Along a Long Road

Author & Illustrator:   Frank Viva
Publisher:  Little Brown
Publication Year:   2011
Location: Knox County Public Library- Halls

Awards:   NYT Best, School Library Journal Best Books, American Institute of Graphic Arts Best, Seven Impossible Books Best Books

Summary:  The graphic style and five color palette (blue, white, black, red, and the yellow of the road) of this book brings to mind the 1960s. The shiny yellow road folows through the entire book, sometimes widening, but never ends. (I love the tunnel!) In fact, the book was created as "a single, continuous thirty-five-foot-long piece of art using Adobe Illustrator." It's a meditative book that invites the reader to stare at the journey. 

Classroom Ideas: The idea of transportation could be examined through this book. It has great verbs and prepositions and could be used to teach grammar. There is a map on the endpages with symbols on it that could be a great introduction for younger readers.
An educator's guide is available at the Hachette web site:
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/none/along-a-long-road/9780316129251/

Bone Dog

Author & Illustrator:   Eric Rohmann
Publisher:  Roaring brook Press
Publication Year:   2011
Location: Knox County Public Library- Lawson McGhee

Awards:   starred Kirkus review, Capitol Choices Noteworthy titles, School Library Journal Best Books, Horn Books Best Books

Summary:  When Gus's dog Ella dies, Gus is very sad and doesn't want to do anything. On Halloween, he trudges out through the graveyard and is surrounded by skeletons. The skeletons try to eat him ("You've got guts kid...but not for long!" LOVE this line) The Ella the dog skeleton shows up to save him and they howl and scare off the skeletons. The dark relief print illustrations famed with black are perfect for story and the whimsical skeletons are dark but never scary.

Classroom Ideas: This book has great verbs (trudged, lunged, whirled) and figurative language (personification: the wind moaned. The clouds swallowed the moon; onomatopoeia: shriek, growl, screech, swoon, hiss, howl; idioms: You've got guts, Well tickle my ribs) The theme here is one of friendship, promise, and faithfulness. This book could also be shared during Halloween time.

Book! Book! Book!

Author: Deborah Bruss
Illustrator:   Tiphanie Beeke
Publisher:  Levine/ Scholastic
Publication Year:   2001
Location: Personal Collection

Awards:   IRA Best Books,

Summary:  When the kids go back to school, the animals get bored and want to get some books from the library. Unfortunately, the human librarian can't understand what the animals want until they send the hen in ("Book! Book! Book!" clucked the hen.) Everyone was happy enjoying their books except the bullfrog because he had already "read it..." Clever word play and charming watercolors.

Classroom Ideas: This book is brimming with alliteration ("the horse hung his head", "the pig pouted") and onomatopeia. There are also GREAT verbs in this book (ambled, grumbled, trotted, plodded, flapped)