Chapter Book # 11

Title:  Who Was Abraham Lincoln?

Author:  Janet Pascal

Illustrator:  Nancy Harrison, John O'Brien

Readability Scores:  Interest Level-3, Grade Level Equivalent-3.9, Lexile-720L

Genre:  Nonfiction

Subgenre:  Biography

Theme:  Civil War, presidency

Primary and Secondary Characters:  Abraham Lincoln and his family, political adversaries

Awards:

Date of Publication:  2008

Publishing Company:  Grosset & Dunlap

ISBN Number:  9780448448862

Summary:  This is a nonfiction book describing Lincoln's life from the beginning as a farmer's son through his presidency. The book contains multiple illustrations and maps along with quality text.

Applications for teaching:  Wonderful nonfiction book to use when teaching about the presidents or the Civil War. The maps and illustrations will enable struggling readers to get a better mental image of the text being taught.

Chapter Book # 10

Title:  The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Author:  Clayborne Carson

Illustrator:

Readability Scores:  Interest Level-9, Grade Level Equivalent-8.3, Lexile-1300

Genre:  Nonfiction

Subgenre:  Biography

Theme:  Civil Rights

Primary and Secondary Characters:  Martin Luther King, Jr., other King family members, Civil Rights activists

Awards:

Date of Publication:  2001

Publishing Company:  Grand Central Publishing

ISBN Number:  0446676500

Summary:  This is a biography focusing on the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. The author uses material from his books, essays, articles, personal letters, and speeches to provide information about King's beliefs and convictions.

Applications for teaching:  This is an excellent nonfiction book to use when teaching about the Civil Rights movement and especially the impact Martin Luther King, Jr. had on this movement.

Chapter Book # 9

Title:  Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott

Author:  Russell Freedman

Illustrator: 

Readability Scores:  Interest Level-6, Grade Level Equivalent-8.6, Lexile-1110, DRA-70, Guided Reading-Z

Genre:  Nonfiction

Subgenre:  Informational

Theme:  Civil Rights

Primary and Secondary Characters:  Rosa Parks, various Civil Rights activists

Awards:

Date of Publication:  2008

Publishing Company:  Holiday House

ISBN Number:  9780823421954

Summary:  The nonfiction books tells the story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott that was set into motion when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in 1955. The bus boycott lasted for a year. This book tells stories of everyday citizens and how they participated in the boycott or how they were affected by the boycott.

Applications for teaching:  This is a wonderful book to use when teaching about the Civil Rights movement. Excellent nonfiction, expository text.

Chapter Book # 8

Title:  Sounder

Author:  William H. Armstrong

Illustrator:

Readability Scores:  Interest Level-6, Grade Level Equivalent-4.9, Lexile-900L, DRA-50, Guided Reading-T

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Subgenre:  Animal stories

Theme:  Adolescence, poverty

Primary and Secondary Characters:  Sounder the dog, a boy and his father

Awards:  Newbery Medal winner

Date of Publication:  1969

Publishing Company:  Harper Trophy

ISBN Number:  9780064400206

Summary:  This is the story of a poor black sharecropper and his dog Sounder. They coon hunt each night, but they are unsuccessful. The family is living on biscuits and gravy. The father brings home some meat, but the next morning he is arrested for stealing it and Sounder gets shot. The dog runs off. The boy finds his ear and keeps it hoping the dog will return. The boy searches for his father on inmate work groups and befriends a teacher who offers to take him in and teach him how to read. He accepts and learns to read. Later the father is released from jail, but he has been injured. He is reunited with Sounder because the dog did return and they go hunting together. The dog returns without the father and the boy finds him dead. The dog then dies under the front porch.

Applications for teaching:  This is a wonderful story about growing up and enduring hardships. The boy learns to read and becomes a better stronger person. I would use this book during read aloud time with my class.

Chapter Book # 7

Title:  Where the Sidewalk Ends

Author:  Shel Silverstein

Illustrator:  Shel Silverstein

Readability Scores:  Interest Level-3, Grade Level Equivalent-3.9

Genre:  Poetry

Subgenre:  Comedy, humor

Theme:  Cleverness, creativity

Primary and Secondary Characters:  No named characters, several characters drawn and described within poetry

Awards: 

Date of Publication:  1974

Publishing Company:  Harper Collins

ISBN Number:  9780060586539

Summary:  This is a collection of poems written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein. The poems are targeted for children and are humorous in nature.

Applications for teaching:  Good book to use when teaching poetry. This book will provide students with multiple examples of poetry as well as entertain them.

Chapter Book # 6

Title:  Redwall

Author:  Brian Jacques

Illustrator:  Troy Howell

Readability Scores:  Interest Level-6, Grade Level Equivalent-7.8, Lexile-800L, DRA-30-34

Genre:  Fantasy

Subgenre:  Adventure

Theme:  war, conflict, courage

Primary and Secondary Characters:  Matthias, Cluny

Awards:

Date of Publication:  1986

Publishing Company:  Penguin Group

ISBN Number:  9780441005482

Summary:  This is a story about courage and heroism. The hero of the story is a young mouse named Matthias. He is searching for the sword of Martin the Warrior. This is a legendary sword that he believes will help him fight off the evil rat named Cluny and his companions. The story is set in a place called Mossflower and there is an abbey named Redwall Abbey where the mice live. The mice are celebrating a peaceful year full of good tidings until they hear the rumor that Cluny is coming and he plans to conquer Redwall Abbey. Matthias vows to find the sword and save the abbey. This is the first book in a series.

Applications for teaching:  This would be a good book to plan a themed unit around. Younger students would be interested in a story where the animals talk. This is a good fantasy that would entertain students and pull reluctant readers into the story.

Chapter Book # 5

Title:  Little Women

Author:  Louisa May Alcott

Illustrator:

Readability Scores:  Interest Level-9, Grade Level Equivalent-7.9, Lexile-1300, DRA-70, Guided Reading-Z

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Subgenre:  Classics

Theme:  Civil War

Primary and Secondary Characters:  March family- sisters Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy, Marmee March

Awards: 

Date of Publication:  This edition was published in 2010

Publishing Company:  Harper Press

ISBN Number:  9780007350995

Summary:  This book is set in New England during the Civil War. The story surrounds the March family. Mr. March is away at the war serving as a Union chaplain. The March sisters are Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. Marmee is their mother. The book is divided into two parts. During the first part, the character of Laurie is introduced when Jo meets him at a New Year's party. Marmee has to go tend to a sick Mr. March and the girls are left alone. They have many adventures. Beth almost dies after contracting Scarlett Fever from the neighbor's child. Three years pass between the two parts. In the second part Jo has a novel published. Meg has twins. Beth dies. Amy and Laurie are married, and Jo inherits Plumfield where she opens a boarding school. This is a wonderful story about family.

Applications for teaching:  This is a good book to read when studying the Civil War. This book depicts the bonds of family facing adversity, and how the family changes over time.

Chapter Book # 4

Title:  The Book Thief

Author:  Markus Zusak

Illustrator: 

Readability Scores:  Interest Level-9, Lexile-730L

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Subgenre:  Young adult

Theme:  Holocaust

Primary and Secondary Characters:  Primary-Liesel Meminger, Secondary-Mr. and Mrs. Hubermann, Max, Death

Awards:

Date of Publication:  2007

Publishing Company:  Knopf Publishing

ISBN Number:  9780375842207

Summary:  Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside Munich, Germany during the years leading up to World War II and during the war. She lives with her foster parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hubermann. She begins stealing books at her brother's funeral. She does not know how to read until Hans Hubermann teaches her a little each night when she wakes from nightmares. She steals more books and reads them with her foster dad as well. Max comes to live in her basement during the height of the war, and they begin to read the books together as well. This story is told by death as he observes the events unfolding in Liesel's life. He travels along with her as he collects the souls of the departed.

Applications for teaching:  This book could be used as an excellent resource when teaching the Holocaust. It provides students with a unique view of the events surrounding this time in history since it is told by death.