Koala Lou

Koala Lou

by Mem Fox, Pamela Lofts (illus)

 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1994

Summary:  After his siblings are born, Koala Lou is feeling neglected by his mother.  He tries to gain her attention and affections by winning the Olympic Climbing contest.

Lesson:  After reading this story, which the children loved, we discussed Koala Lou's actions and motives.  Sibling rivalry for a parent's attention.  Pride from doing your best instead of winning.  The students made connections to real life and to movies/texts they had experienced.

Level:   K-2nd

Latino Legends: Hispanics in Major League Baseball

Latino Legends: Hispanics in Major League Baseball 

by Michael Silverstone , Timothy Rasinski , Doran Duke Goldman

Coughlin Publishing, 2003

Summary:  Short, Sports focused biographies of famous Hispanics in Major League Baseball.

Lesson:  I used this book twice.  First, when a grade level was doing biographical research, I showed them this as an example of how to find biographies based upon the topic's profile:  Female scientists, Presidents, Civil Rights Leaders, baseball players, etc.  Then later, when talking about searching for information, I was showing the students how to use the table of contents and the index pages. 

Level: 3rd - 6th

OFF THE SHELF -- Game Day

Game Day
by Tiki Barber , Ronde Barber , Barry Root (Illustrator)

Simon & Schuster, 2005

My recommendation today was to a mother of two boys (a year apart) who were athletically-minded.  I suggested the books written by Tiki and Ronde Barber, which reminisce their childhood playing football together as twins. The dynamics of good sportsmanship and family unity are stressed. There are multiple stories, which are available in picture book and chapter book format.