Our Shadow Garden

Author:	Cherie Foster Colburn
Title:	Our Shadow Garden
Illustrator:	Children of the Children's Cancer Hospital at MD Anderson Cancer Center
Readability Score:	Grade Level:   3-5
Genre:	Fiction
Subgenre:	Nature
Theme:	Gardening/Healing
Primary and Secondary Characters:	Little girl, grandfather and grandmother
Award(s) Date of Publication: Southern Writer's Literacy Award 2009
Publishing Company:	Bright Sky Press
ISBN Number:	978-1-933979-69-4
Summary and How would you use the book: This book was about a girl whose grandmother was very ill and the little girl wanted to make her grandmother a garden. The grandmother was not able to be out in the daytime so they put flowers and other things up that bloomed at night so the grandmother could get back to her gardening.

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Description of how you would use the book: Use to introduce nocturnal animals and introduce plants.

Hoot

Author:	Carl Hiaasen
Title:	Hoot
Illustrator:	N/A
Readability Score:	Grade Level: 5.8  Guided Reading: W  DRA: 60    Lexile Measure:760L
Genre:	Fiction
Subgenre:	Realistic
Theme:	Mystery
Primary and Secondary Characters:	Roy, Dana, Beatrice and Mullet Fingers
Award(s) Date of Publication: 2003 ALA Best Books for Young Adults, Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice Award, Texas Lone Star Reading List, ALA Notable Children's Book, Newbery Honor Book, Maine Student Book Master List, Pennsylvania Keystone State Reading Association Book Award; 2004 Kentucky Bluegrass Master List;  2005 Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award, Minnesota Maud Heart Lovelace Award; 2006 Connecticut Nutmeg Children's Book Award
Publishing Company:	Alfred A Knopf
ISBN Number:	0-375-82181-3
Summary and How would you use the book: Roy moves again. The family moves around a lot so he is used to being the new kid.  He gets picked on by a big bully. While being bullied by Dana he sees a kid running away from the bus and he has no shoes on. This seems very odd to Roy, so he sets out to find out who the boy is and why he doesn't attend school. What Roy didn't know, is the boy is the stepbrother of Beatrice. Meanwhile, there are several occurrences of vandalism on a construction site. Roy, Beatrice and her stepbrother, concoct a scheme to save some burrowing owls on the construction lot.

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Description of how you would use the book:  This book could be used to show the different plots and how character interact with each other

Among the Hidden

Author:	Margaret Peterson Haddix
Title:	Among the Hidden
Illustrator:	Cliff Nielson
Readability Score:	Grade Level: 5.9   Guided Reading: W     DRA:60    Lexile Measure: 800L
Genre:	Fiction
Subgenre:	Science Fiction
Theme:	Consequences for Actions, danger
Primary and Secondary Characters:	Luke Garner, Jen Talbot,  Mother, Father, Matthew, Mark, Mr. Talbot, Population Police
Award(s) Date of Publication: Top 10--ALA Best Books for Young Adults, An ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, Nominee for the Askews Children’s Book Award in Great Britain, Bank Street College’s Children’s Book Committee’s "Best Children’s Books of the Year" list, State readers choice awards (voted on by kids): California Young Readers Medal, Maud Hart Lovelace Award (Minnesota),  Nevada Young Readers' Award; Great Stone Face Award (New Hampshire), Nutmeg Children's Book Award (Connecticut), Sunshine State Young Readers' Award (Florida), Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award, Young Hoosier Book Award (Indiana), Indian Paintbrush Book Award (Wyoming), Iowa Children's Choice Award
Publishing Company:	Simon & Schuster
ISBN Number:	978-0-689-82475-3
Summary and How would you use the book: Luke is a 3rd child living in a society where it is illegal to have more than 2 children. His mother and Father, who live on a farm with their two other son's named Matthew and Mark, keep him hidden from the world at all cost. The punishment for children in his situation is death. He longs for a the moments he is able to be outside. The Government decides to buy most of the Garner farm for a neighborhood of homes. When this happens Luke must go into hiding for what he feels will he the rest of his life. He decides that the only outside correspondence with the world will through the vents in the roof, where his room is located. He has accepted the fact he will be locked away forever, when he sees another "Shadow Child" in a house just behind his. He musters up the courage to sneak out to find out more about this "other third child". He meets Jen.... I really don't want to spoil the ending, but there is danger at every corner and Jen is adamant they have to change the "rules" concerning "Shadow Children"

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Description of how you would use the book: I would use this book for foreshadowing and to teach children about their consequences of their actions. I think a writing prompt to change the ending as well.

The Ugly Duckling

Author:	Hans Christian Andersen
Title:	The Ugly Duckling
Illustrator:	Jerry Pinkney
Readability Score:	Grade Level: 3.1    Guided Reading: J             DRA: 18-20    Lexile Measure:650L
Genre:	Fiction
Subgenre:	Children's Literature
Theme:	An awkward "duck" wanting acceptance.
Primary and Secondary Characters:	The Ugly Duckling, Ducks, Horse, Cat etc.
Award(s) Date of Publication: Caldecott Honor Book and ALA Notable Children's Book
Publishing Company:	Harper Collins
ISBN Number:	978-0-6881-5932-0
Summary and How would you use the book: A not so average looking "duck" who just wanted to be accepted by everyone, runs away and hides for a season. He finally comes out of hiding to find he has grown into this beautiful swan.

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Description of how you would use the book: This book could be used to help with likes and differences. Also, to teach respect and acceptance of others.

Before John was a Jazz Giant

Author:	Carole Boston Weatherford
Title:	Before John was a Jazz Giant
Illustrator:	Sean Qualls
Readability Score:	Grade Level: K-6    Guided Reading: N/A    DRA:N/A     Lexile Measure: N/A
Genre:	Biography
Subgenre:	Children's Literature
Theme:	Music
Primary and Secondary Characters:	John Coltrane
Award(s) Date of Publication: Coretta Scott King Award
Publishing Company:	Henry Holt Company
ISBN Number:	978-0-8050-7994-4
Summary and How would you use the book: This is a biography about Jazz Artist John Coltrane. The book shares all the sounds of music that John heard around his house and while he was out in public.

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Description of how you would use the book: I would use this book inorder for kids to identify objects by their sound.  Also for children to make inferences about music.

The Book Thief

Author:	Markus Zusak
Title:	The Book Thief
Illustrator:	Trudy White
Readability Score:	Grade Level: 4.0    Guided Reading:NR    DRA: NR    Lexile Measure:730L
Genre:	Ficton
Subgenre:	Historical Fiction
Theme:	Theft, Propaganda, Humanity
Primary and Secondary Characters:	Liesel Meminger,  Werner, the mother, The Huberman's,
Award(s) Date of Publication: 2006: Booklist Children's Editors' Choice, Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book, Horn Book Fanfare, IRA Notable Books for a Global Society, Kirkus Reviews Editor Choice Award, Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of the Year, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year; 2007: ALA Best Books for Young Adults, Book Sense Book of the Year, Book Sense Children's Pick List, Michael L. Printz Honor Book, New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age, Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of the Year, Texas TAYSHAS High School Reading List, Virginia Young Readers Program Master List; 2008: Kentucky Bluegrass Master List; 2009: Pacific Northwest Young Readers Choice Master List, New Jersey Garden State Teen Book Award.
Publishing Company:	Alfred A. Knopf/New York
ISBN Number:	978-0-375-83100-3
Summary and How would you use the book: This book is about a little girl who is put into foster care. It is written about Nazi Germany while Hitler was in power. She ends up stealing books from different people, even after Hitler orders certain works destroyed. The family takes in a Jewish refugee during this time and he and Liesel become good friends. The books is written from Death's point of view.  Liesel was encouraged to write her stories down after she realizes her family has all been killed by the Germans.

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Description of how you would use the book:  I would use this book to show the perspective of a little girl during war time. Also, to help introduce information about the Holocaust and WWI.

Queen of the Falls

Author:	Chris Van Allsburg
Title:	Queen of the Falls
Illustrator:	Chris Van Allsburg
Readability Score:	Grade Level: N/A         Guided Reading: N/A    DRA:N/A     Lexile Measure: N/A
Genre:	Novel
Subgenre:	NONE
Theme:	Daredevil
Primary and Secondary Characters:	Annie Taylor
Award(s) Date of Publication:  I could not find any awards for this book because it is so new. But Mr. Van Allsburg is a recipient of the Caldecott Medal, Regina Medal, Caldecott Honor, World Fantasy Special Award: Professional
Publishing Company:	Houghton Mifflin, 2011
ISBN Number:	978-0-547-77513-5
Summary and How would you use the book: This book is about a 62 year old woman, Annie Taylor. She could remember going to the falls with her father as a young child. Now a poor widow she wants so desperately to be famous for something, so she decides to go over Niagra Falls in a wooden barrel.

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Description of how you would use the book: I would use this book as a prompt for writing. The pictures are very decriptive and the students could get describe the falls or predict what they think happened.