Module 4: Picture Book 10

A.   Author	Jacqueline Briggs
B.    Title	Snowflake Bentley
C.    Illustrator	Mary Azarian
D.   Readability Score	Lexile 830L,  DRA 28-30,  Grade Equivalent: 4.1
E.    Genre	Biography
F.    Subgenre	Photography
G.   Theme	Winter, Photography
H.   Primary and Secondary Characters	Primary: Wilson Bentley Secondary: family members, townspeople
I.      Awards/Date of Publication	Awards: 1999 Caldecott Medal Published: December 28, 2009
J.     Publishing Company	Sandpiper
K.   ISBN Number	978-0547248295
L.    Summary	This is an amazing biography of Wilson Bentley’s showing his fascination with snowflakes. It all began when he was a small boy and he would try to catch the snowflakes.  He wanted to take pictures of them so his mother and father sold their cow for a camera.  He took many pictures and put together books and slide shows for the people in his town.  He captured the brilliance of snowflakes and revealed that no two are alike.
M.  Picture of Book Cover
N.   Usage with students	This book could be used when studying winter weather.  It could be used as a mentor text for a unit study on snowflakes and winter.

Module 4: Picture Book 9

A.   Author	Janet Stevens
B.    Title	Tops & Bottoms
C.    Illustrator	Janet Stevens
D.   Readability Score	Lexile 580L,  DRA 20,  Grade Equivalent: 3.8
E.    Genre	Fiction
F.    Subgenre	Fables, Folk Tales, and Myths
G.   Theme	Conflict Resoluition
H.   Primary and Secondary Characters	Primary: Hare and Bear Secondary: Hare’s family
I.      Awards/Date of Publication	Awards: Caldecott Honor Book Published: March 29, 1995
J.     Publishing Company	Scholastic, Inc.
K.   ISBN Number	0-590-97550-1
L.    Summary	Tops and Bottoms is a cute picture book with pictures covering the two-page spread vertically from top to bottom.  Hare and Bear form a partnership in order to fulfill both of their needs.  Bear is lazy and has lots of money and land.  Hare and his family were in poor and hungry due to a risky bet where he had lost all of his land.  The two went into business together agreeing that Bear would get the top halves of the crops and Hare the bottoms.  Hare was a trickster and got the better end of the deal.
M.  Picture of Book Cover
N.   Usage with students	This book can be used during Science when covering plant parts, in health when discussing healthy foods, or reading for the main idea.

Module 3: Picture Book 8

A.   Author	Karen Ackerman
B.    Title	Song and Dance Man
C.    Illustrator	Stephen Gammell
D.   Readability Score	Lexile 760L,  DRA 38,  Grade Equivalent: 4.5
E.    Genre	Fiction
F.    Subgenre	Realism
G.   Theme	American History
H.   Primary and Secondary Characters	Primary: Grandpa, grandchildren Secondary: Grandma
I.      Awards/Date of Publication	Awards: Caldecott Award Winner Published: January 14, 2003
J.     Publishing Company	Knopf Books for Young Readers
K.   ISBN Number	0394893301
L.    Summary	Grandpa was once a great dancer on the vaudeville stage.  He relives his past with his grandchildren in the attic of his home when they come over to visit.  In the attic he opens an old trunk full of his old tap shoes and supplies.  He puts on a marvelous show for his grandchildren.  They believe it to be a better show than any they have seen on television.  The children love his songs and dancing.  After the show they return downstairs, and grandpa looks back remembering the good old days on the vaudeville stage.
M.  Picture of Book Cover
N.   Usage with students	This book would be great in social studies when discussing family and memories.  The students could write about what they do when they go to grandma or grandpa’s house.  It is difficult for students to understand time and how things have changed.  Students could create memory boxes with past experiences.