64. Go, Go, Grapes: A Fruit Chant by April Pulley Sayre

Bibliographic Citation:
Sayre, April Pulley. Go, Go, Grapes!: A Fruit Chant. New York, NY: Beach Lane Books, 2012. 32 p. ISBN 978-1442433908.

Awards/Selection Lists:
None

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
This book showcases different types of fruits through photographs taken at farmer's markets, small grocery stores, and fruit stands. 

Personal Reaction:
Rhyming text is presented alongside photographs to identify different types of fruit. The rhythmic text describes the attributes of the various fruits in the pictures, including color, taste, and texture.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 3-7 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Fruits, colors, textures, taste, nonfiction

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.


Narrative Skills: 
The narrative, rhythmic text invites children to participate in reading the story. Dialogic reading would also offer children the opportunity to identify fruit in the accompanying photographs.

Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is presented through rhyming text and alliteration.

Print Awareness:
Text appears in white font against colorful backgrounds, which draws attention to the printed words of the book.


Print Motivation: 
Children will enjoy the colorful pages and photographs included in this book. The rhyming text is presented in fun, rhythmic way that will have children jumping in as the story is read.


Vocabulary:
Vocabulary presented in this book is focused around different types of fruit and the way they look, feel, and taste. Children will be presented with the identification of new types of fruit.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://www.aprilsayre.com/

63. Squish Rabbit by Katherine Battersby

Bibliographic Citation:
Battersby, Katherine. Squish Rabbit. New York, NY: Viking, 2011. 40 p. ISBN 978-0670012671.

Awards/Selection Lists:
None

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
Squish is a little rabbit who goes through life unnoticed and lonely, until he makes friends with a squirrel.

 

Personal Reaction:
Squish the Rabbit got his name from being small and not easily seen. This creates problems with making friends, as Squish is also quiet as well. When he begins to play by himself, a squirrel comes along and Squish decides it's time to speak up. The two become friends and Squish doesn't feel so small or lonely anymore.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 3-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Shyness, loneliness, self-image, speaking up, friendship

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.


Narrative Skills: 
Narrative skills can be modeled through reading aloud with the child, and through conversation through dialogic reading.


Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is not a direct focus of this book.


Print Awareness:
The text of the story appears in areas that are free from illustrations, drawing the eye to the printed words on the page. The word "STOP" appears in large, red letters, and is often a recognizable printed word from a child's environment.


Print Motivation: 
The illustrations in this book are inviting to young children, and the characters are likable. Young children will enjoy following Squish the Rabbit as he seeks for a friend.


Vocabulary:
The vocabulary in this book deals with feelings of loneliness and friendship, modeling words dealing with these emotions for young children.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://katherinebattersby.com/

61. Moon Child by Nadia Krilanovich

Bibliographic Citation:
Krilanovich, Nadia. Moon Child. Illustrated by Elizabeth Sayles. New York, NY: Tricycle Press, 2010. 32 p. ISBN 978-1582463254.

Awards/Selection Lists:

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
Three animal babies of the night play with the moon before drifting off to sleep with their families.

Personal Reaction:
The soft illustrations and simple text tell the story from the perspective of three nocturnal animal babies who "play" with the moon as is hangs in the sky above them. The illustrations are from a perspective that a child might have of the moon "following" them. The gentle text makes this a nice bedtime story for young children.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 3-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Bedtime, nocturnal animals, night sky, perspective, families

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.


Narrative Skills: 
Narrative skills are modeled through simple text that provides the opportunity for dialogic reading experiences. 

Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is not a direct focus of this book.

Print Awareness:
The text of the story is printed in white font over a dark background on each page, drawing attention to the connection between the text and the illustrations.

Print Motivation: 
This book provides the familiar experience of seeing the moon as something that is "touchable" for young children. The familiarity of the subject matter combines with the soft illustrations and gentle text to create a book that children will enjoy choosing as a bedtime story.

Vocabulary:
The vocabulary of this book deals with the night sky and the perspective of the moon by the different animals.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
No official author website
Illustrator website: http://elizabethsayles.blogspot.com/

56. Red Sled by Lita Judge

Bibliographic Citation:
Judge, Lita. Red Sled. New, NY: Antheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011. 40 p. ISBN 978-1442420076.

Awards/Selection Lists:
Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review; Best Children's Book of 2011
School Library Journal, Starred Review
Publisher's Weekly, Starred Review
CCBC Choices, 2012

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
A group of animals borrow a child's red sled and enjoy sledding down the hill together before returning the sled to the place where the child left it.

Personal Reaction:
This nearly wordless book is a delightfully fun book. The text of the story consists of sound effects, in various font sizes and colors, that support the illustrated details of the story. Illustrations bring the animals' facial expressions to life, and the reader is able to live out the joy that they feel as they sled down the hill through the night.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 2-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Animals, winter, borrowing, joy, fun

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.


Narrative Skills: 
Narrative skills are encouraged through the mostly wordless pages of this book. Children are encouraged to participate in telling the story through the details that they see in the illustrations.



Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is addressed through the use of phonological text to represent sound effects in the story.

Print Awareness:
The text of the story is printed in areas of the illustrations to show how they connect to the sounds that would take place during the action being represented.

Print Motivation: 
This book offers an entertaining look of the joy that animals would feel if they were able to ride a sled. Children will enjoy reading this book and being a part of the nearly wordless story along with creating sound effects to support the story.

Vocabulary:
Readers and children create the vocabulary for this story through describing the events in the illustrations.

Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://www.litajudge.net/

55. In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming

Bibliographic Citation:
Fleming, Denise. In the Small, Small Pond. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, 1993. 32 p. ISBN 978-0805081176.

Awards/Selection Lists:
Caldecott Honor, 1994
ALA Notable Children's Book, 1994
Publisher's Weekly Starred Review and Best Books of 1993 Editors' Choice
School Library Journal Best Books of 1993 

Format Examined:
Paperback

Annotation:
Children learn about the animals and insects at a pond through the author's use of rhyming text, alliteration, and colorful, paper pulp illustrations.

Personal Reaction:
Denise Fleming uses her classic paper pulp artwork to beautifully introduce a young child to pond animals within their natural habitat.The text of the story includes rhyming descriptions and alliteration to describe the animals and their natural movements at the pond. Text is simple and appears in a font that is easy to see and easy to read.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 3-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Pond life, alliteration, nature

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.


Narrative Skills: 
Narrative skills can be modeled through dialogic reading, with questions pertaining to the animals represented in the illustrations.

Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is represented through rhyming words and alliteration within the text.

Print Awareness:
The text of the story appears in large, simple, black font positioned to support the illustrations on each page.

Print Motivation: 
The simplicity of the story, paired with the colorful illustrations make this book a fun choice for young children.

Vocabulary:
The vocabulary in this book is connected to pond animals and their natural habitat. 



Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://www.denisefleming.com/

54. White is for Blueberry by George Shannon

Bibliographic Citation:
Shannon, George. White is for Blueberry. Illustrated by Laura Dronzek. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books, 2005. 40p. 978-0060292751.

Awards/Selection Lists:
ALA Notable Children's Book, 2006

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
This book is about looking at things from a different perspective to see that additional colors can be associated with the objects.

Personal Reaction:
This concept book introduces color awareness in a way that suggests looking at things from a different perspective. Colors are associated with illustrations on a page, and the words do not match the pictures, until the reader turns the page to reveal how the color of the object changes  from a changed perspective. An illustration of a black crow begins the book associated with the word "Pink", which is revealed on the next page of pink babies hatched from eggs. 

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children ages 4-6 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Colors, looking from a different perspective, discovery

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus if this book.

Narrative Skills: 
Children are invited into the narration of the story through color and object identification.

Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is not a direct focus of this book.

Print Awareness:
The text is part of the story as the words change colors to match the illustrations.

Print Motivation: 
The vivid colors of the book, paired with the discovery of the objects make this a book that children will want to revisit, even on their own.

Vocabulary:
The vocabulary in this book relates to colors and changing perspectives to see inside the objects on the page.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://www.georgewbshannon.comcastbiz.net/

53. Leonardo, the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems

Bibliographic Citation:
Willems, Mo. Leonardo, the Terrible Monster. New York, NY: Hyperion Books, 2005. 48 p. ISBN 978-0786852949.

Awards/Selection Lists:
School Library Journal Starred Review
Time Magazine's 10 Best Children's Books, 2005
Book Sense Book of the Year Honor Book, 2006

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
Leonardo is a monster who cannot scare anyone, so he seeks out Sam, a boy who he thinks he can scare.

Personal Reaction:
This story introduces Leonardo, a monster who is not able to scare anyone, so he seeks out a kid that he can scare, and finds Sam. When he scares Sam, the boy bursts into tears, but not because he scared him, but for a variety of "wrongs" that Sam has suffered that day. Leonardo decides to change from a scary monster to a good friend to help Sam.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to children 3-7 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Self-esteem, frustration, change in perspective, friendship

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.


Narrative Skills: 
Narrative skills can be modeled through the reading of this book through dialogic reading. The large text also invites children to become familiar with the text of this book, and encourages involvement in the telling of the story.   

Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is not a direct focus of this book.

Print Awareness:
Changing, colorful, and lively fonts bring the text of the story into the story in a way that the words almost become characters of the story themselves.

Print Motivation: 
This is a fun story that children will love revisiting and becoming a part of the telling of the story. The surprising turn of events in the story make this a book that children will enjoy.

Vocabulary:
The vocabulary in this book deals with self-esteem, feelings of frustration, changing emotions, and friendship.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://www.mowillems.com/

41. The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

Bibliographic Citation:
Pinkney, Jerry. The Lion and the Mouse. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009. 40 p. ISBN 978-0316013567. 

Awards/Selection Lists:

School Library Journal Starred Review and Best Book of the Year, 2009
Publishers Weekly Starred Review
The Horn Book Fanfare Best Book, 2009
ALA Notable Children's Book, 2010
Caldecott Medal, 2010

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
The author/illustrator uses beautiful artwork and very little words to retell Aesop's fable of a lion who spares a mouse's life and is repaid when he needs help.

Personal Reaction:
No text is needed to tell this story. Jerry Pinkney's watercolor paintings are so vivid, showing details and textures that are truly realistic. The story, a classic fable, begins with a mouse scampering across a field away from an owl, as he stumbles across the back of a lion. The lion allows the mouse to live, and later, when the lion needs help out of a net where he has been caught, the mouse climbs into the net and nibbles through to help the lion escape. The lesson represented is that of kindness to others.

Age Recommendation:

I would recommend this book for children ages 2-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Kindness, showing mercy

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.

Narrative Skills: 
Narrative skills are a large focus of this nearly wordless book. Children are encouraged to help tell the story in their own words according to what they see happening in the illustrations.

Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is not a direct focus of this book.

Print Awareness:
Print motivation is not a direct focus of this book.

Print Motivation: 
While there is not much printed text within this book, motivation toward looking at the book, and wanting to hear the story "read" is fostered toward illustrations that are so realistic that they tell the story on their own. This timeless tale is one that children will enjoy looking at and hearing many times over.

Vocabulary:
Vocabulary is not based on printed text, but on the words that the reader shares as the story is told to the child. Kindness and mercy are two words that describe the events of the story well.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://www.jerrypinkneystudio.com/

40. Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by by Eric Litwin

Bibliographic Citation:
Litwin, Eric. Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons. Illustrated by James Dean. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2012. 40 p. ISBN 978-0062110589.

Awards/Selection Lists:

Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor, 2013

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:

Pete the Cat returns in this book about his four groovy buttons, which he loses one by one, but he keeps his cool throughout the entire book.

Personal Reaction:
Pete the Cat's attitude about life teaches many lessons for children in a very cool way. Using a combination of rhyme (or song, if you download it), and everyday language, Pete teaches that "things will come and things will go", but that we should keep on going with a positive attitude. This book also embeds subtraction of buttons throughout the story.  

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 3-7 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Losing things, positive attitude, subtraction

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.

Narrative Skills: 
Through the use of rhyming text/song, repeated lines, and math, children are invited to become a direct part of telling the story.

Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is not a direct focus of this book.

Print Awareness:
While the actual text of the story is printed in small text, which is not easily seen in a group atmosphere, the numbers included in the subtraction of the buttons is easily seen.

Print Motivation: 
This book is a wonderful book for print motivation, as the song/chant is fun, hip, and easy for children to participate in, and Pete the Cat is a likable character with a contagious positive attitude. 

Vocabulary:
Vocabulary pertaining to subtraction (minus and equals) are presented within the text of the story. Other everyday language is used, including common slang phrases, such as "it's all good".



Author/ Illustrator Website:
Author website: http://www.ericlitwin.com/#!
Illustrator website: http://www.petethecat.com/about

39. Hide & Seek by Il Sung Na

Bibliographic Citation:

Na, Il Sung. Hide & Seek. New York, NY: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2012. 32 p. ISBN 978-0375870781.

Awards/Selection Lists:

Booklist Starred Review, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Starred Review, 2012

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
A group of animals decide to play hide and seek after the chameleon suggests playing, and the elephant has to find them all.

Personal Reaction:

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 2-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Counting, playing, camouflage 

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.

Narrative Skills: 
Listeners are invited to participate in counting from one to ten with the elephant before he seeks for each of the animals. This book provides an opportunity for dialogic reading as children try to predict which animals the elephant will find first.

Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is not a direct focus of this book.

Print Awareness:
Each of the numbers is printed large enough for the audience to see and read out together as the elephant counts.

Print Motivation: 
The beautiful artwork in combination with the game of hide and seek make this an enjoyable book for young children to revisit. The added twist of the champion hiding animal, the color-changing chameleon, also offers an opportunity for children to learn about animals who are able to change colors to blend in with their surroundings.  

Vocabulary:
The vocabulary in the story is surrounded around the types of animals that are represented in the game of hide and seek. The chameleon may be an especially new animal to children, and offers the opportunity for children to learn about color-changing animals.

Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://www.ilsungna.com/home.htm

36. David Gets in Trouble by David Shannon

Bibliographic Citation:

Shannon, David. David Gets in Trouble. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc., 2002. 32 p. ISBN 978-0439050227.

Awards/Selection Lists:

None

Format Examined:
Paperback

Annotation:

David gets into trouble over and over, but always has an excuse, until he goes to bed, and realizes that he should apologize for the things he has done.

Personal Reaction:

This book provides a good lesson for young children about taking responsibility for their mistakes. David repeatedly denies any wrong doing as he gets into trouble over and over throughout the day. He makes the realization at the end that he should apologize, and is able to go to sleep at the end with a clear conscious.  

Age Recommendation:

I would recommend this book for children 3-7 years of age.

Themes/Issues:

Personal responsibility, apologizing, telling the trouble

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.

Narrative Skills: 
Narrative skills are modeled through the reading of the simple text on the page. As children become more familiar with the book, they may be able to become involved in the telling of the story.


Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is not a direct focus of this book.

Print Awareness:
The text of the story is in font that is hand-drawn and large, which calls attention to the print on each page.

Print Motivation: 
This book is fun to read, as some of the things that David does are funny. David is a likable character, and teaches a lesson at the end. The artwork and hand-drawn words make this an enjoyable book for preschoolers.

Vocabulary:
Vocabulary can be supported through the dialogic reading of this book. Words concerning personal responsibility can be highlighted.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
No official author website

35. Edward Lear's A Was Once an Apple Pie, Adapted by Suse MacDonald

Bibliographic Citation:

Lear, Edward and Suse MacDonald. A Was Once an Apple Pie. New York, NY: Orchard Books, 2005. 32 p. ISBN 978-0-545-00547-0.

Awards/Selection Lists:
None

Format Examined:
Paperback

Annotation:

The alphabet is presented from A-Z through rhyme, alliteration, and colorful illustrations.

Personal Reaction:

This concept book focuses on letter knowledge through silly, rhyming text and uses alliteration to promote phonological awareness,

Age Recommendation:

I would recommend this book for children 3-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Alphabet order, rhyme, alliteration

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Large, colorful letters are presented in alphabetical order and are accompanied by illustrations that represent each letter.

Narrative Skills: 
Silly, rhyming text that includes alliteration makes this a fun book for children to help narrate as they become familiar with the book.

Phonological Awareness: 
Alliteration and rhyming support the sounds of each of the letters of the alphabet.

Print Awareness:
Each of the letters of the alphabet are printed in large, colorful print, and accompanied by text that is in simple, black font on each page. This book is very print driven, and supported well by the illustrations.

Print Motivation: 
This book, with its silly text encourages children to become involved, and as they learn the letters of the alphabet, this book is one they will enjoy revisiting.

Vocabulary:
Words that support each of the letters are part of the text on each page, and offer children the opportunity to learn new words.

Author/ Illustrator Website
http://www.susemacdonald.com/