PB#32 The Frog Scientist

Author: Pamela S. Turner

Title: The Frog Scientist

Genre: Juvenile Literature

Subgenre: Ages 9-12 
Awards: Orbis Pictus  

Publishing company: Houghton Mifflin 

Brief summary of how to use with students: This book is about the frog scientist Tyrone Hayes who has studied to determine the effect of the pesticide, atrazine, on frogs in his lab. There are lots of interesting facts about frogs as well as personal information on Tyrone and his students. I have to say - I've never read a book like this one but I did enjoy it.
It would be great to read in a science class!

PB#31 The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

Author: Mordicai Gerstein

Title: The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

Genre: Juvenile Literature

Subgenre: Ages 4+ 

Awards: Caldecott Medal

Publishing company: Roaring Brook Press 

Brief summary of how to use with students: This is the story of Philippe Petit who walked a wire between the two towers of the World Trade Center in New York on August 7, 1974. This book is supposed to be for kids but I personally got goose bumps! This is such an amazing and inspiring story especially since it's a true story. It makes you realize that dreams can come true and even the sky isn't the limit.

PB#30 Black and White

Author: David Macaulay

Title: Black and White

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Subgenre: Ages 9-12  

Theme: Looking beyond the obvious.

Awards: Caldecott Medal

Publishing company: Houghton Mifflin Co 

Brief summary of how to use with students: At first this book seems to be detailing 4 different stories but if you read it again and pay very close attention the stories are intertwined! This book would be excellent for anyone 9 and above as it requires a bit of thinking and interpretation.

PB#29 How I Learned Geography

Author: Uri Shulevitz

Title: How I Learned Geography

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Subgenre: Ages 4-9

Theme: Food for the spirit is important too! 

Publishing company: Farrar Straus Giroux 

Brief summary of how to use with students: A small boy is forced to flee his home with his family because of a war and when they finally find somewhere to stay, they are very miserable and poor. One night the boy's dad is supposed to bring home bread for dinner but instead he brings home a map. The boy is upset at first but then realizes he can find sustenance of a different sort from the bright and colorful map.
A great book for any lesson that includes maps or traveling.

PB#28 Color Zoo

Author: Lois Ehlert
Title: Color Zoo
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Subgenre: Baby - 1st grade 
Theme: Finding many things in the zoo.
Publishing company: Harper-Festival 
Brief summary of how to use with students: The bold, bright, colorful pages of this book include an animal, shape, and color for every page! One animal turns into another and you turn the page and a different shape helps create every animal. A great developmental book for young children!

PB#27 First the Egg

Author: Laura Seeger

Title: First the Egg

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Subgenre: Ages 4-8 

Theme: What comes first - the chicken or the egg?  

Awards: Caldecott Honor 

Publishing company: Roaring Brook Press 

Brief summary of how to use with students: Everyone wants to know what came first and this book details what comes first in many different situations. First the tadpole - then the frog. First the word - then the story. It's a colorful, fun, and informational book to read to any child.