Jump! by Scott M. Fischer

Title/Series:   Jump!

Author: Scott M. Fischer

Pages: 32 pages

Copyright  Date: 2010

Reading Level: Read-Aloud

Interest Level: PreK- K

Summary:  It all starts with a bug, with a bug.  This rhythmic tale shows an animal sleeping which is then woken up by a larger animal.  The smaller animal JUUMMPS!  The predator animal then sleeps and a new larger animal will make its prey jump.  This story would be fun for a little one to read the “jump” page while they themselves jump.

Educational: Great– bold rhyming words, multiple predictable patterns

Content: Average – illustrations are full of action

Message: Poor– larger animals have power over those smaller than them, you may be attacked when you’re sleeping

Tip:  If you go to Amazon.com and look at the reviews for Jump!, there will be one by the author Scott M. Fischer.  He includes a video of himself reading/singing the entire book to a group of children.  This is a good way to make the book fun for your little one.

  

Please Sy Please, Grumpy Bunny! by Justine Korman Fontes

Title/Series:   Please Say Please, Grumpy Bunny!

Author: Justine Korman Fontes

Pages: 32 pages

Copyright  Date: 2007

Reading Level:  2^ndgrade

Interest Level:  Pre K – 3^rd grade

Summary:  Can a word really be magical?  When Hopper decides to win the “please day” game, strange things begins to happen.  Join Hopper as he learns about the magic of the word please. 

Educational: Average– practicing to get better at saying please

Content: Average – short chapters (more like an older child’s book), large color pictures

Message: Great– shows the reason for using the word please with examples children can relate with, being a good sport

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss

Title/Series:   One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

Author: Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel)

Pages: 63 pages

Copyright  Date: 1960

Reading Level:  1^st grade

Interest Level:  K – 2^nd grade

Summary:  This classic rhyming story tells about the activities of the characters in Seuss’s world.  Each few pages has a new character and what fun action it’s involved with.

Educational: Good– rhyming words (poem format), color words, counting, opposites, counting by 2’s, phonics

Content: Good – imaginative illustrations and ideas, short mini stories (poems)

Message: Poor– there are many funny things to enjoy

   

No T. Rex in the Library by Toni Buzzeo

Title/Series:   No T.Rex in the Library

Author: Toni Buzzeo

Pages: 32 pages

Copyright  Date: 2010

Reading Level:  3^rd grade

Interest Level:  Pre K– 2^nd grade

Summary:  Tess goes to the library with her mother on Tuesday morning and displays beastie behavior.  While in time-out, Tess goes on an adventure with a T. Rex from a book.  The T. Rex shows Tess how out of control her beastie behavior has been.

Educational: Average– vocabulary words (orcas, synchronized, stampede)

Content: Average – colorful illustrations with details, varied sentence and word placement on each page

Message: Average– respect books and do not use beastie behavior

   

On Hanukkah by Cathy Goldberg Fishman

Title/Series:   On Hanukkah

Author: Cathy Goldberg Fishman

Copyright  Date: 1998

Reading Level:  5^th grade

Interest Level:  K – 6^th grade

Summary:  Join a Jewish family as they celebrate a traditional Hanukkah.  Every day that a candle is lit on the menorah a tradition is shared.  This book teaches the history behind the holiday as well as modern family traditions.  We watch the family hang their Hanukkah quilt, make potato latkes, and play dreidel.

Educational: Good– teaches the history behind the holiday, introduces many vocabulary words, includes a glossary

Content: Good – shows the holiday in an interesting way, colorful illustrations

Message: Good– teaches the reason behind Hanukkah and how to celebrate this holiday

The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett

Title/Series:   The Wild Christmas Reindeer

Author: Jan Brett

Pages: 30 pages

Copyright  Date: 1990

Reading Level: 4^th grade

Interest Level: K – 4^th grade

Summary:  This is the first Christmas that Teeka will get the reindeer ready to fly on Christmas Eve.  When Teeka is strong and firm with the reindeer, everything goes wrong!  Will Teeka be able to get Santa’s reindeer ready to deliver gifts on Christmas Eve?

Educational: Average –Teeka learns that it is better to be patient than push and yell

Content: Excellent – magical pictures, boarder pictures show the elves working in Santa’s workshop, meaningful story that contains the Christmas spirit

Message: Average – teamwork and patience is important

   

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

Title/Series:   The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Author: Barbara Robinson

Pages: 81 pages

Copyright  Date: 1972

Reading Level:  5^th grade

Interest Level: 3^rd – 6^th grade

Summary:  The annual Christmas pageant is changing this year.  The worst kids in history, the Herdmans, will be involved and learning the Christmas story this year.  When the Herdmans become the lead roles in the pageant, things really get interesting.  It will be amazing if the town can put together the pageant this year.

Educational: poor –introduces bad ideas that kids may not think of on their own (burning down building, stealing from church, blackmailing peers), teaches the Christmas story

Content: poor– includes the word “hell”, tells how mom forces dad to watch his children in the pageant, Mrs. Herdman avoiding her children, describes the Christmas story including King Herod, the end of the book shows the Herdman children beginning to change for the better

Message: Good – take time to really think about the Christmas story and what it means