Linda Axelsson’s Annotated Bibliography Introduction: I am an elementary education student. I haven’t taught yet, but I can’t wait to start. Ideally I’d like to teach either first or second grade. I have two years of school left, and then I plan to be in a classroom teaching. My goal of reading 30 children’s literature books this semester is to learn something new about books that are out there, as well as learn how to decipher between good children’s books and bad children’s books. The way I chose my books was going to the library and just selecting random books that looked interesting, and looking through my textbook The Joy of Children’s Literature to see what books come highly recommended. Reflection: this whole process was new for me because I’ve never had to analyze books in this way. My favorites were probably Knuffle Bunny, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, and The Giving Tree. I plan to use these books in my classroom and realize the value of having a list like this because it can make it much easier for selecting books to use with your students. If I had to do it again I would probably make sure to pick books I’ve never read or heard of before. All in all I think this was a good activity and I’ll even have my students complete their own bibliography so at the end of the year they can look back at all of the books they’ve read.

Title Author Summary Pages Genre Theme & Awards Response Classroom Use

Picture Books primary general, Sci or SS focus

Knuffle Bunny

Mo Willems This story is about a little girl who goes on an errand with her dad and ends up leaving her bunny at the laundry mat. Her father can’t understand her baby talk and doesn’t realize what she’s trying

40 Picture Book

Families, Relationships, Neighborhoods, Conflict resolution, Humor. Caldecott award winner, BCCB Blue Ribbon Picture Book Award.

I think this will be a great book to help students transition from being a baby or toddler to realizing their independence.

I would use this book as an art lesson in class. The students would be able to chose a still shot picture of a place and they would have to draw characters and a story on that picture.

to say until they get home and the mom asks where knuffle bunny is.

How I learned Geography

Uri Shulevitz This book is about a struggling family who has no money or food. When they move the father brings home a map instead of food. The boy doesn’t understand at first but he eventually studies the map and learns about places around the world and his imagination soars.

32 Picture Book

This book has a theme of imagination and is a Caldecott award winner.

I thought this would be a good book to relate to students as well as get them excited about learning geography.

I would use this with a geography lesson and have my students find a place in the world and research it and be able to identify it on a map.

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type

Doreen Cronin

Cows find a typrewriter and decide to write a letter to their farmer asking for blankets to keep them warm at night. When the farmer refuses

32 Picture Book

The theme in this story is humor and conflict resolution and is a Caldecott award winner.

I thought this book was interesting because it took a different standing for a children’s book.

I will use this book in class to explain to my students that there is a peaceful way to solve something you don’t like. I will have them

the cows continue to write letters and go on strike until an understanding is made between them.

write letters to the principal about things around the school they think should change.

The Giving Tree

Shel Silverstein

This is the story of a tree who gives everything it has to a boy who doesn’t learn to appreciate it until he is an old man and the tree has nothing left to give him.

64 Picture Book

The main theme in this book is generosity and love.

I really like this book because it opens the readers’ eyes up to generosity. Hopefully it will make my students realize not to take things for granted.

I would use this in my class to help students with their reading skills since it has a lot of repetition in it.

Starry Messenger

Peter Sis This book tells about the life of Gallileo as well as his inventions.

40 Picture Book

Caldecott award winner.

I really liked this story because it told the life of someone but was also entertaining.

I would use this in the classroom to teach my students about Gallileo and have them try to come up with an invention of their own.

How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?

Jane Yolen This is a story of a mother and child dinosaur and the different ways they can think of

34 Picture Book

Florida Children’s Book award.

I thought this was a cute book because it was about dinosaurs and it gave kids a

I would use this in the classroom to discuss cultures and have a classroom

to say goodnight. chance to use their imagination as well as their critical thinking skills.

discussion on how everyone says goodnight to have my students be able to see that every family is different.

Traditional Literature Folk Tale, Myth, Epic, Multicultural Cinderella

Hansel and Gretel

Ian Wallace The classic story of Hansel and Gretel going for a walk and in turn getting lost and ending up in danger.

32 Folk & Fairtytale

No awards, the theme is don’t trust strangers and listen to your parents.

I really liked this story because it had very great and vivid illustrations as well as telling a classic story.

I would use this in my class as a read aloud and then chose a picture from the book and have my students write their own story about the picture.

The Gingerbread Man

Jim Aylesworth

This story re-tells the classic story of the gingerbread man and how he tries to escape from being eaten.

32 Folk & Fairytale

No awards, the theme of this story is rhyming.

The thing that stood out about this book was that it has a recipe for gingerbread men on it.

I would use this in the classroom to teach about measuring and we would make gingerbread men in class.

Tikki Tikki Tembo Arlene Mosel

A retold Chinese classic about a boy with a very long name who falls down a well

32 Folk & Fairytale

The theme of this story is meaning of names.

I liked this story because it was a classic that almost everyone has read and I

I would use this in the classroom to teach my students about world cultures.

and it took a long time for him to get rescued because of his name being so long.

think it’s important for that to continue.

Modern Fantasy: ( primary, intermediate, upper)

Bunnicula

Deborah Howe

This is a story about a household with a dog and cat who get a new pet, a rabbit. He has weird habits and the main goal of the story is to try to figure out if he’s a vampire or not.

128 Modern Fantasy

Nene award, Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice. The theme of this book is mystery.

I was excited to see this book again because I really liked it when I was younger and totally forgot about it. I can’t wait to share it with my students.

I would use this towards Halloween with my class to introduce them to modern fantasy as well as mystery.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle

Beverly Cleary

This is the story of a mouse who gets a motorcycle from a boy but the only way to run it is to make the motorcycle sounds. He also learns about human habits that occur on a

158 Modern Fantasy

Imagination is the main theme throughout this book. ALA Notable Children’s Book award was presented as well as many others.

I liked this story because Beverly Cleary is such a great writer. She gives her readers excitement as well as detailed visuals.

I would use this in my class to introduce my students to a new author and would also show them the movie after we read the book.

daily basis.

Matilda

Roald Dahl This is a story of a young girl who is neglected by her family because she doesn’t fit in, because she loves reading books and learning. She eventually learns that she has magic powers.

240 Modern Fantasy

Younger Readers award, Beehive Awards for Children's Fiction, Books I Loved Best Yearly (BILBY) Awards for Read Aloud, and many more. The theme of this story was respect as well as a few others.

This has always been my favorite book because it shows the story of a smart little girl who is underestimated for her knowledge.

I would use this in the classroom to try to motivate my students with school and learning.

Poetry Books (primary, intermediate, upper)

A Child's Calendar

John Updike This book is composed of 12 poems that describe children’s lives as well as the weather patterns that happen each month.

32 Poetry Months of the year, Caldecott award winner.

I thought this book had great illustrations as well as good poetry. I liked how it was set up with 12 poems instead of just being a story.

I would use this in class by teaching the students about calendars with it and then having them create their own calendars.

A Poke in the I Chris Raschka

A book of poems that teaches concrete poems and presents them in a not-so-ordinary way.

48 Poetry The theme of this book was poetry.

I liked this book because it presented poetry in a different light to the readers.

I would use this as an introduction of a poetry unit and then have my students come up with their own

unique poems.

Winter Eyes

Douglas Florian

This is a book composed of 28 poems that all have to do with winter and the weather conditions that come along with winter.

48 Poetry List of Notable Children's Books in Lang. Arts 00 (NCTE) and 00 Riverbank Review Magazine's Children's Books of Distinction Award Nominations. The theme is poetry and winter.

I really liked this book for its watercolor pictures and how all of the poems connect to each other because they all have to do with winter.

I would use this in the classroom to introduce the winter season to my students. We would then talk about winter and how all of the poems are related.

Good Sports: Rhymes about Running, Jumping, Throwing, and More

Jack Prelutsky

This is a book filled with poems about all different types of sports.

40 Poetry The theme of this book is sports and poetry.

I liked this book because it covered a lot of different sports so I think it will help relate to all of my students individually.

I would read this story to my class and then have them write a poem about their favorite sport and together make a class book called good sports composed of all the children’s

poems.

Realistic Fiction: (primary, intermediate, upper)

Walk Two Moons

Sharon Creech

It is a story of a girl whose mother disappears and by listening to other people’s stories that are similar she sets off to find her mother.

280 Realistic Fiction

Newberry award winner and the themes are family, emotions, and feelings.

I liked this story because it connects to the reader’s heart and makes them thankful for what they have in their lives.

I would use this in my class to introduce the Native-American culture.

The Hundred Dresses

Eleanor Estes

This is the story of an immigrant girl who gets made fun of for wearing the same crappy dress every day and after being made fun of she says she has a hundred dresses at home but that just leads to more teasing.

30 Realistic Fiction

The theme of this book is friendship and school life and it is a Newberry award winner.

I liked this book because it can help relate to children who are bullied.

I plan to use this to teach about the negative impact bullying has on children.

Because of Winn Dixie Kate DiCamillo

This is a story of a 10 year old girl who finds a dog. She then learns to make new friends and talk

192 Realistic Fiction

Newbery Honor, Mark Twain Award , and BCCB Blue Ribbon Book and the theme of this book is

I liked this book because it gives the reader a sense of understanding for other peoples’

I would use this book in my class to introduce my students to the roles animals can play in their lives.

to people and listen to their stories.

animals. lives and stories.

Historical Fiction (primary, intermediate, upper)

Number the Stars

Lois Lowry This is the story of a girl who is going through the holocaust and her struggles to try to fit in with her friend and her friends family to try to save her life.

154 Historical Fiction

Newberry award winner and the theme is the holocaust.

I liked this book because I’ve always been interested in the holocaust and it gives a good insight and will help students relate to the tragedy.

I would use this book in my classroom to introduce the holocaust to my students.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Mildred Taylor

This story tells about a family who tries to stick together and stay strong through segregation and racism.

288 Historical Fiction

Newberry award winner. The theme of this story is segregation.

I liked this story because it made you see how it was to be segregated and judged just because of your skin color.

I will use this story in my classroom to introduce racism and segregation to my students.

The Bronze Bow Elizabeth This book talks 256 Historical Newberry award I liked this book I would use this

George Speare

about what life was like a long time ago when Jesus was around through an 18 year olds eyes as he tries to protect his family.

Fiction winner, hate, pride, and honor are themes of this book.

because it gave insight to how life was a long time ago.

book to research the time periods of when this book was written for as a historical unit.

Non Fiction (primary, intermediate, upper)

Inside-Outside Dinosaurs

Roxie Munro This book talks about all different types of dinosaurs that used to roam our planet. It gives facts while being entertaining.

40 Non Fiction

None and the theme is nonfiction dinosaurs

I liked this book because it had a lot of interesting facts in it.

I will read this book to my class then have them do a little report on their favorite dinosaur from the book.

Truce

Jim Murphy This is the story about the first world war and how all of the countries were falling but at Christmas they put their differences aside to celebrate this holiday.

144 Non Fiction

The theme of this story is friendship and truce.

I liked this book because it showed a sensitive side to the soldiers that were fighting in this war.

I will use this as a read aloud to my students when learning about the first world war.

Peaceful Heroes Jonah Winter

This is a picture book that is also nonfiction. It tells

54 Non Fiction

No awards but the theme is compassion and

I liked this story because I agree with the author in

I would use this in my classroom after reading

a story of a peaceful hero who is willing to die for a cause but not kill for a cause.

heroism. that a hero is not someone who will just kill for their cause but someone who is willing to die for it.

truce to show the different types of ways to go about a war.

DIVERSE POPULATIONS (primary, intermediate,upper)

Bitter Bananas

Isaac Olaleye This is a story set in the African rain forest about a boy who is trying to figure out a way to keep the baboons from stealing his bananas.

32 Cultural Diversity

The theme of this story is diversity.

I like this book because it makes you think about the struggles other countries have to go through to get their food.

I will read this story to my class to teach them about life in Africa and how they have to obtain food. I will then have them think of a solution to the problem presented in the book.

The Lichee Tree

Ching Yeung Russell

This is the story of a 10 year old girl growing up in China. It talks about the struggles they have to go through in China as well as the family bonds. It

182 Cultural Diversity

The theme of this story is family.

I liked this book because it gives you a view on life in China.

I would use this story in my class for the students to do a study on cultural diversity. I would have them compare this book to their own lives.

focuses on the girl waiting for the tree to bloom so she can bring food back to her family.

In the Moonlight Mist: A Korean Tale

Daniel San Souci

This is a Korean folktale of a woodcutter who saves a deer and is granted a wish. He wishes for a wife and gets her but has to follow a certain stipulation or he’ll lose his wife for good.

32 Cultural Diversity

The theme of this book is follow rules and cultural diversity.

I liked this book because it gave insight to Korean stories that have been passed down over years.

I would use this story as a read aloud and then ask my class what they would wish for if they were granted one wish and then what the stipulation would be to keeping that wish.