Elementary school | Page 15 of 19

A Bucket of Questions, a curious illustrated book you didn’t know you need

We started out one of our recent YouTube videos by stating something along the lines of “getting kids to ask the question is the important part about discovery and loving STEM.” In theory, if you’re going by a book’s title, A Bucket of Questions is an illustrated look at some questions that the elementary school audience has. What are hot dogs made of? and What’s at the bottom of the ocean? are just a couple of the questions that are posed to young audiences. The punch line to the book is alluded to in its full title, A Bucket of Questions almost answered by Tim Fite. ‘almost answered’ is not the sort of qualifier that one would use with a STEM, Q & A, or factoid book, and once you thumb through it you’ll know why it’s there.

A Bucket of Questions is not a reference book. Instead, it’s a silly, absurd illustrated book that’s intent on having fun and encouraging kids to ask questions.

Seeking the ministry of silly walks are you?

I Can’t Draw, an immediate illustrated book classic for elementary school

Max is an elementary school-aged kid. He also says that he can’t draw. I Can’t Draw is a great time of an illustrated book that dances between the first and third person as Max tries to convince readers that he can’t draw. This is the sibling book of The Day the Crayons Quit and Battle Bunny, which represent two fabulous books that are in our forever library. It teaches a mild lesson without being preachy, but has the main goal of being fun to read, which it effortlessly does for kindergarten through third, or maybe even fourth grade.

I Can’t Draw is an illustrated book that is funny from the get-go and only gets better the more times that you read it.

Make room on the forever book shelf for this one

The Golden Age, 2,000-year-old poems retold for kids today

We’re not worthy, quoted Wayne Campbell. The Golden Age is a children’s illustrated book that presents 17 of Ovid’s poems in story form. Without context, the writings from a two-century deceased poet that Augustus exiled to the Black Sea are not the sort of readings that tempt young audiences. However, when it’s paired with esoteric artwork that has a timeless appeal to it, combined with this style of writing it’s elevated to something greater than the sum of its parts.

The Golden Age is presented here in a package that’s retold for children. The art is gorgeous and the succinct text is perfect for those kids and creation folk tales.

Ovid, dropping knowledge like he did 2,000 years ago

STEAM Tales The Wizard of Oz, the text and science of Dorothy’s tale

STEAM Tales The Wizard of Oz is not a word-for-word retelling of the classic book by L. Frank Baum. Nor is it a twisted version of the Yellow Brick that changes the tone and heart of the story in favor of accentuating certain characters. This is a truncated version of The Wizard of Oz text that inserts four instances of science, and two STEAM activities for kids to do in each chapter. It’s not as far-fetched or as uninteresting as you might think, let’s take a look at an example.

STEAM Tales The Wizard of Oz retells aspects of the classic story, spotlighting engineering, math and science aspects of the yellow brick road.

Follow the STEAM Yellow brick road

Stanley’s Secret, a charming read-aloud that talks to kids

A ball is just a ball unless it’s an oval, and then sometimes it could be more oblong in nature. However, kids in elementary school will still play with a ball. The lesson that’s illustrated in Stanley’s Secret is similar to the ‘ball’ that kids will play with. Most kids have a thing, a thing that they do well or love to do, but they might keep it a secret from others. Stanley’s Secret isn’t a bad secret, it’s just a thing that he’s traditionally done by himself at home, in front of his two pet mice.

Stanley’s Secret is a charming illustrated book about your talents, embracing them and having the confidence to share them with the world.

sHHH…IT’S A FUN BOOK THAT TEACHES…….DON’T TELL THE KIDS

City Spies City of the Dead goes 4 out of 4 in this mglit must-read series

The really great books have readers hoping that the book doesn’t end on a cliffhanger or on some absurd happening. An otherwise fabulous book that’s built up to a satisfying ending cheapens the entire affair when all of the events are for naught. It turns out to have been a dream. A long-forgotten relative appears at the door or they jump off into the sunset to their mortal peril…unless there’s a sequel. City Spies City of the Dead is the fourth book in this series that’s built on its predecessor with ease and a sense of plot satisfaction. It’s done this while leaving clues as to something much bigger that all of the books are building to.

City Spies City of the Dead, City Spies 4, continues to rip around the world as a must-read mglit series that builds and improves the story.

People in your house will wrestle over who’s the first to read it

Little Pea, a super-cute read-aloud book that rises to the challenge

Little Pea is one of those books. It’s a book that’s meant to be read aloud to toddlers through first-grade students. The text is simple. The illustrations are cute, very detailed in a cartoon fashion, and relentlessly happy. With great read-aloud books, the magic happens when you read it and combine everything together. That’s what happens when you read Little Pea to children.

Little Pea is a very simple book with a message crawlers through first will enjoy and grin at, with art that’s as detailed or as simple as you need it to be.

A book in a 3 to eight minute pinch

When Things Aren’t Going Right Go Left, a can-do book on positive vibes

If you’re looking for a sign, this is it. I use that sometimes when I teach. I’ll write “Sign” on the board, and put a border around it, then stake it as if it’s posted in the ground. When Things Aren’t Going Right, Go Left is an illustrated book that is rife with metaphors, double-meaning words and positive vibes. It’s an unlikely book that’s an empowering take on how young school-aged children can overcome anything just by thinking in a more positive manner. The book also tackles an angle that elementary students aren’t told enough, and that’s the fact that everybody has something. And that you and your something are OK if you put it down for a bit and give it a rest.

When Things Aren’t Going Right Go Left is a positive, can-do illustrated book about how doubts are normal, but leaving them behind is possible.

WHen lessons and comfort book food intersect