The Secret Plan

Author & Illustrator:   Julia Sarcone-Roach
Publisher:  Knopf
Publication Year: 2009 
Location: Knox County Public Library- Powell

Awards:   UBIE award, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Book

Summary: Milo the elephant loves playing with his neighbor kittens Henry, Hildy, & Harriet; but Bedtime! always ruins their fun. So Milo come up with plans to thwart bedtime (my favorite is the one where he paints himself with green stripes to match the walls...no one will notice a green painted elephant, will they?) but they still got caught. Finally, Hildy got the idea to sneak into the attic and it worked! But when they get sleepy, they come up with a super secret, silly plan! The gorgeous acrylic paintings pulled me into the world of these sweet friends. The endpapers include blueprints and Morse code, while each spread includes a hidden mouse-- what kid can resist that?

Classroom Ideas: The characters here are sweet-- it's a story of friendship, but also one of a little naughtiness that any kid can relate to. The plans are silly and perhaps kids could come up with their own ideas of how to put off bedtime.

Cheetah Can't Lose

Author & Illustrator:   Bob Shea
Publisher:  balzer + bray
Publication Year:   2013
Location: Knox County Public Library- Lawson McGhee

Awards:   Kirkus starred review

Summary:  Cheetah is an obnoxious bragger. The two little cats set up a competition made of many events. When Cheetah wins, he gets wooden blocks for shoes, eats too much pie & ice cream, and gets wrapped up in string. There are several other preliminary events where Cheetah gets a handful of balloons and a crown that's too big for him. By the time the BIG RACE comes along, Cheetah can't possibly win. But in a twist that shows true friendship, the little cats give Cheetah their first place medals and feel glad to have Cheetah as a friend.

Classroom Ideas: This story is another view on friendship and could easily compared to My Friend Rabbit. The little cats love Cheetah despite his flaws.

My Friend Rabbit

Author & Illustrator:   Eric Rohmann
Publisher:  Roaring Brook Press
Publication Year:   2002
Location: Knox County Public Library- Lawson McGhee

Awards:   Caldecott, Parents' Choice Award

Summary:  Rohmann decides to use printmaking for this book with hand colored relief prints. It tells the story of Rabbit who is quite mischievious. When a plane gets lost up a tree, Rabbit drags in all the other animals and stacks them up (with an awesomely unexpected vertical spread) to try and reach. Even though the animals fall and are not happy, the mouse decides that "Rabbit means well. And he is my friend."

Classroom Ideas: This is a story of friendship and I think most kids could relate to the ideas here. You could use it as a mentor text and have kids write about a friend of theirs or about a time that they got into trouble.

Monster Hug!

Author & Illustrator:   David Ezra Stein
Publisher:  G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Year:   2007
Location: Knox County Public Library- Powell

Awards:   Booklist: "a cousin to Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are"

Summary:  This is the day in the life of a monster sleep-over and playdate. The gorgeously excited drawings are so much fun and childlike, often not staying within the lines. I think my favorite might be "Monster Breath"! But when the monster parents show up, the playdate must end with a Monster Hug from the two friends.

Classroom Ideas: This book would be perfect for the youngest readers as they would see themselves in the two monster characters. It could open a discussion about friendship and appropriate behaviors.