The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (HF) by John Boyne is about a boy who meets a new friend at a camp. Unfortunately they don‘t know he is in a concentration camp. It is a heartbreaking story that takes place during World War Two. This would be good for PR so students can discuss what happens as they read. UDL 3.3 Guide information processing and visualization. EL Strategy 1 Teach questioning for clarification.
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Imagine what life would be like when you are ten years old in the middle of a war. Well for Annemarie in Number The Stars (HF) it‘s just that. Her and her family must escape to safety and out of harms way. This Newbury award winner is ideal for a CR so students can ask questions as they read along. UDL 4.1 Vary the methods for response and navigation.
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This Pulitzer prize winning (B) book about J. Robert Oppenheimer talks about him as well as his work on creating the bombs that were used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It was really cool to read about and almost takes you into the past. This biography would be ideal for IR as the students can use it for book reports or science projects. UDL 6.3 Facilitate meaningful information and resources.
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Before Selena Gomez, there was Selena. Who Was Selena (B) tells how she came to be. Everything from her home life to school to her singing career is included. This book is great for a RA during a lesson on music or important woman. Plus the publisher of the book Who HQ has numerous other biographies from The NY Times best selling series.
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The Hunger Games (SF) by Suzanne Collins follows Katniss Everdeen, a teenager who helps provide for her family, as she fights for survival in an annual game that you don‘t want to be in. The book gets somewhat violent so it would be mainly for high schoolers as an IR or LC. UDL 8.4 Increase mastery-oriented feedback. EL Strategy 38 Assign short readings for homework.
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In this book, almost anything is possible! Bill Martin Jr‘s Big Book of Poetry (P) has a wide range of poems ranging from silly to serious. This book would be great for CR so the kids can see the lines of the poems as well as the pictures. UDL 5.3 Build fluencies with graduates levels of support for practice and performance. EL Strategy 14 Simplify your speech by making it slower and redundant.
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Divergent (SF) written by Veronica Roth tells how the world would be if you had to take a test and be placed in a certain group based on those results. It‘s not all fun and games in this novel though. This would be a great LC book for 6-12. UDL 8.2 Vary demands and resources to optimize challenge. EL strategy 37 Use language experience techniques in discussing concepts and ideas.
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Each Kindess (RF, Jane Addams Award) by Jacqueline Woodson is an absolute must read! It teaches a valuable lesson about kindness and how judgement affects us. I will definitely be using this in my classroom. It works as a RA but can be made into a S! A bonus is the illustrations by E. B. Lewis! UDL 7.2 Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity. EL Strategy 11 Place language in meaningful context.
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Ever wonder what it was like during the summer of 1919 in Chicago? A Few Red Drops (NF, Coretta Scott King Award) tells you all about it. This covers everything about the race riot from how it started to all of its effects on the city of Chicago. It is interesting to read about the past however saddening as it is about a massive riot. This book should be used for an IR. UDL 3.1 Activate Or supply background knowledge.
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Towers Falling (RF) by Jewel Parker Rhodes is about a fifth grade girl who goes an a journey to discover herself as well as our country. She also learns about the tragic day in 2001. This novel is the perfect IR for classes, especially during September. It is such a good read! UDL 9.3 Develop self-assessment and reflection. EL Strategy 49 Give students pre-lexicon assignments when introducing new topics.
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A classic fable with your favorite big red dog! The Three Little Pigs and The Big Red Dog (TL) is a twist of the original story of the three little pigs. When I was little, Clifford the Big Red Dog was one of my favorites so it‘s cool to see the two combined. Really cute RA for kindergarteners. UDL 3.2 Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships. EL Strategy 6 Continually monitor students‘ comprehension.
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An Illustration from the picture book with all the carrots! Creepy Carrots! (F, Caldecott Honor) written by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by Peter Brown makes you rethink the whole veggie thing. This would be perfect for a RA during a unit on healthy eating. UDL 1.3 Offer alternatives for visual information. EL Strategy 15 Reinforce the key ideas you present again and again. 🥕
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I Am Not A Chair (F, SSYRA) by Ross Burach is such a cute story. I love the hidden message behind the simple concept: I am not a chair! This is ideal for a RT as well as a RA! It‘s perfect to use in K-2! UDL 3.2 Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships. EL Strategy 3 Encourage self-talk (positive thinking).
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Wishtree (F) by Katherine Applegate is beautifully written. It is told by the main character who tells the story of how he came to be. Not only is it a great story, it has an amazing overall message. Using this book for LC or a RA is something I will definitely be doing in my future classroom! UDL 6.3 Facilitate managing information and resources.
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My grandmother who has passed gave me this book in 2004 and have loved it ever since! Where the Sidewalk Ends (P) written & illustrated by Shel Silverstein is full of poems that tell stories of all emotion from happy to sad. It is great for PR as the poems are short and students can take turns reading. UDL 7.1 Optimize individual choice and autonomy. EL strategy 38 Assign short readings for homework.
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The Newbury medal seal says it all. The One And Only Ivan (F) is a novel written by Katherine Applegate. It follows Ivan, a silverback gorilla, who lives his life day to day in his domain. However his domain isn‘t what you think it would be. His domain is a cage in a mall off of a highway. Although he cannot do much, he makes the most of it with his friends ranging from a baby elephant to a little girl. Highly recommend!
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