Elementary

Zen Shorts

Icon: 
Book icon
Copies: 1

Michael," says Karl, "there's a really big bear in the backyard." This is how three children meet Stillwater, a giant panda who moves into the neighborhood and tells amazing tales. To Addy he tells a story about the value of material goods. To Michael he pushes the boundaries of good and bad. And to Karl he demonstrates what it means to hold on to frustration.

With graceful art and simple stories that are filled with love and enlightenment, Jon Muth (and Stillwater the bear) present three ancient Zen tales that are sure to strike a chord in everyone they touch.

Author: 
Lexile: 
540L

Martin's Big Words

Icon: 
Book icon
Copies: 1

This picture book biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Brings his life and the profound nature of his message to young children through his own words. Martin Luther King, Jr. , Was one of the most influential and gifted speakers of all time. Doreen Rappaport uses quotes from some of his most beloved speeches to tell the story of his life and his work in a simple, direct way. Bryan Collier's stunning collage art combines remarkable watercolor paintings with vibrant patterns and textures. A timeline and a lsit of additional books and web sites help make this a standout biography of Dr.

Lexile: 
AD410L

Hello, Goodbye Window

Icon: 
Book icon
Copies: 1

This is a love song devoted to that special relationship between grandparents and grandchild. The kitchen window at Nanna and Poppy's house is, for one little girl, a magic gateway. Everything important happens near it, through it, or beyond it. Told in her voice, her story is both a voyage of discovery and a celebration of the commonplace wonders that define childhood, expressed as a joyful fusion of text with evocative and exuberant illustrations.The world for this little girl will soon grow larger and more complex, but never more enchanting or deeply felt.

Author: 
Lexile: 
760L

Song of the Water Boatman & Other Pond Poems

Icon: 
Book icon
Copies: 1

From spring’s first thaw to autumn’s chill, the world of the pond is a dramatic place. Though seemingly quiet, ponds are teeming with life and full of surprises. Their denizens—from peepers to painted turtles, duckweed to diving beetles—lead secret and fascinating lives. A unique blend of whimsy, science, poetry, and hand-colored woodcuts, this Caldecott Honor-winning collection invites us to take a closer look at our hidden ponds and wetlands. Here is a celebration of their beauty and their mystery.

Author: 

So You Want to be President?

Icon: 
Book icon
Copies: 1

That's a big job, and getting bigger. But why not? Presidents have come in just about every variety. They've been generals like George Washington and actors like Ronald Reagan; big like William Howard Taft and small like James Madison; handsome like Franklin Pierce and homely like Abraham Lincoln. They've been born in log cabins like Andrew Jackson and mansions like William Harrison.

Lexile: 
730L

Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride

Icon: 
Book icon
Copies: 1

The first "manned" hot-air balloon is about to take off! But what are those noises coming from the basket?Based on the (POSSIBLY) true report of a day in 1783, this si the story of (PERHAPS) the bravest collection of flyers the world has ever seen, as (SORT OF) told to Marjorie Priceman.

Lexile: 
AD690L

Casey at the Bat

Icon: 
Book icon
Copies: 1

"And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout; But there is no joy in Mudville-mighty Casey has struck out." Those lines have echoed through the decades, the final stanza of a poem published pseudonymously in the June 3, 1888, issue of the San Francisco Examiner. Its author would rather have seen it forgotten. Instead, Ernest Thayer's poem has taken a well-deserved place as an enduring icon of Americana.

Fire Dragon (Feuerdrachen)

Icon: 
game icon

In Fire Dragon Valley, it's bubbling dangerously underground. After a thousand years, the mighty volcano Rubino is once again on the brink of an eruption! The dragon riders can hardly wait, as according to an old legend, precious dragon rubies will burst out of the Rubino.

Grade Level: 
Elementary
Middle
Content Area: 
Other
Special Education
Play Time: 
20 min.
Fire Dragon (Feuerdrachen)

Monster Bake (Monster-torte)

Icon: 
game icon

The monster bakers are hard at work in the kitchen – but to be honest, they're all terrible bakers, filled more with enthusiasm and drive than baking talent. Thus, you need to help them assemble the ingredients they need in order to complete the cakes on order!

Grade Level: 
Primary
Elementary
Content Area: 
Other
Special Education
Play Time: 
15 min.
Monster Bake (Monster-torte)

3x4=SWAT! (3·4 = Klatsch!)

Icon: 
game icon

A player chooses a numbered flower on his/her turn. ("Let's multiply by fives.") When everyone is ready, roll a die, and quickly multiply the numbers on each. Be the first to swat the fly card with the correct product to earn a wooden fly token. Collect eight tokens to win.

Grade Level: 
Elementary
Middle
Content Area: 
Math
Play Time: 
10 min.
3x4=SWAT! (3·4 = Klatsch!)

Pages