Amazing Grace by

Mary Hoffman

Annotation by: Katie Grossman (BCPS)

Synopsis

Grace is a young African American girl who is up for any type of adventure. She often spends her days using her imagination to explore magical kingdoms and play different parts in her make believe world.  Then one day at school, the teacher told the class that they would be performing the play Peter Pan and Grace knew exactly which part she wanted to play…. Peter of course!  The other kids made rude and racist comments to her and told her she could not be Peter.  However, with a little encouragement from her grandmother, Grace learned she can do anything she sets her mind to.

Literary Qualities

Realistic Fiction:

This book is based on moral dilemmas and moral responsibilities as Grace faces some pretty serious stereotypes and issues that are reflective of social issues in the real world.  The setting takes place in Grace’s community (her house and school) and the author really makes the character of Grace come a live through the vivid details she uses to describe Grace’s passion and drive to do new and adventurous things.  The plot is well organized and every detail shared has a significant importance to the reader’s overall understanding of the story.   The theme deals with inequalities as Grace is told she cannot do something due to the fact that she is a girl and the fact that she is black. The moral behind the story also deals with never giving up and believing in yourself no matter what others say or think.

Curriculum/Reader Connections

Readers in first through third grade would really enjoy this story and be able to connect with Grace.  The moral behind the story is very uplifting and teaches kids a great value. The story is a great way to bring diversity into a lesson or to teach about social issues that occur based on prejudice and inequalities.

Annotation by Brittany Beer (BCPS):

Judy Blume is a classic “tween” author and has provided generations with coming of age stories. In this novel, Margaret is struggling with her religious and gender identities. Margaret wants to feel like a real woman but her body has not caught up with her mind yet. She is also working through her religious identity as her family is of mixed faiths. Even though there are certain references that are out of date, the over-arching coming of age tale is one that transcends time and is relatable and relevant to different generations. Portions of the story could potentially be used for supplemental material in a health course but most of Blume’s stories are pleasure reads.

Illustrator: Dom Lee

Annotation by Ellon Ruschell

The Best Man revolves around 6th grader, Archer Magill. Throughout the book, Archer deals with different problems that elementary and middle school students might face such as bullies, friendship, etc. In the book, Archer has to deal with his grandfather’s death, which is especially hard for him because Archer looks up to his grandfather, the architect of their town. The book has a lot of really good male role models. It also deals with LGBT issues as Archer’s uncle is gay. The Best Man can help readers feel like they are not alone while also exposing them to people that they wouldn’t otherwise encounter. It is a well written book with realistic and likable characters.

The Book Itch

by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

Illustrator: R. Gregory Christie

Annotation by:  Meaghan Hale (BCPS):

Synopsis:  This historical fiction story is set in Harlem during the late 30’s.  An African American boy tells this story of his father opening up a bookstore that is stocked with only books pertaining to the African American experience.

Literary Qualities: The story stays true to the time period with realistic details in the setting, plot line, and character development.

Curriculum Connections/ Reader Connections: Many historical figures were brought into this text. Students can research further to find out the contributions of the mentioned people.  Students will dive deeper into their understanding of why the bookstore was so important during the times of the civil rights movement.

The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillow

Annotation by: Suhaila Tenly (BCPS)

Subhi, a young ten-year-old refugee from Myanmar, is born in an Australian refugee detention center and conditions are wretched. A dreamer and avid reader, Subhi listens to the sounds of the whales at sea and longs to know his father, though he helps a young orphan girl on the other side of the fence named Jimmie read her family’s stories.

Characterization and setting are very well done, and the style of the story has a prose-poem like quality. Horrific conditions are understated and through Subhi’s perspective, bringing the horrors Subhi experiences a weighty and dark bearing on the reader. Themes of identity, survival, and friendship weave their way throughout the story.

Middle grade readers will be struck by this novel and moved to empathy for Subhi’s life and conditions. This novel would work well as a companion piece for curriculum covering refugee crisis or current events.

Annotation by Ashley Schoen (BCPS):

A National Book Award Winner, A Newbery Honor Book, and A Coretta Scott King Award Winner, this is an amazing retelling of Jacqueline Woodson and her life between New York and South Carolina. Her memoir, written in free verse poetry, recounts her life growing up as an African American girl during the 1960’s and 1970’s. She tells what it’s like living with the Civil Rights Movement and her struggles she and her family faced. There are other issues that come up for the family such as family members in prison, death, abandonment and the baby brother getting lead poisoning. The novel is engaging and informative. Jacqueline Woodson does a remarkable job allowing all readers to relate to her as her character develops. Theme could easily be taught as well as using the book for historical references.

Annotation by Brittany Beer (BCPS):

Although this story is not illustrated by Margot Theis Raven, E. B. Lewis gives color to the wonderfully told story of culture and people based on a rich heritage of the African nation, slavery and perseverance of a people. A grandmother tells her story to her granddaughter tying in her ability to sew with her grandfather’s ability to survive. One basket, a skillset of her people keeps the circle of their past, present and future unbroken. Her use of figurative language creates symbolic meaning to each event that takes place in the story. The illustrations are as beautiful as the story and almost tell the story without the presence of words. Margot has a way of telling the story while hinting at various themes with a richness that older elementary students, and even adults can appreciate. It is a great example of a picture book that can be used as historical fiction in any social studies class.

Annotation by Lisa Washington (BCPS):

Synopsis:

A new girl named Maya comes to Chloe’s classroom.  Maya appears to be poor. Instead of making friends with Maya, Chloe and her friend shun her every day.  One day Maya doesn’t come to class  Chloe finds out she has moved away and Chloe is left to wonder if she lost a chance to show an act of kindness to another human being.

Outstanding Literary Qualities: 

This book is a wonderful example of contemporary realistic fiction.  In Each Kindness, the character is faced with a moral dilemma and in the end makes the determination that she make the wrong choice, but did not have a chance to right her wrong. The topic contained with realistic fiction exposes the reader to a broader prospective of a very realistic topic that is prevalent in our world today.

Curriculum and/or Reader Connection:

This book is perfect to address the “mean girl” issue that is common in school today.  Readers either known someone who is like Maya (the girl who is being teased) or Chloe (the girl who was teased).    For those who read the book, the lesson learned is that it is easy to be kind; it can actually make someone’s day.  It is also a good book to use to bring awareness to bullying to school (school counselor, bullying week, etc.)

Emmanuel’s Dream:  The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah

by Laurie Ann Thompson

Synopsis:

In Ghana, Emmanuel was born with only one leg.  He was thought to be useless or worse a curse.  His mother taught him at a young age that he would not be a burden and to learn to do things for himself just like other children.  One day, his mother got sick and Emmanuel had to travel to Accra to support his family.  While there he was determined not to beg like other disabled people did and made an honest living to send money back home.  He went home more than two years later to be with his mom.  Before she died, she told Emmanuel…”don’t ever beg and don’t give up”.  His dream was to bicycle around Ghana to spread his powerful message…disability does not mean inability.  He completed this journey, nearly bicycling 400 miles in just 10 day to prove that one person is enough to change the world,

Outstanding Literary Qualities:

The book celebrates triumph over adversity.  Even though it is a biography, it does much more than inform the reader.  According to the text book, non-fiction books should “arouse curiosity, open the world and engage the reader in learning and thinking.  Emmanuel’s Dream portray him as a believable real life person who the reader would want to learn more about.  His biographical story shows courage, strength and determination.

Curriculum/Reader Connection:

The reader learns that Emmanuel’s political activism prompted the Ghanaian Parliament to pass the Persons with Disability Act that entitles people with disabilities to the same rights as other citizens in Ghana.  This book is a great way to show readers how to fight for equal rights for and that a disability does not mean that you are not able.  Students can learn about Emmanuel’s nonprofit on his website EmmanuelsDream.org

Annotation by Heather Johnson (BCPS):

In this collection of poetry, personal accounts are given by eleven slaves. These accounts are real, based on the hopes and dreams of real people that were enslaved. These poems include real life accounts that help readers see the people that were enslaved on a personal level. The poems are each accompanied by beautiful scrapbook-esque depictions and drawings of the characters themselves. The illustrations are visually appealing and entice the reader to learn more about the persona depicted in each drawing. I particularly enjoyed how the illustrators uses collages to make her images pop. These poems revolve around the dreams that each of these slaves had and how, despite being enslaved, they still did not give up hope or their aspirations. This would be a great resource to use when reading Kindred or To Kill a Mockingbird with my ninth graders. I could also use these poems as a resource when reading Night with my tenth graders as it emphasizes the restriction of freedom and similar themes of enslavement that survivors and victims of the Holocaust would also be able to relate to.

Annotation by Ashley Schoen (BCPS)

This is a wonderful concept book that explains colors through the context of a Muslim family. The title of the book references the mosque and lanterns that are important to the family and explained in the text. Not only is the reader taught colors but learns about different aspects of the Muslim culture. There is a glossary in the back of the book to help with pronunciations for those who are unfamiliar with Muslim words but also for those ESOL students who may not know the English to communicate. The voice and tone of the book is encouraging to the reader. A sense of acceptance and appreciation for one’s beliefs comes through the text in an eloquent way. The text uses rhyme so that the text reads like a poem. The artistry in this book with how the pictures are created are colorful, bright and expressive. The author is local to us and lives in Howard County and therefore could even be a contact for those who are looking for an author to invite into the schools.

Annotation by Brittany Beer (BCPS):

Arun Gandhi and his family move to Sevagram, the service village run by his grandfather, the Mahatma. Arun struggles with sharing his grandfather, and the pressure he feels being a Gandhi and living up to the expectations he believes others have for him. During a soccer game, Arun gets pushed down by another boy and he throws a rock at him. He meets with his grandfather where he learns that being angry is natural and that even the Mahatma struggles with it from time to time. The illustrations are colorful and engaging, and the storyline is one that transcends cultures. This story would connect well in a social studies class when learning about Indian culture, or learning specifically about Gandhi; or in a character education lesson on handling emotions.

I Am Malala by

Malala Yousafzai

Annotation by Noah Belt (BCPS):

This bestselling, nonfiction memoir is written by Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. I Am Malala, is the story of Malala Yousafzai. When she was ten years old when the Taliban took control of her region. Everything changed. They said music was a crime. They said women weren’t allowed to go to the market. They said girls couldn’t go to school. Malala was raised in a peaceful area of Pakistan which radically changed from terrorism. Malala was taught to stand up for what she believes, and fought for her right to be educated, but she nearly lost her life when she was shot while riding the bus on her way home from school. She survived. This is a good book to showcase symbolism, peaceful protest, hope, truth, change, and the power to inspire change in the community and the world. It provides a timeline of the events and a glossary in the back of the book, and includes photographs of Malala and her family.

Last Stop on Market Street by

Matt De La Pena

Annotation by: Katie Grossman (BCPS)

Synopsis

CJ learns to see the beauty around him as his Nana shares her view of the community in which they live in.  She helps him see the world through a different perspective.  They encounter many different people on their bus ride to the soup kitchen, a man who is blind, a man playing a guitar, and an elderly woman, just to name a few.  As they step off the bus and begin their walk from the bus stop, CJ begins to see the people and the community through a different view and looks past the graffiti covered walls and the dirty streets.

Literary Qualities

Contemporary Realistic Fiction:

This Caldecott and Newberry award winning book shares with readers a diverse perspective of the world around them, which is the moral behind the story.  The setting mostly takes place on the bus that CJ and his Nana use to travel on a daily basis, which paints a clear picture for readers and influences the way the story moves along.  The characters are developed through their actions, speech, and relationship with others. The plot represents a true-life reality and is very believable to readers.

Curriculum/Reader Connections

This book would be enjoyable to readers in second through fourth grade.  Readers from all different backgrounds can relate to the main character CJ as he learns about the world he lives in from his Nana.  This book is great to use within the classroom when teaching about diversity and/or just to bring diverse perspectives into a lesson.

Annotation by Ashley Schoen (BCPS)

This book is based on a true story. There are two differing perspectives within the text, one a girl named Nya in 2008 and the other Salva in 1985. Both characters start as eleven year olds. Their stories start in Sudan, a country in Africa. There is a map of where the story takes place on the inside first page. Within the first few pages, one realizes the many differences between the Sudanese culture and American culture. The reader learns that the boys are only allowed to go to school and that girls remain at home learning to keep house. The reader also learns that men are allowed to marry multiple women. Nya must spend the day walking for water seven months out of the year because there is no drinking water near where they live. In the end, Nya gets to go to school instead of just getting the water because they are able to drill wells for drinking water. The children no longer walk to fetch water.  The book could be used to teach perspectives. It would also be a good book for discussing realistic fiction text.  The book uses simile and metaphor throughout. One example is on page 8 – “like a sleek evil bird.” Other examples are “knees turn to water, cold fist grip his heart, and the iron giraffe” which is used to describe the drill. There was internal dialogue and conflict shown in the character Salva as he ends up walking away from fighting during the book. At one point he thinks of whether he should give water away or keep it to himself and thus has to make a choice. I believe the theme that is in this book overall would be hope, which may help the reader develop empathy towards the characters.

Annotation by Amy Bugarin (BCPS):

This picture book was written by soccer star Mia Hamm, who had a successful career as a soccer player most notable for her run with the US Women’s National Soccer Team. Even though this is not an autobiography, Mia used her experience growing up with siblings to highlight the importance of never giving up. Her character, very much like herself, hated losing and not scoring goals. She had to learn the hard way that quitting didn’t make anyone want to include her in their games. By the end, she realized that perseverance and being a good sport was more important than winning every game. The illustrations are fun and it is a quick read sure to entertain. I use this book when we talk about making a difference in our library curriculum. It also works well because some nonfiction text follows the story highlighting Mia’s career as a soccer star. Readers can make connections to their lives with this entertaining text, and having a female star really resonates with the girls who love sports, which is a refreshing change to the normalcy of male main characters.

Odd Weird, & Little

by Patrick Jennings

Annotation by Brittany Beer (BCPS):

In “The Bad Beginning” the Baudelaire children quickly become the Baudelaire orphans after their parents perish in a fire that destroys their home. They are sent to live with a distant relative, Count Olaf, who only agrees to “care” for them because he wants to get his hands on the Baudelaire fortune. Violet, the oldest Baudelaire, is set to receive the inheritance when she turns 18 but Olaf has different ideas. Count Olaf tricks a judge into performing a legal marriage ceremony between Violet and himself during one of his plays, but Violet is able to nullify the marriage by taking advantage of the wording of the law. Count Olaf is supposed to be arrested but, since there are no happy endings for the Baudelaire orphans, he escapes and we are left to wonder what his next plot will consist of. “A Series of Unfortunate Events” is a nice change of pace for middle grade readers, because it shows that not everything can be resolved quickly or in a happy ending sort of way. The characters are well developed and play a very specific role in the storyline. This series will definitely be one that is read for pleasure.

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning

by

Lemony Snicket

Annotation by Noah Belt (BCPS):

The bad beginning is the first novel in a series call A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. The story follows three children who become orphans following their house burning down due to arson, and go to live with Count Olaf, a terrible actor and human being, whose main goal as the book unfolds showcases Olaf’s attempts to steal the Baudelaire fortune, which Violet will inherit when she turns eighteen. This book from the get go explains it is not a happy book, but there are some comedic elements. This is a contemporary realist fiction book, that deals with death, family diversity, interpersonal relationships, moral dilemmas and responsibility.

 Under the Quilt of Night by  Deborah Hopkinson

Illustrator: James E. Ransome

 Annotation by Meaghan Hale (BCPS):Synopsis: Told through the young girl’s point of view, tells a tale of a group of slaves traveling north using the underground railroad in hopes to make it to freedom. Quilts along the pathway to freedom are used as undercover messages to slaves traveling north.

Literary Qualities: The setting in this book changes to reflect the harsh journey on the underground railroad.  The setting allows for readers to empathize with the characters.  The text is true to the historical time in both the words and illustrations.

Curriculum Connections/ Reader Connections: Intermediate students will learn the significance of quilts during the time of the underground railroads.  This historical fiction book can be used to give the students a perspective of the harsh journey so many, young and old, had to make to safety during the times of slavery.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963  (Novel)

by

Christopher Paul Curtis

This novel is historical fiction. It tells the tale of a family that travels from Flint, Michigan to Birmingham, Alabama during the summer of 1963. During their visit the family is faced with some tragic events that changes their lives forever. This novel is a Newberry Honor Book and has received the Corretta Scott King Award. This book can be utilized to explore many of the literary elements such as setting, characterization, plot and conflicts, and theme. Specifically, you can explore the conflict between a character and society as the Watsons encounter prejudice in the south in the 1960’s.

Annotation by Ashley Schoen (BCPS):

 This book is a read aloud book based on the novel, Wonder, also written by R. J Palacio and in the Baltimore County Language Arts Curriculum for grades 4-5. This book was written to bring the same concepts taught in a young adult novel to younger readers. The cover shows a picture of the main character Auggie, a kid with a facial deformity. However, younger children might not pick up on the facial deformity and not understand what makes him so different. This book can be used to discuss differences with children and uniqueness among students. The author’s message is clear, that each person is a wonder and it’s okay to be different, you just have to want to see the wonder in yourselves. School children would be able to relate to the concept and understand or feel empathy for Auggie, who wants to be able to play ball, ride a bike and eat ice cream as all the normal children do. The pictures throughout are vibrant and the author uses space creatively with the text and pictures.

Annotation by Ashley Schoen (BCPS)

This book is about a girl named Anna Wang. Her dad, her brother Ken and her mom live with her in their house. The book opens with the class Anna is in learning about Perseverance and the reader can infer that Anna is different from the other girls in the 4^th grade. Anna seems to be a misfit around her friends, she seems ashamed that her mother must clean houses. Later in the book, Anna goes with her mother to clean a house and the reader meets a man who is paralyzed and in a wheel chair. He lost his wife and is kind to the family by giving away items such as the paint set to Anna. There is a glossary at the front of the book with common Chinese words and teaches students to learn about another culture because students can learn things about Chinese families from reading this book. Theme could be another curriculum connection such as to be grateful for the little things or take pride in your friends and family. In this book, Anna makes references to other texts which is intertextuality. She reads My Side of the Mountain which used to be in the grade 5 curriculum. Anna gets lost in her reading identifying with the main character Sam. This book talks of the books Anna likes to read and inspired me to read some of the ones she reads.