Honesty is always best...

JAMAICA AND THE SUBSTITUTE TEACHER, by Juanita Havill
AR Level: 2.6 Points: .5
Interest Level: Elementary

When Jamaica meets her substitute teacher, the only thing she can think about is how much she wants to impress her with how smart she is. She is successful with all the day’s activities, until it comes time for the spelling test. During the test, she cheats. Does the teacher catch her? Does she get away with it? You'll have to read the book to find out!

Teachers: This is a great book for teaching the importance of honesty. It would be a great read aloud for a second or third grade class

Gone to the dogs...

GOOD DOG, by Maya Gottfried
No AR Quiz
Recommended Interest Level: Elementary

This adorable collection of free verse poetry devotes a double page spread each to seventeen different breeds of dogs. Each poem and illustration captures the essence of the dog’s personality to a tee. Just to mention a few, there’s the obedient Westie, the tenacious Chihuahua and the lovable, drooling Bulldog. There’s a hyper, excited Boston terrier and a Pomeranian who is quite put out over her over-puffed hairdo. My favorite, though—probably because I’ve had a few of these over the years, is the lovable mutt at the end. This book is sure to be a hit with dog-lovers everywhere. It will make a great read-aloud.

Mother Goose: Remixed

THE NEIGHBORHOOD MOTHER GOOSE, by Nina Crews
AR Level: 3.8 Points: .5
Interest Level: Elementary
Vocabulary Quiz Available

This collection of forty-one favorite, classic nursery rhymes is done with a fascinating twist—each nursery rhyme is set in a Brooklyn neighborhood, and the photographs are combined with computer images, giving the entire book a “Photoshop” feel. I love this book! It kind of reminds me of my CHILDCRAFT books from when I was a little girl. One of them had some of these same nursery rhymes in it, and I remember looking at it for hours. I can envision many children being utterly captivated by this book.

Dance, Mr. Bonjangles....

RAP A TAP TAP HERE'S BOJANGLES THINK OF THAT! by Leo and Diane Dillon
AR Level: 1.9 Points: .5
Voice Quiz Available

This is the story of African-American tap dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. It is written in rhyme and rhythm, to go along with the “tap” theme. The reader is given the treat of watching Robinson “dance through the street” and “make art with his feet” as he dances past doors and down the streets of a city that looks very much like Manhattan during the jazz age. The artwork in this book is beautiful—the way the artist drew Robinson’s feet is amazing—they do look as if they’re actually moving

Teachers: This is a fantastic read-aloud

The Love of a Rabbit...

THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE, by Kate DiCamillo
AR Level: 4.4 Points: 2
Interest Level: Elementary
Vocabulary Quiz Available

Edward Tulane is a china rabbit who leads a life of privilege on Egypt Street with his owner, Abilene. Even though Edward is content in his life with Abilene, he doesn’t love her—not he way she treasures him. When Abilene and her family travel on the Queen Mary to London, Edward falls overboard, thus beginning his miraculous journey. He goes from adventure to adventure—among some of them, living with a fisherman and his wife, becoming the traveling companion of a hobo named Bull, and being tied to a pole as a scarecrow. A boy named Bryce takes him down and gives him to his sister, Sarah Ruth, who is very sick. He warms under Sarah Ruth’s love—until tragedy strikes again. You'll have to read the book to find out how the story ends. This is a beautifully illustrated book that shows that love is possible—for everyone.

Hot buttered toast...YUM!

MERCY WATSON TO THE RESCUE, by Kate DiCamillo
AR Level: 2.7 Points: .5
Vocabulary Quiz Available
Voice Quiz Available

Mr. and Mrs. Watson have a pet pig named Mercy, whom they adore. Mercy is a lovable pig, whose favorite thing in the world is hot buttered toast. One night, she is lonely in her room and decides to crawl into bed with Mr. and Mrs. Watson. Everything is fine until the bed grows too heavy under their weight and starts to fall through the floor of their second-story bedroom. Mercy, being hungry, goes in search of food—but Mr. and Mrs. Watson are certain she’s going off to find help for them. After a hilarious misadventure with a couple of old women next door, Mr. and Mrs. Watson are, inadvertently, saved by some fireman, because of Mercy. What a cute book! The illustrations are hilarious, and I am curiously hungry…for hot buttered toast!

A Cinderella Story...

ADELITA: A MEXICAN CINDERELLA, by Tommie De Paola
AR Level: 3.3 Points: .5
Interest Level: Elementary
Vocabulary Quiz Available

This is the story of Adelita, a beautiful Mexican girl whose mother died shortly after her birth. She is raised by her father and Esperanza, a housemaid who has been with the family for many years. One day her father tells her he has decided to remarry. He marries Dona Micaela, who brings her two daughters, Valentina and Dulce to live with them. Even though her new stepmother favored her own daughters over Adelita, Adelita did not harbor ill will towards her. Then suddenly, her father died from an illness and everything changed—Her stepmother sent Esperanza away and forced Adelita to work as a servant for her and her daughters. Check this book out from the library to find out how this Cinderella story ends!

S.O.S!

THE S.O.S. FILE, by Betsy Byers
AR Level: 3.8 Points: 1
Interest Level: Elementary
Vocabulary Quiz Available

Mr. Magro has given an extra credit assignment. He has placed a box marked “The S.O.S. File” in his classroom, and throughout the year, students can place their S.O.S. stories in the box. An S.O.S. story, for this assignment, is supposed to be about an emergency that they’ve experienced. The day the stories are read, Mr. Magro tells the class that every story except for one meets the qualifications for extra credit. Among others, there is a story about a go-cart, one about getting into a fight w/ some yellow jackets. There’s a heartwarming story about being left in a dumpster as a infant and rescued by a stranger. The last story, though, is a real tear jerker. It’s about a boy that was held back in the first grade because he couldn’t read. It’s about he teacher who helped him combat dyslexia and grow up to be a doctor. You'll have to read the book to find out who wrote the last story!

ON MY HONOR, by Marion Bauer
AR Level: 4.7 Points: 2
Interest Level: Upper Elementary
Vocabulary Quiz Available
Literacy Skills Quiz Available

It's the summer after their sixth grade year, and best friends Tony and Joel are trying to decide how to spend the day. Tony comes up with the idea to climb the bluffs, which is extremely dangerous. Even though he's scared out of his mind, Joel agrees, and after promising his father, "on his honor" that they'll go straight to the park and back, they take off on their long bike ride to the bluffs. Find out what happens to Tony and Joel...

Teachers: This book is recommended for more mature readers.

MOMMY'S BEST KISSES, by Margaret Anastas
AR Level: 2.3 Points: .5
Interest Level: Lower Grades

This beautifully illustrated children's book shows different animals, from chipmunks and piglets to elephants and camels, being kissed goodnight by their mothers. It is a wonderful book that would make a great read-aloud.