This document provides summaries for 20 children's books, including title, author, synopsis, reason for choosing the book, publisher, genre, and readability level. The books cover a wide range of topics from learning English and manners to biographies of historical figures and stories about nature, holidays, and math/counting.

1. Patricia A. Costello
ED-3206

2. 
 Author: Ellen Levine
 Synopsis: After a young girl moves from Hong Kong to
America she refuses to learn English because she is afraid she
will forget Chinese and that she will be changed by a different
language until a caring teacher shows her that she can speak
both languages and still remain the same person.
 Why?: When I become a teacher I hope to make difference in a
child’s life.
 Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
 Genre: Realistic Fiction
 Readability: 1.8
I Hate English

3.  Author: Barbara Joosse
 Synopsis: A little girls explains why she it is a good thing to say
words like “thank you” “please” and “excuse me”
 Why?: One of my pet peeves in life is when children and adults
show a lack of respect towards others so I feel it is essential that
children learn manners.
 Publisher: Philomel
 Genre: Comedy and Humor
 Readability: 2.7
Please Is a Good Word to Say

4. 
 Author: Trudy Harris
 Synopsis: All the different ways you can count to 100.
 Why?: A good book to use to celebrate the 100th day of
school.
 Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group
 Genre: Comedy and humor/Educational Fiction
 Readability: 2.2
100 Days of School

5. 
 Author: Dianna Hutts Aston
 Synopsis: An informative introduction to the
unbelievable variety of butterflies in all their beauty and
wonder.
 Why?: I love how beautiful butterflies are and the
symbolic meaning of life they represent.
 Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC
 Genre: Informational
 Readability: 5.5
A Butterfly is Patient

6.  Author: Doreen Rappaport
 Synopsis: An introduction to one of the world’s most influential
leaders Dr. Martin Luther King.
 Why?: The story is written in a simple matter that portrays a man
whose dream changed America and the world.
 Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
 Genre: Biography
 Readability: 2.5
Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.

7.  Author: Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel)
 Synopsis: Different places to try green eggs and ham with
friends.
 Why?: I love to experience and learn about different places and
it is more fun when sharing those adventures with my friends.
 Publisher: Random House Children’s Books
 Genre: Classics, Comedy and Humor, Rhyming Story
 Readability: 2.2
Green Eggs and Ham

8. 
 Author: Chris Van Allsburg
 Synopsis: On Christmas Eve a young boy is awakened by a
train that takes him and other children to the North Pole.
 Why?: I love the spirit, magic, and beauty that Christmas
brings to the hearts of all ages especially children.
 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
 Genre: Adventure Classics, Fables, Folktales, and Myths
 Readability: 4.9
The Polar Express

9.  Author: Mollie McLean & Anne M. Wiseman
 Synopsis: A simple overview about some of the well-known
Greek Heroes.
 Why?: Children will be introduced to Greek Mythology.
 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
 Genre: Legends and Myths
 Readability: 4.1
Adventures of the Greek Heroes

10.  Author: Hans Christian Anderson, Lorinda Cauley
 Synopsis: A tale of an Ugly Duckling who grows up to be a
beautiful swan.
 Why?: It serves as a good example for teaching children how
we should treat others and to avoid hurting their feelings.
 Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
 Genre: Classics, Fairy Tale, Animal Stories
 Readability: 3.1
The Ugly Duckling

11.  Author: Barbara Cohen
 Synopsis: A little Russian girl makes a pilgrim doll and teaches her
third-grade class to understand that it takes all kinds of pilgrims to
make a Thanksgiving.
 Why?: It makes students aware that we are all different however we
are all alike too.
 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
 Genre: Realistic Fiction
 Readability: 2.8
Molly’s Pilgrim

12. 
 Author: Ruth Belov Gross
 Synopsis: A group of animals go to town and become
musicians on the street.
 Why?: The story is about the importance of music and the
impact it has on our lives.
 Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
 Genre: Fables, Folktales, and Myths
 Readability: 2.4
The Bremen Town Musicians

13. 
 Author: Penda Diakite
 Synopsis: A young girl wants to lose her first tooth while
visiting African so she can put it underground for the African
tooth fairy.
 Why?: Children will learn that other cultures have some of the
same traditions that we have in the United States but their
customs are different.
 Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
 Genre: Fables, Folktales, and Myths
 Readability: 2.8
I Lost My Tooth in Africa

14. 
 Author: Melissa Sweet
 Synopsis: The story is about the puppeteer who first invented the
balloons for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
 Why?: It has always been a family tradition to watch the
Thanksgiving Day Parade, especially as a child.
 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
 Genre: Biography
 Readability: 5.4
Balloons Over Broadway

15. 
 Author: Lois Ehlert
 Synopsis: While teaching uppercase and lowercase letters,
children are introduced to fruits and vegetables from around the
world.
 Why?: What better way to learn the alphabet than by using fruit
and vegetable words that will hopefully promote healthy eating.
 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
 Genre: Informational
 Readability: 2.5
Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and
Vegetables from A to Z

16. 
 Author: Jacqueline Martin
 Synopsis: From the time Wilson Bentley was a small boy, he saw
snowflakes as small miracles and was determined that one day he
would photograph them and capture the wonder of the tiny crystal.
 Why?: When it snows, the world seems so calm and peaceful and I
love the fact that Wilson revealed two important truths: no two
snowflakes are alike, and each one is startlingly beautiful.
 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
 Genre: Biography
 Readability: 4.1
Snowflake Bentley

17. 
 Author: Janice May Udry
 Synopsis: This story talks about why trees are nice for many reasons;
they change with the seasons and are good for climbing, jumping in
leaves, picking, swinging, taking naps and using them for shade.
 Why?: Children will learn about the beauty of trees and the great
outdoors.
 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
 Genre: General Nonfiction
 Readability: 2.3
A Tree is Nice

18.  Author: Molly Bang
 Synopsis: Children learn why all plants, animals and people
need water to grow and survive.
 Why?: I never drink enough water and I feel that if I developed
this habit as a child it would be a lot easier for me as an adult.
 Publisher: Crabtree Publishing Company
 Genre: Informational
 Readability: 2.4
Living Sunlight: How Plants
Bring the Earth to Life

19. 
 Author: Greg Tang
 Synopsis: Silly fables that teach math and counting skills.
 Why?: It is an easy way for younger children to understand
addition and subtraction.
 Publisher: Scholastic Press
 Genre: Poetry and Rhymes, Informational
 Readability: 3.4
Math Fables

20. 
 Author: Maria Shriver
 Synopsis: A young girl is in the park with her mother and meets a
boy who looks and acts differently. The girl is curious to know what
is wrong with him.
 Why?: It was very inspirational because of my own personal struggle
of having a learning disability.
 Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
 Genre: General Fiction
 Readability: 3.3
What’s Wrong with Timmy?

21. 
 Author: David A. Alder
 Synopsis: A mother becomes a professional baseball player in
the first professional Women’s League while her husband is
away fighting in World War II.
 Why?: My late father was a proud World War II veteran and
loved watching baseball.
 Publisher: Gulliver Books
 Genre: General Fiction
 Readability: 2.1
Mama Played Baseball