PETEY

AUTHOR - BEN MIKAELSEN

GRADES - 5-12

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY'S LIST - 100 BOOKS FOR READING

 AND SHARING

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN. - BEST BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS

WESTERN WRITERS OF AMERICA - WINNER 

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN. - NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - STARRED REVIEW

After reading Petey, I was so impressed that I ordered a classroom set for my students. It is the perfect book for developing understanding and awareness for people who have physical impairments. Petey is one of those rare books that has no age limits. It is a story of tolerance and the ever enduring human spirit to survive. Petey was born with a damaged brain which is defined today as cerebral palsy. However, in 1920, doctors thought that these children were idiots and consequently, Petey was placed in an insane asylum. Although he was intelligent, his physical appearance and his inability to speak understandably convinced most people that his diagnosis was correct. However, some caring people, one of whom was a middle school boy, were able to see beyond his appearance and develop a close relationship with him. Although this is a work of fiction, it is based on a real life story. PETEY would make an excellent read-aloud for fifth or sixth graders.

1. Compare and contrast Trevor with yourself. Use personality and examples of 

    behavior in your answer.
    

    Caring - He visited Petey everyday and opened up a whole new 
world for 

    him.  
 

    Determined - He worked tirelessly trying to raise money for a new 

    
wheelchair; he  worked hard to locate Calvin.
    

    Clever - He told Petey to pretend he was dead so the bullies would 
go 

    away.
  

    Sensitive - He knew Petey would be embarrassed so he told the
 others to 

    leave the van so he could change Petey.
   

    Patient - He had to learn Petey’s language so he could understand him. 

2. Maybe there is a "Petey" living in your neighborhood. Why not contact 
your 

    local or state cerebral palsy association and find out what you can 
do to assist 

    people with this  disease? Google United Cerebral Palsy and
 find your local 

    affiliate.


AUTHOR - KATE DICAMILLO

GRADES - 2-4

CHRISTOPHER AWARD -👍🏿

 (Given to authors that affirm the value of the human 
spirit by making a positive difference in the world.)


READ FOR EMPATHY COLLECTION - EMPATHY LAB👍🏿

Recognizing literature recommended by children, teachers, and librarians to help build children’s empathy

BOSTON GLOBE HORN BOOK AWARD 

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL -STARRED REVIEW

BOOKLIST - STARRED REVIEW

PACIFIC NORTHWEST LIBRARY ASSN. YOUNG READERS' CHOICE AWARD

KIRKUS - STARRED REVIEW

SUNSHINE STATE YOUNG READER AWARD

SOUTH CAROLINA BOOK AWARD

This story begs to be read aloud as indicated by the numerous awards it has received. Edward Tulane is a rabbit doll who experiences love, love lost, and love found again. He is part of a loving family when he gets tossed overboard on an ocean liner. He is saved by a fisherman, gets thrown into a garbage dump, rescued by a hobo, tossed off a train, and eventually finds his way into the hands of a sick child. While the ending is somewhat predictable, it takes nothing away from this tale that celebrates the human spirit. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is a book that you will read to your classes repeatedly. It is that good.  

1. What place do you think Edward enjoyed being the most? Explain.
 

    Answers will vary. 

2. What do you think was Edward’s worst experience?
 Answers will vary. 

3. What character do you think showed the most love in this story?  

    Answers will vary. 

    Possible answers - The hobo used his clothes to dress Edward. Abilene

    loved Edward so much that she took him to bed with her and was 

    constantly talking to him. Bryce gave Edward to his ailing sister to make 

    her feel better.


4. Why did Bryce run away from home?
    

    He couldn’t deal with his drunken, uncaring father anymore.

AUTHOR - AMANDA GORMAN

GRADES - 1-4

NOTABLE BOOKS FOR A GLOBAL SOCIETY AWARD 👍🏿

This is an annual list of 25 books created by the International Literacy Association which enhance student understanding of people and cultures.

EL DIA DE LOS NINOS/EL DIA DE LOS LIBROS SELECTION👍🏿

Highlighting diverse children’s books to honor the culture and languages of all children

CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF MULTICULTURAL CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

      BEST BOOKS👍🏿

a committee of the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature (CSMCL) identifies the best in multicultural books.

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - STARRED REVIEW

KIRKUS REVIEWS -STARRED REVIEW

A young Black girl with a guitar is on a mission to make the world a better place. As she walks past a mural of Martin Luther King Jr., she meets a Jewish boy carrying a tuba. Together, they clean up a park, bring food to the hungry, build a ramp for a girl in a wheelchair,  and  deliver groceries to an elderly woman. This poetic gem offers hope to a world that sure needs it, as the author encourages young people to do whatever they can to make a difference. 

1.The girls says that she doesn’t fear change. How about you? 
Do you fear 

   change? 

2.The author says it takes courage to show tolerance. What does that mean? 

3. What can you do to make your neighborhood a better place?
 Make a plan to do

    it.

AUTHOR - KIMBERLY WILLIS HOLT

GRADES - 4-6

JOSETTE FRANK AWARD👍🏿

This award for fiction honors a book or books of outstanding literary merit in which children or young people deal in a positive and realistic way with difficulties in their world and grow emotionally and morally.

VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES (VOYA) - OUTSTANDING TITLE OF THE 

    YEAR 

BOOKLIST - EDITORS' CHOICE

PARENTING MAGAZINE - BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK AWARD - HONOR FOR FICTION 

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN. - NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK

YALSA - BEST BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS

INTERNATIONAL READING ASSN.  - YOUNG ADULTS' CHOICE

The author describes what it is like for a twelve-year-old girl growing up in a home with a mentally disabled mother and a mentally challenged father. She is constantly being embarrassed by the behavior of her parents, which have 
damaged her social life to the point where she has only one friend. When she has the opportunity to live with her aunt in Baton Rouge, the prospect of starting a new life appeals to her. Leaving one’s parents is a tough decision. Eventually she discovers that intelligence is not the ingredient that makes for a loving family, and she decides to stay. Great read-aloud. Numerous situations for discussion and debate.

    Tiger had the opportunity to live with her aunt in the city. She decided to
 stay 

    with her parents. Would you have made the same decision?
  Explain.
     

     Living with the aunt vs. living with the parents
     

     Living with her aunt was very appealing. When Tiger went to the
 city

     for a visit, her aunt bought her new clothes. She also had
  running

     water and a room of her own. She had access to a
 swimming pool, 

     as well as all the excitement of city life.

     Living at
  home meant endless chores and no friends. In addition, she 

     had
  to deal with a mother who acted like a baby and a mentally
 

     challenged father. Yet, she chose to stay with her parents because
 she 

     realized the importance of a loving family.   

TOLD BY ISABELLA HATKOFF, CRAIG HATKOFF, AND DR. PAULA KAHUMBU

GRADES - 3 AND UP

CHRISTOPHER AWARD - WINNER👍🏿

This award is presented to authors who "affirm the highest values of the human spirit by making a positive difference in the world."

EL DIA DE LOS NINOS/EL DIA DE LOS LIBROS SELECTION👍🏿

Highlighting diverse children’s books to honor the culture and languages of all children

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN. - NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK

BOOK SENSE BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD - ILLUSTRATED WINNER

NEW JERSEY GARDEN STATE CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD


NORTH DAKOTA FLICKER TALE CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD

This is the first of two books on Owen and Mzee. The sequel, Owen and Mzee, The Language of Friendship, is listed under this one. This is a heartwarming story of a hippo who became lost in a Tsunami. He was rescued and taken to an animal sanctuary where he met a tortoise named Mzee. The two animals, a reptile and a mammal, quickly became good friends. Owen & Mzee makes a great read-aloud as the photos are large and appealing, and the story is unbelievable. What more can you ask? 

1. Why do you think Owen and Mzee became great friends?
    

    They were lonely. Owen thought Mzee was another hippo. Mzee 
thought 

    Owen was another tortoise.


2. What lessons can humans learn from these animals? 


3.  What makes a great friend?

AUTHOR - FARLEY MOWAT

GRADES - 3 - 6

THE BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK YOU NEVER HEARD OF - With  the possible exception of the Wayside School Stories, Owls  in the Family is the most hilarious book a child is likely to read. It is also a fantastic read aloud. I have had over thirty years of fun sharing this story with my students. Why reviewers missed  this one, remains a mystery to me. It could be due to the fact that it was written in Canada over one half century ago. Sometimes great books "fall through the cracks.”  While best appreciated by third-sixth graders, there is no age  limit to this heartwarming story, which is based upon the author's own experiences growing up in Canada.

Based on real events, every chapter is an adventure, as a young boy raises two owls in a rural area of Canada. 

1. Is there anything in this story that couldn’t have happened? 

2. Suppose you were Billy. What would have been your reaction to losing 
all your

    animal friends? 

3. What do you think Billy will do when he grows up?
   

    Billy is really the author who became one of Canada’s leading writers. 

    Most of his books were about nature. 

4. Why do you think Billy was so successful in raising the owls?

AUTHOR - MARGARET PETERSON HADDIX

GRADES - 5 -7

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN. - TOP TEN BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN.- QUICK PICK FOR RELUCTANT YOUNG ADULT

     READERS

BANK STREET COLLEGE'S CHILDREN'S BOOK COMMITTEE'S "BEST 

   CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR" LIST

CALIFORNIA YOUNG READERS' MEDAL 

MAUD HART LOVELACE AWARD  

NEVADA YOUNG READERS' AWARD 

GREAT STONE FACE AWARD (New Hampshire)  

NUTMEG CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD ( (Connecticut)  

SUNSHINE STATE YOUNG READERS' AWARD(Florida)  

PENNSYLVANIA YOUNG READERS' CHOICE AWARD  

YOUNG HOOSIER BOOK AWARD (Indiana)  

INDIAN PAINTBRUSH BOOK AWARD (Wyoming) 

IOWA CHILDREN'S CHOICE AWARD 

This futuristic novel revolves around a twelve-year-old boy named Luke, who is a third child in a country where families are only allowed to have two children. If third children are caught, they face execution. Luke spends his life in hiding until he finds another third child. Together they try to defy the Population Police in their attempt to be free. Note: This is the first book of the series called The Shadow Children. For those who wish to read further, there are six more books - 
2. Among the Impostors   3. Among the Betrayed   4. Among the Barons   5. Among the Brave    6. Among the Enemy   7. Among the Free 

1. Compare and contrast yourself with Luke. Use personality traits and specific 

    examples of behavior in your answer.     

    Luke’s personality - He doesn’t like his life. He wants to go to 
school like 

    the other children. 

    He is curious. He peeks through the cracks in the attic and spies on the 

    other families.  

    He is brave. He goes outside during the day to find out who is living 
 next 

    door. H leaves his family to start a new life with a new 
identity. 

    He is smart. He gives his father the idea of growing food indoors. 
He

    studies the other houses and learns that a third child must be 
living next 

    door.     

    He is caring. He wants to go to school and learn how to grow more 
food 

    to save the third children. He is against revolutionary tactics.     

    He is determined. He wants to learn how to save the third children. 
To do 

    this, he must lead a secret life.  

2. Jen and Luke want to save the third children, but they have different ideas. 

    Explain their ideas and choose the method you would use. Give reasons for 

    your choice.     

    Jen wants to start a revolution to force the government to change its 

    policy toward third children. Luke wants to solve the food 
shortage so 

    there will not be aneed to curtail the population.  

3. Everyday people take risks. Describe the risks people take in this story. 

    
How do they compare to the ones you have taken in your life?                                                   

AUTHOR -ANN M. MARTIN

GRADES - 5-7

INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION - YOUNG ADULT CHOICE 

     AWARD 

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY – BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

CHILD MAGAZINE – BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

NUTMEG BOOK AWARD

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The story takes the reader to a small rural community in the South during the early sixties where Belle Teal Harper is introduced. She is a fifth grader in a town that is experiencing the turmoil caused by desegregation. In addition, a new girl moves into the neighborhood who thinks she is better than everyone else because she is rich. Belle becomes the champion for the black children, while dealing with the abusive behavior of the new girl.  

1.Write a paragraph using the following as a topic sentence:
   Belle was a kind, 

   loving, caring person. 

   She loves her Mama and Gran. She likes Little Boss even though

   he is not popular with the other children. 

   She sits next to Darryl in the lunchroom when she sees him sitting 

   by himself. 

   When Vanessa does not get the part of Mary in the school play, 

   Belle feels sorry for her and tries to be her friend. 

   Belle protects Darryl from people who try to hurt him. 

   She feels sad when she sees how poorly the adults are behaving with

   their racist attitudes. 

   She tries to get some of the boys to accept Darryl by

   tricking them. However, the plan backfires. 

   She feels bad when Little Boss and his father spit at Darryl. 

   She is very kind to Little Boss as she walks with him to his 

   father’s truck. She cares for him because she knows that his father 

   abuses him.  

   Belle accepts everyone regardless of skin color. She cannot 

   understand why  all people do not share that same point of view. 

   When Little Boss does not show up at school, Belle becomes worried. 

   She hopes nothing bad happened to him. 

2.  What do you think were the two worst things that happened to Daryl?
    

     a. Some white parents picket the school shouting hateful remarks as 

         Darryl enters the building.
    

     b. Little Boss hits Darryl on the back causing him to spill his milk.
     

     c. Little Boss’ father spits on Darryl and tells him to go back where he 

         came from.
  

     d. When Darryl enters the classroom for the first time, several students 
 

         make it known that they do not want anything to do with him.
     

     e. Vanessa brings a note from home asking that her seat be changed so

        
 that she does not sit next to Darryl.
     

     f. Little Boss’ father blames Darryl when Little Boss shoots himself

        in the foot.
    

    g. Vernon and his friends tell Darryl that he better not come to the 

        
Halloween party because it is not for his people.
    

    h. Little Boss tells Darryl that he has poisoned the school. 
     

    i. Vernon tells Darryl not to bring his cookies to the party because no 
 one

       is going to eat them. 
     

    j. Vernon tells Darryl that he will not be in the pageant because colored   

       people had nothing to do with the birth of Christ. 

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