Ms. Garcia's Library

A Light in the Attic is a poem book that contains fun to read poems. This book can be used in the classroom as a reading center or and early finishers activity. Students in pairs can also  take turns reading poems from the book and practicing fluency. 

Level R

Grade 3-5

Where the Sidewalk ends is a book that contains enjoyable poems that are fun to read. This book can be used in the classroom as a reading center or and early finishers activity. Students in pairs can also  take turns reading poems from the book and practicing fluency. 

Non-Fiction

Level Q 

Grade 3-5

"All of Louis thoughts are very important to him. In fact, his thoughts are so important to him that when he has something to say, his words begin to wiggle, and then they do the jiggle, then his tongue pushes all of his important words up against his teeth and he erupts, or interrupts others. His mouth is a volcano!" This book can be used in the classroom to introduce classroom rules, expectations and routines. It can lead to a discussion on what should be appropriate to ask the teacher and what the student should ask a peer. The book is a great engaging materials that allow students to learn how to follow procedures.

Fiction

PreK-3

Level J

When sophie gets really really angry  illustrates a girl named Sophie who gets angry and runs away. This book would be great to introduce emotions in the classroom. Anger can be very upsetting for some children, therefore this book displays that everybody gets angry sometimes. The discussion can also lead to what you can do to deal with anger. This book can also be read to the class while introducing routines and expectations. 

Fiction

Grade PreK-2

Level K 

This book is about a young girl who wakes up with colorful stripes. She changes colors to match whatever is happening around her. She stand out and find what is to be herself. This book could be used in the classroom to introduce a discussion about trying new things. It can also be used to discuss the importance of being unique and beautiful. The students could also write a brief journal entry of what makes them unique and stand out from the crowd.

Fiction 

Grade 1-5

Level P 

Charlotte's Web is about a pig named wilbur who is born a runt. Fern protects him and saves his life. The book illustrates the aventures and obstacles wilbur overcomes. This book can be used in the classroom to introduce characters, setting, and plot. The book can also lead to an activity where the students find words in the dictionary and find their definitions along with a sentence using the new vocabulary word. 

Fiction

Grade 3-8

Level R 

This book  Dr. Seuss addresses graduates of all ages — from nursery school to medical school — and gives them the get-up-and-go to move mountains with the unrivaled exuberance and charm. This book is full of imagination and creativity.  The book can be used in a classroom as an introduction to a writing activity about future career or on career day. The book introduces creativity and motivation to the students. It also inspires them and reassure that they are capable of anything. 

Fiction 

Prek-2 Grade

Level P

First Day Jitters is a book about a teacher who is scared to go to school on the first day of school. She misses her old school and plays all of the scenarios that could happen on her first day of class. She worries whether she will like this new school. The book provides a good laugh and children may find it reassuring that they are not alone in their anxieties about new situations. This book could be used in the classroom as a first day of class read. The book could also be used as an introduction to a writing activity  where the students get to write about their fears on the first day of school.  

Fiction

PreK-2

Level L

Where The Wild Things Are is a book about a young boy who is transported into a world where anything is possible. This book is full of imagination and creativity. This book can be used in the classroom by introducing the role that our imagination plays in our character. This book could lead into an activity where students get to write and describe what their perfect world would look like. This allows the students to read and write while being creative and using their imagination.

Fiction

PreK-5

Level J

Shiloh is about a young boy who discovers a beagle dog who is being mistreated and abused. He goes beyond and does the right thing by protecting Shiloh and taking care of him. He becomes Shiloh's voice and guardian angel. This book can be used in a classroom by using it to discuss the importance of doing the right thing even when it is not the easiest route. The text could also lead to an assignment where the students get to research about their community and what organizations help around their community. 

Fiction

Grade: 3-8

Fountas and Pinnell: Level R

Grandfather's Journey is a book about a young boy who retells his grandfather's journey coming from Japan to America. The text illustrates all of the obstacles and hardships his grandfather had to overcome while inhabiting a new country. This text can be used in a 3-5th grade classroom during a lesson regarding immigration and migration. This book could lead to an activity where the students get to research their family's origin and where their great great grandparents immigrated from.     

Fiction

3-5th Grade

Fountas and Pinnell: Level P

Amazing Grace is a book about a little girl who loves stories. She is always listening and acting out stories. The text displays how Grace overcomes the obstacle of wanting to play peter pan's role in a play. She knows exactly who she wants to be and shows everyone else how confident, unique and beautiful she is. This text could be used in a prek-5th grade classroom to start a discussion on what makes all of us unique and beautiful. The students could even send each other letters and tell friends what makes them beautiful and unique. This book could also lead to a discussion on what students wants to be when they grow up. 

Fiction

PreK-5th grade

Fountas and Pinnell: Level L

Esperanza Rising is a book about a young girl named Esperanza who lives with her family in Mexico but a sudden tragedy forced them to flee to California during the Great Depression. Esperanza's life was turned upside down and forced to work to help support her family through the situation. The text displays her struggles and how she overcomes them. When I read this book I felt connected to it. It reminded me of how strange and out place I felt when I moved to the US as a little girl. This book could be used successfully while teaching about immigration and the Great Depression. It could also be introduced while discussing point of view in the classroom.

Fiction

5-8th Grade

Fountas and Pinnell: Level V

This is another book my mom use to read to me as a little girl. She specially read this book to me when we had to move and change schools. This book is about a young racoon  named Chester who is forced to move from his home due to deforestation and into a new home. The text displays the obstacles Chester encounters while saying goodbye to his home. The book ends with chester loving his new home and making new friends.  This book could be used in a PreK-2nd grade classroom. The teacher could have new students read the book and talk about their thoughts on their new school or teachers might even read this to a group of children who transitioned from elementary to intermediate school. 

PreK-K

Fountas and Pinnell: L 

Brian is on his way to Canada to visit his estranged father when the pilot of his small prop plane suffers a heart attack. Thirteen-year-old Brian is forced to crash-land the plane in a lake, and finds himself stranded in the remote Canadian wilderness with only his clothing and the hatchet his mother gave him as a present before his departure. This book illustrates the struggles that Brian faces in order to get to safety. This book can be used in the classroom to get children engaged and writing about survival skills. This could also be used in a reading center. 

Level R

Fiction

Grade 6-12