The Pineapple Pages

Author: Kathi Appelt Illustrator: Devid Small Awards: Newbery Honor Ages: Grades 4th- 8th Pineapple Points:3/5 🍍🍍🍍 Summary: Three stories under one book cover. A pregnant calico who is abandoned finds an unlikely partner who takes her and her kittens in and take over the responsibility of taking care of them when her life is taken. Gar Face, the hound's owner and his story about abuse and escape. The reasons why he is so calloused and reclusive. Finally, the story of Grandma Moccasin. A snake encased in a jar under a pine. The stories come together when curiosity gets the best of the kittens and they leave the safety of the underneath. Evaluation: A slow read that jumps from story to story. A little hard to follow but the end and the illustrations help tie up all of the loose ends.

Author: Pam Munoz Ryan Awards: Newbery Medal 2016 Ages: 5th-8th Grade Pineapple Points: 5/5 🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍 Summary: A young boy named Otto becomes lost in the forest, where he is found by three sisters who have been trapped there by a witch's spell.  The sisters help Otto find his way out, and in exchange he carries their spirits with him in the music of his harmonica, and promises to help them gain their freedom by passing it along to the right person, at the right time.  The harmonica first finds its way into the hands of Friedrich, a sick German boy in Nazi Germany. Friedrich must fight the Nazi Regime from breaking up his family.  Next, the harmonica ends up in the hands of Mike, a young orphan in Philadelphia.  There, His brother and he live in fear of being separated, until their musical talent provides opportunity.  Finally, the harmonica makes its way to Ivy in California during World War II.  Ivy's family moves to what they hope to be ...

Author: John Frank Illustrator: Zachary Pullen Awards: Bluebonnet Book Ages:Kindergarten- 4th Grade Pineapple Points: 5/5 🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍 Summary: Grizz and his gang of rough and tough cowboys are in need of someone to straighten them up and show them love. Grizz goes into town to find such a love and comes back to camp with a fluffy white miniature poodle. Unhappy with Grizz's idea of a good idea, the cowboys are assigned a task to help take care of the pup. It isn't until the poodle does an amazing trick that the cowboys clean up their act and accept the dog and their roles as caretakers. Evaluation: An adorable book that was one of my favorite as a kid. It is a fun read and will have children rolling on the floor with the ironic nature of the story.

Author/Illustrator: Jeremy and Josie Schroeder Awards: Ages: Pre-K- Kindergarten Pineapple Points:3/5 🍍🍍🍍 Summary: An informational book about fruit for young children. It talks about fruit, how they grow, and the top five places they are grown in the world. Evaluation: An easy read that is a part of a series. A great educational book to make children aware of the food that they eat.

Author: Patricia C. McKissack Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney Awards: Coretta Scott King Award Ages: Pre-K- 2nd Grade Pineapple Points: 4/5 🍍🍍🍍🍍 Summary: There is somewhere in this town with Jim Crow laws, where are all welcome. Tricia Ann is dying to go visit this special place all by herself with the grace of her Grandmother. She hops on the bus but has to sit in the back of the bus and ponder why life is so unfair. For every unfair circumstance, there is another reason for Tricia Ann to keep going to this special place. Evaluation: This book is historically and culturally important to have on the shelf, but it also teaches a lesson about determination and defying naysayers. A great story to introduce a writing or history lesson.

Author: Norma Simon Illustrator:Sarah S. Brannen Awards: Ages: Pre-K- Kindergarten Pineapple Points:3/5 🍍🍍🍍 Summary: A book about families and what makes a family a family. Families can be different or they can be similar. Not one family is alike completely but all families are a part of you. Evaluation: A nice story to introduce a family social study lesson. The book covers every diversified family so any child can relate. The illustrations are beautiful and could be used as a comparison lesson against the other versions of this book. 

Author:Steve Johnson Illustrator:Lou Fancher Awards: Ages: Kindergarten-3rd Grade Pineapple Points:3/5 🍍🍍🍍 Summary: Every December, Grandma retells the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe as they make flowers to hang around her statue. The story goes, Juan Diego was asked by Our Lady of Guadalupe to go to the bishop and ask him to build her a church on top of the hill. The bishop asked for a sign twice. Knowing he would disappoint the lady he took a different path. She still came to him and asked to go pick her flowers on the hilltop. They arranged the flowers in his cloak. He went to the Bishop and opened his cloak to not only expose the flowers but a picture of the beautiful lady. People to this day visit her church on the hill. Evaluation: This book teaches every child of every color a cultural story of Mexico's miracle of Our Lad of Guadalupe. A warm idea of grandma telling a story over crafts and cookies. Great illustrations and a great book to di...