Holtsclawannotatedbib

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Picture Books:
1. Bradford, Wade. Why Do I Have to Make My Bed? New York: Tricycle
Press, 2011.
ISBN 978-1-58246-327; 31 pp; Age 3 – 7; historical
fiction; housekeeping, mothers and son, Egypt, Greece,
ancient civilizations; picture book w/ watercolor
illustrations; illustrated by Johanna van der Sterre
Summary: A mother tells her son why he has to make his
bed even though he has already done other chores. She
tells him about ancestors who have asked the same question going back
farther in time. The story goes all the way back to prehistoric times. The
pages use phrases and vocabulary set in each time frame. The watercolor
illustrations add details about the time period including the approximate
dates. The end of the book includes one to two paragraphs about each time
period and what it may have been like for the kids who lived during that
time.
Analytical Comments:
Old vocabulary and terms used which will need to be explained;
example papyrus scrolls
Uses similes on each page which may need to be explained
Illustrations show stereotypical scenes from ancient civilizations that
may or may not be accurate
Could be used to support/introduce 6th
grade social studies theme of
ancient civilizations
Good resource for having students compare and contrast different
time periods including present day
Teaching Ideas:
Do a webquest on different ancient civilizations to learn about what life
was like for kids
Research to see if the images and ideas presented are accurate or not
Create a Venn diagram to show how different eras are similar and
different
Create a picture book of chores students have to do today
Interview grandparent or older individual to learn how chores are
different now and in the past
2. Cole, Henry. On the Way to the Beach. Greenwillow Books, 2003.

Rebecca Holtsclaw
ISBN 0-688-175-155; 32pp; Ages 4 – 8;
realistic fiction; seashore animals, nature,
movable books; picture book w/acrylic paints
Summary: The story follows an unseen child
narrator through several habitats. In each
place the reader is asked to stop and observe
the different plants and animals that can be found. Every other page folds
open to reveal an I-Spy type of illustration that invites readers to identify
plants and animals in their natural habitats. The end challenges students to
sit still, listen and watch in their own environments. The last page includes a
key to show where each animal and plant are at.
Technical vocabulary will be hard for students to read/decode;
example: tanager
Students may not be familiar with the plants and animals mentioned
and therefore would have a harder time identifying them
Fold out pages can increase engagement and interactivity, but may get
damaged easily
Key at the back will support adults and students who are not familiar
with the organisms mentioned in the book
Illustrations add great detail showing the living beings in realistic form
and color
Teaching Ideas:
Observe their natural surroundings
Research/discover living organisms that can be found in their
neighborhoods/local area
Photograph/draw living creatures from their own area or other habitat
Create I-Spy book or PowerPoint to display plants and animals from a
specific area
Visit museums, ponds, or other local displays habitats
Research about pollution and what students can do to help preserve
nature
3. Gower, Catherine. Long-Long’s New Year. Boston: Tuttle Publishing,
2005.
ISBN 0-8048-3666-3; 28pp; Grade Level: 1st
; historical fiction; holidays,
traditions, New Year, China; picture book w/ painted illustrations; illustrated
by He Zhihong

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Summary: Long-Long rides into the big city
with his grandfather to help sell cabbages. They
are trying to earn enough money to buy the
supplies needed for their family’s New Year
celebration. While in the city Long-Long helps
out different citizens and encourages people to
buy his grandfather’s cabbages.
Long-Long does a lot to help out other
citizens, this can be used to teach about
Chinese culture and the importance of the
group
Illustrations add many details to the setting and show cultural details
about the New Year festival
There are several Chinese words used throughout the book; they are
explained on the last page of the book
The author included a retelling of the first Chinese Spring Festival
which helps explain why certain traditions exist
Could be used with 6th
grade world cultures social studies curriculum
Teaching Ideas:
Take a field trip to Nagasaki China-town to learn about the history of
Chinese culture in Japan
Brainstorm ways students can help in their own communities and then
as a class pick a volunteer activity to participate in
Create a bulletin board to compare and contrast how New Year’s is
celebrated in different cultures/countries
Draw pictures of their family celebrating New Year’s or another
holiday/celebration
Take a field trip to a retirement home to learn about what life was like
for them when they were growing up
4. Ho, Minfong. Peek! A Thai Hide-and-Seek. Cambridge: Candlewick Press,
2004.
ISBN 0-7636-2041-6; 30pp; Grade Level:
Kindergarten; realistic fiction; hide-and-seek,
fathers, daughters, animals, Thailand, rhyme;
picture book w/ illustrations in watercolor and
cut paper collage; Illustrations by Holly Meade

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Summary: A father and daughter couple plays hide-and-seek around their
house and yard. As the father searches for her he comes across a different
animal on each page. Each animal makes a different noise that the father
thinks could be his daughter. He finally finds her at the end.
Each page repeats the same phrasing changing slightly for each
animal; “Jut-Ay, peek-a-boo,”
The pages use onomatopoeia to describe each animal
The daughter is hiding in each illustration so readers can find her
There is a pair of rhyming lines on each page which can be used to
reinforce rhyming skills
The animals and the noises they make are specific to Thailand so
students may not be familiar with them or may know other sounds
that the animals make
Teaching Ideas:
Create a page for a class picture book by drawing an animal and using
the repetitive lines to write the words for Japan (or the place where
the students are from)
Use the same technique (paint paper and then cut it out into shapes)
to create animals for a bulletin board
Take a field trip to the Bio Park or other zoo; discuss how the animals
are the same or different and the sounds that they make
Use Frames to create an animation of one of the pages – animals and
other characters could move in and out of the hiding places, while the
students read the book aloud for the audio
Make masks for each of the characters and act out the story
5. McDermott, Gerald. Pig-Boy. New York: Harcourt Children’s Books, 2009.

Rebecca Holtsclaw
ISBN 978-0-15-216590-1;
29pp; Grade Level:
Kindergarten/1st
Grade;
Folklore – Hawaii;
trickster, Pele, shape
shifter; picture book w/
gouache, colored pencil
and pastel on heavy
watercolor paper
Summary: Pig-Boy gets himself into trouble many different times. Each time
he comes up with a clever way to escape. His escapes require him to change
into another form. Grandmother protects Pig-Boy and reminds him to always
escape if something goes wrong. The illustrations use repetitive color to
provide continuity throughout the book. There are also references to other
Pig-Boy tales in the illustrations. Read the introduction by the author to learn
more about the folktale history of Pig-Boy.
Shape shifting was not explained so some students may not be
familiar with this idea or may be confused by it
References Hawaiian gods and goddesses which students may not be
familiar with
Includes Hawaiian flora and fauna
Great tool for comparing and contrasting folktales (especially trickster
talks) from different cultures
Mood created by illustrations is magical and whimsical
Teaching Ideas:
Create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast different trickster
tales
Introduce Hawaiian mythology which students can then research more
in depth
Write and illustrate their own trickster/shape shifter tale
Create story board or frieze of Pig-Boy’s different forms
Create state brochure using Microsoft Publisher
6. McDermott, Gerald. Raven: A
Trickster Tale for the Pacific
Northwest. New York: Harcourt
Brace & Co., 1993.
ISBN 0-15-265661-8; 29pp; Grade
level: 2nd
; folktale; Northwest

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Indians, Pacific Indians, legends, trickster tales; picture book w/ gouache,
colored pencils and pastel illustrations
Summary: Raven sees that the people of the world live in darkness so he
goes in search of light. He finds light in the Sky Chief’s house. He changes
into a pine needle so that the Sky Chief’s daughter will drink him. Then he is
reborn as a boy. In the Sky Chief’s house he finds a ball of light and takes it
away. He places it high in the sky to light the whole world. Now people feed
Raven as a thank you for bringing the light.
Students may have questions about Raven changing forms and the
Sky Chief’s daughter getting pregnant
Great to use with 4th
grade social studies standards on regions of the
U.S.
Illustrations depict Raven in red, blue, green, and black geometric
patterns in his different forms
The author uses page breaks to show movement in the story, shows
different scenes on the same page
The author includes background information about Raven and the
Pacific NW on the title page
Teaching Ideas:
Create a picture book about how something came to be
Compare and contrast this with other trickster tales
Write to historical sites and/or Native American tribes in the Pacific NW
to get more information about the region and the people who live
there
Create a totem showing traditional animals, colors and styles
Invite a traditional story teller to come in and share oral stories
7. Moniz, Michael. Wazzyjump. Simply Read Books, 2011.
ISBN 978-1-897476-58-1; 36pp; Grade level: 1st
;
fantasy, trickster tale; forest animals, fox, lion, friendship,
magic; picture book w/ watercolor illustrations
Summary: Of all the forest animals Wazzyjump is the
most mysterious and magical. Lion, the king of the forest,
wants Wazzyjump’s powers for himself. He convinces the animals to find

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Wazzyjump. The animals look, but can’t find him so they give up, except for
Fox. Fox continues to search for Wazzyjump with plans to keep his powers
for himself instead of give them to Lion. When Fox does find Wazzyjump
they become best friends. Lion finds out and goes to get Fox and
Wazzyjump. When he finds them he learns to have fun and becomes friends
with them as well.
Modern day folktale
Includes Fox as a trickster character
Teaches readers to be friends, not
be greedy or bossy, and to not gossip
Watercolor illustrations add detail to
each character
The illusive Wazzyjump can be
found on each page in the margins; look
for light colored printing
Teaching Ideas:
Write and illustrate their own trickster tale
Create a mask for one character in the book
Act out how the animals responded when Bear told about Wazzyjump
or how the animals became friends
Make a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting with another trickster
tale
Research animals that live in your area (use these to help write
folktale)
8. Myers, Tim. Basho and the Fox. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2000.
ISBN 0-7614-5068-8; 30pp; Grade Level: 3rd
; fiction; Matuso, Basho, 1644
– 1694, foxes, haiku, poetry; picture book w/ watercolor illustrations;
illustrations by Oki S. Han
Summary: The great poet Basho lives alone in the
mountains. One day he meets a fox eating his
cherries who challenges him to write a poem better
than foxes can write. Basho works on poems
throughout the seasons, but the fox keeps saying
he wants a better one. Finally Basho delivers a
poem that the fox likes. Basho and the foxes share
the cherries from then on.

Rebecca Holtsclaw
The author includes a preface that tells a little history about haiku
poetry and Basho, one of Japan’s most famous poets
Three of Basho’s haikus are included in the book
The illustrations beautifully show the seasons changing as is typical in
much of Japanese art
Great to use as an introduction to haiku poetry and the yearly haiku
contest
The illustrations show incredible detail; they are some of my favorite
illustrations because of the mood they create in the story
Teaching Ideas:
Research Basho and other famous Japanese poets and artists; create a
PowerPoint presentation sharing about the person’s life and work
Write and illustrate your own haiku to enter into the annual haiku
contest
Take a walking field trip to the local art museum; look for traditional
Japanese art themes in the works there
Compare and contrast fox as a trickster in stories from other cultures
Go on a nature walk and observe; take photos and use the experience
to inspire our own writing and illustrations
9. Pinkney, Jerry. Puss in Boots. New York: Penguin Young Readers Group,
2012.
Left: Winter
Above: Summer

Rebecca Holtsclaw
ISBN 978-0-8037-1642-1, 30pp; Grade Level: 2nd
; fairy tales; folklore,
France, king, cats, tricks; picture book w/ graphite, color pencil, and
watercolor illustrations
Summary: There was a miller who had three
sons. When he passed away he left his
youngest son his cat. The cat is very clever
and works to make his new master’s life
better. He tricks the king into believing that
his master is a Count. He also tricks the evil
sorcerer to gain land and a house for his
master. His plans work in the end and he is
rewarded with a job working for the king.
Illustrations show great detail especially
with the clothing of the time period; there is
one fold out page in the center
The author included information about the research he did to write the
book, this could be shared with students to help them understand how
much research goes into writing
Students may feel uncomfortable with the part where the master is
bathing in the river – the illustrations show him without a shirt and the
story discusses that he does not have any clothes
Puss is very clever and gains success through trickery, students may
get the wrong idea or wonder why this worked
Jerry Pinkney has several other retellings of fairy tales that could be
used in conjunction with this one to create unit study
Teaching Ideas:
Compare and contrast with other versions of Pussy in Boots; why do
you think the authors created it the way that they did?
Write an alternative ending to the book or the next part in the story;
what could happen next?
With a partner write an interview for one of the characters in the book
including the response, act out the interview for the class – you can
include props and costumes if you like
Create a board game showing all of the challenges that Puss had to
overcome to help the miller’s son reach success at the end
Use Google Earth to create a tour showing the different places where
this story and other Puss in Boots or cat stories came from

Rebecca Holtsclaw
10. Polacco, Patricia. The Junkyard Wonders. New
York: Philomel Books, 2010.
ISBN 978-0-399-25078-1; 45 pp; DRA 38; Grade
level: 2nd
;realistic fiction; Special Education,
teaching, making friends, self-esteem; picture book
w/color mixed media illustrations
Summary: Polacco recounts her time in a special
education class that the school dubbed the
“junkyard.” She tells about how the students worked together to create
wondrous objects out of scraps and junk. Her group rebuilt a model airplane
that stood for the students’ unique abilities and possibilities. The class is
guided by Mrs. Peterson who helps these misfit kids believe in themselves
and achieve great wonders. At the end Polacco tells where all of her
junkyard tribe members ended up (including NASA and Paris as a fashion
designer). Polacco’s illustrations are mixed media of pencils and markers.
Some higher level vocabulary such as Tourette’s
One character passes away; students may need support after hearing
about a student their own age dying
Background knowledge about differences including learning paces,
non-communicable diseases and families may be needed
Great to use for teaching about differences, acceptance, anti-bullying,
and believing in yourself (use during Bully Prevention Month)
Illustrations capture the mood of each page through facial
expressions, body language and color
Teaching Ideas:
Visit a junkyard; use items to create own masterpieces
Create self-portraits that show/explain how the student is unique
Create skits about a time when they are someone they know was
bullied or picked on
Brainstorm ideas for standing up to and getting help if bullied
Write a poem about why the student is special and important
11. Ritchie, Alison. Duck Says Don’t! Intercourse, PA: Good books, 2012.
ISBN 978-1-56148-745-5; 24 pp; Grade Level:
2nd
; fantasy; pond animals, bossiness, ponds,
friendship; picture book w/ mixed media
illustrations of paint and colored pencil;
illustrations by Hannah George

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Summary: Goose is in charge of the pond. When she leaves for vacation she
lets Duck be in charge. Duck bosses all of the other pond animals around
and makes signs telling them what they cannot do. The other pond animals
leave. Duck gets lonely and decides to apologize and ask the other animals
to come back. He creates a special sign to send his message. The other
animals forgive Duck and move back to the pond just in time for Goose’s
return. Duck decides he does not want to be left in charge next time.
Illustrations move story line along; many details (such as signs) are
only found in the illustrations and not in the text
Introduces students to different pond animals which they may not be
familiar with
Cut away scenes and split illustrations help to move action along
Students may relate to being bossed or bossing other around
Great story to use if students are having trouble with being bossy
Teaching Ideas:
Create signs about school rules to put up
Write and perform skits about being bossy or scenes from the book
Research about pond habitats and create a bulletin board display
Discuss a time when they were bossy or got bossed around;
brainstorm other ways of handling these situations
Go on a field trip to a pond/river/lake and study the animals there
12. Sheth, Kashmira. Tiger in My Soup. Atlanta: Peachtree Publishers,
2013.
ISBN 978-1-56145-696-3; 29
pp; Grade level: 1st
; imaginary
realistic fiction; reading,
siblings, babysitter, tigers;
picture book w/ illustrations in
acrylic on 100% rag
watercolor paper; illustrations
by Jeffrey Ebbeler
Summary: The main character is being babysat by his older sister. He keeps
asking her to read to him, but she is too busy. He decides to read by
himself. He imagines the
tiger from the book coming
to life at his house. All the
while his sister is too busy

Rebecca Holtsclaw
listening to her music to notice. Finally she agrees to read the book to him
while he is eating lunch, but watch out now the tiger is somewhere else!
Stunning illustrations that convey plot often more than the text
Texture is clearly seen in illustrations due to heavy paper used
Encourages students to use their own imagination
Students learning to read may relate to this book as will students who
have to babysit younger sibling or who get babysat by older siblings
Illustrations have great detail that can be used with ELLs or non-
readers to help discuss what is happening in the story
Teaching Ideas:
Create their own tigers using paints and/or ripped paper
Write an imaginative story about something coming alive in their own
house
Put together a babysitting kit to help keep younger kids entertained
Cook soup: find recipe, gather materials, measure, follow directions,
enjoy
Cover words and let students write their own captions; share
13. Shulevitz, Uri. How I learned Geography. New York: Farrar, Straus,
Giroux, 2008.
ISBN 978-0-374-33499-4; 28pp; Grade Level: 3rd
; historical fiction;
refugees, maps, geography, childhood, 1935, hope; picture book w/ pen,
ink, watercolor and collage illustrations
Summary: The young boy and his family must flee
from their home because of the war. They end up
in another city with little food and must sleep on
the floor. One day that boy’s father comes home
with a map instead of food. The son is unhappy
that he has to go to bed without food. Soon he
learns to love the map and uses it as an escape.
He visits many different places around the world
through the map and understands why his father
bought it.

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Mentions real life struggles such as war, hunger, and poverty which
may make students uncomfortable or which may bring up difficult
questions
The author included his own history in the back of the book including
some of his drawings from when he was a kid
Several Japanese cities are mentioned in the book which may help
students to connect with the story
The illustrations help depict the mood of each scene with the use of
color; the illustrations when he is travelling in the map have a magical
feel to them
Great to use with geography lessons for intermediate grades
Teaching Ideas:
Create a Google Earth tour to show the different
places where Shulevitz family moved to or where he visited
on the map as a kid
ResearchWWII and what it was like for kids during
that time (could read books like Sadako and the Thousand
Paper Cranes)
Choose a place you would like to visit in another
country – research it and create a poster encouraging
others to visit
Visit the Nagasaki Peace Park and Bomb Museum to
learn about how Japan was connect to WWII
Put together a food drive for kids in our area or
around the world; put together boxes with toys, books,
etc… that we can send to kids who are less fortunate than
us
14. Yashima, Taro. Umbrella. New York: Puffin Books, 1958.
ISBN0-14-050240-8; 33pp; Grade Level: Kindergarten; realistic fiction;
umbrella, rain, growing up, Japanese, immigrants; picture book w/ colored
pencil and ink illustrations
Summary: Momo receives an umbrella and
rain boots for her third birthday. She waits
and waits for it to rain so she can use her
new gifts. She tries to convince her mom
to let her use the umbrella to block the sun
and the wind, but her mom says no. Finally
it rains and Momo can use her new gifts.

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Includes several Japanese words and characters – does a good job of
explaining what they mean or including English translations
Illustrations use rough lines to show shape; there are very few
straight solid lines
Kids may relate to the fact that Momo is Japanese and lives in the
U.S.
Caldecott Honor Book
Students may relate to times that they got a special present or did
something for the first time like Momo did
Teaching Ideas:
Write a story about an important gift or
object that you have at home; bring it in to share
with the class
Create drawings on the sidewalk like Momo
did in the story
Write a page to a class book using Japanese
and English – work together with the Host Nation
teacher to find out what Japanese words the
students should be familiar with
Make a rain storm using our bodies – rub
hands together, snap, pat legs, pat legs harder and stomp feet, then
back down to rubbing palms together
Use a projector to outline each student’s head and shoulders then
students can use colored pencils to draw pictures of themselves similar
to Yashima’s illustrations
15. Zelinsky, Paul. Rapunzel. New York: Puffin Books, 1997.
ISBN 978-0-14-230193-7; 32 pp; Grade Level: 3rd
; fairytale/fantasy;
folklore, Germany, witch; picture book w/ realism painted illustrations
Summary: A married couple has to give up their daughter when the husband
is caught stealing rapunzel from a witch’s garden. He was stealing the herb
because the wife was craving it so badly. The witch raises the girl. She locks
the girl in the tower with the only entry at the top so she has to climb
Rapunzel’s hair to get in. When a prince figures out how to get in he and
Rapunzel fall in love. When the witch finds out she casts Rapunzel out into
the wilderness and the prince falls from the tower. After years of wandering
he finds Rapunzel again and they live happily ever after.

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Caldecott Award winning book
Illustrations are extremely detailed with a
Renaissance feel
Students may make connections with other
versions of Rapunzel that they have
seen/read/heard
Some students may have questions about
feel uncomfortable when the parents give up the
child and/or when the prince falls from the tower
Promotes families with a mom and a dad
Teaching Ideas:
Use Pixie to create a cartoon movie version
of the story
Use storyboards to retell the story
Compare and contrast this version with other versions of the story
Discuss elements of art found in the illustrations
Visit an art museum to discuss the similarities and differences
between the art found in the book and other styles
Novels:
16. Allen, Crystal. The Laura Line. New York: Harper Collins Publishers,
2013.
ISBN 978-0-06-199274-2; 328pp; Grade Level: 7th
;
contemporary realistic fiction; school, self-perception,
popularity, grandmothers, African Americans, overweight,
slavery, friendship, family heritage, coming of age, baseball,
modeling, military; young adult novel
Summary: Laura dreads having to stay with her
grandmother for two weeks while her parents are at
National Guard training in part because of the slave shack
on her grandmother’s property. Throughout the stay she learns about her
family history, how to accept herself as she is, and how to make new
friends. She learns about her family history through the ledger that is kept in
the slave shack and from the stories her grandmother tells.

Rebecca Holtsclaw
The Amistad story is referenced and explained briefly; it is an
important part of the story so students may want to learn about it
before or after reading the book
Could be used with a bullying unit as Laura gets picked on because of
her size
Has a very empowering message: you can do anything no matter your
gender, size, or race
Talks about crushes, dating, and kissing
Mentions going to church and the author writes explicitly about Jesus
Christ in the Acknowledgements
Teaching Ideas:
Research your family history and put together a presentation to share
with the class/school; find out if anyone from your family tree was
interested in the same jobs/activities that you are
Take a field trip to local historical sites especially ones about first
settlers and/or slavery (if possible)
Laura loved pitching and modeling and Sage is a fantastic
photographer; What is one of your passions? What resources/classes
are available to help you practice that passion?
Draw a family tree showing important people in your family
Create a skit showing either one way that Laura dealt with the bullies
or one way she could have dealt with them
17. Berk, Josh. Strike Three You’re Dead. New York: Random House, 2013.
;
mystery; baseball, murder, Phillies, best friends,
detective stories; young adult novel
Summary: When Lenny and his best friends, Mike and
Other Mike, suspect that a famous baseball pitcher is
murdered they decide to investigate on their own.
Throughout the summer the enter contests, confront old
ball players, uncover secrets, and make new friends. This
trio learns a lot about themselves as they discover who
killed the young pitcher.
Target audience: baseball fans/players
There are many baseball references that students may not get if they
are unfamiliar with the game
Two very strong female characters that help the boys out – good
literary role models

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Crime aspect is very mild – no blood or gore
The main character, Lenny, does sneak out of his house and
deliberately disobeys his parents several times in the story which could
send the wrong message
Teaching Ideas:
Go to a local baseball game, learn the rules and play outside
Use proper calculations to figure out pitching and batting averages
Research a less well known baseball player and create an Animoto
video about him/her
Create a crime lab and use forensics to analyze different data
Write a persuasive essay about which sports team is the best
18. Dembiki, Matt. Trickster: Native American Tales. Golden: Fulcrum
Books, 2010.
-11th
,
folktales; Native American, trickster, Indians-North
America, folklore, comic books, strips, etc., coyote, rabbit,
raccoon; young adult graphic novel
Summary: This is a collection of Native American trickster
tales told from around different parts of North America.
Each tale is accompanied by a different form of illustration in graphic novel
style. Most of the stories include animal characters and teach a lesson or
explain why something is the way it is.
The illustrations vary greatly in medium and
target audience with some being very
primary/child centered and others being much
more realistic and mature
Some illustrations include half naked or naked
people – no private parts are shown, but some
students may feel uncomfortable with these
pictures
Short biographies are included in the back of the book about the
different authors and illustrators
Several of the contributors are Native Americans
These comics follow the Western style of reading (front to back, top to
bottom and left to right)
Teaching Ideas:

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Create a Google Earth tour showing where
the different stories came from
Write and perform a skit retelling one of
the stories
Compare and contrast reoccurring
characters or themes in the stories
Research trickster tales from tribes or
groups in your area – compare these to the
ones found in the book
Write and illustrate a comic retelling a traditional story from your
childhood or culture
19. Friesner, Esther. Sprit’s Chosen. New York: Random House, 2013.
;
historical fiction/fantasy; Japan, sex role, shaman, clans,
magic, spirits, slavery, History to 645, friendship, family
roles, polygamy, relationships; young adult novel
Summary: Himiko is returning to her tribe as a shaman.
When she gets home she finds out that her village has
been attacked by another tribe. Many of her family
members have been killed as they were the royal family
of her clan. The village has been mostly destroyed and
many of her people have been carried off as slaves,
including her younger brother Noboru. Her mother has
fits of insanity from being forced to watch her husband and older sons
murdered and her youngest son taken away. Himiko sets out to free her
brother and bring him home. She learns much along the way and helps to
set all of the tribes on the right track.
This is the sequel to Spirit’s Princess by Esther Friesner and is part of
Friesner’s rebel-princess books
There are references to sex and threatened rape several times in the
story
Communicating with the dead, spirits, and gods is references many
times as that is what Himiko’s job is
There are several violent and semi-graphic explanations of injuries and
death throughout the story including combat
The author has included notes at the end about her own visits to Japan
Teaching Ideas:

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Take a field trip to Yoshinogari Historical Park to see how Japanese
people lived during this time period
Research which parts of the story are true to what we know about the
Yayoi people and other ancient Japanese tribes
Write a letter to Esther Friesner about your research and experience at
Yoshinogari since she expressed interest in going there; send photos
and other information that you learned in this unit
Compare and contrast Himiko’s role with Kaya’s or another woman
character that you’ve read about
Write the next chapter; what will happen after Himiko becomes
chieftess? Will she be able to convince the other tribes to get rid of
slavery? How will the tribes help each other?
20. Fuller, Anne. Belle Boy: A Sister in the Rebel Ranks. Omaha: Fuller
Minds, 2010.
grade; historical fiction; Civil War, South, disguise,
coming of age; young adult novel
Summary: When Sammie Annie finds out that her
brother goes missing in action she decides to disguise
herself as a boy and join the Confederate Army. While
joining does not lead her to her brother it does lead her
on a journey of self-discovery. She learns what it means
to be a soldier and makes important friendships along the
way. In the end Sam and the rest of the Confederate
Army surrender and Sam gets to go home where an
unexpected surprise awaits her.
Students may not be familiar with details about the Civil War so they
may want to research before or after reading; the author does include
a note at the beginning explaining some details
Wounds and battles are described in some detail; not very graphic
The author lives in Montana – students may be able to contact her and
or get her to come visit
Sam fights for the South which may be frustrating or confusing for
students; discussions about all of the reasons behind the Civil War (not
just slavery) might help students understand her choice better
There is some mild information about relationships, kissing, and body
parts (i.e. Sam binds her chest)
Teaching Ideas:

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Create a Google Earth tour of all the places Sam went
Research a battle, event, or person from the Civil War and create a
blog about it/him/her
Write the next chapter in the book – what happens now that Johnny
and Sam are back home (use detail from the book to support your
choices)
Write a letter or journal entry as if you were Sam or one of the other
characters in the book
Take a field trip to a historical Civil War site in real life or digitally; visit
the Civil War Trust for lessons and ideas
21. Gewirtz, Adina. Zebra Forest. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2013.
grade;
contemporary realistic fiction; prison, outdoors, classic
literature, family, growing up; young adult novel
Summary: Annie and her younger brother, Rew, live with
their Gran on the edge of a forest. Their mother left them
and their father was killed by an angry man. One night an
escaped convict shows up at their door. He holds the family
hostage. Annie soon discovers that the escaped convict is
none other than her father, who is the angry man from
Gran’s story. The family learns how to live together again in the face of
many trials. In the end Annie’s dad turns himself back into the prison.
There are several intense scenes where Annie’s father threatens to
hurt the family and/or restrains them; nothing bad happens to them,
but students may feel uncomfortable with these scenes
Annie and Rew are often visited by a social worker since Gran does not
always make them go to school; this may be a new idea to students or
it may give the wrong impression
Annie and Rew read several classic novels (especially Treasure Island)
and the author references them a lot: students may not be familiar
with these and so may need the references explained
The author includes a lot of descriptions of nature and the forest
Makes reference to the Iran hostage crisis which students may not be
familiar with
Teaching Ideas:
Create a poster that shows how the Zebra forest changes in the
different seasons and how Annie and Rew change throughout the book
using descriptions from the story

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Have a parole officer or security guard come in to speak about the
realities of prison life
Research one of the books, news items, or plants mentioned by the
author create a PowerPoint describing your item and why you think the
author included it in the book
Write a sequel (about one chapter) showing what life could be like
once Annie’s father is out of prison
Gewirtz used a lot of setting descriptions to mirror how the characters
were feeling and/or changing; find one example and draw a picture to
show the connection between the setting and the character
22. Kadohata, Cynthia. The Thing about Luck. New York: Simon and
Schuster, 2013.
ISBN 978-1-4169-1882-0; 556 itouch pages; Grade
Level: 8th
; contemporary realistic fiction; farming,
Kansas, Grandparents, siblings, illness-malaria,
Japanese Americans, luck; young adult novel
Summary: Summer is left in the care of her
grandparents when her parents fly back to Japan to
help with a family emergency. Summer and her
younger brother accompany their grandparents as
they travel around the mid-west to harvest wheat.
Summer learns about luck, family ties, and her own
abilities while on harvest.
Simple sketches are included to give the book a journal like feel as
well as to help explain some of the technical aspects of harvesting
Several of the subjects may be new to students such as malaria and
the harvest lifestyle – the author does a good job explaining new
terms in the book and includes information about different experts who
helped her while she was writing the book
Several Japanese words are used throughout the story – they are
italicized, but not always explained
The story blends traditional Japanese culture with American culture
which may make it more relatable to Japanese-American students
Summer’s younger brother, Jaz, has trouble making friends as he is an
intense kid – students may relate to his struggles
Teaching Ideas:

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Research about harvest workers, migrant workers, gypsies, or other
groups of people who travel for their jobs; how are their lives similar
and different from yours? Why are their jobs important?
Choose one type of insect – research what it looks like and draw an
anatomically correct picture of it to the best of your ability; for extra
credit research an expert to mail your drawing to
Write a journal entry from Summer’s point of view about what
happens next in the story
Use gravel or other small objects to create a lace pattern like Jaz’s
does
Interview your grandparents or someone who is over 60; how is life
different today than it was when they were growing up? How might life
change by the time you are a grandparent/over 60?
23. Paulsen, Gary. Vote. New York: Random House, 2013.
grade; contemporary
realistic fiction; politics, middle school, interpersonal relations, humorous
stories, babysitting; young adult novel
Summary: Kevin decides that he will run for 8th
grade
class president to impress his girlfriend, Tina. During the
campaign he works with different kids at school, his
family, and Markie, the four year old that he babysits to
become the best possible candidate.In the end he learns
what it really means to be a leader and sets up a
volunteer opportunity for the 8th
grade class trip.
This is the 4th
book in a series about Kevin; the
other books are Liar, Liar, Flat Broke, and Crush
The cover art and length of the book give it a younger feel, but the
vocabulary is more of a 7th
or 8th
grade level
Discusses politics and uses a lot of political vocabulary
Great to use as a character study since it focuses on Kevin so intently,
also Kevin shows character flaws, but does not realize them in himself
Kevin shows a lot of growth from earlier books in which he was less
than honest
Teaching Ideas:
Set up and participate in a real debate about issues that are important
to the students
Plan a fundraiser or volunteer opportunity for the class/school

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Participate in the student government elections – run for office, be
campaign managers, set up debates, make poster, take poles, tally
ballots, etc…
Take a field trip to city hall, a town hall meeting, or other political
location near school to learn about the city’s elected officials and their
jobs
Write a journal entry from another character’s point of view, how
would Tina, JonPaul, Markie, etc… feel?
Research Gary Paulsen and put together a bulletin board to encourage
others to read his books
24. Sakurakoji, K. Black Bird Vol. I. San Francisco: VIZ Media, 2007.
ISBN 978-1-4215-2764-2; illustrated by Kanoko Sakurakoji;
Grade Level: 12th; fantasy; Japan, demons, high school,
relationships; young adult manga
Summary: Misao is a high school student who can see
demons. She learns that very powerful demons are seeking
her out to either drink her blood, eat her or marry her all of
which will give them great powers. Kyo becomes her
protector and offers to marry her. She soon finds out this is
because he is a demon too. Kyo gets a job as a math
teacher at her school so he can protect her all the time. He can heal her
wounds by licking them. Misao must decide if she should marry Kyo or not
as he continues to save her from more demon attacks.
Manga is read from back to front, top to bottom, and
right to left – it may take students some time to
adjust to reading this way; there is a diagram
included at the end of the book to show students how
to read it
The format and sentence structure is very different
from typical books; the action is fast paced and reads
more like a TV show than a novel; the illustrations
are used to move the story along and add to it
instead of only show what is happening in the text
The author includes several asides throughout the
book that explain how she wrote the story and why she made certain
choices, there are also descriptions of different characters periodically
There are several traditional manga formats and art used for example
text may be in bubbles showing that some is speaking, not separated
from the pictures showing that this happened in the past, in smaller

Rebecca Holtsclaw
print to show thoughts, etc… As students read more manga they will
become more familiar with these structures
There are many graphic photos and language used in the book
including sexual references
Teaching Ideas:
Compare and contrast manga with other forms of graphic novels;
which do you prefer? Why?
Write your own chapter for a manga story, make sure to include
proper formatting and structures
Research how manga started and why it is gaining so much popularity;
share your findings with the class through a blog or internet
presentation
Research the Japanese demons mentioned in the story, how do they
incorporate into Japanese culture?
Discuss how traditional gender roles are portrayed in the story; what
might this say about Japanese culture? What did you learn about your
own role and culture while reading the book?
25. Senzai, N.H. Shooting Kabul. New York: Scholastic, 2010.
; historical
fiction; Afghanistan, immigration, middle school,
photography, family roles, September 11, 2001 – terrorist
attacks, bullying, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E.
Frankweiler; young adult novel
Summary: Fadi’s family must escape from Afghanistan after
the Taliban pressure his father into working for them. During
the escape, Fadi’s six-year-old sister gets left behind. Fadi
and the rest of his family must continue on to California while entrusting
family members and friends to search for Mariam. While in California Fadi
must adjust to middle school life. He enters a photography contest in hopes
of winning plane tickets to India so he can resume the search for his sister.
When the terrorist attacks of 9-11 take place, Fadi must deal with bullies at
school too. Read to learn how things don’t always go how Fadi would like,
but how they end up working out in the end.
A much needed book that shares how many Muslim families reacted to
9-11
Includes a lot of details about Afghanistan and the political climate
there over the years

Rebecca Holtsclaw
There are many Arabic words used throughout the book, the author
has included a glossary at the back that defines each of these words
There is a detailed author’s note explaining how this story compares to
her husband’s own story and goes into more depth about Afghanistan
There is section at the back that includes suggested books for more
reading about Afghanistan, other fiction books about the area, and
helpful websites
Fadi is bullied during the book so it would be a good one to use during
Bully Prevention Week
Teaching Ideas:
Use as a read aloud with the class – discuss what students thought
about Muslims before reading, during, and after; what other groups
might student know little about that they could learn more about?
Create a photography club or contest for students to enter – display
photos throughout the library and school
Have students create digital stories telling the tale of their moves to
Japan or another location – student can incorporate photos, original
art work, maps, text, and voice (could use Google Earth, Little Bird
Tales, etc…)
Research the different cultural groups in Afghanistan that the author
mentions; how do these groups compare with each other? Why would
Fadi think students at his school from other groups might not like him?
Discuss bullying using Fadi and the other characters as examples; do
you think how they solved the problem was ok? Why or why not? What
can you do if you see some being bullied or are bullied?
26. Snicket, Lemony. “What Could That Be at This Hour?”: All the Wrong
Questions. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2012.
grade;
mystery; middle school, friendship, reading, vocabulary,
stolen items; young adult novel
Summary: Lemony Snicket is a 13 year old detective who has
just received his first assignment along with his incompetent
chaperone. As he tries to figure out who stole the statue, why,
and who the true owner is he meets many interesting
characters and finds that there may be more to this mystery
than he first thought.

Rebecca Holtsclaw
This book is clearly written to be the start of a new series, the ending
is a bit unsatisfying as it prepares the reader to continue reading the
series, there are more questions left unanswered than answered
Higher level vocabulary is often explained with the phrase, “which in
this case means,”
Snicket has a very unique writing style and sarcastic sense of humor
that might take some students time to get used to
The few black, white, and blue illustrations add good details to the
story
This series may be a good one to hook reluctant readers because of
the vocabulary support, interesting story, and it looks like a higher
level book
Teaching Ideas:
There are many questions left unanswered at the end of the book –
write your own answers and share them with the class
Lemony Snicket is a pseudonym; research this author or another
author that has used a pseudonym. Why would an author choose to
use a pseudonym?
Use this story with a mystery unit: practice using detective techniques
like finger printing, use a how to host a murder, have guest speakers
come in such as police detectives
Create an illustration to go along with the story using India ink and
one other color
Describe your own town using Snicket’s writing style; What would he
say about where you live and the people who live there?
27. Woodson, Jacqueline. After Tupac and D Foster. New York: Puffin
Books, 2008.
ISBN 978-0-14-241399-9;151pp; Grade Level: 8th
– 9th
;
realistic fiction; coming of age, friendship, Tupac Shakur,
African-Americans, Queens, New York, prison, foster care,
homosexuality; young adult novel
Summary: Two best friends have their lives changed when they
meet a new girl, D. The three become best friends and grow up
together over two years. They deal with issues like Tupac’s hospitalization,
hearing, and death, gaining independence, and family issues. At the end the
girls learn more about each other and life in general.
Newbery Honor Book

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Students may not be familiar with Tupac or some slang used in the
book – background information may need to be gathered or
explanations given
D is in foster care which may bring up difficult issues especially if
students are or were in foster care or are adopted
Discusses homosexuality – students may have different opinions on
this topic so rules for fair discussions will need to be presented
The story brings up race issues such as profiling, unfair/biased court
hearing, poverty, etc…
Teaching Ideas:
Take a field trip using public transportation to a concert or other
cultural experience
Research foster care and orphanages; set up a debate discussing
which is better and why
Create a bulletin board or other presentation to share information
about a famous person who is important to you
Discuss what makes a good friend. Make a picture book explaining how
to be a good friend
Make a movie recreating one of the most important scenes in the
book; explain why you chose this scene and why it was important to
the story
28. Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005.
Grade;
historical fiction; Germany, history 1933-1945, books and
reading, storytelling, death, Jews, World War, rescue; young
adult novel
Summary: Liesel, a young illiterate foster child, starts
stealing books. With the help of her foster father she learns
to read them too. While learning to read and survive in her
foster parents’ house WWII is brewing up around them.
Liesel’s world becomes more unique when her father decides to hide a
Jewish man in the basement. Liesel learns about love, friendship, life, and
death.
Some mild language which may be upsetting to some readers
Includes German words and phrases most of which are explained in
the text

Rebecca Holtsclaw
Unique and unusual text and writing style – the author uses different
fonts to show different breaks and information in the story; there is a
set pattern that is easy to pick up
Great book to use along with a history lesson about WWII; it shows a
very personal connection to the events happening during this time
Includes discussion questions, information from the author,
recommended books and websites
Teaching Ideas:
Create a Glog about one aspect (person, event, etc…) of WWII
Visit the Nagasaki A-bomb Memorial and Museum – How was Japan
connected to WWII?
Create a Fakebook account from Liesel’s (or another character’s) point
of view; what comments, photos, etc…would she post?
Research countries that have a high rate of illiteracy; How can being
illiterate affect someone’s life? What is being done or not being done in
these countries to help increase the literacy rate? How has being able
to read affected your life?
Write another chapter to this story or a chapter to another story about
the Holocaust from Death’s point of view; why do you think the author
chose to write the story this way? How did it add to the book?
Literature Alive Events:
29. Multicultural Read Aloud - Japanese; Friday, July 12, 2013; 1:00pm;
Sasebo Main Base Library; Children age 0 – 10
Description: A Japanese story teller read aloud traditional
Japanese folktales. She had accompanying illustrations,
which she checked out from the Sasebo City Public
Library. She re-told the stories The Peach Boy and The
Bamboo Princess. The accompanying illustrations are in
the traditional Japanese style of big books where the
pages are separate. Each photo has the words on the
back so that the reader can see them, but the audience only sees the
picture. The story teller had translated the story into English for this
presentation. The goal of this presentation was to introduce traditional
Japanese folktales and encourage more families to come to the library.
Analytical Comments: The kids who were present were between three and
seven. The youngest child had trouble sitting still for the whole story so it
may be better for four to seven year olds. This would be a great way to learn
about folktales or stories from other cultures at school. Kindergarteners and
first graders would really enjoy an event like this. Story tellers from other

Rebecca Holtsclaw
cultures could present as well. This would be a great way for students to see
role models from their own culture and help give a voice to minority groups
in our area. The stories that were read would easily be transformed into
skits that students could practice or improvise. Students could learn stories
from different cultures and then present them to their class, other classes
and/or their parents. This could also be a good way to share similar stories
(like Cinderella stories) from different cultures.
30. Jack and the Beanstalk Theatre Production; Saturday, July 13, 2013;
Harbor View Club, Sasebo, Japan; Missoula Children’s Theatre; Age to
perform – 5 to 18, all ages welcome to watch final showing
Description: The Missoula Children’s Theatre came to
base for one week. The kids auditioned for parts on
Monday, rehearsed all week and then performed on
Saturday. The purpose was to expose students to
participating in and watching live theatre. Students
practiced singing, dancing, acting, speaking, listening,
and fluency skills. The play was designed for children to
act in and watch. There were several overly cheesy parts
about eating healthy and being friends mixed into the
story of Jack and the Beanstalk.
Analytical Comments: Students in kindergarten through high school could
perform in the play. It is an ideal set up for an afterschool club or local
theater. I would take elementary students, first through fourth grade, to go
see the show. This type of event could be set up in many different ways.
Middle and high school students could use what they learned from watching
and participating in the show to write their own play based on a fairytale or
folktale. They could put together their own shows to perform for younger
students. Elementary students could compare and contrast this version with
others that we have read or seen. They could also perform simpler versions
of this story or other folktales. Reading plays can sometimes be confusing
and less meaningful than actually seeing it performed, so this experience
could help students connect to plays read in class. It could also help prepare
them to act in their own show as a discussion about different aspects of
acting such as volume, tone, rate, facial expressions, etc… could be held
after watching the performance.

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