The Levitical Readings and Reactions

Title- New Kid Author/Retold- Jerry Craft Illustrator- Jim Callahan  Genre- Graphic Novel Grade level- 3rd-8th grade Awards- Newbery Medal The book starts of with Jordan about to start his life at a new school. He experiences the adjustment to a new school and a new grade, as well as navigating the types of stereotypes given to kids of color. At first, Jordan isn’t comfortable at all being there and the interactions in the school make him want to change school again. He meets many interesting characters along the way like Alexandra, Dean, and his art teacher, Ms. Slate. By the end of the book, he had a very close group of friends, makes peace with one of the protagonists, and he feels a new sense of comfortability and higher sense of self in the end.  This graphic novel is an amazing representation oh how stereotypes affect they way people see others. It is also an amazing example of how hard it can be for someone to adjust to a new school, how someone looks at themselves, and how you

  Title- All My Stripes Author/Retold- Shaina Rudolph and Danielle Royer Illustrator- Jennifer Zivoin Genre- Special Needs topics  Grade level- 1st-3rd Grade The story begins with Zebra Zane coming home from school. He explains to her how nobody gets him. He talks about how all the zebras made fun of him because he wasn’t painting with his hoofs because he didn’t want to get dirty and how the fire alarm rang and he hid under the desk because of the loud noises until the firemen found him. He also told his mother about how some of the zebras were talking about a game, but and he started to talk about the game to, but no one noticed him because he was just staring down at the floor. Zane also talked about how his teacher asked him to draw a planet and I drew my own planet. The teacher loved his planet and said, “whatever floats your boat.” Zane spent the rest of the period looking for a boat to float. He asked his mom why does everyone my autism stripe. Zane’s mom said I see many differe

Title- What Makes A Rainbow  Author/Retold- Betty Schwartz Illustrator- Dona Turner Genre- Paper Engineered  Grade level- prekindergarten - 1st grade The story begins with a rabbit and his mother under a red flower petal. The bunny asks his mother “what makes a rainbow?” The mother told him to ask his friends and he asked a ladybug. The ladybug said “You need red to make a rainbow.” He then asked the orange fox and he said “You need orange to make a rainbow.” The bunny asked a little chick and then chick said, “You need yellow to make a rainbow.” He then asked the grasshopper and he said, “You need green to make a rainbow.” He then asked the blue bird and the blue bird said, “You need blue to make a rainbow.” Mama rabbit told the child now you know what makes a rainbow and a big rainbow shown overhead. I think this is a great book for introducing the colors to students or practicing what other objects are different colors. On every page, there is a ribbon and everytime the book mention

Title- The Sweetest Fig Author/Retold- Chris Van Allsburg Illustrator- Chris Van Allsburg Genre- Blue Bonnet Book Grade level- kinder-3rd grade The story begins with Monsieur Bibot and he was a dentist. He was a very fussy man and he was very mean to his dog Marcel. One morning an old lady came with a tooth ache with no appointment. Bibot begrudgingly took out the messed up tooth because he wanted to make some extra money. When it was time to pay, the lady pulled out two figs and said that they were figs that would make Bibots dreams come true. He didn’t believe her and shoved the lady out the office without giving her the pain medicine for her tooth. When he went home, he ate one fig as a snack before bed. When he woke up the next day, he took Marcel on a walk and he forced Marcel to walk down the stairs, he didn’t want his fur on his nice blue suit. When he went outside, they were looking at him funny and he thought they were admiring his suit, but it was because he was in his underw

  Title- Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment Author/Retold- Parker and Jessica Curry  Illustrator- Brittany Jackson  Genre- Multicultural book Grade level- kinder-3rd grade The book starts with Parker in her favorite pink tutu. Her mother tells her she’s going to the museum  and Parker and her sister, Ava, are excited! When they get to the museum, Parker sees her best friend Gia. They start to go through all the exhibits seeing the art pieces and they are gushing with amazement. They were there for a while and their mothers said It was time to go. They started dancing to their mothers as if they were ballerinas wearing tutu’s and then Parker froze as she saw a painting of Michelle Obama. When she saw the portrait, she was reminded of herself, her mother, grandmother, and even her sister. She was filled with inspirational words that Parker wanted to embody. Her sister Ava broke Parker out of her trance by holding her hand. Parker left feeling powerful and inside she was dancing. Th

Title- Freedom Soup Author/Retold- Tami Charles Illustrator- Jacqueline Alcantara  Genre- Multicultural book Grade level- 1st-3rd grade The story begins with Belle and Ti Gram in the kitchen preparing the freedom soup. Belle helps Ti Gram to the beat of the Haitian Music. Belle asks why is the soup called freedom soup. Ti Gram tells Belle about how her ancestors were slaves and their lives were taken from them and how they would have to make soup for for their masters. Only freedom soup is only for people who are free. The Haitians decided they wanted their freedom back so they revolted against their masters. When they were finally free, they ate soup to celebrate their freedom and end of slavery. They both said “Haiti is free! Freedom Soup for Everyone!” They finish cooking the soup and Ti Gram told belle that this story has been passed down generations. Belle asked if she was going teach it to her children and Ti Gram says yes. Their whole family came into the house and finished the

Title- Those Shoes Author/Retold- Maribeth Boelts Illustrator- Noah Z. Jones Genre- Multicultural book Grade level- kinder-3rd grade The story starts with Jeremy and he’s looking up a billboard that has an advertisement of shoes he wants to own. He asks his grandma for them but they have no money for them, they only have money for what they need. All of his friends have the shoes and they’re always showing them off  at school. One day his shoe broke, and Mr. Alfrey gave him a free pair of Velcro shoes. All of his friends laughed at him when he came in the room, except for Antonio. Grandma said I have some money set aside and they go to the store to buy the shoes. One look at the price and they didn’t buy them. Jeremy suggested they go to a thrift store because a kid might have gotten two pairs or out grew one really fast. They went to two thrift shops with no luck, but at the third one, they found them. They were only $2.50 but they fit Jeremy to tight and his grandma wouldn’t buy shoe

  Title- The Book of Boy  Author/Retold- Catherine Gilbert Murdock Genre- Newbery Honor Grade level- 3-7th grade Boy is an orphan with a hunchback. He has been bullied all of his life because of his hunchback. He has a very special interest with animals and they seem to like him very much. He works on the estate of Sir Jacques as a goatherder. While boy is working the fields one day, he meets a pilgrim named Secundus. He convinces Cook, the mistress in charge of the manor, to lend him on his journey to the next town. Secundus gives Boy a sack to carry. Secundus says if he looks inside, he will kill him. The pilgrim tell Boy about his quest to find seven relics of St. Peter. They go on an adventure to find the rest of the relics. During their Journey, they find out that Boy is an angel. Secundus reveals that he escaped hell and is trying to get back to heaven to see his wife and children. They finally get to their last spot, Rome and when they touch the St. Peter’s tomb, Secundus disapp

Title- The Adventures of A Girl Named Bicycle Author/Retold- Christina Uss Illustrator- NA Genre- Blue Bonnett Grade level- 4th-8th The story begins with a young lady named Bicycle. She lives in a monastery called Mostly Silent Monastery. She has lived there most of her life and living there is quite silent. She has no friends because she isn’t used to being around loud children. Her guardian, Sister Wanda, wants to send her to a camp in Nevada called the Friendship Factory. The camp in Nevada says that she will make at least 3 friends. Bicycle decides she doesn’t want go, so she instead hatches her own plan. She gets on her bike named Klunk and she travels across the United States to meet a famous bicyclist to become her very first friend. One the way there though she meets lots of other people and befriends them as well. She also came across a ghost, a burglar, 838 pigs and many more crazy situations. Half way through the trip Klunk falls apart and Fortune is Bicycles new bike. Durin

Title- Shiloh   Author/Retold- Phyliss Reynolds Naylor Illustrator- NA Genre- BlueBonnet Grade level- 4th-8th Awards- Newbery Medal  One of the main characters of the story, Marty, find a stray dog. The dog follows him home and the family names the dog Shiloh after the school in the town. They find out that the dog belongs to Judd, a hunter and he has several hunting dogs. The father says that he should give the dog back to Judd. Shiloh returns back to the family and Marty hides him. Shiloh gets attacked by a German shepherd and the family finds out that Marty has been hiding Shiloh. They take Shiloh to the vet and they have till Sunday to return Shiloh to Judd. Marty tried to blackmail Judd and strike up a deal with him, but he goes back on the deal and Marty still works for him even though Judd pulled out. During the time of Marty working for Judd, Judd opens up to Marty about his dad abusing him. Judd then repents for his transgressions and let’s Marty keep Shiloh.  This book is a g

Title- A Different pond  Author/Retold- Bao Phi Illustrator- Thi Bui Genre- multicultural book Grade level- 2nd-4th grade Awards- Caldecott Honor The story begins with an father waking up his youngest son early in the morning. They make sandwiches and go to the car and head to the tackle shop. The father talks to the son and the son remembers that his friends that his fathers accent makes him sound like a thick, dirty river. The son doesn’t think so. When they get to the tackle shop notices the father is there early and the father says I have second job. They get to the pond and it is cold. The son remembers the people he has met there. He remembers the man that talks like dad and the black man with the colorful lure collection. The son starts to build the fire as the father gets the fishing line ready. They sit down and they start to eat the sandwiches they packed as the bobber is in the water. The father talks about the pond he used to fish at in Vietnam with his brother. His father

Title- Each Kindness Author/Retold- Jacqueline Woodson  Illustrator- E.B. Lewis Genre- multicultural book Grade level- 3rd- 5th grade Awards- Corretta Scott King and the Jane Adam’s Peace Award The story begins on a cold, snowy day. Inside a classroom, the principal introduces a new student named maya. Our main character, Chloe, saw that her clothes and shoes were tattered. The teacher put maya by Chloe, and maya tried smiling at her but all Chloe did was turn away every time she did. A lunch time, Maya came over to Chloe and her friend group and asked if she wanted to play jacks with her and the group said no, so maya played by herself. In class maya told Chloe, guess who is the Jacks Champion of the World is? Andrew, the boy behind Chloe, said guess you have a new friend and Chloe quickly said she’s not my friend! Everyday they whispered about maya and how she was different because of the food she ate and the ways she dressed. She would still ask if anyone wanted to play and everyone

  Title- The Ugly Vegetables Author/Retold- Grace Lin Illustrator- Grace Lin Genre- multicultural book Grade level- 2nd-4th grade The story begins with a mother and daughter digging to create a garden. The daughter starts to see the neighbors start to make their own gardens and sees the difference between their garden and the neighbors. A big difference was the Chinese characters her mother put in the garden and she asked why are u putting these in the ground and not the seed packages like everyone else. She said because we are growing Chinese vegetables. Through the next coming days she saw how the beautiful and amazing smelling flowers started to grow and bloom in the neighbors garden and how their garden grew weird and ugky looking vegetables. The daughter wanted beautiful flowers, but she got veggies. One day she smelled something so nice and delicious and so did everyone in the neighborhood and the smell was coming from her house. The smell was the vegetables from the garden and t

  Title- Owl moon Author/Retold- Jane Yolan Illustrator- John Schoenherr Genre- Caldecott Medal  Grade level- Kindergarten through 3rd Grade The story begins with the main character and his father outside in the middle of the night. They are about to go owling. On their walk there heard the sounds of dogs barking a the train and the crunching of the snow beneath their feet. They didn’t talk because Pa said to never make any noise because you have to be quiet while owling. Then the father stopped and cupped his hands around his mouth and started whooing like a great horned owl. He called out many times but now answer. The main character remembered that his brothers told him that there are sometimes owls and sometimes not. They continued to walk in the cold and the son starts to remember to be brave even thought it was dark. The son heard a rustle and made a gasp/sigh and his father listened intently and he started to whooooo again. Before Pa started another round of Whoo’s they heard a

Title- The Snowy Day Author/Retold- Ezra Jack Keats  Illustrator- Ezra Jack Keats Genre- Caldecott Medal  Grade level- Prekindergarten through 2nd Grade The story begins with Peter as he wakes up and sees that snow has fallen in his neighborhood. Peter puts on his orange snow suit and starts to play in the snow. He makes tracks in the snow with his feet, builds a snow man, makes snow angels, and pretends he’s a mountain climber as he climbs up a snow mound. Before he goes inside he puts a snow ball in to his pocket for tomorrow. Before he went to be, he checked his pocket and his snow ball wasn’t there. He was very sad and dreamed that night that the sun would melt all the snow away. He woke up the next day and saw that the snow was still there and new snow fell on top of it. He got his friend from across the hall and they began there adventure in the new snow fall. This a great book for talking to students about the weather, especially when it’s starting to become winter time. This bo

  Title- The War That Saved My Life  Author/Retold- Kimberly Brubaker Bradley  Genre- Newbery Honor Grade level- 7-12th grade The story begins with Ada and Jamie. They live in London at the beginning of WWII. They live with their wicked mother. Ada has a foot defect and she is subjected to maltreatment from her mother. While her mother is at work, she practices walking at home. Ada and her brother escape from London by train and they come to live with Susan. Ada and Jamie experience life in a whole new way while living with Susan. During their time with Susan, Ada got better at walking, helped soliders that landed injuried from the battle of Dunkirk, and caught a German spy coming into the town. Her mother had found them and forced Ada and Jamie to go back to England in a new home, but Ada and Jamie missed Susan. Ada persuaded her mother to let them leave and she did. They found Susan in London and they went back to her home, but her home was bombed.  This is an amazing fictional repre