Jimi Sounds Like a Rainbow

Author: Gary Golio

Title: Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow

Illustrator: Javaka Steptoe

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Informational

Theme: Creativity in music

Primary and Secondary Characters: Jimi Hendrix

Awards: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award

Publishing Company: Clarion Books

Date of Publication: 2010

Brief Summary and How to Use With Students:

                When Jimi Hendrix was a young boy he began to wonder, can a person paint pictures with sounds. With every turn of the page we learn more about just how creative and talented young Jimi was. The illustrations are done in an abstract kind of view of the world around Jimi. The focus of the page is always on Jimi whom is a faded figure against the vibrant background.

                Jimi Sounds Like a Rainbow is just a wonderful book for any grade.Some of Jimi’s struggles can  be shared with students of an older audience to discuss what life was like when Jimi was breaking through as an artist. This would be a fantastic book to read to children in a music class to introduce one of the greatest guitar players of his time.  It also is a fun book to use to promote students to follow their dreams. A fun activity for art teachers would be to play a tape of Jimi Hendrix playing the guitar and to have students paint what they feel from listening to the music. 

The Voice that Challenged a Nation

Author: Russell Freedman

Title: The Voice that Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights

Illustrator: None

Genre: Chapter Book

Subgenre: Bibliography

Theme: The life of Marian Anderson.

Primary and Secondary Characters: Marian Anderson, Anna Anderson, Tenor Hayes, Giuseppe Boghetti, Eleanor Roosevelt, Orpheus Fisher, Franz Rupp

Awards: Newberry Honor Book, Robert F. Sibert Medal

Publishing Company: Clarion Books

Date of Publication: 2004

Brief Summary and How to Use With Students:

                Even as a child Marian Anderson had a dream to make a career for herself as a singer. Even bigger than her dream was her talent that blessed her with the opportunity to change America with a single voice. The Voice that Challenged a Nation is a heartwarming story of the journey taken by Marian Anderson, a black woman, who pursued her dream during a time of segregation in America.

                This book is directed more toward children in fifth grade. It can be used for a language arts class when going over what a bibliography is. Students can follow the reading by writing out their own story of a dream they are pursuing or a past accomplishment they have achieved.    It can go along with a history discussion on segregation or be a part of a book reading for black history month. It can be used in a music class to help showcase the different styles of music and students can even listen to songs sung by Marian Anderson. 

What Makes the Seasons?

Author: Megan Montague Cash

Title: What Makes the Seasons?

Illustrator: Megan Montague Cash

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Juvenile Literature

Theme:  How plants grow and respond to seasonal changes.

Primary and Secondary Characters:  None 

Awards: None Found

Publishing Company: Penguin Group

Date of Publication: 2003

Brief Summary and How to Use With Students:

                What Makes the Seasons is packed full of educational teachings and do not know where the praises should begin. This book begins by discussing the four seasons and what happens to cause the seasons to change. It also shows cute pictures and describes how and why animals hibernate. Every turn of the page brings about a new learning concept that can be used with almost any elementary grade level.

For kindergarten this book would be great for discussing what makes each season different. Students can discuss the characteristics associated with the seasons as well. An example, students could describe winter by saying it is cold and snowy.  For first grade students can learn how to use adjectives to describe the seasons. Students can also begin learning about what plants need to grow and why they grow in spring and summer time. Second grade students can begin to build on their prior knowledge of plant growth and start learning about a plants life cycle. Third grade students can begin to learn about why animals hibernate. Fourth graders are introduced with photosynthesis and can expand on their knowledge of a plants life cycle and how they grow. They also can compare the living conditions of Earth with other planets. Fifth graders can learn how the earth’s rotation and tilt causes our days and seasons to change.  

Pumpkin Pumpkin

Author: Jeanne Titherington

Title: Pumpkin Pumpkin

Illustrator: Jeanne Titherington

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Life-cycle of a pumpkin.

Primary and Secondary Characters: Jamie (boy)

Awards: None Found

Publishing Company: Harper Collins Publishers

Date of Publication: 1990

Brief Summary and How to Use With Students:

                This story describes the life cycle of a pumpkin. It is a great read for kindergarten or fist graders and is an AR book as well. While reading this story teacher can explain the life cycle of a pumpkin as well as the life cycle of other organisms as well. The book would be great to read around Halloween or before a class trip to a pumpkin patch. 

The Little Red Hen

Author: Paul Galdone

Title: The Little Red Hen

Illustrator: Paul Galdone

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Traditional Literature

Theme: Always do your part.

Primary and Secondary Characters: Little Red Hen, Dog, Cat, Mouse

Awards: None Found

Publishing Company: Clarion Books 

Date of Publication: 2001

Brief Summary and How to Use With Students:

                When little red hen is left to do all the choirs around the house she will also be the only one to receive the rewards. The moral of the story, everyone should do their part to help.

                This book would be great to use with children to teach them to always do their part. It can also be used to teach students about traditional literature and be an option for students to read.