The Smallest Girl in The Smallest Grade

 

Roberts, Justin, and Christian Robinson. The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade. Scholastic, 2016.

Genre: Fiction

Lexile: AD1010L

More Info:  https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/smallest-girl-in-the-smallest-grade-the-by-justin-roberts/

Summary: Sally notices and takes note of everything! She notices small things like the janitors keys on his ring to big things, like the bullying that is happening on the playground. Sally may be the smallest girl in the smallest grade but that doesn't mean that she cant stand up to a bully. She does not let anything stop her and decides to stand up to the bullying on the playground. This book proves that no matter how small you are, anyone can stand up to bullying and choose to be kind and make a difference.

Target Audience: K-1st grade.

Evaluation: This book is great for younger grades. I love the illustrations and I think that students will love them as well. The pictures in this book are eye catching and brightly colored, perfect for young students who might need something to hold their attention. The theme of this book is being kind and standing up to bullying. I love that this book encourages small people (young children) to stand up to bully's. I think the overall theme, illustrations and text in this book make it an amazing learning experience. Students would love to have this book read aloud to them.

Reader response activity: In this book, all it takes is ONE girl to make a difference at her school. After we read this book, I would have my students write down in their writers notebook what is ONE thing they could do to make a difference at their school. After everyone is done we will share our answers aloud with the class and discuss how we can make positive changes in the world around us!

Willow Finds a Way

 

Button, Lana, and Tania Howells. Willow Finds a Way. Scholastic, 2013.

Genre: Fiction

Lexile: AD660L

More info: https://www.amazon.com/Willow-Finds-Way-Lana-Button/dp/1554538424/ref=as_li_ss_tl?keywords=Willow+Finds+a+Way&qid=1573235849&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=wear03e-20&linkId=50f873426814a50036b84bc692410756&language=en_US

Summary: In this simple picture book, shy and quiet Willow wants to find a way to say no to her bossy and mean classmate, Kristabell. One day, Kristabell begins uninviting girls in the class to her birthday party and Willow decides to stand up for herself and the rest of the class. Willow surprises herself and everyone else in the class by standing up to Kristabell the bully. Willows actions change the entire environment of the classroom for the better!

Target Audience: K-1st grade.

Evaluation: This is a great book to read to younger grades and begin having conversations about anti-bullying. The words and illustrations in this book might be simple but the theme is strong and conveys a great underlying message of standing up for what is right, even if it can be scary. I think this is an awesome book that will get kids thinking about how important it is to not be a bystander to bullying. This would be a great book to read aloud to younger students and I think they would really enjoy the illustrations.

Reader response activity: I think a great activity after reading this book would be to assign groups to create a poster about anti-bullying. They could include words that could be used when standing up to bully's and they could even draw a picture of Willow standing up to Kristabell.

Have You Filled a Bucket Today?

 

McCloud, Carol, and David Messing. Have You Filled a Bucket Today? Bucket Fillosophy, Is an Imprint of Bucket Fillers, Inc., 2016.

Genre: Non-fiction 

Lexile: AD710L
More info: https://www.amightygirl.com/have-you-filled-a-bucket-today?ref=blog-prd

 

Summary: This book is sweet, simple and to the point. It is all about teaching children how to be "bucket fillers" and lift others up instead of tearing them down. This book encourages positive behavior as it tells different stories of how to fill others buckets by doing or saying kind things to others. 

Target Audience: 1st-2nd grade

Evaluation: This is such a great book! I love that it features illustrations from children all over the world. I think that is a very special touch to the book that students will love. I think that the over all theme, being a bucket filler, is so great. This book encourages positive behavior and to not bully or say mean things to others. I love the way it explains what a bucket filler is and how we can fill others up with kind words and gestures. I think this would be an awesome book to read in the class. The illustrations and written words are both beautiful and I think 1st or 2nd grade students would enjoy this book being read aloud to them or reading independently.

Reader response activity:  I would print out buckets and have students cut out a bucket. Then they would write positive words that can fill the bucket up. They could also draw a picture of something that they think would fill someones bucket up. This would be a fun and rewarding activity for everyone!

Odd Velvet

 

Whitcomb, Mary E., and Tara Calahan. King. Odd Velvet. Chronicle, 1998.

Genre: Fiction 

Lexile: AD820L
More info: https://www.amightygirl.com/odd-velvet?ref=blog-prd

Summary: The kids in Velvet's class don't know what to make of her. She wears brightly colored dresses to school, she likes to collect rocks and she even brings a milkweed pod to class for show and tell. At first, her classmates are not nice to her. They ignore her for being different and unique. Until one day when Velvet wins a big art competition at school for drawing a beautiful picture only using 8 crayons. Soon, her classmates begin to that Velvet's differences make her unique and special. She has a special way of viewing the world and that makes her interesting. 

Target audience:  Ages 3-7

Evaluation: This is an awesome book with a beautiful theme and detailed illustrations. This book will encourage students to embrace uniqueness and differences. This book has strong themes of anti-bullying and embracing difference. This would be a great book to read in the classroom and begin a conversation about bullying and why we should not judge people that are like Velvet. I also think the illustrations are eye catching an students will love them!

Reader response activity: I would have each student think of something that might make them special or unique. Velvet liked to collect rocks. Do they have any special hobbies or different talents that make them special? They will write a few sentences down and then we will share out with the class.

Chrysanthemum

 

HENKES, KEVIN. CHRYSANTHEMUM. GREENWILLOW BOOKS, 2019.

Genre: Fiction 

Lexile: 570L

More info: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/chrysanthemum-by-kevin-henkes/ 

Summary: Chrysanthemum thinks she has the prettiest name in the whole world. Until she starts kindergarten and is suddenly being bullied over her name. The other students tease her and ask if she is a flower and if they can sniff her. Her name is so different than the other students in her classroom. Will Chrysanthemum be able to overcome the bullying and stand up to the kids in her classroom? With the help of her beautiful music teacher, Delphinium Twinkle, she just might be able to.

Target audience: Pre-k-2nd grade.

Evaluation: I love this book. My mom read this book to me when I was very little and I have always remembered it! I think this would be a lovely book to read in the classroom. It is a great story for all students, especially the select students in the classroom who might have more unique, different names. The theme is all about being confident in yourself and learning that differences make us beautiful. I would recommend this book be read in all younger level classrooms. I also think the illustrations are adorable and the students will love them!

Reader response activity: I think a fun activity would be to have all of my students draw a flower (I would provide resources) and cut it out. We could make a garden with all of our flowers and then talk about how all of our flowers are different but they are all still beautiful.

Smile

 

Telgemeier, Raina, and Stephanie Yue. Smile. Graphix, 2010.

Genre: Autobiography 

Lexile: GN410L

More info: https://www.amazon.com/Smile-Raina-Telgemeier/dp/0545132061

Summary: This autobiography chapter book follows the life of Raina is trying to fit in. One night she has a horrible fall and injures her two front teeth. After this accident she wears braces, retainers, headgear and she has to undergo multiple surgeries. Follow Raina's journey as she discovers what it means to be yourself, stand up to bully's and not listen to what other's say about you.

Target Audience: Middle school, 6th-8th grade.

Evaluation: I think this would be a great book for middle schoolers to read. It has a great, relatable and captivating story line. It is a wonderful coming of age story for middle school level readers. It also teaches many valuable lessons in between it's funny and dramatic chapters. The theme is about acceptance and finding yourself, even if others are judging you or bullying you. I think this would be an awesome book for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to read and discuss in the class.

Reader response activity: If I had a middle school class reading this I would ask them to write a paper after they had read it. I would ask them to write about a time they had to accept who they were and not listen to others. Was this hard for them? Why or why not? What did they learn from it? Can they relate to the main character in this story?

Babymouse: Queen of the World

 

Holm, Jennifer L., and Matthew Holm. Babymouse, Queen of the World. HarperCollins Children's, 2006.

Genre: Fiction, graphic novel 

Lexile: GN470L

More info: https://fab.lexile.com/book/details/9780375832291/

Summary: Babymouse wants nothing more than to be invited to the big sleepover hosted by the popular girls in her class. She wants to be noticed by these girls so badly that she ditches her best friend so the popular group will notice her. The sleepover girls end up being mean to Babymouse and not treating her like a good friend would. Babymouse learns a lot about herself, her friends and the way she wants to be treated throughout this novel. 

Target Audience: Middle school, 6th-8th.

Evaluation: I think this is a great book for middle school girls (or boys) to read. This graphic novel teaches a lot of valuable lessons about staying true to yourself, standing up to bullying and learning what a good friendship looks like. It also will teach students that being "popular" isn't the most important thing in the world. This novel teaches a lot of valuable lessons that are crucial for middle schoolers to learn and understand at their age. I think they will also appreciate the graphic novel style.

Reader response activity: I would, with the help of my students, make a poster board. On one side it would say "A good friend" and on the other side it would read, "A not so good friend". We would come up with words that describe what a good friend looks, sounds and acts like. I would then hang it up in my classroom so all of my students could know and understand what being a good friend looks like and how they can be better. This could be done at any age level, in any classroom. I think friendship is especially important at the middle school level, when groups and cliques are starting to form. This would be a great activity for middle school level students.

 

El Deafo

 

Bell, Cece. El Deafo. Amulet Books, 2014.

Genre: Fiction

Lexile: GN420L 

More info: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/el-deafo-by-cece-bell/

Summary: Cece is diagnosed as deaf when she is four years old. This graphic follows her life and how she deals with tough circumstances surrounding her disability. She struggles to balance her "normal" life with the way her disability makes her feel. She also encounters people treating her differently because she is deaf, a form of bullying. Follow Cece as she (sometimes) encompasses a super hero to prove that she is capable of doing anything.

Target audience: 5th-8th grade. This would be a great book for middle school/jr high.

Evaluation: I think that every middle schooler should read this book. It is a graphic novel so it will capture their attention but the story line will hold their attention throughout. It teaches a valuable lesson to students that having a disability doesn't restrict you it just means you do things differently. This book encourages students to stand up to bullying and not to allow peers to bully people with disabilities. I love that the character is deaf but also a superhero. This will also show students that you can have a disability and still be a superhero.

Reader response activity: It would be a big project but a fun idea would be to have students create their own mini graphic novel modeled after El Deafo. I would ask them to think of a time they were bullied for being different or felt excluded from a certain group because they did not fit in. I would then ask them to draw/write a mini graphic novel about the situation.

Marelene, Marelene, Queen of Mean

 

Lynch, Jane/ Tusa Tricia (ILT). Marlene, Marlene, Queen of Mean. Random House Childrens Books, 2014.

Genre: Fiction

Lexile: 850LL

More info: https://shop.scholastic.com/parent-ecommerce/books/marlene-marlene-queen-of-mean-9780385379083.html

Summary: Marlene is the queen of the playground and the school, or at least she thinks so. She bully's kids and is mean to everyone. One day Big Freddy builds up the courage and decides to stand up to Marlene. He speaks up and says what his classmates are too fearful to say to her. 

Target Audience: Pre-k through 3rd grade. This would be a great book to read aloud to younger students.

Evaluation: I love this book and the illustrations in it. It is so well written and has a great underlying theme of standing up for what is right. The theme of this story also aligns with Donna Norton's standards in our textbook. The theme is important, applicable and meaningful for students in their every day life. I think this would be a great book to read aloud to the class and start a group discussion about what bullying is and how we can stand up for ourselves.

Reader response activity: For this activity I would have the students brainstorm words to describe Marlene. I would make a poster board with all of their words on it and then we could discuss how these are words to describe a bully, NOT a kind person. Then I would have the students write in their journals ways that they are not bully's. I would have them focus on writing about how they show kindness to others.

The Hundred Dresses

 

Estes, Eleanor, and Louis Slobodkin. The Hundred Dresses. Scholastic, 1973.

Genre: Fiction

Lexile: 870L

More info: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/the-hundred-dresses-by-eleanor-estes/

Summary: Maddie is a young girl who is s bystander to her friends bullying a girl in her class, Wanda, every day. She listens to her friends ask why Wanda wears the same dress every day. She feels guilty about her friends being rude but she never does anything about it, until one day Wanda transfers schools. This is a great story about the effects of being a bystander and what can happen when you don't stand up to bullies. This is a powerful, timeless story about bullying, forgiveness and standing up for what you believe.

Target Audience: I think this book would be best for grades 3-5. It would be relatable and enjoyable for them.

Evaluation: I think this would be a great book for young elementary aged students to read. It is a very good story to teach students about what can happen when you do not stand up to bullying. It is so important to talk about what a bystander is and why we do not want to be one. This meets the criteria for powerful literature and it also has beautiful illustrations.

Reader Response Activity:  For this story I would create an activity where students could describe character traits based off of the novel. I would have them fill in a graphic organizer based off of characters and their story throughout the novel.

Weird!

 

 Frankel, Erin. Weird! Free Spirit Publishing, 2012.

Genre: Fiction

Lexile: 540L

More info: https://www.amightygirl.com/weird?ref=blog-prd

Summary: Luisa is a bilingual, polka dot wearing, fun loving girl who is just trying to be herself when she starts to get bullied by a boy in her class named Sam. At first, Luisa does not know how to handle the bullying so she sticks to herself and does not say anything. With the support of her teachers, parents and her friend Jayla, she is finally able to stand up for herself. This is a great story about believing in yourself, not worrying about what others think and standing up to bullies.

Target Audience: This would be a great book for 1st-4th graders. It would be a good book to read aloud to 1st graders. It would be a nice book for 2nd, 3rd and even 4th grade to read on their own.

Evaluation: This is a great book about standing up to bully's and more importantly, being yourself. Luisa goes through a lot in this book but she learns many important lessons throughout. I love that Luisa is bilingual and that her character is diverse. This book meets the criteria for good literature. I also enjoy the illustrations throughout and I think the students would as well.

Reader Response Activity: I would make a poster for our classroom and have my students help me create it. We would first have a discussion about why the word "weird" is not a nice way to describe someone. I then would make a list on a poster board for nice words we could replace "weird" with. The students would come up with the words and then we would hang it up in the class for everyone to see and enjoy every day.