Annotated Bibliography
Chapter Books
Heidi
Author: Johanna Spyri Publication Date: August 28, 2014 Type: Chapter Book Genre: Children’s Literature Age: 8-14 years Awards: None Heidi by Johanna Spyri is a novel about a young orphan girl named Heidi that goes to live with her grandfather in the mountainous Alps. She enjoys playing in the mountains with the goats and her friend Peter. Heidi loves playing up in the mountains because it is peaceful and an escape from her complicated life. Children often use play as a coping mechanism to escape from a difficult situation. Even though Heidi loves being at her grandfathers, she is still left with the tragedy of being an orphan. This book has a more difficult reading level, meant for older children. I would recommend Heidi to children who are going through difficult family circumstances because it is important for children to know they are not the only one experiencing hurt or pain. This book has a gloomier feel than books such as Winnie-the-Pooh or Little House in the Big Woods. http://heidi-children-story-books.all-about-switzerland.info Winnie-the-Pooh
Author: A.A. Milne Publication Date: September 3, 2009 Type: Chapter Book GenreFiction, Children’s Literature Age: 3+ Awards: none Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne is a classic children’s novel. Christopher Robin is an only child who lives in the Hundred Acre Woods. He has many friends that live in the woods that he plays with any chance he gets. This book is filled with fascinating stories about the adventures of Pooh, Christopher Robin, and their friends. This story encourages children to be creative and adventurous because of the characters that brilliantly embody a child’s playful spirit and colorful imagination. Winnie-the-Pooh is a cheerful children’s story that introduces young children to beginning level chapter books. I would recommend this book to all children. This book might be beneficial for children who are an only child because Christopher Robin is also an only child. The child could easily connect to Christopher Robin’s character in this way. Christopher Robin has lots of fun with his friends in the Hundred Acre Woods even though he does not have any siblings. http://www.edocere.org/book_summaries/winnie_the_pooh.htm |
Pirates Past Noon
Author: Mary Pope Osborn Publication Date: March 8, 1994 Type: Chapter Book Genre: Adventure, Series, Fantasy, Speculative Fiction Age: 6-9 years Awards: None Pirates Past Noon by Mary Pope Osborn is book number four in her series. In this chapter book, Jack and Annie are swept off to a pirate island because Annie wished to travel to a place she saw in a book in their Magic Tree House. Once they are on the island they must set out to try and find the buried treasure before Cap’n Bones does. Throughout this whole series Jack and Annie travel to various places they find in books trying to reach a different goal during each adventure. This book encourages imaginative play because of the adventurous life of Jack and Annie. Children love this series because of the high level of excitement and the risks that the characters take in every book. This book or series is appropriate for children who are maturing out of picture books and beginning to read chapter books. These books include a few pictures within the text to help the children visualize the places that Jack and Annie journey to. This book is an easier read than most of the other chapter books in this list. These books could also be useful for teaching children about different areas in the world in a fun and exciting way. |
My Father’s Dragon
Author: Ruth Stiles Gannett Publication Date: December 18, 2013 Type: Chapter Book Genre: Adventure, Classics, Comedy and Humor, Fantasy Age: 7+ years Award: Newbery Honor My Father’s Dragon is about a young boy named Elmer Elevator who learns about a dragon held captive on Wild Island. Elmer bravely journeys to rescue the dragon and set him free. Elmer faces many dangerous animals along the way, but he is determined to save the dragon. This novel awakens children’s imagination through Elmer’s adventurous voyage to Wild Island. My Father’s Dragon could encourage imaginative play in children’s lives as they pretend to journey to a daring destination. My Father’s Dragon is similar to Pirates Past Noon because the characters in both stories travel to a foreign place and face many obstacles during their journey. My Father’s Dragon is more comedic than the other novels and will be sure to make children, and even their parents, laugh while reading about Elmer’s adventure. http://www.readingreview.com/earlychapter/myfathersdragon.html |
Little House in the Big woods
Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder Publication Date: 2004 Type: Chapter Book Genre: Fiction, Children’s Literature, Western Age: 8-12 Award: None In the novel, Little House in the Big Woods, imaginative play is encouraged through the lives of the two daughters, Laura and Mary. In one of the chapters Laura and Mary play in their tree houses. They imagine what the nearby town is like because they have never been into town. The girls use play to imagine various locations, events, and experiences that they have not been able to experience themselves because of the lifestyle they live in. Little House in the Big Woods is similar to Heidi because they are both about a young girl who lives in a place away from any cities or towns. However, Little House in the Big Woods is a much more positive novel than Heidi is. I would recommend this novel to children who need help understanding their role in their family. The main character in this book, Laura, respects her mother and father and does her part in doing her chores. She understands that she cannot play until her she has completed her duties. This book teaches respect, responsibility, and devotion to one’s family. |
Caddie Woodlawn
Author: Carol Ryrie Brink Publication Date: December 26, 2006 Type: Chapter Book Genre: Historical Fiction Age: 8-12 years Award: Newbery Honor Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink is a novel about a young girl growing up during the time of the Civil War. Caddie is an adventurer, which is not an acceptable characteristic of a young woman in this time period. Caddie loves hunting, playing with her brothers, and making friends with Indians. This book encourages young girls to be adventurous and teaches them that it is okay to play like boys do. Caddie seems to find her identity through play, which can be true for many children. Caddie is courageous, friendly, and knows how to have fun. This book is similar to Heidi because both of the main characters are free-spirited and adventurous. I would recommend this book to children who feel like they are looked down upon for the way they are. I think this book would also be helpful for girls who may be more “boyish” than ladylike. |
The Magic School Bus: Voyage to the Volcano
Author: Judith Stamper Publication Date: August 1, 2003 Type: Chapter Book Genre: Adventure, Fiction Age: 4-9 years Award: None The Magic School Bus: Voyage to the Volcano by Judith Stamper is book number fifteen in the series. In this chapter book Ms. Frizzle is teaching her class about volcanoes. Instead of learning about volcanoes in the classroom, Ms. Frizzle takes the class on an adventure to Hawaii in the Magic School Bus to show the class a real live volcanic eruption. This book encourages children to make learning a fun and playful experience. Children will be challenged to think outside of the box just as Ms. Frizzle does in her classroom. This book is similar to the Magic Tree House: Pirates Past Noon because of the elements of magic and adventure. I would recommend this book to children who struggle finding enjoyment in learning. This book could also be interesting if a teacher is teaching the students about volcanoes in his or her classroom. |
Bridge to Terabithia
Author: Katherine Paterson Publication Date: January 1, 1995 Type: Chapter Book Genre: Realistic Fiction, Classic Age: 9-12 years Award: Newbery Honor Bridge to Terabithia is a story about two children, Jesse and Leslie that meet because of their passion for running. They spend most of their time playing in Leslie’s backyard where they create a magical kingdom called Terabithia. In this magical kingdom, Jesse and Leslie rule as king and queen. This book is filled with imagination and creativity that will inspire children. This story also teaches children that play can bring people together and create beautiful friendships. Bridge to Terabithia is similar to Pirates Past Noon because the children enter into a new world. This book could be useful in teaching about being courageous and building relationships with others. http://www.smplanet.com/planetbookclub/novels/terabithia |
Doll Bones
Author: Holly Black Publication Date: May 8, 2013 Type: Chapter Book Genre: Horror Age: 10-14 years Awards: Newbery Honor Doll Bones by Holly Black is a children’s novel about three best friends, Zach, Alice, and Poppy who love to play in a make believe world where they are the queen over thieves, warriors, and mermaids. By the time they approach middle school, Zach’s father’s advises him that he needs to stop playing in this pretend world because he is too old. This story sparks imagination, creativity, and pretend play. These three friends are brought together by the imaginary world they have created. Play could be seen in this novel as a method of discovering one’s identity, or finding one’s identity in their pretend play. Doll Bones is a great book to teach children that one is never too old to partake in play or using their imagination. This book also displays a bond between three friends who are brought together by their love for pretend play and using their imagination. This book is considered a horror book, which means it is darker than the other stories such as My Father’s Dragon. |
Picture Books
Journey
Author: Aaron Becker Publication Date: August 6, 2013 Type: Picture Book Genre: Fiction, Literature Age: 3-7 years Awards: Caldecott Honor Journey is a thrilling story of a young girl picks up a red crayon and draws a small door on the wall in her bedroom. The door opens and she steps out of her boring, ordinary life and enters into a colorful world full of her imagination. She uses her red crayon to create other objects such as, a boat and a flying carpet, to help her travel on her journey to the unknown. This book is full of excitement and adventure as this lonely child enters into a world with no limits. Journey is the perfect book for stirring up a child’s imagination. It challenges children to dream bigger and place no boundaries on their imagination. This book also displays play as a method of escaping ones conditions. Journey has a similar storyline to Where the Wild Things Are because the two children create a world of their own from inside the walls of their bedroom. I would recommend this book to any child. This book could be encouraging to children who struggle with feeling alone. |
No, David
Author: David Shannon Publication Date: September 1, 1998 Type: Picture Book Genre: Fiction, History, Juvenile Fiction Age: 4-8 years Awards: Caldecott Honor No, David by David Shannon is a comical picture book about a young boy named David who seems to always get into trouble. David continuously disobeys his mother by doing things he knows he is not supposed to do. After everything David does his mother still shows David that she loves him and cares for him. David plays and acts out to get attention and let out his energy. His parents still love him no matter how bad David behaves. This book shows that children need playtime to get out their energy so that they can behave when they are supposed to. No, David is a fun book for children and adults. This book would be useful when teaching a lesson on obedience and respecting authority. It could also be valuable to explain that parents love their children regardless of how many mistakes they make. |
The Cat in the Hat
Author: Dr. Seuss Publication Date: March 12, 1957 Type: Picture Book Genre: Rhyming Story, Classics, Comedy and Humor Age: 3-7 years Awards: None The Cat in the Hat is a classic written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss. This book tells the story of two children, Dick and Sally, who were bored at home one rainy afternoon. To their surprise, a cat in a hat barges through their front door ready to play and have fun. Some believe that the cat in the hat is a figure of the children’s imagination, and their exciting afternoon is all in their heads. This book is full of surprises and suspense as the cat in the hat urges the children to play and have a good time. Children will not only enjoy reading this book, but it will also help them to be more imaginative in their play. This book is different than the other books because it is a rhyming story, which makes the reading level easier. The Cat in the Hat could be used to teach children about rhyming, and then challenge them to create their own rhyming story. http://www.seussville.com/books/book_detail.php?isbn=9780394800011 |
Where The Wild Things Are
Author: Maurice Sendak Publication Date: December 12, 2012 Type: Picture Book Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Children's literature, Speculative fiction Age: 4-8 years Award: Caldecott Honor In the book, Where The Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak writes about a young boy named Max whose imagination takes him to the land of the “Wild Things”. Max tames the wild things by dancing and becomes their king. However, Max is not satisfied because he wants to be in the place that he feels the most loved, home. He sails back home just in time for dinner. This book is full of adventure as Max travels to where the wild things live. This book inspires children to use their imagination to travel to a new place through pretend play. In the book, Max uses imaginative play to escape from his circumstances. Play can be a healthy escape for children from their current situation. This book is similar to Snow because the main characters in each story travel somewhere as a way of playing. Imagination is also seen in both of the books. Where The Wild Things Are is darker than some of the other lighthearted picture books that I have chosen. A child who acts out because of anger or emotional issues could connect to Max though reading this book. http://childrensbooks.about.com/cs/picturebooks/fr/wildthings.htm |
The Cloud Spinner
Author: Michael Catchpool Publication Date: March 13, 2012 Type: Picture Book Genre: Fiction Age: 5-8 years Awards: None The Cloud Spinner by Michael Catchpool is about a young boy who is gifted with the ability to make cloth out of the clouds. After seeing the scarf that the boy made, the king demands that the boy weave the king gowns and much more from the clouds. They boy is faced with challenges when the king asks for more clothing. The boy enjoys using his gift for fun by making scarves for himself out of the clouds. However, he has to learn how to solve problems through play when the king discovers his ability. I would recommend this book to children who seem to have a unique gifting. The Cloud Spinner could also be used to teach problem solving skills in the classroom or in the home. This book encourages creativity by causing them to think about how they are gifted and what they can use their gifts for. |
Snow
Author: Uri Shulevitz Publication Date: September 23, 2004 Type: Picture Book Genre: General Fiction Age: 3-7 years Award: Caldecott Honor Snow by Uri Shulevitz is a story about a little boy and his dog on a winter day in the city. The boy and his dog wander around the city when they see a few snowflakes fall. No one else in the city believes that it will actually snow, except for the boy and his companion. When the snow falls the boy and his dog spend the day playing and enjoying the snowfall. This fun picture book displays a child’s playful spirit compared to the doubtful and grumpy adults. Children can turn any situation into a joy-filled playful experience, just as the boy did on this cold snow day. In the story, the characters on a storefront come down off the wall and dance around with the boy and his dog in the snow. This aspect of the story encourages imagination in play. This book will wake children’s desire to want to play and explore their environment. This book would be a great resource for teachers and parents to read to children who live in cold climate where it might snow. It would be a fun book to read to the class when teaching about the winter season. http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-374-37092-3 |
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Author(s): Caralyn Buehner and Mark Buehner Publication Date: April 2, 2009 Type: Picture Book Genre: Fairy Tale, Comedy and Humor Age: 3-5 years Awards: None This rendition of the Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Caralyn Buehner and Mark Buehner is a little different than the original story. The bears leave their house for a little while to let their porridge cool. Meanwhile, Goldilocks wanders through the bears house pretending like it is her own. She eats all the porridge, jumps on the chairs, and sleeps in their beds. The bears come home, and Goldilocks manages to escape. The bears feel sorry that they scared Goldilocks when they came home. Goldilocks is a mischievous little girl who pretends that this house is hers as she tries everything out for her liking. This book is a silly book that children enjoy. Goldilocks’s adventure though the bear’s house may boost children’s desires to engage in imaginative pretend play in their own lives. Goldilocks and the Three Bears is similar to No, David because both of the characters participate in play in a way that is destructive to other’s things. This book could be used in a classroom to teach about a series of events and the concept of repetition because Goldilocks tries everything three times. |
Owl Moon
Author: John Schoenherr Publication Date: October 23, 1987 Type: Picture Book Genre: Realistic Fiction Age: 5-9 years Awards: Caldecott Honor Owl Moon by John Schoenherr is a peaceful story about a little girl that takes a walk with her father in the snow late at night. The book is very descriptive and has beautifully painted illustrations. The father mimics animal sounds to coax the animals into coming out into the open for his daughter to see. In this book play is not as explicitly seen as the other books, but the young girl plays with her father as they discover different animals under the moonlight. Owl Moon has elements of poetry that makes it a great book to read aloud to children. It also would be a good book to use when teaching young children about different types of animals and the sounds that they make. I believe this book encourages children to interact with their environment and go on adventures to discover things in nature. http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/06/05/top-100-picture-books-30-owl-moon-by-jane-yolen/#_ |
Skippyjon Jones
Author: Judy Schachner Publication Date: April 17, 2005 Type: Picture Book Genre: Children's literature, Adventure, Series Age: 5-8 years Award: E.B. White Read Aloud Award Skippyjon is a small kitten with a big imagination. In the story, Skippyjon is sent to his room because he misbehaved, but it is not long until his imagination takes him to somewhere new. He images that he is El Skippito, a sword fighting Chihuahua. He travels all over Mexico fighting off the “banditos” and saving the day. Imaginative play in this picture book is used as a way of defining himself, or creating an identity. This book motivates children to engage in pretend play. It shows children that they can be whoever they want to be if they only use their imagination. Skippyjon Jones is similar to Where The Wild Things Are because Skippyjon and Max both pretend to be someone else and through their imagination they travel to a far away place from their bedrooms. I would recommend this book to children who enjoy reading stories about hero’s and villains. Skippyjon Jones is a great choice if parents and teachers are searching for a funny book to read to their children. http://www.skippyjonjones.com |
Frog and Toad Are Friends
Author: Arnold Lobel Publication Date: February 18, 2003 Type: Picture Book Genre: Classics, Series Age: 5-8 years Awards: Caldecott Honor Frog and Toad Are Friends is a classic children’s story about a frog and a toad that are best friends. They play together, help each other, and support one another. This book displays an example of what a healthy friendship looks like. Frog and Toad can be an example to children who are different but are still brought together by friendship and play. This book is useful for teachers and parents to use as resource to give to their children who are learning to read on their own. It is a story with a happy message that any child will enjoy. I would recommend this book for children who are learning how to read and also build relationships with others. It teaches children how to care about others needs and feelings. |