the halls of the White House. The illustrations in this book are very colorful color pencil drawings that are delightful to the reader. This is a great book for teachers when teaching about the U.S. presidents, Presidents Day, as well as the electoral process.

Genre & Age Group:

Nonfiction

5-8 and up

Coat of Many Colors

Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton

Summary:

Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton is a story about a little girl who is growing up poor in Tennessee. The winter is quickly approaching and the little girl has no coat. Her Mama does not have enough money to buy her one so she sews her a coat made out of a box of rags that someone gave them. As she sews she tells the little girl the story of Joseph and his multicolored coat from the bible, and how she hopes it will bring her good luck and happiness. The little girl proudly wears her coat to school the next day. But, she finds herself the laughing stock of the classroom. Instead of feeling ashamed, or sorry for herself, the little girl feels sorry for her classmates. She tells them the story of how her Mama sewed her coat with love and that your only poor if you choose to be.

Evaluation:

I love this book! Growing up I always loved to hear Dolly Parton sing and now one of my favorite songs is beautifully expressed in book form. The illustrations are wonderful and the lesson that this books teaches (just like the song) is loud and clear. It teaches children about gratitude and self assurance. The little girl didn't have as much money as her peers and was teased because of it, but she had her mother's love and that was enough to pull her through a difficult situation. 

Genre and Age group:

3-5 years and up

Realistic fiction

Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby

Summary:
Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby retold by Karmina Amin is a traditional folk tale about trickster, Brer Fox who hates Brer Rabbit. Brer Fox plays a trick on Brer Rabbit by means of a tar baby. When the tar baby doesn't answer Brer Rabbit, he gets mad and starts to fight the tar baby. Brer Fox thinks he finally has done in Brer Rabbit, but Brer Rabbit is too fast a thinker for Brer Fox and ends up tricking him instead.

Evaluation:
This was one of my favorite stories growing up and this is a wonderful rendition of the classic southern folk tale. The illustrations in this book are amazing and very modernized so children of any race and background can focus on the actual story and the lesson it has to teach. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Age & Genre:
folk tale
9-11 years and up

Where can I buy this book? 
http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Brer-Rabbit-Friends/dp/0756618134/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358640637&sr=1-5&keywords=brer+rabbit+and+the+tar+baby

Thumbeline

Summary:
Thumbeline retold by Susan Jeffers is a traditional fairy tale about a tiny girl no bigger than your thumb. Thumbeline was born in a flower and has to live her life in a dangerous and very big world. Through her acts of kindness and bravery she is eventually taken to a land of people who are all her size.  

Evaluation:
This is a wonderful version of Hans Christian Anderson's classic fairy tale. I would not suggest reading this book to children under the age of 5 due to some of the scary scenes and events in the book. The illustrations in this book are beautiful and engaging to the reader. 

Age & Genre:
fairy tale
5-8 years

Classroom extension activities:
http://www.kelseyatmccc.org/thumbelina.pdf
http://www.ehow.co.uk/list_6311855_fairy-tale-crafts-children.html

Where can I buy this book? 
http://www.amazon.com/Thumbelina-Amy-Ehrlich/dp/0525475087/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358639521&sr=1-2&keywords=thumbelina

the Lion and the Mouse

Summary:
the Lion and the Mouse Retold by Jerry Pinkney is a traditional animal story tale about an unlikely pair that learn that everyone needs help sometimes. This version is the picture only version of Aesop's fable where the king of the jungle spares the life of a small mouse. In turn, the mouse ends up saving the lions life when he is caught by poachers. 

Evaluation:
This is my favorite version of the classic tale. The reader is free to use their own words to retell the story of the Lion and the Mouse. Pinkney's illustrations are out of this world! My daughter loves this book because she is able to follow a pictorial story line and tell her version of the fable.

Age & Genre:
0-2 and up
folk tale

Classroom extension activities:
http://www.dltk-teach.com/fables/lion/index.htm
http://suzyred.com/pbks2010_Lion_and_All_The_World.html
http://www.teachyourchildrenwell.com.au/english/bigbooks/Stage%201%20Language%20Unit%20-%20The%20Lion%20and%20the%20mouse%20-%20WHOLE%20DOCUMENT.pdf

Where can I buy this book? 
http://www.amazon.com/Lion-Mouse-Jerry-Pinkney/dp/0316013560/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358638506&sr=1-1&keywords=the+lion+and+the+mouse

Tikki Tikki Tembo

Summary:
Tikki Tikki Tembo Retold by Arlene Mosel is a traditional tale about a little boy,  Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo who fell in a well. Having such a long name turns out to be very problematic for the little boy. He is eventually pulled out of the well by an old man with a ladder but it is too late. After the incident people decide that from now on Chinese children would only be  given short names, thus changing history forever.  

Evaluation:
This book is a great book. Saying the name Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo is fun for both the reader and the child alike. The illustrations, repetition  and moral lesson are great for young children. I loved to read this as a child and now my children love to have it read to them.

Age & Genre:
3-5 and up
folk tale

Classroom extension activities:
*have children make a ladder with toothpicks to remind them of the story's lesson
http://pbskids.org/lab/activity/nametowers/
http://www.lessonpathways.com/Pathways/Detail?path=%2FLangauge_Arts%2FYear_1_Language_Arts_Guided_Journey%2F13Tikki_Tikki_Tembo
http://saxonpublishers.hmhco.com/HA/correlations/pdf/p/Phonics_K_Lit_Extensions.pdf


Where can I buy this book? 
http://www.amazon.com/Tikki-Tembo-Arlene-Mosel/dp/0312367481/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358636959&sr=1-1&keywords=Rikki+Tikki+Tembo

The Gingerbread Man

Summary:
The Gingerbread Man Retold by Jim Aylesworth is a traditional tale about a little old woman and a little old man who decide one day to make a Gingerbread Man. The Gingerbread Man comes to life when they open up the oven door and causes chaos throughout the town until he is stopped by a sly hungry fox.

Evaluation:
This book is a great read for ages 3 years and up. The illustrations are captivating and the rhythm and rhyme are great for young children. My daughter loves to say: "Run! Run! Fast as you can! You can't catch me! I'm the Gingerbread Man!" and  "No! No! I won't come back! I'd rather run than be your snack!"

Age & Genre:
3-5 and up
folk tale

Classroom extension activities:
http://www.lauramurraybooks.com/resources/gb-tl-website-extension-ideas.pdf
http://www.kidzone.ws/thematic/gingerbread/index.htm
http://www.teachingheart.net/gingerbreadman.html

Parent activities to do with your child:
make a gingerbread man with your children
http://pinterest.com/jnase1/gingerbread-man-activities-freebies-and-more/

Where can I buy this book? 
http://www.amazon.com/Gingerbread-Man-Jim-Aylesworth/dp/0590972197/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358636104&sr=1-3&keywords=the+gingerbread+man