The Great Gilly Hopkins

The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson

This well written book geared for 3rd grade and up will have many kids wondering what Gilly Hopkins will think of next to get out of foster care. After spending all most all her life in foster care Gilly is determined to get her real mother to save her from the awful foster homes she seems to think she is in. After being one of the most notorious foster kids around, and when he is finally sent away to a new family, she finds out that they might be one of the strangest families yet. This is when she comes up with her elaborate plan to get her mother to "rescue" her, but things seem to go a different direction for her.

Barack by Jonah Winter

Barack by Jonah Winter

This greatly illustrated book about Barack Obama is a great way to introduce our 44th president to children. This story begins by telling where Barack Obama is from and where his family cam from. He lived in many different places with many different hardships that he had to deal with. Through out the book he continuously asks himself two questions; Who am I? and Where do I belong? His book helps to answer these questions and tell his journey to the White House and in a way that children can understand.

Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky

Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky by Faith Ringgold

This book with its beautifully painted pictures tells a story of Harriet Tubman and her journey to freedom. The story beings with a young girl Cassie and her brother Be Be learning about the Underground Railroad through an imaginary journey the two of them take through the sky. The board a train with the conductor who just happens to be their Aunt Harriet, who tells them all about the underground railroad and what the life of an escaping slave in the south was like. The train then takes off but Cassie is left behind to search for her brother, and along the way learns first hand what it is like to be a fugitive slave. The two are reunited in the end and just in time to celebrate the anniversary of Harriet Tubman's first flight to freedom. This book also contains great information about Harriet Tubman in the end pages.

The Yellow Star

The Yellow Star by Carmen Agra Deedy

The Yellow Star is a story about people living in Demark who were just Danes until the Germans came and life began to become very difficult. It was especially dangerous when Jews were instructed to sew onto all of their clothing a yellow star. King Christian X was determined to keep all of his jewish citizens safe. He worked very hard to protect his people. This great legend is crossed with many great facts and helps children to understand an era when things were very different from what they are today. The story is accompanied by many great oil paintings that help to tell this story.

Apples To Oregon

Apples To Oregon by Deborah Hopkinson

This fantastic story tell of the journey a pioneer took from Iowa to Oregon. He wanted to move to Oregon but did not want to leave behind his precious apple trees, or other fruits he had. Along the way the encounter many obstacles, such as huge rivers that can swallow you up, people who felt that their attempt to save the fruit was worthless and bad weather. His family and him did most anything they could to protect every tree and plant on their wagon. Eventually they would make it to Oregon where they planted all of the fruit they would continue to enjoy. This book tells a great story children will love, and included on the final pages is even more insight into how apples traveled from Iowa to Oregon.

Lincoln and Douglass: An American Friendship

Lincoln and Douglass: An American Friendship by Nikki Giovanni

This book tells the story of both President Lincoln and his dear friend Frederick Douglass. As it begins on March 4th, 1865 with the President and his wife attending a reception for his recent election into office. He tells her that a friend will be stopping by, and his name is Frederick Douglass. She is quite surprised because he is black, and there are usually no blacks at the White House. As they finally see each other and cross the room to meet another story continues of how both young men grew up with similar stories however, they were just in different places. This story is great for young children to see how the first attempts of abolishing slavery and how Lincoln was determined to, no matter what was being said about him or slavery. It has a great facts and included at the end is a timeline that shows events of both Lincoln and Douglass. The illustrations are great pictures done from cut-paper collages.

Drita My Homegirl

Drita My Homegirl by Jenny Lombard

At some point in our lives we either have to leave some one behind or someone else moves on with out us. In this story Drita has come to America to escape a war torn Kosovo. She knows no english and struggles a great deal to adapt to everything. It doesn't help when the popular girls in the fourth grade have made it a point of theirs to ignore Drita. It is not until one of these girls named Maxie and Drita are partnered for a project that things begin to change. WIth a rough start and all it really does make fr a great friendship to bloom. This book is well written with each chapter being a couple pages long but from either Drita or Maxies point of view. With the story going back and forth between the two, it is a great read for third and up.

Hooray for Fish

Hooray for Fish by Lucy Cousins

This fantastically colorful book full of fish either made up or real, ele-fish to sky fish, helps to show this little fish just who is most important to him. With a lot of word repetition that can be extremely helpful to beginning readers, i think this book is great. Along with the repetition, there is a lot of fun words for kids to say and read along with a lot of rhyming that kids are sure to pick up on. With very few words on each page it is definitely a quick read but great way to start learning how to read.

My Many Colored Days

My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss

I had no idea that this was a Dr. Seuss book until looking at the author but it was great and after reading about him seems to be one of his last great ideas. I really enjoyed reading about the comparisons between everyday things and colors that can describe out moods. Each color can be a different mood that everyone will experience sometime in their lives. This would be a great book for Kindergarten, 1st or 2nd grade, showing kids that it is ok to feel different ways on different days because no matter what you are always going to be you in the end and thats all that matters. These images created in the book are much different from the Dr. Seuss many of us grew up with, but are just perfect at getting the point of this story across.

Horton Hatches the Egg

Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss

When one little bird needs a little rest from sitting on her unhatched egg all day, she asks non other than a giant elephant named Horton. He agrees and once she flies off he takes his place a top the tree, and on top of the little egg. Nothing stopped him from getting of of that nest, not rain, snow or even the men who came and took him away, tree, nest and all. He was taken across the world and put on display for all to see. As soon as the mother bird saw him she swooped down just in time to want her little baby bird back, but what hatches takes everyone by surprise. This is another one of my favorites because of Horton's lovable character and his dedication to help others. This book would be great for children who might not want to do all of the hard work to gain something, but just want it all to be given to them. A great lesson for all.

The Polar Express

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

This timeless tale of The Polar Express is one of my favorites, with its Christmas message for believers everywhere and beautiful illustrations. After one little boy boards a train to the North Pole, his questions of whether or not Santa is real, will be answered. Along with other children all in their PJs, we learn a little lesson about Christmas and Santa. For some of us just like those in the book, we no longer hear the ringing of the bell but their are always a few that still can and this is a great book for them. The images resemble a watercolor look and help tell this magical story.

Where The Wild Things Are

Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

This magical tale of Max and how he travels to where all the WILD things are, is both imaginative and a great read for children and adults. After being sent to his room with no supper because of his wild behavior, Max's room begins to grow a forest in which he can now continue in his wild play. After being crowned king he realizes he misses a few things he once had. Before you know it his boat has journeyed back and he is once again in his bedroom with his supper that is somehow still warm after all this time. With greatly detailed pictures that keep you wanting to turn the pages to see what comes next, this book is exceptional at any age.