Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke

Zita the Spacegirl (#1)

Author/Illustrator: Ben Hatke

Awards: 2012 Children's Choice, Texas Bluebonnet

Genre: Graphic Novel

Grade Level: K-4

When Zita and her friend Joseph find a mysterious red button, the curiosity gets the best of them. They push the button and are transported to an alternate universe. Zita finds that Joseph has been captured and is under attack by an unworldly creature. On her journey to save her friend, Zita meets many strange animals and robots and discovers that they are all worried about an asteroid that will soon hit their planet. She happens upon a giant rat, Strong Strong, who she rides to get around, and another human, Piper, who seems to have ulterior motives. Eventually Zita saves her friend Joseph and they return home.

I appreciate the simplicity in these illustrations. The story really comes alive when the alien creatures are seen. The illustrator uses darker colors and creates movement with all of the aliens.

This book is an excellent choice for students who are more interested in the illustrations, or children who do not yet have the reading level to read such a lengthy story. The sci-fi setting and heroic female lead will keep all readers interested and engaged.

Balloons over Bradway by Melissa Sweet

Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade

Author/Illustrator: Melissa Sweet
Awards: Caldecott Award
Genre: Nonfiction (biography)
Grade Level: PK- 2

Even as a child, Tony Sarg was always trying to make things move. He even built contraptions to do his chores for him! When he grew up, he moved to London and noticed that children didn't have any puppets, so he began to make them for all the children. Eventually his puppets were used in Broadway productions. Macy's asked him to design puppets for their windows, and he used cartoon characters for his inspiration. As the holidays approached, Macy's decided to provide a parade for their employees and Tony was hired to replace the scary animals with more friendly characters. This became an annual event to entertain guests on Thanksgiving. Tony continued to improve his balloons each year.

I love the nontraditional illustrations in this story. On every page their is something unique, including diagrams, sketches, parade routes, and even puppets that look like they are laying on the page.

This book would be especially useful around Thanksgiving when sone students may be watching the parade at home. Students can learn a lot about the time period of this story. The illustration include older phones, streets, buildings, and of course, puppets. Students can appreciate the hard work Tony Starg put into his designs, especially without the use of the modern technology that we have now.

Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream by Deloris Jordan and Roslyn M. Jordan

Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream by Deloris Jordan and Roslyn M. Jordan

Authors: Deloris Jordan, Roslyn M. Jordan
Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
Awards: N/A
Genre: Nonfiction (biography)
Grade Level: PK-2

When he was a child, Michael loved to play basketball with his brothers. He was feeling discouraged because he did not think he was tall enough to be a good basketball player. When he asked his mother how he could get taller, she told him to put salt in his shoes. Although puzzled, Michael listened to his mother and remained patient and said his prayers every night. When Michael was asleep, his mother would put salt in his shoes and say a prayer for him. Michael practiced playing basketball every day. His hard work and determination, along with the help of the salt and prayers, resulted in Michael becoming one of the best basketball players ever.

The illustrations are colorful and intricate. They really bring readers to the neighborhood basketball court where Michael Jordan learned to play.

Although students interested in sports will find this story interesting, the best use for this book is to introduce moral values to readers. Classes can discuss how hard work, patience, and perseverance can pay off in the end.

Mr. Ferris and His Wheel by Kathryn Gibbs Davis

Mr. Ferris and His Wheel

Author: Kathryn Gibbs Davis
Illustrator: Gilbert Ford
Awards: N/A
Genre: Nonfiction (biography)
Grade Level: K-2 grade

George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. was an engineer who had big dreams. He design for the Ferris wheel won a contest as his attempt to out-shine the Eiffel Tower after the previous years wold fair. Despite many hardships in the design process as well as unsupportive peers, the Ferris wheel appeared at the 1893 World Fair and has since become an iconic attraction for many amusement parks.

The illustrations are full of vibrant blues and purples. The details in the Ferris wheel, such as the geometric shape and bright lights, transport readers to a different time.

Young readers will learn a lot about where their favorite attraction came from and how it was invented. This underdog story may inspire students to think of new ideas themselves.

Who was Dr. Suess? by Janet B. Pascal

Who was Dr. Suess?

Author: Janet B. Pascal

Illustrator: Nancy Harrison

Awards: N/A

Genre: Nonfiction (Biography)

Grade Level: 2-5 grade

Ted Geisel, who is better known for his pen name "Dr. Suess," loved to create doodles as a child. His mom made up rhymes and his dad ran a zoo. He liked to look at the funny ears on the animals. He also loved funny hats. He would even throw parties at his house where everyone who attended wore crazy hats. His favorite time to wear funny hats was when he was writing his stories. He created many children's books that are iconic and popular around the world.

Although the illustrations are all black and white, they are still interesting even to young readers. As seen in the cover, the illustrations are similar to a caricature and bring Dr. Suess to life.

This biography would pair excellently with any of Dr. Suess's impressive stories. I think students would find it both interesting and informative to learn about the author of the books they love. Students can also talk about the things that inspired Dr. Suess as a writer, such as the zoo animals, and think about things in their life that inspire them.

Pajama Girl by Sarah Perry

Pajama Girl

Author: Sarah Perry
Illustrator: Ingvard The Terrible
Genre: Realistic Fiction (audiobook)
Grade Level: PK-1

This story begins with Patricia talking about all the things she does at home. She sits on the couch with her parents, eats dinner, and drinks water. But at the end of the day when she puts on her pajamas, her identity changes. She becomes Pajama Girl! Her pajamas give Patricia super powers to finish her bedtime routine, like defeating her nemesis, the toothbrush kid. When her parents, who are referred to as "Sweet Dreams Momma" and "Sleep Tight Pappa," try to put her to bed, Patricia runs away. She climbs into bed, hoping her pajamas will give her the power to stay away through her bedtime stories, but she falls asleep.

Students can relate the girl in story on a more personal level. This book is also a good choice for a young girl who is interested in super heroes, but is limited to the choices available. I love the use of audiobooks as I think it is helpful to a lot of children who struggle with reading visually. For example, a student with dyslexia may feel discouraged about reading text despite being interested in the story. Audiobooks are a good choice for students who are auditory learners.

The Three Pigs by David Wiesner

The Three Pigs

Author/Illustrator: David Wiesner
Genre: Traditional Literature
Awards: Caldecott Medal
Grade Level: K-4

This is the classic tale of the three little pigs, but with an unexpected twist. Everything seems normal at first. Each pig builds a home out of completely unsuitable materials only to have the wolf destroy it. But when the wolf appears and blows the house down, things begin to look different. For example, the wolf even eats one pig! After this, the pigs find themselves in the real world, looking at the story from the outside. The pigs even fold up the pages of the book to make a paper airplane! They explore the pages of many other classic tales such as a fairytale story with a mystical dragon. The wolf continues to reach the pigs safe space, but cowers in fear when he seas the dragon.

The illustrations in the story seem like normal cartoony pictures until the story shifts. When the pigs come out of the book, the begin to look more realistic. The illustrations are extremely detailed down to each hair and Wiesner uses some very creative ways to bring the pictures to life. The characters interact with the book itself through the text and pages.

This story would be a great addition to any classroom library as it is appropriate and funny for children of all ages. If students have been exposed to the classic tale of the three little pigs, this book can be used to compare and contrast the two stories.