James and the Giant Peach by: Roald Dahl (modern fantasy)

This story begins with a little boy named James Henry Trotter who has to go live with his two mean aunts after his parents die in a rhinoceros accident.  His wicked aunts, Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker, treat James very poorly, leaving him miserable for the next three years. Then, James is approached by a mysterious old man that gives him a bag of magic crystals and tells him that they can help reverse his misery forever. In the midst of his excitement, James accidentally slips underneath an old peach tree in the garden, spilling all of his crystals. Little does he know that the crystals dig into the roots of the tree, causing the growth of a massive peach! His aunts become very excited about this big peach and begin charging people to come see it. James is forced to pick up the trash that people leave, and his curiosity leads him to begin touching the peach. After noticing a huge hole on the peach, he crawls inside and follows a tunnel to the center. Inside the peach, James meets several over sized insects which include Miss Spider, Earthworm, Grasshopper and Centipede who seem to have swallowed the crystals that James spilled.  After the peach's stem is removed, the peach rolls off and their adventure begins!

There are several things that could be done after reading this book with students. First, you could start off by doing a compare and contrast activity with them using the movie. Students could watch the movie and see how it compares to the book by creating a Venn diagram.  Another way to use a Venn diagram would be to compare and contrast two characters from the book. Students would be able to take a closer look at specific characters to see how they are different and/or similar. After reading the book, you could also talk with your students about themes in the story. One of the recurring theme's of the book is overcoming fear, so you could have students write about a time they had to overcome a fear. This will give students a chance to connect with the characters as well as sharing a personal experience and making connections. 

The True of the Three Little Pigs by: John Scieszka (folktale)

Everyone knows the story of the three little pigs, but this time it is told from the wolf's point of view with a twist of humor. In this book, we hear the wolf’s account of what really happened the day the three little pig’s homes were destroyed and how his name as the Big Bad Wolf was a simple misunderstanding. It all started when Al Wolf was making his grandma a cake and realized that he was missing sugar. As he went from house to house, his cold kept him sneezing, which is the real reason those three houses got knocked down.  He claims that he was never blowing down the houses on purpose and was innocently just looking for some sugar. After the pigs were already killed, the wolf decided to stop and have them for snack. In his opinion he did nothing wrong and was framed for the whole thing.

After reading this story, I would have students brainstorm what more they would like to know about the wolf. Then, I would have the students write letters to the wolf, asking him any questions they might have about what happened to the pigs.  Another activity could be to come up with an alternate ending to another well known fairy tale.  This would give students the chance to get creative with their writing and tell a story from a different point of view. You could also simply have students create a Venn diagram comparing the two versions of the story, outlining the similarities and differences.

Rules by: Cynthia Lord (realistic fiction)

This book stars twelve-year old Catherine and her brother David, who she has conflicting feelings about.  David is autistic, and while Catherine loves him, she wishes more than anything that he was normal. Feeling neglected by her parents and worried of what others may think; Catherine creates her own rules for David in hopes that he can understand the world better. Catherine is eager for a new friend when a girl her age named Kristi moves next door, but she is nervous about how she will react to David. Catherine longs for acceptance from Kristi and doesn’t know what to do about David. Things change when Catherine gets to know Jason, a wheelchair patient at her brother’s clinic that uses pictures to communicate. As she becomes closer to Jason, she begins to draw him pictures and vocabulary cards to broaden his speech. Catherine’s relationship with Jason causes her to question what normal is and she realizes that her rules for David are unnecessary. This was a great book on acceptance and differences.


I would use this book as one of my first literature circle groups with students at the beginning of the year. It is a great book to use with students when talking about acceptance of others despite their differences. This book would help me create a positive classroom environment for the remainder of the year and influence how my students treat one another.  After reading the book, I would have students pick a character out of the book and write to them, asking any questions they may have. This will allow students to ask questions they may wonder about in a more private manner, rather than a whole group discussion. 

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by: John Steptoe (multicultural)

Once upon a time in a far away African village, lived a man named Mufaro who had two beautiful daughters, Manyara and Nyasha. Although the two daughters were both pretty, their personalities differed tremendously. Although she hid her bad temper from her father, Manyara was both selfish and cruel. On the other hand, her sister Nyasha was considerate and kind. One day, the family receives a letter from the king telling them that he is looking for a wife and asking for the sisters to appear before him. Without telling Mufaro or Nyasha, Manyara sneaks out of the village and sets out alone to see the king before her sister can. Along the way, Manyara continues to be self-centered as she ignores a hungry child’s request for food and the advice of an old woman. The next morning, as everyone is wondering where Manyara is, her sister Nyasha goes to see the king with the rest of the wedding party and runs into the same strange people, but instead she feeds the hungry child and gives the old woman sunflower seeds.  When Nyasha arrives to the king’s house, she sees her sister running out and crying about a monster in the room who said that he was very displeased with her. Being the courageous one, Nyasha goes into the chamber only to find the small snake that she met in her garden. To her surprise, he transforms into the king and tells her that he has seen her kindness through the people that she encountered in the forest, as well as the snake.  He tells her that she is the most worthy of being the queen and they get married. Ironically, Manyara becomes the servent of their household, while her sister Nyasha is the queen.

I would use this book in a unit on folktales and fairy tales. Before reading this story, I would read a Cinderella story to the class to get them to begin thinking about fairytales. After reading Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters, I would have students discuss similarities and differences between the two stories. After talking about the specific details and differences, I would focus on the similar theme of the two stories. I will talk about how the theme “good always wins out over bad” is very common among folktales and fairytales. Then, I would students back to their seats to create their own Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting the two stories.

Amazing Grace by: Mary Hoffman and Caroline Binch (realistic fiction)

Grace is an ordinary girl with a strong sense of imagination and creativity. She immediately soaks up any chance she has to be dramatic and acts out stories, playing various characters. When her teacher announces auditions to play the role of Peter Pan in the school play, Grace immediately wants the part. However, Grace is immediately shot down when she is told by two classmates that she can't because she is black and a girl. When she relays this information to her mom and grandma, they tell Grace right away that she can be anything she wants to be as long as she puts her mind to it. Later that night, her mom takes her to the ballet of "Romeo and Juliet", but to Grace's surprise the part of Juliet is played by an African American female.  This inspires Grace to follow her dreams and audition for the part of Peter Pan, despite her classmate's snide remarks. Grace does an excellent job in her audition and wins the role of her dreams!

I would use this book with students when talking about diversity to emphasize the fact that they can be whatever and whoever they want to be no matter what anyone says. To introduce the story, I would ask students if they have ever been told they can't do something by another person just because of who they are. While reading the story, I may ask students how they would feel if they were Grace and how they would react to the comments from her classmates. After reading the story, I would ask students to draw themselves being what they want to be and how they will accomplish this goal.  I will then post these pictures out in the hall with a caption like "our class is amazing"! For older students, I may have them write a story of what they will be doing in twenty years and what job they will have. This book could also be used for a read aloud during Black History Month to talk about how people felt during the time of segregation. It could also be used at the beginning of the year to build classroom community and teach students to treat everyone with respect.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by: Judith Viorst (realistic fiction)

Alexander wakes up and already has a bad start to his day when he finds gum in his hair.  His day continues to get worse when he gets to school and becomes frustrated when no one seems to care.  He emphasizes the fact that he wants to move to Australia when all these unfortunate things happen to him throughout the day.  His bad day continues when he goes home, but he comes to realize that some days are just going to be worse than others and he has to learn to deal with them.

I would use this book at the beginning of the year when building classroom community.  Before reading the story, I would ask students if they have ever had a bad day and how that made them feel.  After reading the story, I would tell students every day is not going to be good and sometimes things will happen to make them have bad days. I want students to be comfortable enough to tell me when they are having a bad day, so I can know what's going on with them. Then, I would have them write a letter to Alexander sympathizing with him about his bad day and telling him what they would have done to help him out.  This can be a great way to create a positive atmosphere in your classroom early on in the year.

The Other Side by: Jacqueline Woodson (realistic fiction)

This is the story of two girls, one African American and one white, who step out of the racial barriers set in place for them.  The story takes place when Clover and Annie are told by their parents not to cross the fence that separates their two yards.  Instead the two girls stare at each other from across the yard, until one day they introduce themselves and become friends. Even though they are not allowed to cross the fence, their friendship grows as they sit on top of it.  With criticism from her friends, Clover maintains her friendship with Annie and even invites her to play with the rest of her friends.

I would use this book two different ways in the classroom. I could use it once during Black History Month to explain how things used to be in history and how those things have changed. I would continue to tell students that they can make decisions for themselves and do the right thing on their own.  Another way to use this story is to read it to the class at the beginning of the year. It can teach students to treat everyone as equals and to always stand up to what you believe in. You could get pictures of your students and create a fence using Popsicle sticks with the students "sitting" on the fence. This can be displayed outside of your classroom with a caption like "we all sit on the same fence" to create unity in the classroom. It is also a great book for teaching questioning strategies in reading.

The Other Side by: Jaqueline Woodson by Sam Alinaghi

Corn is Maize: The Gift of Indians by: Aliki (nonfiction)

This book discusses the growth of corn and its many uses. It begins by explaining that a corn kernel is a seed and then talks about the effects weather has on the growth of the seed. There are drawings to help children understand this corn growth, using correct terminology. The book describes how corn needs people to survive, while other plants scatter their seeds.  It also emphasizes the fact that scientists have never found any wild corn, but only the civilized kind that we eat now. The book talks about the important role Native Americans played in the corn industry and how it was taken back to Europe by Christopher Columbus.

I would use this book with students during a science lesson learning about plant growth, in particular corn.  I could conduct a lesson or an experiment using a corn based product such as popcorn, corn on the cob or cornbread. I liked the book because it also teaches students about Indian culture and how they shared their corn with pilgrims. It could be used with students during Thanksgiving while learning about the Indians and their relationship with the Pilgrims. I liked that the book incorporated different disciplines such as history, science and social development.

A Place for Butterflies by: Melissa Stewart (nonfiction)

This book is a great introduction to butterflies and their environments for elementary students. It focused on the idea that different butterflies rely on specific habitats to survive and that humans can affect these habitats. Stewart presents eleven different species of butterflies that students may encounter in the environment. She describes the ways butterflies act as pollinators and the role they play in the food chain. The book also provides ways students can help protect butterflies and their habitats.


I would love to use this book with students in a science lesson about butterflies and their life stages. I would read this book to students, then talk about how caterpillars form into butterflies.  I could try to have real caterpillars and their cocoons in the classroom for children to observe this transformation on a firsthand basis. Students would keep a science journal where they observe and note any changes that have taken place each day.  This would be a great learning experience for children and this book could act as a helpful tool when teaching about butterflies.

The Boxcar Children Graphic Novels by: Gertrude Chandler Warner (graphic novel)

This graphic novel begins the journey of Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny Alden who are a family of orphans.  After their parents pass away, they are forced to be on their own while trying to stay together. Although they had a grandfather, the children were afraid to trust him and didn't think he liked them. The four kids and their dog Watch find an old abandoned boxcar on a stormy night and choose to make it their home. However, Violet becomes sick and their grandfather comes to save them.  This starts their adventure as the Boxcar Children mystery solving team and is the beginning of their long journey. The book is a great start to the series (in comic book form!)

I really enjoyed this unique twist on such a classic mystery series.  I loved reading the Boxcar Children series as a child, and I like the idea of having it in a graphic version.  Although this book is on about a second grade reading level, it is a great choice for some of the reluctant readers in your classroom. It is a great way to get students interested in the series through the comic book style and neat illustrations! I would use this book in the classroom to have students make their own comic book strip of a Boxcar Children adventure they came up with. Students could use sentence strips and tell their own story of what happens next to the Boxcar Children.  This gives students a chance to be creative and use prediction strategies when coming up with their stories.

A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman by: David A. Adler (nonfiction)

This book is a detailed depiction of Harriet Tubman's life as an African American woman from her birth up until her death in 1913. It starts by showing Harriet Tubman as a slave child being beaten for stealing sugar and follows her journey trying to escape slavery. Her biggest role in history was the conductor of the Underground Railroad where she helped slaves escape to the North with the aid of antislavery activists. She was also a nurse and a spy in the civil war.


I would use this book in the classroom during Black History Month while discussing many of the important people in the Civil Rights Movement and important African Americans. I could have students choose a particular African American to research and then create a poster highlighting important facts from their life. Students may also choose to dress up as that person and pretend like they are them while telling their life stories. This project would be a good way to incorporate technology because students could make a PowerPoint presentation, a video using a flip camera, or create a song.