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/

37. Jump Frog, Jump! by Robert Kalan

Bibliographic Citation:

Kalan, Robert. Jump Frog, Jump!. Illustrated by Byron Barton. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books, 1989. ISBN 978-0688092412. 

Awards/Selection Lists:

None

Format Examined:
Paperback

Annotation:

A frog in a pond finds himself in danger numerous times, and the only escape is to jump away, until he is caught by children under a basket, and needs help to get away.

Personal Reaction:
The circular text of this book calls for help from the audience to make sure a frog gets away from danger. The title phrase of this book, "Jump, frog, jump!" is repeated as the frog is almost caught by a fish, a turtle, and a snake, which all eat each other. Finally, a group of children catch him under a basket, but one of the children comes and lifts the basket, and the frog jumps away.

Age Recommendation:

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

Themes/Issues:

Circular story, frog, food chain, pond animals, repetition

Early Literacy Skill Value:

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

Narrative Skills: 
Narrative skills are emphasized through repeated lines this circular story.

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

Print Awareness:
The colorful illustrations of this book are more prominent than most lines of the story, except for the words, "Jump, frog, jump!", which appear on the pages in yellow in order to promote audience involvement.

Print Motivation: 
The circular story of each of the pond animals eating the next, along with the repeated title line makes this fun book one that children will enjoy revisiting many times.

Vocabulary:
Words that are introduced pertain to pond animals and positional directions.

Author/ Illustrator Website:
No official website

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/

33. Peter's Chair by Ezra Jack Keats

Bibliographic Citation:
Keats, Ezra Jack. Peter's Chair. New York, NY: Puffin Books, 1998. 40 p. ISBN 978-0140564419. 

Awards/Selection Lists:

None

Format Examined:
Paperback

Annotation:
The main character, Peter has to learn how to come to terms with the fact that he has a new baby sister, and his parents are painting his old baby furniture pink for his sister to use.

Personal Reaction:

This classic book tells the story of Peter, a boy who has a new baby sister. He has to learn to be quiet while she sleeps, and notices that his parents are passing all of his old baby furniture to his baby sister-- and painting it all pink. Peter sees his favorite small chair, and grabs it before it can be painted pink, too. He decides to run away (just outside the house), with his baby chair and his dog, until he realizes that he has gotten too big to fit in the chair. In the end, he decides that the chair should be painted pink for his sister. This story provides a powerful message for children who have new siblings.

Age Recommendation:

I would recommend this book for children 4-7 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
New baby, sharing, growing up, siblings, family

Early Literacy Skill Value:

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

Narrative Skills: 
This book provides an opportunity for dialogic reading and modeling of narrative skills through the reading of the text aloud.

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

Print Awareness:
This book incorporates environmental print, such as the print of a newspaper on the floor as Peter's father paints.

Print Motivation: 
Children who have new siblings will identify with this story, and want to revisit this book.

Vocabulary:
Natural language is used throughout the text to describe how Peter feels and how his feelings change.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/

32. Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs by Byron Barton

Bibliographic Citation:

Barton, Byron. Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs. New York, NY: HarperTrophy, 1989. 40 p. ISBN 978-0064432986.

Awards/Selection Lists:

None

Format Examined:
Paperback

Annotation:
Colorful illustrations accompany a story that helps the reader and listener imagine what dinosaurs looked like, and how they might have lived long ago. 

Personal Reaction:

This book's color and subject matter make it a book that dinosaur-loving children choose again and again. Children are invited to imagine what dinosaurs were like. Dinosaur types are represented through the illustrations, inviting children to identify them each by name.

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

Themes/Issues:

Dinosaur identification and history

Early Literacy Skill Value:

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

Narrative Skills: 
Colorful illustrations encourage children to take part in naming the dinosaurs on the page as the story is read.

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

Print Awareness:
The text of the story is in a large, simple font that describes the illustrations on the page. The color of the font is changed on darker pages where the print may be difficult to see otherwise.

Print Motivation: 
Dinosaurs and their descriptions make this a fun book for children who love dinosaurs.

Vocabulary:
Words that describe what dinosaurs might have looked like, and how they lived, are used throughout this book.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
No official author website

30. Sail Away by Donald Crews

Bibliographic Citation:

Crews, Donald. Sail Away. New York, NY: HarperTrophy, 1995. 40 p. ISBN 978-0688175177.

Awards/Selection Lists:

Booklist Editors' Choice

Format Examined:
Paperback

Annotation:

A family rows out to their sailboat, and goes sailing all day, through sun, wind, and a storm.

Personal Reaction:
Donald Crews uses illustrations and typeface together to form the story of this book about a family who sails the day away. The colors are bold and the use of large letters draws a child's eyes to the words as an important part of the story. The tone of the reader's voice is encouraged to change through the growing size of the font. Crews also uses words to symbolize the sound of the boat and the wind. 

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

Themes/Issues:
Sailing, family, storms

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
While letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book, letters can be identified through the large text that is printed on several pages to symbolize the wind and sailing through a storm.

Narrative Skills: 
Narrative skills are modeled through the reading of this story, and children may be encouraged to help tell the story since the text is short and simple. Children may also be encouraged to participate in the sound effects of that are a part of the story.

Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is a part of this book through the use of words to represent the sound of a small boat engine ("putt... putt... putt...") and the sound of the wind picking up the sail ("WHOOSH!).

Print Awareness:
This book provides a rich print awareness experience through the use of text that is a direct part of the story through changes in size, color, and position in relation to the illustrations. 

Print Motivation: 
This book provides an active experience for children through the use of sounds and a growing intensity throughout the book. Children will find the illustrations interesting to look at as well, since there are many details to explore on each page.

Vocabulary:
New words pertaining to sailing are presented, as well as words that symbolize sounds. 



Author/ Illustrator Website:

No official author website