1. McKenna Howard HDFS 217 Colorado State University
Literature Notebook
McKenna Howard
HDFS 217
Colorado State University

2. Theme: Diversity

3. One Green Apple Title: One Green Apple Author: Eve Bunting
Target Age: 3rd Graders
Subject Matter: Farah the main character has just moved into a new country that speaks a different language than her. She finds it very hard to be different and to adjust, until she goes to the apple orchard with her family. They begin to make apple cider and she realizes that all kinds of apples go into the recipe to make great apple cider and realizes that it is the same way for her since she is a Muslim immigrant.
Citation: Bunting, E., & Lewin, T. (2006). One green apple. New York: Clarion Books.

4. Little Blue and Little Yellow
Title: Little Blue and Little Yellow
Author: Leo Lionni
Target Age: Pre-school-1st Grade
Subject Matter: This book is an older book that was written when things were much more segregated, but this book explains the friendship between the blue dot and the yellow dot which in the end they mix colors to make the color green. Through the blending of the colors the explanation of multicultural friendships is explained.
Citation: Lionni, L. (1959). Little blue and little yellow: A story for Pippo and Ann and other children. New York: McDowell, Obolensky.

5. The Sandwich Swap Title: The sandwich Swap Author: Kelly Dipucchio
Target Age: Pre-school - 1st Grade
Subject Matter: The two best friends have a minor difference which is the type of sandwich each other likes. One likes hummus in her sandwich and the other does not. Their differences become a big deal across the whole school, but everything is fixed when the principle steps in and mends their friendship by explaining that the differences are okay and celebrated.
Citation: DiPucchio, K. (2010). The sandwich swap. New York: Disney-Hyperion Books.

6. The Colors of Us Title: The Colors of Us Author: Karen Katz
Target Age: 1st Grade- 3rd Grade
Subject Matter: The main character Lena has decided to paint a picture of herself and decided to go on a journey with her mother around the neighborhood to explore all of the different skin tones that there is. Each skin tone is compared to food which shows young children a little bit about diversity.
Citation: Katz, K. (1999). The colors of us. New York: Henry Holt and.

7. Theme: Family

8. Two Homes Title: Two Homes Author: Claire Masurel
Target Age: 2nd Grade – 5th Grade
Subject Matter: This book is about a 7 year old boy who is explaining what it is like for his parents to get divorced. This book is very good because it explains the positives of divorce and shows that the parents still love him unconditionally even though they are split
Citation: Masurel, C., & Denton, K. (2001). Two homes. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

9. Over The Moon Title: Over The Moon Author: Karen Katz
Target Age: 1st Grade-5th Grade
Subject Matter: This book starts off with the parents talking about how they wanted a baby so badly and would travel a great distance to receive this baby. The story goes on and they adopt a child and it shapes a very positive image of an adoption within a family
Citation: Katz, K. (2001). Over the moon: An adoption tale. New York: H. Holt.

10. Horton Hatches the Egg Title: Horton Hatches the Egg Author: Dr. Seuss
Target Age: 1st Grade- 3rd Grade
Subject Matter: Horton the elephant finds a momma bird named Maysie and her little blue egg. Maysie tells Horton to sit on her egg and to protect it while she leaves. She does not come back for awhile but when she does the egg begins to hatch and the little blue elephant bird only wants Horton because he took care of the egg and stayed in its beginning part of life. This book explains that someone will always love you and be there for you (their parents)
Citation: Seuss, D. (1940). Horton hatches the egg,. New York: Random House.

11. Mommy, Was Your Tummy Big?
Title: Mommy, Was Your Tummy Big?
Author: Carolina Nadel
Target Age: 1st Grade -4th Grade
Subject Matter: This book explains how the baby elephant is curious about all of the pregnant animals that she sees and becomes more curious about how this happened. The Mommy elephant explains that she had medicine injected into her for this to happen which was an egg donor situation. This is a positive way for students that are faced with this situation to understand and learn about it.
Citation: Nadel, C. (2007). Mommy, was your tummy big? Arlington, VA: Mookind Press.

12. Theme: Holidays

13. Christmas Title: The Polar Express Author: Chris Van Allsburg
Target Age: kindergarten- 3rd Grade
Subject Matter: The young boy on Christmas Eve starts to go to bed when he begins to hear a train coming. He goes outside and it is the polar express taking children to see Santa. He gets on the train and takes a ride all the way to the North Pole and makes it back home for Christmas morning.
Citation: Allsburg, C., & Hurt, W. (1989). The Polar Express. Boston, Ma.: Houghton Mifflin.

14. Kwanzaa Title: Lil Rabbit’s Kwanzaa Author: Donna L. Washington
Target Age: Pre-school- Kindergarten
Subject Matter: This book is about the Brer Rabbit and when he meets the African tradition of celebrating Kwanzaa. The Rabbit is looking for a gift to give his grandmother who is very sick for the Karamu, which is the traditional Kwanzaa Feast. This book teaches children about the African tradition of Kwanzaa
Citation: Washington, D., & Evans, S. (2010). Li'l Rabbit's Kwanzaa. New York: Katherine Tegen Books.

15. Hanukkah Title: Happy Hanukkah, Corduroy
Author: Don Freeman and Lisa McCue
Target Age: Pre-school
Subject Matter: while reading this book to students they will learn some of the main traditions of Hanukkah. They start with the lighting of the menorah, then potato pancakes, and then the dreidel.
Citation: McCue, L., & Freeman, D. (2009). Happy Hanukkah, Corduroy. New York: Viking/Penguin Young Readers Group.

16. Halloween Title: Tucker’s Spooky Halloween Author: Leslie McGuirk
Target Age: Pre-school- 3rd Grade
Subject Matter: Tucker, who is a dog, explains that when he was a puppy he dressed up as a pumpkin for Halloween. Now that Tucker is grown up he is trying to find costume that is more spooky so that he can scare others. The book shows Tucker trying on different costumes, which can make the students think about what they might want to be!
Citation: McGuirk, L. (2007). Tucker's spooky Halloween. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

17. Theme: Animals

18. Caterpillars Title: The Very Hungry Caterpillas Author: Eric Carle
Target Age: Pre-school – 2nd Grade
Subject Matter: This book talks about the way of life of the caterpillar. It starts out as an egg and comes out and is very hungry! It goes through all of the days of the week with the caterpillar eating more and more each day and ends a week later when the caterpillar turns into a butterfly
Citation: Carle, E. (1987). The very hungry caterpillar ([Rev.]. ed.). New York: Philomel Books.

19. Monkeys Title: Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
Author: Eileen Christelow
Target Age: Pre-school
Subject Matter: This book is about five little monkeys that were just put to bed by their mother. They are playing around and are jumping on the bed. This book turns into a song/rhyme because it repeats itself for all of the five monkeys to fall off the bed.
Citation: Christelow, E. (2008). Five little monkeys jumping on the bed (Lap ed.). New York: Houghton Mifflin.

20. Cows Title: Click, Clack Moo: Cows That type Author: Doreen Cronin
Target Age: Pre-school- 1st Grade
Subject Matter: This book is about Farmer Brown and his cows that live in his barn. Farmer Brown all day long hears click, clack moo, click clack moo and wonders why he hears this. He then finds out that his cows have been typing him notes!
Citation: Cronin, D., & Lewin, B. (2000). Click, clack, moo: Cows that type. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

21. Creatures Title: Where The Wild Things Are Author: Maurice Sendak
Target Age: kindergarten- 3rd Grade
Subject Matter: Max (the main character) dresses up in wolf costume and was being naughty so his mother sent him to bed. Once Max fell asleep he dreamed that his room was a jungle. In his dream he runs into a bunch of animals but is able to tame them and since he was able to tame them they pronounced Max to be the king of the jungle.
Citation: Sendak, M. (1963). Where the wild things are. New York: Harper & Row.