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Literature and Language
Literature and Language > figurative language
    And the Soldiers Sang
      A fictional story about the 1914 Christmas Truce of WW I when Allied and German soldiers came together in friendship on the battle field. Illustrated in graphic novel style haunting artwork, the writing cuts through the gloomy circumstances with examples
      Author: Lewis, J. Patrick HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    At Gleason's Gym
      The story of Gleason's Gym in Brooklyn NY, and the many people who use it. It includes a brief story of Sugar Boy Younan, National Silver Gloves Champion 2006. The words and pictures tap into the senses. The illustrations demonstrate the rhythm to the mus
      Author: Lewin, Ted HSE Descriptors: literature and arts | social studies

    Autumn
      Autumn, an alphabet book of acrostics with linoleum-cut prints, describes the seasonal sights, sounds, and colors.
      Author: Schnur, Steven

    Birches
      On each page Ed Young illustrates trees and forests and the countryside, in browns and sepia tones, and presents them along with several lines of Robert Frost's well-known poem, "Birches." The poem is printed in its entirety again on the last two pages.
      Author: Frost, Robert HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Black Book of Colors, The
      This book is written in Braille alphabet so the sighted reader can share the reading experience with the blind reader. The books is printed in black pages to further simulate the reading experience of the blind reader. This books has been printed around
      Author: Cottin, Menena HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Black Cat
      A black cat explores an urban neighborhood. The stunning illustrations are a combination of painting and photography.
      Author: Myers, Christopher HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Book
      This very simple and stunningly illustrated poem compares a book to a house, a treasure chest, a farm, and a tree.
      Author: Lyon, George Ella HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Books Speak!: Poems about Books
      A delightful collection of poems about books and the joys of reading. This amazing collection of poems about all aspects of books and reading is a fun to read book.
      Author: Salas, Laura Purdie HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | language arts - writing

    Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea
      This well illustrated book of poetry uses the metaphor of nurturing tea for the extended family.
      Author: Thomas, Joyce Carol HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Cloudmakers, The
      In A.D. 751 during a time of war, a Chinese grandfather and grandson have 7 days to prove that they can "make clouds" or risk being sold into slavery. The result is Chinese paper, which earns them their freedom and marks a turning point in human history.
      Author: Rumford, James HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Cool Moonlight, A
      Lila, who has an allergy to sunlight, lives with her disability helped by her family and friends, real and imaginary. The author uses lyrical language deftly to tell the story with great sensitivity and lightness.
      Author: Johnson, Angela

    Divide, The
      As a young girl in 1893, Willa Cather journeys with her extended family to relocate on the Nebraska prairie. Although unhappy at first, she learns to enjoy her new home as the seasons unfold. The beautiful illustrations are particularly well linked to t
      Author: Bedard, Michael HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Duke Ellington
      This is the story of one of the greatest musicians and composers of the 20th century, Duke Ellington. (Coretta Scott King Award Winner; Caldecott Honor Book)
      Author: Pinkney, Andrea Davis HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    ellington was not a street
      The poet lovingly remembers her family's recent history that was filled with stars of the African American firmament. Brief biographies of the people depicted add welcome information.
      Author: Shange, Ntozake HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Emily Dickinson's Letters to the World
      This introduction to Emily Dickinson's best-known poems also contains biographical information in a fictional narration by her sister Lavinia.
      Author: Winter, Jeanette HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Etched in Clay: The Life of Dave Enslaved Potter and Poet
      This imaginative volume of poetry is both a tribute to Dave the Potter and a positive biography of a potter who worked his artistic magic despite being a slave. It is poetic in style, autobiographical, written in more than one voice and each entry is jour
      Author: Cheng, Andrea HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | language arts - writing | social studies

    Flight of the Snow Geese, The
      The 3,000 mile migration of the snow goose from the Artic to New Mexico is told with the aid of rhythm, meter, and beautiful watercolor illustrations.
      Author: King, Deborah HSE Descriptors: social studies | science

    Georgia's Bones
      A biography of the artist Georgia O'Keeffe's early years "celebrates her fascination with natural shapes and 'common objects'" with rich text and color-saturated illustrations. The text explores themes including creativity, diversity (in ways of being in
      Author: Bryant, Jen HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Here in Harlem
      Walter Dean Myers recreates the Harlem of his youth in poetry and populates it with colorful characters through their voices.
      Author: Myers, Walter Dean

    Home
      Beautifully illustrated by Thomas Locker, the book contains poems and prose excerpts by well-known writers with a thumbnail sketch about each writer and his home. Endmatter includes a map of the U.S. with dates and locations of the writers.
      Author: Locker, Thomas & Christiansen, Candice

    Hoop Kings
      A dozen NBA stars provide the focus for these poems. In endnotes, the author describes his writing process.
      Author: Smith Jr., Charles R.

    Hoop Queens
      This is a collection of 12 poems about stars of the WNBA. An afterword explains how the poet found a focus for each poem by considering the woman's play.
      Author: Smith Jr., Charles R.

    I Live in Music
      Each line of Shange's poem is placed with one of Romare Bearden's paintings. The book ends with the complete poem, and with short biographies of Shange and Beardon.
      Author: Shange, Ntozake HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Into the Deep Forest: With Henry David Thoreau
      Thoreau's journal entries have been placed into a broader context and are accompanied by stunning paintings and pencil drawings in this 39-page book. The use of present tense verb form may be off putting for some readers.
      Author: Murphy, Jim HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Jazz ABZ
      Each letter of the alphabet introduces a famous jazz musician in a different poetic form. Of particular interest to teachers and students are the biographical sketches of the musicians and excellent notes on the poetic forms. The phenominal art work is
      Author: Marsalis, Wynton HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices
      These poems that celebrate the insect world were written to be read aloud by two voices, sometimes alternating, sometimes simultaneous.
      Author: Fleischman, Paul HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Katie's Trunk
      This book, which provides a glimpse of the beginnings of the American Revolution, is based on a true incident that happened to one of the author's ancestors. It's set around the time of the Boston Tea Party and tells the story of what happened to Katie,
      Author: Turner, Ann HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Knock at a Star (Rev. Ed.)
      Subtitled "A Child's Introduction to Poetry," this book is an anthology of poetry for children (many are also appropriate for adults) organized to make several points about poetry: typical contents, common poetic devices, types of poetic formats, etc. The
      Author: Kennedy. X, & Kennedy, D. (Eds.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    My Mama Had a Dancing Heart
      In simple poetic language, a ballet dancer recalls how she and her mother welcomed the seasons by dancing outdoors and being together.
      Author: Gray, Libba Moore

    My Ol' Man
      Patricia Polacco once again uses her rich family background to tell the story of her father, a traveling salesman, and the magic, hope, and dreams he inspired. (Photos of the author and her family adorn the inside covers.)
      Author: Polacco, Patricia

    Once Upon a Poem: Favorite Poems that Tell Stories
      About a dozen narrative poems are included in this collection. Some will work better in adult literacy situations than others, so teachers will want to excerpt.
      Author: Crossley-Holland, Kevin (compiler) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Poet Slave of Cuba, The: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano
      This true story of 19th Century Cuban poet Juan Francisco Manzano, who was born a slave, is told in free verse from various points of view--the boy, his mother, his father, and his owners.
      Author: Engle, Margarita HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Pond God and Other Stories, The
      This unusual book of one-page pourquoi stories--of how things came to be--follows the tradition of Rudyard Kiplilng's Just So Stories and Aesop's Fables.
      Author: Keyser, Samuel J.

    Raising Yoder's Barn
      After a fire destroys Yoder's barn, the Amish community gathers to build a new one. The gorgeous illustrations extend the reader's view of Amish life. One reader found a "blackface" depiction of a boy, dirty from the ashes, negatively suggestive.
      Author: Yolen, Jane HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Relatively Speaking
      Centered around a family reunion, a boy speaks about his older brother, his parents, grandparents, and extended family in short, easily accessible free verse.
      Author: Fletcher, Ralph

    Romare Bearden
      This biography of the multi-talented artist Romare Bearden is vibrantly illustrated with reproductions of his work. An author's note, a timeline, a bibliography, a glossary, and a list of the locations of art works make the book as useful in the classroo
      Author: Greenberg, Jan HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Song of the Water Boatman
      Employing varied poetic forms and beautiful woodcut illustrations, the book invites the reader to visit the land, water, and underwater life of a pond throughout the seasons.
      Author: Sidman, Joyce HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | science

    Soul Looks Back in Wonder, The
      This lavishly illustrated book is a collection of 13 poems by African American poets such as Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, and Alexis de Veaux.
      Author: Feelings, Tom HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Stone Bench in an Empty Park
      This is a concise introduction to classic and modern haiku poetry with lovely photographs and accessible poetry.
      Author: Paul B. Janeczko HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | language arts - writing

    Sweet Corn
      The poet writes mostly of summer things and illustrates with black pen and watercolor images. One reader found the use of varied type faces disconcerting.
      Author: Stevenson, James

    Tai Chi Morning: Snapshots of China
      The travel journal and poems of the author and the travel sketches of the illustrator combine to depict China a decade ago.
      Author: Grimes, Nikki

    Tale of Paradise Lost, The
      An exquisitly illustrated prose retelling of John Milton's famous poem Paradise Lost.
      Author: Willard, Nancy HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Taste of Salt
      This gripping novel tells the story of two teenagers in Haiti, Djo, one of Aristides' orphaned boys who is hospitalized with terrible injuries, and Jeremie, a convent-educated girl who visits Djo to hear his stories and who begins to fall in love with him
      Author: Temple, Frances

    To Go Singing Through the World
      The childhood of one of Chile's most famous poets is told through a juxtaposition of the author's narrative and Neruda's own words. This beautifully illustrated biography includes excerpts of poems, maps, a time line, and a concise full-life biography.
      Author: Ray, Deborah Kogan HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Tree Is Older Than You Are, The
      In the introduction to this bilingual anthology of Mexican poems, stories, and paintings, the author relates her personal ties to Mexico, "a country of spirit where miracles feel close and possible." The author also includes an excellent index and a Note
      Author: Nye, Naomi (comp.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Twilight Comes Twice
      The author describes in poetic prose the transition from dusk to night and night to dawn and the activities that take place during this quiet time.
      Author: Fletcher, Ralph

    Uptown
      Colorful collage and an easy-reading text belie a very sophisticated tour of Harlem including the Metro-North train, brownstones, shopping on 125th street, a barbershop, summer basketball, the Harlem Boys' Chois, and sunset over the Hudson River
      Author: Collier, Bryan

    Wagon, The
      At the time of Emancipation and Lincoln's death, a young boy, born into slavery, looks back on his anger at slavery and the support of his family as he helps his father build a wagon for the master which later carries them to freedom.
      Author: Johnston, Tony HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Waiting for the Evening Star
      This beautifully illustrated book is about Berty, a small boy who lives a happy life in a Vermont farming community. Berty's life changes when his older brother, Luke, decides to leave the family farm to become a soldier in WWI.
      Author: Wells, Rosemary HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Water Dance
      Told in a first-person poetic narrative with illustrations that elicit emotional responses, water is described in its many forms--clouds, mist, rainbows, and rivers. A separate section explains the water cycle.
      Author: Locker, Thomas HSE Descriptors: science

    Whales, The
      Part poem and part science lesson, this easy-to-read picture book "celebrates the joy and quiet dignity of these gentle giants of the deep" (dust cover).
      Author: Rylant, Cynthia HSE Descriptors: science | language arts - reading

    Winter
      This beautifully illustrated alphabet picture book presents an acrostic poem for words relating to Winter. It is set in the far north and follows the season from the first heavy snowfall to the coming of spring.
      Author: Schnur, Steven HSE Descriptors: language arts - writing | language arts - reading

    Winter Poems
      This collection features 25 poems about different aspects of winter. Several very well known poets are included: Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Frost, Dickinson, Sandburg.
      Author: Rogasky, Barbara (compiler) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Words with Wings
      This riveting collection of paintings, prints, and sculpture by African-American artists enrich poems by outstanding African-American poets. The book includes a beautifully written introduction about the role of art and poetry and brief biographies of th
      Author: Rochelle, Belinda ed. HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    World According to Dog, The
      This is a charming collection of the author's poems and short essays about dogs written by teens.
      Author: Sidman, Joyce

Literature and Language > figurative language > acrostic
    Autumn
      Autumn, an alphabet book of acrostics with linoleum-cut prints, describes the seasonal sights, sounds, and colors.
      Author: Schnur, Steven

    Spring: An Alphabet Acrostic
      Description of spring using acrostic poetry and in alphabetical order. This is one of a series of acrostic books of the seasons. Illustrations are linoleum cuts that are colored by hand. The illustrations support the wonderful language used to show spri
      Author: Schnur, Steven HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | language arts - writing

    Spring: An Alphabet Acrostic
      Description of spring using acrostic poetry and in alphabetical order. This is one of a series of acrostic books of the seasons. Illustrations are linoleum cuts that are colored by hand. The illustrations support the wonderful language used to show spri
      Author: Schnur, Steven HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | language arts - writing

    Summer: An Alphabet Acrostic
      Description of summer using acrostic poetry and told in alphabetical order. This is one of a series of books on the seasons. Illustrations are hand-colored linoleum block prints which support the text very well.
      Author: Schnur, Steven HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | language arts - writing

    Summer: An Alphabet Acrostic
      Description of summer using acrostic poetry and told in alphabetical order. This is one of a series of books on the seasons. Illustrations are hand-colored linoleum block prints which support the text very well.
      Author: Schnur, Steven HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | language arts - writing

    Winter
      This beautifully illustrated alphabet picture book presents an acrostic poem for words relating to Winter. It is set in the far north and follows the season from the first heavy snowfall to the coming of spring.
      Author: Schnur, Steven HSE Descriptors: language arts - writing | language arts - reading

Literature and Language > figurative language > allegory
    Dreamer, The
      A tale or allegorical story in which an artist creates the earth, sky, water, animals, and people, who are artists "in his own image." This simple well known story will be familiar and appreciated by many readers.
      Author: Rylant, Cynthia

    Old African, The
      a beautifully told and illustrated story that, according to the dust jacket, is "based on legend." The Old African has magical powers. This is the story of his capture and enslavement as a young man and ultimately, his plan to free his fellow slaves.
      Author: Lester, Julius HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Pond God and Other Stories, The
      This unusual book of one-page pourquoi stories--of how things came to be--follows the tradition of Rudyard Kiplilng's Just So Stories and Aesop's Fables.
      Author: Keyser, Samuel J.

    Riding the Tiger
      This is an allegory that features a bored, lonely 10-year-old's who is offered a ride by an exciting and somewhat scary tiger and discovers that it is easier to get on the tiger than to get off.
      Author: Bunting, Eve HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Secret-Keeper, The
      This is a fairy tale about Kalli, the secret-keeper, who takes others' secrets on so that they can be released from them. All the bad secrets threaten to make her ill until the townspeople come to her rescue.
      Author: Coombs, Kate

    Sir Gawain & the Green Knight
      The author retells this famous tale of one of the knights of King Arthur's famous Roundtable, in which Gawain accepts a challenge of a giant green knight that leads to further trials at the end of one year. Vivid illustrations contribute to the sense of
      Author: Morpurgo, Michael HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

Literature and Language > figurative language > flashbacks
    Holes
      This story-within-a-story tells of Stanley Yelnats (and his distant relatives, one of whom "cursed" the family), mistakenly sent to a juvenile corrections camp in Texas. At the corrections camp, Stanley finds a real friend, a treasure, and a new sense of
      Author: Sachar, Louis

    Song of Be
      When Be was a child, she and her mother left their people--the Namibian Bushmen--to work on a white man's plantation. Spending time with her grandfather helps her forget how much she misses others. With Namibia on the verge of freedom, Be finds the cour
      Author: Beake, Lesley HSE Descriptors: social studies

Literature and Language > figurative language > imagery
    Big Talk
      Three poems are presented graphically with four color-coded bars to represent four voices for choral reading. The rhythms of the poems progress from easy to more difficult. The author provides a section on "How to read this book" and "Helpful hints."
      Author: Fleischman, Paul

    Black Cat
      A black cat explores an urban neighborhood. The stunning illustrations are a combination of painting and photography.
      Author: Myers, Christopher HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Black Swan White Crow
      The book introduces the reader to Haiku poetry that is accompanied by delicate and suggestive woodcut illustrations.
      Author: Lewis, J. Patricia HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Blacker the Berry, The
      The author explores all the warm colors of skin tones in delicious to the tongue words and images.
      Author: Thomas, Joyce Carol

    Blacker the Berry, The
      The author explores all the warm colors of skin tones in delicious to the tongue words and images.
      Author: Thomas, Joyce Carol

    Books Speak!: Poems about Books
      A delightful collection of poems about books and the joys of reading. This amazing collection of poems about all aspects of books and reading is a fun to read book.
      Author: Salas, Laura Purdie HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | language arts - writing

    Butter Man, The
      The father of a young child recalls a time of poverty and famine in Morocco. Written in descriptive language, this is a story within a story. Rich author's note and glossary help support this read to become a literary event. Folk art paintings by Julie
      Author: Alalou, Elizabeth HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Edna St. Vincent Millay
      This beautifully illustrated collection of poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay includes an introductory biography and an index of the poems.
      Author: Schoonmaker, Frances (ed.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Flight of the Snow Geese, The
      The 3,000 mile migration of the snow goose from the Artic to New Mexico is told with the aid of rhythm, meter, and beautiful watercolor illustrations.
      Author: King, Deborah HSE Descriptors: social studies | science

    Fortune's Bones
      A powerful poem, written in the form of a requiem, recovers the life and reconstructed history of a skeleton used by a Dr. Porter to teach anatomy in Waterbury, Connecticut. The format places author's notes across from sections of the poem told by differ
      Author: Nelson, Marilyn HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    God Went to Beauty School
      An unusually humorous and poignant collection of poems places God in everyday situations as suggested by the title. Some devout Christians may find this book offensive for the light-hearted portrayal of God; some non-Christians may find it annoying.
      Author: Rylant, Cynthia

    Heavenly Village, The
      This is subtitled "A Novel," but it's really more a loosely connected set of short stories, all of which take place in the "Heavenly Village," a place for those who have died but are not quite yet ready to leave earth behind. (Note: religious overtones, i
      Author: Rylant, Cynthia HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Home of the Brave
      In a dream-like story and illustrations, Allen Say captures the infamy, dislocation, and loss experienced by Japanese Americans in the internment camps during World War II.
      Author: Say, Allen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Hoop Kings
      A dozen NBA stars provide the focus for these poems. In endnotes, the author describes his writing process.
      Author: Smith Jr., Charles R.

    Hoop Queens
      This is a collection of 12 poems about stars of the WNBA. An afterword explains how the poet found a focus for each poem by considering the woman's play.
      Author: Smith Jr., Charles R.

    Hoops
      The author and illustrator capture the feel and movement of playing basketball.
      Author: Burleigh, Robert

    In November
      As trees, animals, birds, and insects prepare for winter, people gather in warm homes to give thanks. Beautiful illustrations.
      Author: Rylant, Cynthia HSE Descriptors: science

    In the Shadow of No Towers
      Part personal reaction to 9/11 and part history of newspaper comics, this book is a bit like a graphic novel. It is raw in tone and difficult to follow at spots.
      Author: Spiegelman, Art HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Knock at a Star (Rev. Ed.)
      Subtitled "A Child's Introduction to Poetry," this book is an anthology of poetry for children (many are also appropriate for adults) organized to make several points about poetry: typical contents, common poetic devices, types of poetic formats, etc. The
      Author: Kennedy. X, & Kennedy, D. (Eds.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Langston's Train Ride
      This easy-reading picture book focuses on one episode from Langston Hughes's life--his realization that he WAS a poet. Reference is made to "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" and of the way its ideas developed.
      Author: Burleigh, Robert HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Moby-Dick
      Melville's classic tale of Ahab's obsessive hunt for the great white whale Moby Dick is retold in a format that includes excerpts from the original, summarized passages (each in a different type face), a very helpful glossary, a labeled cross-section of t
      Author: Melville, Herman/Needle, Jan HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Once Upon Ice
      The author and 16 other poets respond in a variety of poetic forms to beautiful photographs of patterns created by ice.
      Author: Yolen, Jane HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus, The
      The story of Peter Mark Roget, creator of Roget's Thesaurus complete with his biography, time line of current events and wonderful illustrations. Both Robert F Sibert medal and Caldecott Honor Book.
      Author: Bryant, Jen HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies | language arts - writing | science

    River of Words, A: The Story of William Carlos Williams
      This relatively easy-reading biography of the American poet and doctor, William Carlos Williams, includes lovely collage illustrations of a few short simple poems, a timeline, and helpful notes from the author and illustrator.
      Author: Bryant, Jen HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Shakespeare, His World and His Work
      This book explores the world of William Shakespeare through beautiful illustrations and diagrams, quotations from plays, a detailed timeline, a bibliography, and a closer look at five plays--A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth, King L
      Author: Rosen, Michael HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Song Shoots Out of My Mouth, The
      This is an exciting collection of vibrantly illustrated poetry about music--classical, jazz, gospel, blues, opera, marching band. Backnotes extend learning about music, artists, and key works.
      Author: Adoff, Jaime HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Spring Thaw
      In this deceptively simple and beautifully illustrated book, the sights and sounds of the first thaw come alive.
      Author: Schnur, Steven

    Stone Bench in an Empty Park
      This is a concise introduction to classic and modern haiku poetry with lovely photographs and accessible poetry.
      Author: Paul B. Janeczko HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | language arts - writing

    Sweet Corn
      The poet writes mostly of summer things and illustrates with black pen and watercolor images. One reader found the use of varied type faces disconcerting.
      Author: Stevenson, James

    Twelfth Night
      This is a narrative retelling of Shakespeare's play. Many of the famous lines are embedded in the narrative.
      Author: Shakespeare, William (retold B. Coville) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Way We Work, The
      A beautiful book that illustrates the way the human body works. Text adds details. A "coffee table" book with scientific facts that one can read a page at at time or use as a reference. With the help of co-author Richard Walker David Macaulay applies his
      Author: Macaulay, David HSE Descriptors: science

Literature and Language > figurative language > metaphor
    Big Jabe
      This tall tale relates how Jabe helped slaves.
      Author: Nolen, Jerdine

    Black Cat
      A black cat explores an urban neighborhood. The stunning illustrations are a combination of painting and photography.
      Author: Myers, Christopher HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Black Swan White Crow
      The book introduces the reader to Haiku poetry that is accompanied by delicate and suggestive woodcut illustrations.
      Author: Lewis, J. Patricia HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Blacker the Berry, The
      The author explores all the warm colors of skin tones in delicious to the tongue words and images.
      Author: Thomas, Joyce Carol

    Blacker the Berry, The
      The author explores all the warm colors of skin tones in delicious to the tongue words and images.
      Author: Thomas, Joyce Carol

    Book
      This very simple and stunningly illustrated poem compares a book to a house, a treasure chest, a farm, and a tree.
      Author: Lyon, George Ella HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea
      This well illustrated book of poetry uses the metaphor of nurturing tea for the extended family.
      Author: Thomas, Joyce Carol HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Edna St. Vincent Millay
      This beautifully illustrated collection of poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay includes an introductory biography and an index of the poems.
      Author: Schoonmaker, Frances (ed.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Heart to Heart
      Contemporary poets create poems in response to works of modern American art. The reproductions are very good. An introduction, index, and biographical notes of poets and artists extend the scope of the book. The poems are uneven in quality.
      Author: Greenberg, Jan (Ed.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Hoop Kings
      A dozen NBA stars provide the focus for these poems. In endnotes, the author describes his writing process.
      Author: Smith Jr., Charles R.

    Hoops
      The author and illustrator capture the feel and movement of playing basketball.
      Author: Burleigh, Robert

    I Dream of Trains
      This is the story of an African-American boy who lives in the South before the Great Migration, who loves trains, and who stands in awe of Casey Jones.
      Author: Johnson, Angela HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Josepha
      A boy narrates the story of his friend and protector, the immigrant young man Josepha, who had to leave school to work.
      Author: McGugan, Jim HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Knock at a Star (Rev. Ed.)
      Subtitled "A Child's Introduction to Poetry," this book is an anthology of poetry for children (many are also appropriate for adults) organized to make several points about poetry: typical contents, common poetic devices, types of poetic formats, etc. The
      Author: Kennedy. X, & Kennedy, D. (Eds.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Leaving and Other Stories, The
      The nine short stories in this collection all feature young people on the brink of adulthood. Although themes vary according to story, most are written as reminiscences. Since the author is Canadian, readers will learn about Canadian culture.
      Author: Wilson, Budge

    Mississippi Mud: Three Prairie Journals
      Three pioneer children recount their trip across the prairie in a series of easy-to-read poems.
      Author: Turner, Ann HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Moby-Dick
      Melville's classic tale of Ahab's obsessive hunt for the great white whale Moby Dick is retold in a format that includes excerpts from the original, summarized passages (each in a different type face), a very helpful glossary, a labeled cross-section of t
      Author: Melville, Herman/Needle, Jan HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    My Ol' Man
      Patricia Polacco once again uses her rich family background to tell the story of her father, a traveling salesman, and the magic, hope, and dreams he inspired. (Photos of the author and her family adorn the inside covers.)
      Author: Polacco, Patricia

    My Own True Name
      This partially bilingual collection of uniformly thoughtful and accessible poems includes many verse forms.
      Author: Mora, Pat

    Night Rainbow, The
      Simple poetic verse describes the Aurora borealis or northern lights from the perspective of legends of several cultures.
      Author: Esbensen, Barbara Juster HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | science

    Now Sheba Sings the Song
      This book consists of one long poem and dozens of sketches of African-American women. It is a sensuous book that celebrates the sexuality, the history, and the strength of Black women.
      Author: Angelou, Maya

    Once Upon Ice
      The author and 16 other poets respond in a variety of poetic forms to beautiful photographs of patterns created by ice.
      Author: Yolen, Jane HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Rabbits, The
      A myth/allegory about rabbits who take over a country and destroy the environment. The illustrations are simultaneously thought-provoking, beautiful, and ominous. The type face may confuse new readers although it is large and easy to read.
      Author: Marsden, John

    Song of the Water Boatman
      Employing varied poetic forms and beautiful woodcut illustrations, the book invites the reader to visit the land, water, and underwater life of a pond throughout the seasons.
      Author: Sidman, Joyce HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | science

    Song Shoots Out of My Mouth, The
      This is an exciting collection of vibrantly illustrated poetry about music--classical, jazz, gospel, blues, opera, marching band. Backnotes extend learning about music, artists, and key works.
      Author: Adoff, Jaime HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Spring Thaw
      In this deceptively simple and beautifully illustrated book, the sights and sounds of the first thaw come alive.
      Author: Schnur, Steven

    Way We Work, The
      A beautiful book that illustrates the way the human body works. Text adds details. A "coffee table" book with scientific facts that one can read a page at at time or use as a reference. With the help of co-author Richard Walker David Macaulay applies his
      Author: Macaulay, David HSE Descriptors: science

Literature and Language > figurative language > palindromes
    Go Hang a Salami!
      The author has created and illustrated humorous palindromes, or phrases that read the same backward and forward.
      Author: Agee, Joh

Literature and Language > figurative language > symbolism
    America's White Table
      A simple story about a family's Veterans' Day dinner preparation is used to tell the true story of the white tables set for POWs/MIAs.
      Author: Raven, Margot HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Black Swan White Crow
      The book introduces the reader to Haiku poetry that is accompanied by delicate and suggestive woodcut illustrations.
      Author: Lewis, J. Patricia HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Butterfly, The
      During the Nazi occupation of France, Monique discovers that her mother is a member of the Resistance, and that a secret trap door conceals a Jewish family in hiding. Monique and the secret "guest" become nighttime playmates until terror threatens.
      Author: Polacco, Patricia HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Catskill Eagle, A
      The book quotes a few lines from Melville's classic, Moby Dick. The art is beautifully evocative and turns the book into more of a coffee table art book than a typical picture book.
      Author: Melville, Herman HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Follow the Drinking Gourd
      Peg Leg Joe travels from plantation to plantation teaching slaves the song "Follow the Drinking Gourd," which conceals directions for the route north to freedom. The book follows one slave family as they are directed north to the Underground Railroad and
      Author: Winter, Jeanette HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Fortune's Bones
      A powerful poem, written in the form of a requiem, recovers the life and reconstructed history of a skeleton used by a Dr. Porter to teach anatomy in Waterbury, Connecticut. The format places author's notes across from sections of the poem told by differ
      Author: Nelson, Marilyn HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    Freedom's Fruit
      Mama Marina, a conjure woman in the Low Country of the Carolinas in the time of slavery, uses a magic spell to free her daughter and the man she loves. The book includes an Author's Note that compares the American folktale with the Greek myth of Persepho
      Author: Hooks, William

    Give Me A Sign
      This colorfully illustrated book explores the universality of the language of signs from uses of signs in everyday life to wordless pictograms. A glossary provides useful definitions.
      Author: Samoyault, Tiphaine HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Home of the Brave
      In a dream-like story and illustrations, Allen Say captures the infamy, dislocation, and loss experienced by Japanese Americans in the internment camps during World War II.
      Author: Say, Allen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    I Dream of Trains
      This is the story of an African-American boy who lives in the South before the Great Migration, who loves trains, and who stands in awe of Casey Jones.
      Author: Johnson, Angela HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Knock at a Star (Rev. Ed.)
      Subtitled "A Child's Introduction to Poetry," this book is an anthology of poetry for children (many are also appropriate for adults) organized to make several points about poetry: typical contents, common poetic devices, types of poetic formats, etc. The
      Author: Kennedy. X, & Kennedy, D. (Eds.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Langston's Train Ride
      This easy-reading picture book focuses on one episode from Langston Hughes's life--his realization that he WAS a poet. Reference is made to "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" and of the way its ideas developed.
      Author: Burleigh, Robert HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Last Giants, The
      During the days of sailing ships a European gentleman buys a mysterious tooth with a map on it which takes him on a long adventure to a land of peaceful giants. When he writes a book about his travels, tragic events occur. The illustrations are reminisc
      Author: Place, Francois HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Musicians of the Sun
      This beautifully illustrated book of an Aztec myth of the beginning of the earth celebrates Native American folktales.
      Author: McDermott, Gerald HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Mysterious Thelonious
      Chris Raschka has blended musical notes with glorious color to make the reader see how Thelonious Monk's music would appear on paper. Reading the words on the page resembles reading musical notes on a scale rather than the traditional left-to-right, top-
      Author: Raschka, Chris HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    One Yellow Daffodil: A Hanukkah Story
      Morris Kaplan, a Holocaust survivor, owns a flower shop that two children visit each Friday to buy Sabbath flowers. The children are surprised to learn that their friend Morris hasn't celebrated Hanukkah since his childhood. They insist that he join the
      Author: Adler, David HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Pledge of Allegiance, The
      This book illustrates the phrases in the Pledge of Allegiance with photographs. Included is a description of what the pledge means (literally), dates to diplay the flag, and some basic flag history.
      Author: No author cited HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Riding the Tiger
      This is an allegory that features a bored, lonely 10-year-old's who is offered a ride by an exciting and somewhat scary tiger and discovers that it is easier to get on the tiger than to get off.
      Author: Bunting, Eve HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Secret-Keeper, The
      This is a fairy tale about Kalli, the secret-keeper, who takes others' secrets on so that they can be released from them. All the bad secrets threaten to make her ill until the townspeople come to her rescue.
      Author: Coombs, Kate

    This Land is My Land
      By telling his own story in words and in art, Littlefield describes what it is to be Native-American in the United States. He pays tribute to his ancestors and to the Native-American culture and history.
      Author: Littlechild, George

    Through the Mickle Woods
      The king is grieving for his dead wife, but with the help of a wise bear and a young boy learns the three lessons about living and loving.
      Author: Gregory, Valiska

    Tin Forest, The
      An old man living in a wasteland of scrap metal dreams of a green forest full of birds and animals. This charming, beautifully illustrated modern legend extolls the benefits of dreaming and ideas in accomplishing change.
      Author: Ward, Helen

    Veil of Snows, The
      In the absence of her husband who has not returned from battle, the queen prepares her city for assault. Aided by a small force of loyal soldiers and the Singer of Tales who narrates the story, the queen escapes the besieged city and heads for the safety
      Author: Helprin, Mark HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Wagon, The
      At the time of Emancipation and Lincoln's death, a young boy, born into slavery, looks back on his anger at slavery and the support of his family as he helps his father build a wagon for the master which later carries them to freedom.
      Author: Johnston, Tony HSE Descriptors: social studies


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