· Free Fall illustrated by David Wiesner
o Suggested Grade Level: K-1st grade. Due to the fact that this book has no words, the pictures would be sufficient for a student in Kindergarten. However, the more mature themes presented in the book also make it appropriate for first graders.
o Summary: Free Fall is a wordless picture book the delves into the stuff of dreams. In it, we journey with a young boy and his band of followers through an incredible world of make believe. Each land they visit is more visually stunning than the last. The adventure continues on, until the boy wakes up and realizes he’s been safe in his bed all along.
o Classroom skills and strategies:
§ This book can help students hone their story telling skills as they try to put words to this wordless picture book.
§ This book can also be used to help students recognize patterns. Each illustration contains a detail from the illustration before it. Students will learn to point out these details in each picture.
o ESOL strategies/applications:
§ Illustrations
§ Show patterns
o Read aloud: N/A
o Personal opinion: At first I found Free Fall a little confusing. Trying to get meaning out of a story without words can be extremely difficult. However, with the help of a friend, I found the pattern contained in each illustration. This book may prove as a challenge to students, but it will definitely inspire them to think critically and creatively.
· In the Tall, Tall Grass written and illustrated by Denise Fleming
o Suggested Grade Level: Kindergarten. This book contains short, rhyming words that can be easily comprehended by a kindergarten student.
o Summary: In the Tall, Tall Grass provides an insight into the world of small animals and insects. With its large and colorful pictures, and charming rhymes, it is sure to be a page-turner for every young reader.
o Classroom skills and strategies:
§ This book will help students learn easy to remember onomatopoeias.
§ This book also introduces easy verbs for beginning readers.
o ESOL strategies/applications:
§ Illustrations
§ Show patterns
o Read aloud: The whole book.
o Personal opinion: I believe this book is perfectly appropriate for very early readers. The large and colorful pictures will help students with word recognition. The rhyme scheme makes it easy and fun to read.
· Can You Cuddle Like a Koala? written and illustrated by John Butler
o Suggested Grade Level: K-1st grade. This book contains short, but whole sentences. Though the pictures are large and may aid in reading, this book still may be more appropriate for advanced kindergarten to first grade students.
o Summary: Can You Cuddle Like a Koala is a charming picture book with music-like rhythm and flow. It uses animals to emphasize verbs that are easy to comprehend. With pictures that support the text, this book is perfect for beginning readers.
o Classroom skills and strategies:
§ This book will introduce easy verbs for beginning readers.
§ This book will also help students to associate the physical appearance of an action with its verbal counterpart.
o ESOL strategies/applications:
§ Illustrations
§ Show patterns
o Read aloud: The whole book.
o Personal opinion: I believe that this book is ideal for early readers. Young children will instantly be drawn to the pictures of cute looking animals. These pictures actually serve a purpose; they support the text extremely well. The pleasant rhythm of the words will make this book enjoyable to read over and over.
· Quick as a Cricket written by Audrey Wood and illustrated by Don Wood
o Suggested Grade Level: K-1st grade. This book also contains short, but whole sentences. Therefore, it may be more appropriate for advanced kindergarten to first grade students.
o Summary: Quick as a Cricket is a beautiful picture book that follows a young boy through his many behaviors and emotions. The large, colorful pictures of him acting out with the animals helps us to see that we are all a little wild sometimes.
o Classroom skills and strategies:
· This book will help students to associate physical appearance of an action or an emotion with its verbal counterpart.
· This book will also introduce the concept of making comparisons to young readers.
o ESOL strategies/applications:
§ Illustrations
§ Compare and contrast
o Read aloud: The whole book.
o Personal opinion: I really enjoyed Quick as a Cricket and all that it has to offer young readers. The beautiful illustrations support the text very well. The story itself introduces a plethora of literary concepts, but in a way that will be easily understood by young readers.
· Hello, Day! written and illustrated by Anita Lobel o Suggested Grade Level: Kindergarten. Kindergarten. This book contains very few words, and pictures that support the text. Therefore I believe it is appropriate for Kindergarten students.
o Summary: Hello, Day is a beautifully illustrated book that takes us through a morning on the farm. All of the farm animals great the new day with their own unique sound. As the moon rises, the last of the farm animals, the owl, bids everyone “Good night.”
o Classroom skills and strategies:
§ This book will teach students simple animal sounds.
§ This book will also introduce show students which animals are out during the day, and which ones are out at night.
o ESOL strategies/applications:
§ Illustrations
§ Classify, categories
o Read aloud: The whole book.
o Personal opinion: I believe that this book is extremely appropriate for very early readers. It contains simple words, and introduces simple concepts. The artwork is also absolutely stunning and very supportive of the text.
