Annotated Bibliography

Britt

Picture Books
Title: A Chair for My Mother
Author: Vera Williams
Publisher and Year: Greenwillow, 1983
Type of Book: Realistic Fiction Picture Book
Reading Level: Grade 3.8, F&P M
Themes/ Subjects: Single Parents, Helping Others, Working Together, Family
Summary: A young girl and her hard working mother are saving up change in a large jar in order to buy
the mother a comfortable chair to sit in. A fire in their old apartment destroyed many of their things.
When their jar is full, they go to several different furniture stores until they find the perfect chair.
Noteworthy Traits: This book received a 1983 Caldecott Honor award. The story emphasizes the
importance of working together and saving money. The illustrations are folk-art inspired and each page
is bordered by a pattern.
Title: Ill Save You Bobo!
Author: Eileen Rosenthal and Marc Rosenthal
Publisher and Year: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2012
Type of Book: Nonfiction Picture Book
Reading Level: Grade 1.8, F&P L
Themes/ Subjects: Cats, Conflict, Friends, Adventure, Imagination
Summary: Willy is a young boy with a stuffed sock monkey named Bobo. He decides to write his own
adventure story about him and Bobo in a snakey and viney jungle. Unfortunately, Earl the cat wants to
play with Bobo on his own. Eventually, Willy gets fed up with Earls medaling and is forced to put a
stop to it.
Noteworthy Traits: The story is told from the point of view of Willy and he is the only character that
speaks. It is very realistic in that Bobo is simply an inanimate sock monkey and Earl is just a regular cat.
The simplistic illustrations have humorous and thoughtful.

Title: I Want My Hat Back

Author: Jon Klassen
Publisher and Year: Candlewick Press, 2011
Type of Book: Nonfiction Picture
Reading Level: Grade 1.0, F&P I
Themes: Conflict, Manners
Summary: Bear is missing his hat and really wants it back. He goes around to fellow animals to ask,
politely, if they have seen it around. Each animal claims to have not seen it. Discouraged, bear gives up
his search. A kind deer asks Bear a question that jogs his memory about where he last saw his beloved
hat.

Annotated Bibliography

Britt

Noteworthy Traits: 2012 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book. The book contains relatively dark humor
that many students would enjoy. Its repetitive nature appeals to early readers and the illustrations are
visually humorous.
Title: Kittens First Full Moon
Author: Kevin Henkes
Publisher and Year: Greenwillow Books, 2004
Type of Book: Fiction Picture
Reading Level: Grade 1.7, F&P G
Themes: Animals, Early Learning
Summary: A little white kitten sees a big bowl of milk in the sky and desperately wants it. Try as she
might, she is unable to reach it. Tired she returns home to find a little bowl of milk just for her.
Noteworthy Traits: Winner of Caldecott Medal in 200. The text is short and the type is large making it
easy for early readers. The cute pictures are done in black, white, and grey tones.

Title: The Jolly Postman: Or Other Peoples Letters

Author: Janet Ahlberg and Allan Ahlberg
Publisher and Year: LB Kids, 2001
Type of Book: Nonfiction Picture, Poetry
Reading Level: Grade 2.5, F&P N
Themes: Fairy Tales, Interactive
Summary: The Jolly Postman travels across the fairy tale countryside delivering letters to various
recognizable characters. Among the letter recipients are the three bears, the giant, and the big bad wolf.
The three bears receive an apology note from Goldilocks; the giant gets a postcard from his tiny friend,
Jack. The big bad wolf is notified of a pending lawsuit from Mrs. Riding Hood. He ends his journey at a
birthday party and returns home for a cup of tea.
Noteworthy Traits: The book has full-sized letters that are tucked inside of envelopes. The story is told
in the form of a simple poem which is easier for young readers. The letters are more complex and may
require additional assistance in reading.

Annotated Bibliography

Britt

Nonfiction Books
Title: Henrys Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad
Author: Ellen Levine
Publisher and Year: Scholastic Press, 2007
Type of Book: Nonfiction Picture
Reading Level: Grade 2.3, F&P P
Themes/Subject: Slavery, Underground Railroad, Determination
Summary: Henry Brown was born into slavery. He married another slave and had three children. His
family was taken from him and sold at the slave market. Devastated, Henry comes up with the idea to
mail himself to freedom in a large crate. With the help of some free friends, Henry makes the journey to
Pennsylvania and becomes a free man.
Noteworthy Traits: The illustrations by Kadir Nelson are gorgeous and captivating. The book is simple
enough for young children to read and it can help them understand the complex and abstract idea of the
Underground Railroad. This book received a Caldecott Honor award in 2008.
Title: Locomotive
Author: Brian Floca
Publisher and Year: Atheneum/ Richard Jackson Books, 2013
Type of Book: Nonfiction
Reading Level: Grade 4.0, F&P O
Themes/Subject: Industrial Revolution, Trains and Subways
Summary: Locomotive tells the story of a family living in 1869 as the travel across American on the
new Transcontinental Railroad. The book provides information on railroading while telling an
interesting and captivating story.
Noteworthy Traits: Floca uses a rhythm and clever play-on-words to keep the reader reading. The book
was the Caldecott Medal winner in 2014. Illustrations and choice of font compliment the setting of the
story.
Title: Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship
Author: Craig Hatkoff, Isabella Hatkoff, and Dr. Paula Kahumbu
Publisher and Year: Scholastic Press, 2006
Type of Book: Nonfiction Picture
Reading Level: Grade 4.7, F&P T
Themes/Subject: Friendship, Africa, Hippos, Tortoises
Owen is a baby hippopotamus who is orphaned after the December 2004 tsunami. He is rescued by
locals and sent to a rescue center in Kenya. He is put in an enclosure with a 130 year old giant tortoise
named Mzee. The baby hippo and the elderly tortoise adopt each other and become fast friends. Now
they eat, play together, and are inseparable.
Noteworthy Traits: The story is told as if it is fiction. The characters are well developed with details
about their unique personalities. It uses real pictures taken during the events of the story.

Annotated Bibliography

Britt

Title: The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

Author: Mordicai Gerstein
Publisher and Year: Roaring Brook Press, 2003
Type of Book: Nonfiction Picture Book
Reading Level: Grade 2.5, F&P Q
Themes/ Subjects: Circus, Determination, Performers,
Summary: The book begins like a fairytale but it is based on a true story. In 1974, a French man named
Phillippe Petit walked, lay, and danced along a tightrope wire strung between the two twin towers of the
World Trade Center in New York City. Phillippe was no stranger to such a feat; he had walked between
several prominent buildings including the towers of the Notre Dame Cathedral. He asked for permission
from the owners of the World Trade Center but he was denied. Instead, he decided to do it anyway and
make history.
Noteworthy Traits: This book received the 2004 Caldecott Medal. The story reads more like a fictional
story. It also offers the opportunity to talk about the World Trade Center and how they are no longer
standing.
Title: The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
Author: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Publisher and Year: Chronicle Books, 2001
Type of Book: Nonfiction Picture, Poetry
Reading Level: Grade 5.1, F&P P
Themes: Social Studies, American Revolution, Character and Values
Summary: The story of Paul Revere is well-known to most. The classic poem tells the story of Reveres
famous ride through Massachusetts to warn colonists that the British were coming. This allowed for the
Americans to prepare for the first battle of the American Revolution.
Noteworthy Traits: The pictures and illustrations are what make this book particularly interesting. It uses
a mix of illustrations and images of real items to tell the story. There are maps and clarifying historical
notes as well as fold out documents.

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Britt

Poetry Books
Title: A Childs Garden of Verses
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Publisher and Year: Grosset & Dunlap, 1957
Type of Book: Poetry Anthology from a Single Author
Reading Level: Grade 4.5
Themes/Subject: Animals, Poetry, Friends, Nursery Rhymes
Summary: A Childs Garden of Verses is a classic collection of nursery rhymes from famous author,
Robert Louis Stevenson. In the book of 64 poems, Stevenson captures the imagination by creating
make-believe worlds and describing simple, everyday actions, places, people, and occurrence.
Noteworthy Traits: Poem subjects vary greatly making this perfect for all children no matter their
interest or age.
Title: A Sip of Aesop
Author: Jane Yolen
Publisher and Year: Scholastic, 1995
Type of Book: Poetry Anthology from a Single Author
Reading Level: Grade 3.5, F&P N
Themes/Subject: Cleverness, Justice, Responsibility
Summary: The book has taken the classic tales of Aesop and made them into short rhymes. Familiar
tales include The Boy Who Cried Wolf and The Lion and the Mouse. Although the stories have
been condensed they still convey the intended morals.
Noteworthy Traits: The pictures are bright, colorful, and full of movement.
Title: Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night
Author: Joyce Sidman
Publisher and Year: HMH Books for Young Readers, 2010
Type of Book: Poetry Anthology from a Single Author
Reading Level: Grade 8.6
Themes: Nocturnal Animals, Night Life
Summary: The collection of 12 poems describes different night time creatures and other things that may
hide in the dark forest. It shows different types of poems such as concrete.
Noteworthy Traits: 2011 Newbery Honor Book. Most poems have an accompanying paragraph that
offers some additional information about the subject of the poem.

Annotated Bibliography

Britt

Title: The Frogs Wore Red Suspenders

Author: Jack Prelutsky
Publisher and Year: Greenwillow Books, 2005
Type of Book: Poetry Anthology
Reading Level: Grade 3.8, F&P O
Themes: Animals, Locations
Summary: The Frogs Wore Red Suspenders is a collection of 28 poems from poet an author, Jack
Prelutsky. Prelutsky provides a variety of poems that feature different locations across the United States,
from Tuscaloosa to Seattle to Minneapolis. Many are fun tongue twisters that are unforgettable.
Noteworthy Traits: The book is oversized and the illustrations by Petra Mathers are vivid, lively, and
bright.
Title: The Random House Book of Mother Goose
Author: Arnold Lobel
Publisher and Year: Random House, 1986
Type of Book: Poetry Anthology
Reading Level: Grade 3.5, F&P N
Themes/Subject: Animals, Character and Values, Morals
Summary: Lobel collected numerous classic childrens nursery rhymes for this childhood staple. It
includes well-known titles such as Little Boy Blue, Mary had a little lamb, and The queen of hearts
has lost her tarts. It also includes little-known poems such as Doctor Foster went to Gloucester
Noteworthy Traits: Some pages feature full illustration as with Humpty Dumpty, The queen of
hearts has lost her tarts, and Jack and Jill. The collection contains 306 rhymes.

Annotated Bibliography

Britt

Childrens Novels
Title: Alices Adventures in Wonderland
Author: Lewis Carroll
Publisher and Year: Bantam Classics, 1984
Type of Book: Classic Fantasy Novel
Reading Level: Grade 5.9, F&P V
Themes/Subject: Magic, Dreams, Manners and Conduct
Summary: Alice is sitting with her sister one day when she sees a white rabbit hop hurriedly by her. She
thinks that she hears him muttering therefore she follows him into a large rabbit hole. She falls for a very
long time before she lands in a room with only one small locked door. She must find a way to get
through this door into the magical garden beyond it. When she finally makes it out, she meets severally
interesting characters and creatures as she makes her way through Wonderland.
Noteworthy Traits: This classic childrens story was originally published in 1865. It inspires readers to
create their own worlds using their imagination.
Title: A Ring of Endless Light
Author: Madeleine LEngle
Publisher and Year: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1980
Type of Book: Modern Fantasy Novel
Reading Level: Grade 5.5, F&P U
Themes/Subject: New Experiences, Death and Loss, Marine Life, Illness, Emotional Development.
Summary: On Seven Bay Island, 16-year-old Vicky Austin is spending the summer with her family and
her grandfather, who is very sick with leukemia. She meets Adam Eddington, a friend of her brother and
an intern at a research center on the island. She soon finds herself in a mix of three romances between
Adam, her ex-boyfriend Zachary, and Leo, the son of the late Commander Rodney. As she helps Adam
with a project on dolphins, she discovers that she has a special ability to communicate with them on a
telepathic level. All of this is going on while she deals with the deteriorating condition of her
grandfather at home.
Noteworthy Traits: This 1981 Newbery Honor Book is part of the Austin Family Series by LEngle.
LEngle is best known for her Newbery Award winning novel, A Wrinkle in Time. A Ring of Endless
Light deals primarily with facing death, losing those that you love, and being thankful for the life you
have been given. The novel is excellently written and the characters are believable and well-developed.
The plot makes it particularly appealing to young adults.

Annotated Bibliography

Britt

Title: Banner in the Sky

Author: James Ramsey Ullman
Publisher and Year: Harper Teen, 1988
Type of Book: Realistic Fiction Novel
Reading Level: Grade 6.3, F&P W
Themes/Subject: Values, Bravery, Grief and Loss
Summary: The Citadel is a fictional mountain in the Alps that stands unconquered. It has claimed the
lives of many of those that have tried to reach its summit including Rudi Matts father. Rudi becomes
determined to pay tribute to his lost father whom he was never given the opportunity to meet. Before he
reaches the top, he must pass through several dangerous passes, including the forbidden Fortress, the
chasm that claimed his father. He must fight hard and be brave to plant his flag, his fathers red shirt, on
the summit of the Citadel.
Noteworthy Traits: The 1955 Newbery Honor Novel is set in a 19th century Swiss village called Kurtal.
The books shows that even those that appear weak can accomplish great things if they set their minds to
it.
Title: Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery
Author: Deborah Howe and James Howe
Publisher and Year: Atheneum Books, 1979
Type of Book: Modern Fantasy Novel
Reading Level: Grade 4.9, F&P Q
Themes/Subject: Mystery and Suspense, Cleverness, Imagination, Pets, Animals
Summary: The story of the mysterious Bunnicula is told from the point-of-view of a pet dog named
Harold. He shares the Monroe home with Chester the cat and a new-comer, a rabbit. The family found
the rabbit after seeing the movie Dracula in theaters, therefore they named him Bunnicula. The rabbit
appears to have fangs and the markings on his neck look like a cape. He is only awake at night. Stranger
yet, the Monroe family begins finding white vegetables in their refrigerator, completely drained of their
juices.
Noteworthy Traits: The novel is filled with suspense and good humor.
Title: Charlottes Web
Author: E.B. White
Publisher and Year: Harper & Brothers, 1952
Type of Book: Modern Fantasy Novel
Reading Level: Grade 4.9. F&P R
Themes/Subject: Death and Grief, Friends, Creativity, Bravery
Summary: Wilbur is the runt of his litter of pigs. When Fern Arables father decides to slaughter the
little pig, Fern saves him and promises to care for him. As Wilbur grows older he befriends many of the
other animals and a spider named, Charlotte. Charlotte becomes a very important part of Wilburs life
and even ends up saving it.

Annotated Bibliography

Britt

Noteworthy Traits: Charlottes Web is a 1953 Newbery Honor Book. It is a superbly written book that
highlights the importance of friends and those that we love.
Title: Chasing Redbird
Author: Sharon Creech
Publisher and Year: Scholastic, 1998
Type of Book: Realistic Fiction
Reading Level: Grade 5.2, F&P V
Themes/Subject: Coming of Age, Adventure, Death and Grief, Family
Summary: Zinnia is a teenage girl who lives on a family farm in Kentucky with her large family. Her
aunt and cousin, who lived in a connecting house, have passed away living her Uncle Nate. Nate appears
to be succumbing to the grief of his loss and claims to have seen his late wife, his redbird. At a
museum, Zinnia discovers that their backyard is the start of a 20-mile trail to the neighboring town of
Chocton. She makes up her mind to travel along the trail, cleaning it and planting rows of zinnia
flowers. Throughout her journey she learns much about herself and her family as she grieves.
Noteworthy Traits: This novel contains just enough mystery to make it both magical and believable at
the same time. Zinnia shows that young girls are capable of being brave and accomplishing physical
challenges. Sharon Creech is also the author of the 1995 Newbery Medal winning novel, Walk Two
Moons.
Title: Little Women
Author: Louisa May Alcott
Publisher and Year: Dover Publications, 1997
Type of Book: Historical Fiction
Reading Level: Grade 7.9, F&P Z
Themes/Subject: Coming of Age, Civil War Period and Reconstruction, Siblings and Family, Death and
Grief
Summary: Little Women tells the story of four sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March. Each girl possess
her own unique traits and personalities. One trait they share is their creativity. They form a family club
and newspaper and act out plays in their attic. Their father is off fighting for the Union Army in the
Civil War and they are left with their loving and supportive Marmee. The novel follows them
throughout their lives as they drift apart and back together, face grief and loss, and go down their own
separate paths.
Noteworthy Traits: Little Women is a classic novel originally published in two parts, in 1868 and 1869.
It is a coming-of-age novel that appeals to all types of girls as that the uniqueness of each March girl
allows for them to be relatable to all. The story is another personal favorite and is perfect for reading
aloud to younger students that may not be able to read it on their own.

Annotated Bibliography

Britt

Title: The Mouse and the Motorcycle

Author: Beverly Cleary
Publisher and Year: William Morrow, 1965
Type of Book: Classic Modern Fantasy Novel
Reading Level: Grade 4.1, F&P O
Themes/Subject: Responsibility, Friendship, Motorcycles, Animal Stories
Summary: Ralph the mouse lives in a hole in room 215 of the Mountain View Inn. Keith and his parents
check into the hotel. Ralph finds that he can ride the tiny, mouse-sized motorcycles that Keith has
brought along. The two become friends as Ralph ventures off to lands beyond the second floor of the
hotel. When Keith becomes very sick and needs medicine, it is up to Ralph and his motorcycle to deliver
the much-needed aspirin despite the danger to himself.
Noteworthy Traits: The novel is very funny and contains several humorous scenes such as when Ralph
first rides the motorcycle into the wastebasket. There is magic involved in that a mouse can speak and
ride a motorcycle that has no engine all by making the pb-pb-b-b-b sounds with his mouth.
Title: The Secret Garden
Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Publisher and Year: Harpercollins, 1987
Type of Book: Realistic Fiction Novel
Reading Level: Grade 6.8, F&P U
Themes/Subject: New Experiences, Challenges, Death and Grief
Summary: Mary Lennox is a surly and unloved ten-year-old girl living in India. After her parents
deaths, she is sent to live at Misselthwaite Manor with her reclusive and hunch-backed uncle. On the
English moors, Mary learns of a secret garden that is all shut-off with its location unknown. Inspired by
this mystery, Mary learns more about herself and finds a true home.
Noteworthy Traits: The Secret Garden, originally published in 1911, is a classic childrens book that
was inspired generations on children to dream and imagine. This novel is a personal favorite and instills
nostalgic memories of my childhood.
Author: Ellen Raskin
Title: The Westing Game
Publisher and Year: Puffin, 1997
Type of Book: Nonfiction Novel
Reading Level: Grade 6.1, F&P V
Themes/Subject: Mystery, Family, Teamwork
Summary: The novel brings together 16 heirs to the Sunset Towers Apartment building to hear to the
reading of Samuel W. Westings will. The will is a puzzle that dives the 16 into 8 pairs and giving each
pair a set of clues. Their challenge is to solve the murder of Mr. Westing. Whoever solves the murder
inherits the vast fortune and the Westing Paper Products Company.
Noteworthy Traits: The Westing Game is a 1979 Newbery Medal Novel. The novel is a great
whodunit mystery that allows for readers to make predictions and solve the mystery on their own.