Reading of Childrens and Young Adult Literature

Author Title Interest

Level
1 Ada, A. F. The Lizard and the Sun 3-5
2 Ada, A. F. My Name is Maria Isabel 3-5
3 Alarcn, F. Laughing Tomatoes and Other Spring Poems K-4
4 Altman, L. J. Amelia's Road 3-5
5 Alvarez, J. How Tia Lola Came to Stay 4-6
6 Alverez, J. The Secret Footprints 3-5
7 Andrews-
Goebel, N.
The Pot that Juan Built K-3
8 Argueta, J. Xochitl and the Flowers 3-5
9 Brown, M. Marisol McDonald Doesnt Match K-2
10 Brown, M. Waiting for the Biblioburro K-5
11 Brown, M. Tito Puente: Mambo King K-3
12 Cameron, A. The Most Beautoful Place in the World 3-5
13 Castaneda, O. S. Abuela's Weave 3-5
14 Cisneros, S. Hairs*Pelitos K-2
15 Conkling, W. Sylvia & Aki 4-7
16 Dominguez, A. Maria had a Little Llama K-2
17 Doras, A. Abuela K-4
18 Dorros, A. La Isla K-3
19 Ehlert, L. Moon Rope K-2
20 Elya, S. M. Beb Goes Shopping K-2
21 Fabiny, S. Who was Frida Kahlo? 3-5
22 Garza, C. Magic Windows 3-5
23 Gonzalez, L. The Storyteller's Candle 2-4
24 Gonzalez, R My First Book of Proverbs 2-6
25 Hayes, J. La Llorona: The Weeping Woman 3-5
26 Hayes, J. Ghost Fever 4-6
27 Johnston, T. Day of the Dead K-3
28 Joseph, L. The Color of My Words 4-6
29 Jules, J. Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Takes Off K-3
30 Krull, K. Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez 2-5
31 Lacamara, L. Floating on Mama's Song K-3
32 Mariscal, B. L. The Harvest Birds 3-5
33 Medine, J. Tomas Rivera K-2
34 Mora, P. Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Childrens Day/ Book Day K-2
35 Mora, P. Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico!: Americas Sproutings. K-4
36 Mora, P. Gracias-Thanks K-2
37 Mora, P. My Family: Let's Eat! PreK-2
38 Morales, Y. Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book K-3
39 Morales, Y. Nino Wrestles the World K-3
40 O'Neill, A. Estela's Swap 3-6
41 Orozco, J. De Colores and Other Latin-American Folk Songs for
Children
K-5
42 Parks, C. Farmer's Market K-2
43 Perez, A. I. My Diary from Here to There 3-6
44 Resau, L. Star in the Forest 3-5
45 Rohmer, H. Uncle Nacho's Hat K-2
46 Ryan, P.M. Esperanza Rising 3-6
47 Soto, G. The Skirt 4-6
48 Soto, Gary Too Many Tamales 2-4
49 Tafolla, C. What Can You Do with a Paleta? PreK-2
50 Thong, R. G. Round Is a Tortilla PreK-2
51 Tonatiuh, D. Diego Rivera: His World and Ours K-5
52 Tonatiuh, D. Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin K-5
53 Tonatiuh, D. Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale K-4
54 Vamos, S. The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred. K-4
55 Wells, R. My Havana: Memories of a Cuban Boyhood 2-5
56 Winter, J. Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-5














Annotated Bibliography, Summary and Response to Literature
Alarcn, F. (1997). Laughing tomatoes and other spring poems. New York: Childrens Book
Press.
Summary:
A Pura Belpr Honor Book, National Parenting Publication Gold Medal winner and
Riverbank Review Childrens Book of DistinctionFinalist, this book of poetry by
Francisco Alarcn, beautifully and imaginatively tells 20 stories of spring in both English
and Spanish. Maya Christina Gonzalezs watercolor illustrations bring each poem to life
in as unique a way as the poems themselves. The book also includes annotations
explaining the holidays, people, and culture expressed through the poems.
Response:
This book lends itself to teaching poetry, writing, art, and comprehension. When reading
this book to kindergarten students, students thoroughly enjoyed the illustrations and
hearing the poems in English in Spanish. I do think the interpretation necessary to
understand the poems is more appropriate for first or second grade. Although students
enjoyed the poems it was difficult for them to think abstractly about the poems meanings.

Brown, M. (2011). Marisol McDonald doesnt match. New York: Childrens Book Press.
Summary:
A Pura Belpr Honor Book for the illustrations by Sara Palacios, is a book about a
character inspired by the authors own experience as a Peruvian-Scottish-Jewish-
American, who has red hair and brown skin. The character doesnt do anything
ordinary. She wears polka-dots and stripes and eats peanut butter and jelly burritos.
While everything she does seem mismatched to her everything she does makes perfect
sense.
Response:
After reading this book to kindergarten students, I felt students were able to think
critically about whether or not it is okay to look different than everyone else. Some
students suggested at first that it is not okay to not match. After several varying opinions,
a student brought up Todd Parrs Its Okay to be Different book. They remembered that
Todd talked about how it is okay to be different and that it is important to be ourselves.
Students began to agree with this conclusion and decided as a class that it doesnt matter
what we look like or if we like different things. At first they thought peanut butter and
jelly burritos were gross but decided it wasnt nice they thought that and it was okay for
her to eat a burrito sandwich.
Doras, A. (1991). Abuela. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
Summary:
An ALA Notable Book, Abuela allows readers to explore New York City from the sky as
two main characters imagine an adventure flying through the city. Although written in
English, many Spanish phrases are incorporated throughout the book.
Response:
This book wasnt as engaging as I hoped. I think it would be better geared towards first
or second grade. Students could relate to their Abuelas though and talk about what they
would see if they were to fly over Las Vegas themselves.
Elya, S. M. (2006). Beb goes shopping. New York: First Voyager Books.
Summary:
Beb Goes Shopping is about a little girl going the supermarcado (grocery store) with her
mother. This simple story written in English, incorporates many Spanish words to create
an enjoyable rhyme.
Response:
This book really surprised me. When I read it to students, students who had been unable
to rhyme the whole year were suddenly able to! Rhyming in their home language really
helped bridge the gap that was there I believe. Since then those students were able to
transfer the skill to rhyming in English as well! I would use this book much earlier in the
year next year, perhaps when I introduced rhyming.
Fabiny, S. (2013). Who was Frida Kahlo? New York: Penguin Group.
Summary:
This young reader version of Frida Kahlo, communicates the artist she was to young
readers. The book demonstrates what a brave women she was who was not accepted for
most of her life. It tells of her famous self-portraits, her illness, and her marriage to Diego
Rivera, another famous artist in Mexico.
Response:
This book offered a lot of information about an amazing woman at a level students could
understand. Before reading this book I was unaware of her relationship with Diego
Rivera. This book would be best suited for second through fourth grade but there may be
parts I would read to first graders for a read aloud. I was impressed with the structure of
this biography and would purchase other biographies in the series in the future.
Jules, J.(2010) Zapato power: Freddie Ramos takes off. China: Albert Whitman & Company.
Summary:
This early chapter book is a good transition for students who are almost ready for chapter
books but still need the pictures. The story is funny and appealing. In the book Freddie
Ramos, a student who lives in an apartment complex finds a box with magic shoes that
bring him powers to change the neighborhood.
Response:
In breaking down the common core, I found that it is expected to read some chapter
books to kindergartners to expose them to high level text. I had a difficult time
conceptualizing this with my students until I read this book. The book is humorous, easy
to read and includes some pictures to help students follow the story.
Mora, P. (2009). Book fiesta!: Celebrate childrens day/ book day. New York: HarperCollins
Publishers.
Summary:
An American Library Association Notable Book, and Belpr Illustrator Medal Book,
Book Fiesta! by Pat Mora offers an introduction to El Da de los Nios, a day celebrated
in Mexico on April 30 and combines it with a day to celebrate reading as well. The
illustrator, Rafael Lpez, uses a strong graphic style and magical symbolism to bring
Moras words to life.
Response:
I did not think this book has the best story line, however I love that it talks about
Childrens Day and the idea of Book Day. Students enjoyed the pictures and were very
excited to make invitations to invite their families for a party on Childrens Day/Book
Day. Families got very involved as well, bringing in sweets and drinks. Families
(grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and parents) read with their child and wrote about
why they picked the book they did. I will definitely make this day a tradition in my
classroom.
Mora, P. (2007). Yum! Mmmm! Que rico!: Americas sproutings. New York: HarperCollins
Publishers.
Summary:
This book celebrates the indigenous foods of the Americas through haiku. With each
haiku there is also a description of the origin of the food.
Response:
If I teach third or fourth grade again in the future, I would use this book to teach haikus
and social studies. The illustrations are beautiful and the text lends itself to many
different age levels. I would also share poems to kindergartners although they are not yet
ready to write a haiku of their own and the haikus along with the information to older
students.
Morales, Y. (2003). Just a minute: A trickster tale and counting book. San Francisco:
Chronicle Books.
Summary:
Winner of the Pura Belpr Award, Yuyi Morales retells a familiar trickster tale. In the
book, Seor Calavera arrives at Grandma Beetles house ready to take her to the next life
on her birthday. Seor Calavera changes his mind after counting with Grandma to 10 in
English and Spanish while she prepares for her birthday.
Response:
Tonatiuh, D. (2011). Diego rivera: His world and ours. New York: Abrams Books for Young
Readers.
Summary:
Winner of the Pura Belpr Award, Duncun Tonatiuh tells a biography of a mischievous
boy who had such a passion for art that he traveled abroad to learn as much as he could.
When he came back to Mexico he painted a visual history for the Mexican people and
became very famous through his works. Tonatiuh leaves readers thinking about what
Rivera would paint if he were around today and that they too can tell stories through art.
Response:
This book was a little high level for kindergartners but students did enjoy the pictures and
the idea of making their own murals today. Second through fifth graders or even older
could benefit from the discussion of history that is included in the book.
Tonatiuh, D. (2010). Dear primo: A letter to my cousin. New York: Abrams Books for Young
Readers.
Summary:
Winner of the Pura Belpr Award, this book is a story of two cousins, one who lives in
American and one who lives in Mexico. The book demonstrates how their lives are
similar and how they are different. For example, Charlie takes the subway to school while
Carlitos rides his bicycle. Spanish words are incorporated amongst the English text to
include the culture of Mexico within the book. Tonatiuh incorporates the unique style of
the ancient Mixtecs into his illustrations.
Response:
I enjoyed the contrast this book has to offer for students. Many students could make
connections to the text as well as many have lived, visited, or have family in Mexico
themselves. It would be fun to discuss what students would say about themselves when
talking about Las Vegas and the neighborhood they are a part of.
Vamos, S. (2011). The cazuela that the farm maiden stirred. Watertown: Charlesbridge.
Summary:
A Pura Belpr Honor Book, The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred, by Samantha R.
Vamos is a story of a farm maiden and farm animals working together to make arroz con
leche for a fiesta. Each page adds a Spanish word in place of an English word in the style
of This is the House that Jack Built. Rafael Lpez, uses his fun graphic and
imaginative style to personify the animals in the book.
Response:
Immediately after reading this text students requested the recipe for Rice Pudding the
book included in the back. It was difficult for me to read because I cannot speak Spanish
but were I to practice it a few more times I could read it better. Students loved correcting
me on words! Students really enjoyed the illustrations as well. This is a great book to tie
into storytelling.