Climo, S. (1993). The Korean Cinderella. Mexico: Harper Collins Publisher

Brief Annotation: This version of Cinderella is set in Korea and is much like the classic European version. Major differences include: a sandal instead of a glass slipper and a government worker instead of a prince.

Grade level: 1-3 read aloud/ 4-5 independent reading

Readers who will like this: Students studying fairy tales, students learning about Korea

Response/Rating: 2 I enjoyed this version of the story, but the pictures were too detailed and layered, I found them difficult to look at and confusing.

One question to ask before read aloud: Where is Korea?

de la Paz, M. J. (2001) Abadeha: The Phillipine Cinderella. Hong Kong: S
Shen's Books.

Brief Annotation: This version of the Cinderella is very reminisent of the classic European version. Once again a beautiful young girl looses her mother at a young age and must be raised by a resentful step mothre with two ugly step sisters. Instead of a fiary godmother, this Cinderella has the help of the spirits in nature. And, instead of a glass slipper the Prince tracks her down from a lost ring.

Grade level: 1-3 read aloud/ 4-5 independent reading

Readers who will like this: children who enjoy folktales, readers learning about other cultures

Response/Rating 1-4: 3 I liked this version of the story and the pictures were very beautiful.

One question to ask before read aloud: Where are the Philippines?

Little Red Riding Hood

Schart Hyman, T. (1983). Little Red Riding Hood. Illustrator, Trina Schart Hyman. New York, NY: Holiday House.

Brief Annotation: This is the classic tale of a little girl named Elizabeth. She lives with her mother. She is loved dearly by her Grandmother, who made her a red cloak, and everyone calls her Little Red Riding Hood. She is asked by her mother to bring her Grandmother some bread and wine, and to not stray off the path and to come straight home. Little Red Riding Hood strolls through the forest and quickly runs into a wolf. She tells the wolf she is going to visit her Grandmother and starts to wander off. Meanwhile the wolf goes to the Grandmothers' house and gobbles her up! Little Red Riding Hood finally makes her way back to her Grandmothers and the wolf eats her too. A huntsman passes by and hears the wolf snoring loudly so he decides to check on the Grandmother, and when he finds the wolf he cuts him open and frees the Grandmother and Little Red Riding Hood! They share the food and all are happy and Little Red Riding Hood learns her lesson to listen to her mother and always mind her manners.

Genre: Folktale

Grade Level: PreK- Grade 2

Readers who will like this: Students who are interested in folk tales or the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Teachers who want to do a comparison of the different versions would like this one too, being that it is one of the more classic versions of the story.

Response/Rating: 3, I enjoyed the illustrations in the book! I always love the story, but this version is the classic and not the most interesting I have heard, but the illustrations were lovely. I think it’s a great book to read for a bed time read, and really a good one for kids to learn a good lesson of listening to their parents.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: “Have you ever wandered off and done something that your mother told you not to do? What were the consequences?”

Tomie dePaola's Mother Goose

dePaola, T. (1985). Tomie dePaola’s Mother Goose. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

Brief Annotation: This book contains over a hundred pages of Mother Goose rhymes, compiled and illustrated by well-known children’s author and illustrator Tomie dePaola. The collection includes classics like “Little Boy Blue” and “Sing A Song of Sixpence,” along with many other lesser known verses.

Genre: Picturebook, Nursery Rhymes/Mother Goose

Grade Level: K-2

Readers who will like this: children who enjoy rhymes, fans of Tomie dePaola’s art.

Response/Rating (1-4): *** This is an extensive collection that introduces children to the world of Mother Goose. dePaola inspires imagination with his illustrations, which sometimes combine different Mother Goose rhymes, leaving children wondering what would happen if two such characters met.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Who was/is Mother Goose?

Good Dog

Gottfried, M. (2005). Good Dog. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Brief Annotation: This book presents various breeds of dogs and their personalities through free-verse, mask poems. Breeds found between the covers include the Collie, the Pug, and the Pekingese.

Genre: Picturebook, Poetry, Non-fiction

Grade Level: K-3

Readers who will like this: Dog lovers, poetry appreciators, students with a sense of humor.

Response/Rating (1-4): **** These poems do a wonderful job of introducing children to mask poetry and its possibilities. I think that children will delight in the humorous poems as well as Robert Rahway Zakanitch’s textured dog portraits found on each page, and may be inspired to write poems about their own pets.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: If dogs could speak, what would they say?

Joyful Noise

Fleischman, Paul. (1988). Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices. Beddows, E. (illus.) New York, New York: Harper Trophy

Brief Annotation: This is a set of poems about different insects written for two people to read together. Some of the poems are like a conversation, some like an argument, and some are in the form of a musical round. Some of the poems, like the Digger Wasp poem that relates how the wasp dies before it sees its offspring are sad and resigned, others are lyrical and play with the sounds the insects make, while others are funny conversations, like that between two mismatched but in love book lice. The poem that features a queen bee and a worker bee is a interesting contrast in perspectives on life in the hive.
Genre: Poetry
Grade Level: 3-6
Readers who will like this: Readers who like insects, readers who like to read aloud, readers who like good illustrations
Response/Rating (1-4): 4. I loved the illustrations, the contrast between the emotions in the different poems, and how fun it is to read the poems out loud. My daughter and I read the whole book together, and found it challenging and hilarious. The poems put the reader into the mind of the different insects, and the insights into life and death are deep and fascinating.
One question you would ask before a read aloud: What do you think that a bug would write about if it could write?

Dateline: Troy

Fleischman, P. (2006). DateLine: Troy. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.

Brief Annotation: A book about the Trojan War, mixed with headlines of today’s world. Each page teaches us about Ancient Greece practices and behaviors, while a headline of current events are on the next page.

Genre: Myth

Grade Level: 5-7

Readers who will like this: Readers who enjoy reading about myths. Readers who enjoy reading about ancient Greece.

Response/Rating (1-4): 3. He helps young readers understand the Ancient Greece and the Trojan War through current events.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Tell me about an event from that past that could help prevent a negative event in the future?

Heat

Lupica, M. (2006). Heat. New York, New York: Scholastic.

Brief Annotation: A young Cuban refugee, Michael Arroyo, feels the best when he is pitching on the field. His dream is to lead his team to the Little League World Series. He had lost his mother to cancer and loses his father to a heart attack, which leaves his brother and him to struggle on their own. In fear of being separated from his brother or being sent back to Cuba, the boys hide their father’s death. Michael can pitch a solid game with a strong arm and because of this a rival coach makes up rumors that he is older than he appears. He is benched until he can prove his age through a birth certificate from Cuba. Will he get to play in the big game?

Genre: Sports Fiction

Grade Level: 2-5

Readers who will like this: Readers who enjoy baseball. Readers who enjoy sports stories.

Response/Rating (1-4): 3. A great story about a young boy who is not willing to give up on his dreams.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: What does it mean to have a dream?

The Girl Who Spun Gold

Hamilton, V. (2000). The Girl Who Spun Gold. New York, NY: Blue Sky Press.

Brief Annotation: While Quashiba is spinning thread one day, the king rides past on his horse. Quashiba’s mother tells the king that Quashiba can spin gold thread. The king declares that he will marry her, and that she must spin him gold thread after one year’s time. When the king locks Quashiba in a large room so she can spin gold thread, a small man, Lit’mahn, shows up to help her. Lit’mahn will happily provide her with gold thread, on one condition: if she does not guess his name within three nights, he will make her small and take her away.

Genre: Folklore

Grade Level:1-3

Readers who will like this: Readers who enjoy the Rumpelstiltskin story or other folklore.

Response/Rating (1-4): 4. This West-Indian version of Rumpelstiltskin has colorful language and bold illustrations.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Have you ever heard the story of Rumpelstiltskin? What happens in the story?

Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella

Brief Annotation: San Souci, R. (1998). Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella. Illus. Brian Pinkney. New York, New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Brief Annotation: This book is a version of Cinderella that takes place in the Caribbean; however, it is told from the view point of the “fairy godmother.” The godmother is Cendrillon’s true godmother and was given a magic wand by Cendrillon’s mother who died after childbirth. The godmother was only meant to use the wand for someone she loves, so when she sees how unhappy and how cruel Cendrillon is treated by her stepmother and step sister, she uses her wand to create a carriage, horses, and of course Cendrillon’s gown so Cendrillon could attend the ball. The godmother goes to the ball with Cendrillon and sees the prince fall in love with Cendrillon. The story ends the same as the traditional Cinderella, but this story is greatly told by the viewpoint of the godmother.

Genre: Folklore

Grade Level: 1-3

Readers who will like this: Readers who enjoy the story of Cinderella and who are excited or are interested in reading about a different version of Cinderella.

Response/Rating (1-4): This is a wonderful version of Cinderella, and one that I like very much as it is told not from Cinderella’s point of view, but from the godmother’s point of view. Cendrillon sees her godmother every day, respects and trusts her; she is an adamant figure in Cendrillon's life and as such, I enjoyed reading about their relationship and how the godmother wants nothing but the best for Cendrillon and is willing to help her in any way.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Since this book is told from the view point of Cendrillon’s godmother, what would be different about this book compared to the traditional version where the view point is told from Cinderella?

Glass Slipper, Golden Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella

Fleischman, P. (2007). Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella. Illus. Julie Paschkis. New York, New York: Henry Holt and Company.

Brief Annotation: This is a version of Cinderella is told from different parts of the world. The earliest recorded story of Cinderella was from China and from there different countries added their own and twists and it finally developed into how we know it today. The author and illustrator, Julie Paschkis, tell the story of Cinderella from the angle of different countries and from what country added their own spice to the story. It is the same plot of the current Cinderella but we get to see how other countries viewed the story of Cinderella.

Genre: Folktale

Grade Level: 3

Readers who will like this: Readers who like fairy tales and learning about how other countries view the same story.

Response/Rating (1-4): I truly enjoyed this version of Cinderella. The author and illustrator together showed how other countries have viewed Cinderella and told where different parts of the story came from. This gives insight into other countries and what is important to them.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: How do you think other countries would tell the story of Cinderella? Would anything be alike or different?

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Steig, W. (1969). Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.

Brief Annotation: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is a wonderful story about a young donkey named Sylvester Duncan who lives with his mom and dad. He has a unique hobby of collecting pebbles. One day he finds a very unique pebble that turns out to be magical! He wishes for a few things, but then runs into a lion. He quickly wishes to become a rock so that the lion will not eat him. While it seems like a good idea initially, poor Sylvester is not able to wish himself to be anything else and since he is not able to touch the pebble stays as a rock for a long time. His parents look for him and miss him terribly. One afternoon, after much sorrow, and almost giving up on finding their son, the Duncan’s go out for a Picnic. They use Sylvester as their table! They badly wish for Sylvester to be with them, and Sylvester wishes for the same. He instantly is turned back into himself and they go home happily ever after, wishing for nothing else because they have all they could ever want, each other.

Genre: Picture book

Grade Level: K- Grade 3

Readers who will like this: Students who are becoming more advanced readers at the lower age’s levels, but are not yet to chapter books. Anyone who is looking for a sweet story with great illustrations will enjoy this book. Teachers who want to do an author study could chose William Steig and use this book as one of his to read from.

Response/Rating (1-4): 4, This book was wonderful! It is such a sweet story that would capture the hearts of any reader. The theme of family and what’s important in life is beautifully depicted through Steig’s words and illustrations. The quote at the end made me tear up when I read it. I am very much enjoying Steig’s work.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: “What would you do if you found a magic pebble that could give you anything you wanted?” * At the end a great follow up question could be “After seeing what happened to Sylvester, would you still keep your original wish?”

Reading Strategies Connection: Feelings Chart (Yopp & Yopp, 87). As the teacher reads the story out loud have the students be ready to create a feelings chart. During the reading the students should be thinking about how the story makes them feel, and the teacher could facilitate the chart for the whole class, showing them how they all felt about the book.

Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter

Stanley, D. (1997). Rumpelstiltskin’s Daughter. New York, NY: William Morrow and Company

Brief Annotation: The miller’s daughter is ordered by a greedy king to spin straw into gold and told that she will become a queen if she does or die if she doesn’t. She receives help from a small, and surprisingly kind gentleman, Rumpelstiltskin. When Rumpelstiltskin asks for her firstborn child in exchange, he also adds that he would be a good father, singing lullabies and coaching Little League. The miller’s daughter decides to ditch the king and marry Rumpelstiltskin instead! When the miller’s daughter and Rumpelstiltskin have a daughter of their own, the king seeks her out to spin more gold. Instead, she is able to trick him into helping out the poor village-folk. In the end, the king discovers something that is more valuable than gold, and Rumpelstiltskin’s daughter is promoted to a prestigious position.

Genre: Folklore

Grade Level:1-3

Readers who will like this: Readers who would enjoy a silly and creative version of a folklore, and readers who could benefit from a story about kindness and personal growth with a strong and capable female character.

Response/Rating (1-4): 4. This clever version of Rumpelstiltskin turns the classic tale upside-down! Full of wit, humor, and a valuable message, this text is both entertaining and educational.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Have you ever done something helpful for someone? How did it make you feel?

Rumpelstiltskin

Zelinsky, P. (1986). Rumpelstiltskin. New York, NY: E.P. Dutton.

Brief Annotation: A miller, trying to impress a greedy king, tells him that his beautiful daughter can spin straw into gold. The king believes the miller’s lie and, wanting to harness her gift for his benefit, orders the miller’s daughter to his castle. He places her in a room full of straw, and commands that she spin all of the straw in the room into gold or die. The miller’s daughter weeps in distress and a small, mysterious man appears and offers to help her in exchange for her firstborn child. Because her life depends on it, she agrees, and soon forgets about her promise. When she ends up marrying the king and bears ason, the mysterious little man shows up for payment, but offers her a deal. If the queen can guess his name within three days, she can keep her child.

Genre: Folklore

Grade Level: 1-3

Readers who will like this: Readers who like folklore, readers who like beautiful illustrations, and readers who like stories with an element of suspense.

Response/Rating (1-4): 4. This is the classic tale of Rumpelstiltskin accompanied by beautiful illustrations.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: What are some possible consequences of telling a lie?

Elijah of Buxton

Curtis, Christopher Paul. (2007). Elijah of Buxton. New York, New York: Scholastic Inc.

Brief Annotation: Elijah was the first child born free in the settlement of Buxton, Ontario, a town of freed and runaway slaves right across the border from Michigan. He goes to school and also helps Mr. Leroy, a freed slave who is trying to save money to buy his own family out of slavery. Elijah befriends a "Preacher" who is impressed with Elijah's rock-throwing skills, and who lives in an uneasy relationship with the other members of the community, who do not trust him. Their mistrust is shown to have good reason, as the preacher steals the money Mr. Leroy was saving up and takes off for America. Elijah and Mr. Leroy follow him, to tragic results. In America, the free born Elijah is introduced to the reality and brutality of slavery, and has to make a difficult decision regarding some captured slaves.
Genre: historical fiction
Grade Level: 4-7
Readers who will like this: Readers learning about slavery, readers who like books with a vivid historical setting, readers who like books with a mix of humor and very serious subjects
Response/Rating (1-4): 4. This book introduces readers to an interesting historical period through the eyes of a likable, complex character. The moral dilemmas in the book would allow for some interesting discussions, and Curtis has clearly done a lot of research on Buxton.
One question you would ask before a read aloud: What do you think runaway slaves did when they reached Canada?

Shiloh

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. (2000). Shiloh. New York, New York: Scholastic Inc.

Brief Annotation: Marty, an eleven-year old boy living in West Virginia, encounters a thin, young beagle while wandering in the woods and immediately falls in love with the dog. He finds out that the dog, which he names Shiloh, is owned by an angry, violent neighbor, Judd Travers, who starves and abuses his dogs. Marty's parents make him return Shiloh to Judd, but when Shiloh escapes his owner and again finds Marty, Marty resolves never to return the dog to Travers. He hides (and bonds with) the dog until a dangerous dog hurts Shiloh, they have to take Shiloh to the vet, and Travers finds out that Marty has been keeping Shiloh. Marty stands up to Travers, works to pay for the job, and receives the dog and some respect from Travers.
Genre: Realistic fiction
Grade Level: 2-5
Readers who will like this: Readers who like animals, readers interested in stories about kids their age facing challenges, readers who like books that pose moral dilemmas.
Response/Rating (1-4): 4. The book is very well-written, and condenses an emotional story into a fairly short chapter book.
One question you would ask before a read aloud: Is it OK to do something you know your parents will think is wrong if you do it to save another creature?

Favorite Nursery Tales and Rhymes: Jack and the Beanstalk

Author, unknown. (1986). Favorite Nursery Tales and Rhymes: Jack and the Beanstalk. Illustrated by Richard Walz, S.D. Schindler, Jean Chandler, and Ann Schweninger. WI: Western Publishing Company, Inc.

Brief Annotation: Jack goes into town to sell their cow for money, but instead trades the cow for magic beans. His mother is mad and throws the beans out the window. The beans grow overnight into a huge beanstalk for Jack to climb. Jack discovers a castle where the Giant lives and steals his gold coins, golden hen, and singing harp. Eventually, the Giant tries to catch Jack by climbing down the beanstalk, so Jack and his mother chop down the beanstalk, killing the Giant. Jack and his mother are given back their castle and all things which had previously been theirs.

Genre: Folklore

Grade Level: Grade Pre-K to Grade 4

Readers who will like this: A reader that likes to find the good and evil in a story will capture the words of this book. It is a well-known tale, and most likely the child will know parts of the story, especially the “Fee Fi Fo Fum” part.

Response/Rating (1-4): I give this book a 4. It is a classic Golden Book story that has the implications all good folklore needs: fantasy, good and evil characters, and a good moral in the end.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Can you guess who would be the good character in the book? And who do you think the evil character would be?

Kate and the Beanstalk

Pope Osborne, M. (2000). Kate and the Beanstalk. Illustrated by Giselle Potter. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Brief Annotation: A slight twist to the folk tale Jack and the Beanstalk. Kate trades the cow for magic beans and her mother tosses them out the window. Kate climbs the beanstalk and becomes the giant cook’s helper to steal the hen, gold coins, and the harp. The Giant follows Kate as she steals the harp, so they chop down the beanstalk sending the Giant to his death. A fairy gives Kate and her mother back their castle and Kate becomes a princess once again.

Genre: Folklore

Grade Level: Grade Pre-K to Grade 4

Readers who will like this: This would be an interesting story for a girl to read as oppose to the male version of Jack and the Beanstalk.

Response/Rating (1-4): I would rate this book a 3. The illustrations were not too impressive and it definitely mimicked the Jack and the Beanstalk tale very closely. It would also be a good read to pair up with Jack and the Beanstalk as a way to depict the same story using a different gender for every student in the class.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Who can remember what happens in the folktale Jack and the Beanstalk?

Paco and the Giant Chile Plant

Polette, K. (2008). Paco and the Giant Chile Plant. Illustrated by Elizabeth Dulemba. McHenry, IL: Raven Tree Press.

Brief Annotation: Paco trades his cow for magic chile seeds, and plants them behind his house. The seeds grow into a golden chile plant for Paco to climb. At the top, Paco encounters the giant! The giant squeezes chile juice in his own eye and begins to cry, revealing the giant’s true identity….Paco’s father! They climb down the plant and chop it down so no one else eats a golden chile and turns into a giant.

Genre: Folklore

Grade Level: Grade Pre-K to Grade 5

Readers who will like this: Students who show an interest in folk tales will like the interesting spin this book puts on the traditional Jack and the Beanstalk book. The book also uses a number of words in Spanish, so children who have an interest in, or are learning to speak Spanish will like this book as well.

Response/Rating (1-4): A 4 indeed! I really enjoy how the book incorporated words into the story. This would be a wonderful book to share with English Language Learners who’s native language is Spanish as it would be a way to introduce other folklore into their reading.

Three Clams and an Oyster

Powell, R. (2002). Three Clams and an Oyster. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

Brief Annotation: A high school flag football team struggles to keep their fourth player accountable for his participation for the upcoming season. The three friends search for a new fourth team member, while looking within their friendships since 1st grade. In the end, the guys decide to release their long time friend for good, and take on an athletic girl to be their fourth player.

Genre: Sports Fiction

Grade Level: Grade 6-12

Readers who will like this: Readers who are interested in sports and the decisions that go along with being a member of a small team.

Response/Rating (1-4): I would only give this book a 2, simply because in one chapter they use some crude language, which would be unacceptable for a reading in a school setting.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Has anyone organized a sports team before? What struggles, if any, did you encounter while trying to do so?

Reading Strategies Connection: Double-Entry Journals (Tompkins pg. 33). A double-entry journal is a type of reading log that splits a page into two columns. The column on the left is a place for students to write a quote from the text they are reading. The column on the right is for the student to reflect on the quote. The student can draw on background knowledge, write a question, simply react to the quote, or make some other type of connection. The journal is designed to help students structure their reading and to get them thinking about the text being read.
To begin, students need to design the journal pages by dividing their reading log into two columns. They can label the left column “Quotes” and the right column “Comments” or “Reflections”. Teachers may choose to word process a journal page to steer the students in the right direction. As students read the text, they write down important or interesting quotes in the left column. After reading, the student takes the time to reflect on the quotes they have written in the right column. Students will explain their reason for choosing the quote and what the quote means to them. It may be helpful for students to share with a reading buddy before putting their thoughts on paper. To narrow the focus, the teacher may assign a particular number of entries. For example, for this novel, a teacher may assign one quote per chapter to document and reflect on.

Caps For Sale

Slobodkina, E. (1940). Caps for Sale. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

Brief Annotation: Once there was a peddler who sold caps. He carried his stack of caps balancing on his head. The first cap on his head, was his very own checked cap, then he had some gray caps, next some brown caps, some blue caps and at the very top was red caps. He walked the streets balancing the hats on his head while calling out, “Caps! Caps for sale! Fifty cents a cap!” We watch the peddler as he tries to sell his caps, but one day he could not sell any caps. He decided to rest and he fell asleep. He wakes up and to his surprise the caps were all gone, but where did they go? Will he get his caps back?

Genre: Folklore

Grade Level: Pre K-2

Readers who will like this: Readers who enjoy a humorous book. Readers who like stories about animals.

Response/Rating (1-4): 3. Kids will enjoy this brightly colored book and its funny storyline.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: What would you do if you were angry?

Jim and the Beanstalk

Briggs, R. (1970). Jim and the Beanstalk. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

Brief Annotation: In this continuation of Jack and the Beanstalk, Jim finds the beanstalk growing outside his window and decides to explore. He discovers a giant living inside a great castle but the giant is old and is in need of glasses, new teeth and a wig! Jim helps the giant, receives a gold coin for his troubles and makes a new friend along the way.

Genre: Folklore

Grade Level: K through Grade 3

Readers who will like this: Children who like folktales, children who would benefit from a story about friendship, children who enjoyed the original Jack and the Beanstalk folktale

Response/Rating (1-4): 4, In this version of the classic story, the character of Jim explains to the giant that glasses will help him see again, teeth will help him chew again and a wig will allow him to feel young again. By helping the giant obtain these items, they become friends. The story continues where the original version ended, as the giant tells Jim that Jack ran away with his prized possessions, leaving him a sad man. Children who have heard the original version would enjoy this continuation and benefit by seeing the kindness of helping another.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Have you ever helped a friend or family member in need? What did you do?