Branton, Marilyn

SLM521

Web Link Bibliography

 

 

Bibliography of Great Books for the Classroom

 

This bibliography is for educators to review great stories to use in their classroom for whole group discussion.  The first category of books is picture books which can be used for K-12 to either entertain, learn a lesson, or relate to the characters in the story.  The links provide a wealth of information about the authors; some even have lessons to go along with their stories, and they provide the titles of other books that the author has written.

 

Picture Books

 

My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann – This story is about a rabbit and mouse who are friends no matter what trouble they get in.  Date visited February 13, 2006

 

www.scbwisocal.org/htmls/rohmann.htm

 

 

 

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein – Based on true story of a tightrope walker who walks between the Twin Towers.  Date visited February 13, 2006

 

www.mordicaigerstein.com/

 

 

 

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey – A delightful story about a family of ducks in Boston.  Date visited February 13, 2006

 

 

www.hbook.com/exhibit/mccloskeyradio.html

 

 

 

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Martin Briggs – This is a biography of a boy’s passion for photographing snowflakes.  He spent his life photographing the outdoors and specialized in photographs of snowflakes.  Date visited February 13, 2006

 

www.jacquelinebriggsmartin.com/

 

 

Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott – This is a fascinating story of a boy born of the Sun, who travels to find his father, and then returns to celebrate with his people.  Date visited February 13, 2006

 

 

 www.geraldmcdermott.com/

 

 

Guji, Guji by Chin-Yuan Chen – A most unusual egg appeared under Mother Duck.  Guji, Guji appears among the other ducklings.  Guji, Guji is called crocoduck.  Find out how Guji, Guji saves the day!  Date visited February 13, 2006

 

 

www.fetchbook.info/search_ Chih-Yuan_Chen/searchBy_Author.html

 

 

Just a Minute by Yuyi Morales – Grandma Beetle cleverly tricks Senor Galavera (death), with a tale about counting in both English and Spanish.  Grandma Beetle convinces Senor Galaver to let her stay alive a little longer.  Date visited February 13, 2006

 

www.yuyimorales.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann – Officer Buckle’s boring presentations to local schools become exciting when he starts bringing Gloria, a police dog.  Gloria tries to upstage him to Officer Buckle’s disappointment.  Eventually, Officer Buckle and Gloria find out how great it is to stick with a good buddy.  Date visited February 18, 2006

 

www.peggyrathmann.com/  

 

 

 

So You Want to Be President by St. Judith St. George – An amusing, as well as informational, book about our former presidents.  Find out the different personalities, backgrounds, education, and much more about the last 42 presidents.  Date visited February 18, 2006

 

www.judithstgeorge.com/

 

 

Teeth, Tails & Tentacle – An Animal Counting Book by Christopher Wormell – A very sophisticated counting book.  Beautifully colored animals help to describe each number.  In the back of the book, there are informational facts about each animal.  Date visited February 18, 2006

 

www.theartworksinc.com/folio/wormell/wormell.htm

 

 

 

Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems – An afternoon errand turns into a disaster when Trixie and her daddy lose something at the Laundromat.  The whole family gets involved by running back to find Knuffle Bunny.  Date visited February 18, 2006

 

www.mowillems.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

This second category of non-fiction books can be used with your students during whole group reading instruction to learn information, and to introduce children to this genre.  The sites include experiments, other books the author has written, and lessons.

 

Non-Fiction Books

 

 

Backyard Detective – Critters up Close by Nic Bishop – There is always something to discover as a detective.  Study the seven life-size images of backyard habitats to find all the critters that you can.  “Be A Backyard Detective” is filled with projects that you can carry-out in your backyard.

Date visited February 18, 2006

 

www.eduplace.com/kids/hmr/mtai/bishop.html

 

 

Earth – Our Planet in Space by Seymour Simon – Marvelous photographs show the relationship of Earth to the Solar System.  Date visited February 18, 2006 

 

www.seymoursimon.com/

 

 

 

TheTarantula Scientist by Sy Montgomery – Sam Marshall is an expert in the field of Tarantula science.  This non-fiction book covers the exploration of Tarantulas in French Guiana.  The book includes great maps, an index, and Web page address to contact the scientist for more information.

Date visited February 18, 2006

 

www.thelavinagency.com/usa/symontgomery.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wiggling Work at Work by Wendy Pfeffer – Find out why the earthworm is called nature’s plow.  Detailed descriptions of the digestive track of the earthworm explains how the Earth benefits.  In the back of the book is a great experiment to prove that earthworms really do help the soil.  Date visited February 18, 2006

 

www.author-illustr-source.com/wendypfeffer.htm

 

 

The Life and Time of an Ant by Charles Micucci – Everything you wanted to know about ants is detailed in this text.  Descriptions of: how ants communicate, the aspect of ant socialization, the many places the ants live, the anatomy of the ant, and the ant’s calendar are just a few of the subjects you will be fascinated reading about.  Date visited February 18, 2006

 

www.wyomingagclassroom.org/language_arts.asp

 

 

The Big Caribou herd – Life in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by Bruce Hiscock – The Porcupine Caribou herd makes a long journey to the treeless tundra by the ocean, called The Artic National Wildlife Refuge.  The Artic National Wildlife Refuge is called by the natives, “the sacred place where life begins.”  Stunning description of the difficult journey is portrayed in both words and paintings by the author.  Date visited February 18, 2006

 

www.brucehiscock.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The finally category is for the “Young Reader.”   Many of the books are award winners that can be read aloud, or used in guided reading groups.  Many of the stories offer the reader a chance to relate to the problems that the characters have, and help the reader to understand or cope with their own problem.

 

 

 

Books for Young Reader

 

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko – Twelve-year old Moose Flanagan moves with his family to Alcatraz.  His dad takes a job working at the prison.  This is a touching story of a family’s struggle to deal with an autistic daughter named Natalie.  Date visited February 18, 2006

 

www.choldenko.com/

 

 

Crispin, The Cross of Lead by Avi – During the fourteenth-century in medieval England a nameless boy’s mother dies.  Soon after he is accused of a crime, and must run for his life.  Find out how Crispin, the new found name, finds his namesake along with finding a very dear friend.  Date visited February 18, 2006

 

 

www.avi-writer.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman – An orphan girl called Brat is discovered in a dung heap by Jane the Midwife.  The girl begs for food from the Midwife who decides to give the girl a chance as her apprentice.  This is about the struggles of a young girl who perseveres through life to find her place in it.  Date visited February 18, 2006

 

 

www.eduplace.com/author/cushman/

 

 

The Tale of Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo – Characters include Desperaux the mouse, Princess Pea, Roscuro the rat, and Miggery Sow, a serving girl.  The setting is in a dungeon and castle.  The characters lives intermingle into an unforgettable adventure.  Date visited February 18, 2006

 

www.katedicamillo.com/

 

 

Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata – This is a story about an American Japanese family and their love for each other.  One of the two sisters becomes gravely ill and dies.  The other sister helps to pull the family back together often using her sister’s phrase, “Kira-Kira,” which means glittering.

Date visited February 18, 2006

 

www.kira-kira.us/

 

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull – Based on a true story about Cesar Chavez, a civil rights leader.  He improved the condition of the California migrant workers.  A moving story of how Cesar Chavez overcame his shyness to become a great leader.  Date visited February 18, 2006

 

www.kathleenkrull.com/

 

Mick Harte Was Here by Carol Hurst – This tragic story is told by the sister, Phoebe.  Her kid brother is killed in a bicycle accident.   Phoebe explains how her family copes with their individual losses.  At the end Phoebe does something she thought she could never do.  Date visited February 18, 2006

 

www.carolhurst.com/titles/mickharte.html