The Polar Express

The Polar Express

Written and Illustrated by: Chris Van Allsburg
Genre: Fantasy and Science Fiction
Grades: K-5
Awards: Caldecott Medal

This book follows a boy, who on Christmas Eve, aboard a train that ended up at his house front steps. The conductor of this train explained that they are on the Polar Express and is on their way to the North Pole. The boy got on the train and saw other young children, sitting around, eating candies, drinking hot chocolate, and singing Christmas carols. The train traveled through the forests, a mountain, hills, plains, and then arrived at the North Pole. At first, the children did not see any elves, but the conductor explained that everyone is at the center of the city, waiting for Santa to give out the first gift of Christmas. All of the children got off the train and was standing at the center of the city with Santa. Santa selected the boy to pick and say what ever gift he really wanted. The boy expressed that he could have picked any gift in the world, but he wanted a silver bell from Santa's sleigh. Santa happily gave the boy the bell as the first gift of Christmas. It was time for Santa to leave to deliver the rest of the world's presents. The children went back on the train and they insisted on seeing the sleigh bell that the boy received. The boy went through his pockets but the bell could not be found. It was too late to get off the train to go searching for the bell. Once the boy arrived back at home, he went to sleep to await Christmas morning. In the morning, the boy and his sister went through all of their presents and his sister found a small box with her brother's name on it. The boy opened it and it was the sleigh bell that he lost from the night before. When he shook the bell, only him and his sister were only to hear the bell and not his parents. As years pass by, his little sister eventually were not able to hear the bell anymore, but it was only him that was able to hear it as he still believed.

This is a classic book that my elementary teachers would read to my class every Christmas time. This book is needed in every class and classroom library. This book is good for all grades from Kindergarten to fifth grade. I would have my students talk with each other what present they would love to have and I would also watch the movie of this book in my class.

They All Saw A Cat

They All Saw A Cat

Written and Illustrated by: Brendan Wenzel
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Grades: K-3
Awards: Caldecott Honor

This book follows a cat that explores the world. This book displays beautiful illustrations of what other animals perspectives of the cat. The pictures shows what a child, dog, fox, fish, mouse, bee, bird, flea, snake, skunk, worm, and a bat see of the cat. For example, a dog would see the cat as a skinny, scary cat, the fish see the cat all big and blurry, the bee see the cat in all dots and circles, and the flea see the cat by just his fur. The story ends with the cat walking up to a lake and seeing himself and the book asks the reader what we think the cat saw when he saw himself. 

I enjoy this book and would love to have this in my classroom. The illustrations are beautiful and it will most definitely have the students engaged. This book would be perfect for Kindergartners to fifth grade. An activity is for students to draw and explain themselves what these animals would see of them, like how would a snake see a human.  

Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus!

Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus!

Written and Illustrated by: Mo Willems
Genre: Fantasy
Grades: K-3
Awards: Caldecott Honor

This is a fun book that interacts with the reader. There is a bus driver that has to step away for a bit, but there is also a pigeon that desperately wants to drive the bus. The bus driver tells the reader to not let the pigeon drive the bus while he is away. The pigeon talks to the reader and try to convince the reader to let him drive the bus. The pigeon tells the reader that the pigeon will steer and that his cousin drives a bus almost every day, trying to support his idea. The pigeon tells the reader that he would pay five bucks, that the reader's mom would let him drive, that he'll be your best friend, and that he has his own dreams of being a bus driver. The bus driver comes back and the pigeon is scared away, until he sees an empty eighteen wheeler. 

I would love to have this book in my classroom as this is a fun interaction with the students during a read aloud. The students will be laughing and answering the questions that the pigeon asks. This book would be good for Kindergartners to third graders. For an activity, I would let my students come up with their own story if they did allow the pigeon to drive and what adventures he would experience.