Frog and Toad Together

Frog and Toad Together

Author/Illustrator: Arnold Lobel
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Awards: Newbery Honor Award
Age Level: 4-8 years old

Summary: Toad starts his day by waking up and making a list of what he has to do today. He wakes up (crosses that off), he eats breakfast (crosses that off), and he heads to frogs house (crosses that off). Toad and Frog are best friends and they love spending time together. They decided to go on a relaxing walk, because that was next on the list, and Toad lost his to-do list to the wind! So Frog goes on a search to find the list for him because Toad does know that he does not have "go find lost to-do list" on his list. Frog is very grateful to have a brave friend like Toad. Frog and Toad learn that it's okay to be scared or be brave, as long as they are there together supporting each other. This witty children's novel is attention-grabbing, fun, and challenges the reader to think about their own relationships.

Illustrations are present throughout the whole book, although they are more of a sub note to the text. Readers do see a few illustrations of Frog and Toad, being pale light green, full of expressions, and ready for adventure.

In my classroom, I would use this book to read a couple pages daily and allow the students to make predictions of what Frog and Toad will do next in the story. I would also have students reflect in their journals some other fun things they like to do with their friends.

Because of Winn-Dixie

Because of Winn-Dixie

Author/Illustrator: Kate Dicamillo
Genre: Fiction
Awards: Newbery Honor Medal
Age Level: 9-12 years old

Summary: A ten-year-old girl named Opal has recently moved to a small town in Florida. She is left feeling lonely in this new place without any friends. Opal is at the grocery store one day and sees a mangy puppy ransacking the store. She first describes him as "ugly" but soon falls in love once the store manager is threatening to take him to the pound. So then, Opal decides to take him home and name him, Winn-Dixie. As  Opal grows and begins befriending the people in the town, she learns more about her mother who left her and her father when she was a little girl. Friends such as Gloria Dump, Otis, and even Sweetie Pie impact her life and teach her many life lessons. Opal and her father are presented with many opportunities throughout the book to grow and learn more about each other. At the beginning, her father seems to be  closed-off emotionally. By the end of the book, Opal and her father have learned to trust each other therefore grow a deeper connection. Because of Winn-Dixie is a book about finding acceptance in oneself, having courage through scary times, and understanding  that friendship is worth the journey.

Illustrations were not present throughout the book, Because of Winn-Dixie.

Once the students have all read the novel as a class, I would allow the students to have a movie day so that they can watch the film for what they just read. This would lead to an activity involving the comprehension and understandings of the similarities and differences between the book and the movie.

Charlotte's Web

Genre: Modern Fantasy
Author: E. B. White
Awards: Newbery Honor Book (1953) and Hornbook Fanfare (1953)
Age Group: 6+ years old

Summary: From the very beginning of this children's tale, there is one pig who gets labeled "runt of the litter," by a little girl named Fern's father. Once he tells her the pigs fate, she quickly tries to save the little "runt" and asks to keep him as her pet. After pleading, her father allows her to keep the pig and she names him Wilbur. Next, Fern meets a spider who becomes a trusting and loyal friend. They begin to work together to save Wilbur after he has gotten bigger and the family wants to sell him. Charlotte, the spider, devises a plan to save the day. She uses every last bit of energy she has to weave words into her web to help save Wilbur such as, "SOME PIG" and "RADIANT." Charlotte wins over the crowd and convinces the people that his is one special pig. Once she knows Wilbur is safe, she passes away leaving all 514 of her spider eggs. Wilber now has many new spider friends and wont be lonely ever again.