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...

Author: Stephen Molnar-Fenton Illustrator:Vivienne Flesher Awards: Ages: Pre-K- 2nd Grade Pineapple Points:4/5 🍍🍍🍍🍍 Summary: An Mei is a young Chinese girl who tells about her adoption. She was born on a train, dropped onto an orphanage's doorstep, then given a last loving gesture by her mother. At the orphanage, she is adopted by a white man with a dark beard. He flies her across the ocean to America where her surroundings are new and strange. Her journey is one towards love, safety, and acceptance. Evaluation: This book celebrates both sides of an adoption. Great to keep on the shelf to diversify characters and entertain the theme of adoption.

Author:Angela Johnsom Illustrator: Beth Peck Awards: Ages: Kindergarten- 3rd Grade Pineapple Points:5/5 🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍 Summary: Grandmother tells a story about herself, a young black girl, who was born into a family with a baseball loving father, He passed down his love for the sport to her. Not only was she not allowed to play with the boys. Every once in a while she got to practice with the guys. She proved to them that she didn't "play like a girl". She was even able to fill in one game for a hurt player. Evaluation: This book is a tribute to Josh Gibson. He was an amazing baseball player in the Negro Leagues. Many say that he would have outranked Babe if there wasn't any restrictions due to his skin color. Unfortunately he died of a stroke months before African Americans were allowed to play along white men. The book has a fun perspective and great pastel pictures. It levels the gender playing field and that is an important concept for young bo...

Author:Angela Shele Medearis Illustrator: Deniel Minter Awards: Ages: Kindergarden-3rd Grade Pineapple Points:5/5 🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍 Summary: A widowed father, ad seven sons who fought. They fought about crops, weather, and food. THe widow dies. Every child was to be given an equal share of inheritance, but first, together they must make gold from thread without fighting. If they couldn't, they would be cast on the streets as beggars and the inheritance would be distributed to the poor. They decided to make beautiful cloth and sell it for gold. They even shared this skill with the less fortunate so they could also prosper. Evaluation: The book is a beautifully written narrative that has the Kwanzaa principles woven into it. The illustrations are eye-catching and are culturally relevant. A great book to keep on the shelf to diversify the content. 

Author: Liz Garton Scanton Illustrator: Maria Frazee Awards: Caldecott Medal Ages: Pre-K- 4th grade Pineapple Points: 3/5 🍍🍍🍍 Summary: An observation of the earth and its similarities in all parts and regions. A comparison of all the animals and the unique ability to grow crops all over the world. All of the world's inhabitants share the same struggles, every ocean have boats and waves of blue. All the world shares comparisons that shows everyone deserves hope, peace, love, and trust. Evaluation: Simplistic words that are exemplified by the artwork that surrounds them. The book comes off as a religious book but during further investigation I determined it was purely about the simple things in life that we take for granted. It has simple words for young children but a large meaning for older audiences.

Author: Bill Wallace Awards: Bluebonnet Award Ages: 4th- 7th Grade Pineapple Points: 5/5 🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍 Summary: After a traumatic experience with a mean dog when he was little, Ricky, a fourth grade farm boy, did not fancy dogs very much. One day a malnurished puppy came wandering up to Ricky's farm. With hopes of a meal. the dog was in turn scared off by the mean barn cats. After some time, the Dog became Kitty, who eventually became Ricky's best friend. Evaluation: A humorous story about a little god who got the beat of a standoffish boy. This story is adorable and would be a fun read for a middle school child. It is relate able for children and would be a great book for a classroom shelf.

 Author: Richard Jackson Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney Awards: Coretta King Scott Award Ages: Kindergarten-3rd Grade Pineapple Points: 3/5 🍍🍍🍍 Summary: Everyday a little girl comes home to her Grandpa who has hidden an item in plan sight for her to find. Everyday the little girl finds it. On Sunday, the little girl decides to hide herself for her Grandpa to find. A joyful story about a Grandpa creating a game to spend time with his granddaughter. Evaluation: This book would be great for a read aloud. The children could learn sequencing through this book. It could be the introduction to a sequencing lesson. It is relevant to elementary children and is a simple but fun story with beautiful illustrations. Nothing less to be expected of Jerry Pinkney.

Author:Dr. Suess Illustrator: Varies per story Awards: Laura Ingles Wilder Author Ages: Pre-K 2nd Grade Pineapple Points: 3/5 🍍🍍🍍 Summary: A collection on six different books by Dr. Seuss. Books include; Great Day for Up, a book about waking up; Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog?, a book about decisions; I Wish That I Had Duck Feet, about a boy who decides it is best to be himself; Wacky Wednesday, about a boy whose day was a bit strange; Maybe You Should Fly a Jet! Maybe You Should Be A Vet!, about picking a job/career; and I Am NOT Going to Get Up Today, about a young boy determined to lay in bed all day. Evaluation: Dr. Seuss is always a classic go to, but here is a collection of his simpler but still amazing books. This compilation is great for a child's shelf. For early readers this is a great book to be read and to read themselves. The pictures help fill in any blanks and the text is relevant.

Author: Shane Koyczan Illustrator: www.annikpress.com/To-This-Day Awards: Caldecott Medal Ages: Grade 5 and Up Pineapple Points: 🍍🍍🍍🍍 Summary: A beautifully written poem about the day to day struggles of the bullied. Written in many perspectives, all the world sees how bullying is often overlooked, and how bullying is often overlooked, and how bullying victims are stronger now that they have decided to look past their pain to relish their own beauty. Evaluation: This poem is beautiful. It artfully lays out the effects of bullying and how the bullied are strong and those who stand by are wrong to do so. This is a great story to teach kids about the power in their words and their actions and get them to empathize and begin to think about bullying.

Author/Illustrator: David Wisiewski Awards: Caldecott Medal Ages: 1st-5th Pineapple Points: 4/5 🍍🍍🍍🍍 Summary: In Prague, Jewish people were being oppressed and were put into gated slums. This prejudice was based of ignorance, and Judah Leow was determined to end the "Blood Lie". This would protect his people. He created Golam, a prophesied giant formed from clay. Golam did what he what he was created for, but once told he was to be returned to clay, was sad for his life to end. Golam loved life and all the little things everyone else took for granted. The Rabbi had to end his life and put his unmolded clay body behind locked doors for him to maybe be awakened if religious justice ever be needed. Evaluation: A Jewish legend told beautifully with accompanying paper crafted illustrations. Harsh themes may be hard for children to handle and adults to discuss. The cultural insight it gives is very enticing if choosing to give this book to children.

Author/Illustrator: Peter Sis Awards: Ages: Pre-K- 1st Grade Pineapple Points:2/5 🍍🍍 Summary: A simple biography about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his musical talent. The reader learns about how his whole life was centered around music due to his pushy but proud father. Mozart played for royalty and others around Europe. He was very inclined and his music is still adored today. Evaluation: A biography of a very complex character is presented in a way for young children to understand and relate to. The pictures are clever and relevant to the text. They actually further develop what little is said. The short but more detailed biography of Mozart on the last page helps to clarify and give background to an adult who reads this book along with a child.

Author/Illustrator:Herald McKinley Awards: Ages: Pre-K-1st Grade Pineapple Points: 2/5 🍍🍍 Summary: A step by step informative book on how crayons are made. From wax to mold, mold to labels, children can learn the basic crayon making process. Evaluation: Simple text is paired with great pictures. This book introduces children into processes and sequencing  specifically pertaining to crayon production.The topic is also relevant for the text level.

Author: Shaina Rudolph and Danielle Royer Illustrator: Jennifer Zivoin Awards: Ages: Pre-K- 3rd Grade Pineapple Points: 3/5 Summary: A young Zebra with Autism notices that he is not the same as all of his peers at school. He is embarrassed about all the things that sets him apart from the other children, like hiding from loud noises and not knowing how to talk to others even though he wants to. His mom shows the young zebra all the positive "stripes" he has that autism has given him, like honesty, good recall, and curiosity. Zane the zebra becomes confident in himself once again. Evaluation: Zane the zebra is a great model for young children with Autism or a group of students who has a peer with Autism. Autism has a large array of exceptionalities and symptoms, but this book shows us that there is always a positive side to the people labeled with this syndrome.

Author: Paula Yoo Illustrator: Dom Lee Awards: New Voices Awards Winner Ages: 2nd-4th Grade Pineapple Points: 4/5 🍍🍍🍍🍍 Summary: A Korean boy, Sammy Lee, was infatuated with diving, but he was only allowed at the public pool on Wednesdays due to his skin color. Sammy's father saved money in hopes of his only son to become a doctor, but Sammy wanted to be an Olympian. To become one he practiced. At 18 he entered competitions and snuck into the pool to dive. One day a stranger at the pool began to yell at him like a coach. This man, Jim Ryan, became his dive coach. To practice, he would dive into a sand pit and do gymnastics. In school Sammy was successful, but unfortunately because he was not white, he was excluded. His freshman year in college was rough, and so was relationship with his dad. To honor his dad he became a doctor and an Olympian. Evaluation: This book is an awesome biographical rendition of Sammy Lee. The Korean diver was often held back due to his ski...

Author/Illustrator: Shelly Rotner Awards: Ages: Pre-K-Kindergarten Pineapple Points:1/5 🍍 Summary: A simple and repetitive book about different animals on the farm. Animals such as chickens, pigs, and cows. Evaluation: A simple book that repeats "I like..." It is a good book for the introductory readers. It has great pictures of children holding animals that correlate with the words.

Author: Betsy Bryars Illustrator: Doron Ben-Ami Awards: Bluebonnet Award Ages: 1st-4th Grade Pineapple Pages: 4/5 🍍🍍🍍🍍 Summary: One day a tornado was coming so Pete, the farmhand, and the family he worked for settled into the storm cellar. Link, the man of the estate, did not make it to the cellar and the family was worried. To ease the tension, Pete told a tale about his dog Tornado. After a tornado hit when he was a boy, he discovered a doghouse on his property that had a dog in it. He decided to keep it and name him, Tornado. Tornado was a spectacular pup and Pete told stories about the dog knowing card tricks and digging-holes. When the tornado had passed the family reunited with Link but the story of Tornado remained. Evaluation: A adorable book that has beautiful illustrations. This small chapter book would be great for a book club or accelerated readers in younger grades. To no surpirse, this book won a Bluebonnet Award.

Author: Amy Littlesugar Illustrator: Floyd Cooper Awards: Ages: Kindergarten- 4th Grade Pineapple Points: 4/5 🍍🍍🍍🍍 Summary:         A fictional story about the 1964 Mississippi Summer Project, that created three Freedom Schools in highly Anglo dominated state. The schools educated African Americans of all ages and created opportunities that they otherwise would not have had. This particular story tells about a young Jolie, whose mother volunteered to house the white Freedom School teacher. They were faced with angry and violent anglo Mississippi natives, that tried to deter these people from creating these education centers. Fortunately, their determination for justice and equality trumped their fears and the Freedom School was created and Jolie and many others were taught the things they had so long been deprived of.  Evaluation:       These strong female characters are a light of the horrific racial injustic...

Author/Illustrator: Emily Arnold McCully Awards: Caldecott Medal Ages: 3rd- 5th grade Pineapple Points: 4/5 🍍🍍🍍🍍 Summary:      Based on the real event of a band of outlaws throwing a Thanksgiving celebration around 1896 at Brown's Hole, a young fictional character and her mom are aboard a train which is stopped by fowl weather on their journey to California. Clara meets a Mr. Jones on their train to California. After news of a delay in their transportation due to snow, Mr Jones invites Clara and her mother to Brown's Hole. A place that is now recognized as a hideout for famous outlaws. The outlaws here tolerated by the local ranchers and in return the two groups made friends. Clara and her mother were invited in with welcome arms. Clara was a witty girl who recognized outlaw, Butch Cassidy. Clara decided to withhold from her mother, her knowledge of their hostesses being outlaws. The two had a grand celebration with their new outlaw friends and returned days l...

Author: Kelly Starling Lyons Illustrator: Daniel Minter Awards: Coretta Scott King Award Ages: Kindergarten- 3rd Grade Pineapple Points: 3/5 🍍🍍🍍 Summary:       A narrative rendition of the Cohabition Act of 1866, Ellen's Broom uses a touching fictional story to inform readers about the marriage recognition of former Virginian slaves. Before, slaves marriages were not acknowledged. A tradition for these suppressed slaves was to jump over a broom to signify a "jumping into life together" and a marriage of two people inn the eyes of God. Ellen, a child of former slaves, was able to witness the legal marriage of her parents. With a rising fight to end racial injustices, a tradition to celebrate a union is kept alive, despite legal advances, to commemorate the past and its traditions. Evaluation:      Ellen's broom is a beautifully simplistic children's book that celebrates an advancement in African American rights. This would be a great book to i...

Author: Kathryn Lasky Illustrator: John Manders Awards: Ages: Kinder-3rd Grade Pineapple Points:4/5 🍍🍍🍍🍍 Summary:         A flourished historical account about the Mayflower's trip to America and two very troublesome boys who were aboard. Fransis and Johnny Billington were two real brothers who were aboard the Mayflower. Historical accounts from pilgrims tell about these two trouble makers almost blowing up the boat, discovering a body of water, and getting lost and living with Indians for a month. These two boys are given the reigns to tell their story about the settlement of Plimouth, Massachusetts, with the help of a knowledgeable professor. Evaluation:       This book is an awesome way to present the story of the Mayflower. The accounts in the book are all true, but the author and illustrator makes this history lesson a fun and enticing one! This would be great for a history lesson during Thanksgiving time! Children will fall in l...

Author/Illustrator: G, Brian Karas Awards: none Ages: Kindergarten- 3rd Grade Pineapple Points: 4/5 🍍🍍🍍🍍 Summary: Throughout all of the seasons the Village Garage works to maintain the village streets. They pick up leaves and sticks in the spring and fix the potholes from summer traffic. Then more leaves in the fall. They also deal with the snow on the roads in the winter. The Village Garage works hard to operate their trucks and clean up the town. Evaluation: This would be a great book for a young boy who are interested in trucks. It would also be a great interactive read aloud to teach the different seasons.

Author: Benjamin Strouse Illustrator: Jennifer Phelan Awards: Age: Pineapple Points: 3/5 🍍🍍🍍 Summary:        A young boy finds a stray dog. He brings him home, but his mother said that he can not have a dog until he is grown up. They took the dog to the shelter. He came back for the dog a month later but he was gone. The new owners wrote him a letter and throughout his life they allowed the boy to come and visit the dog. Life got busy and he got to visit less and less. One day the elderly owners asked if he could take in the dog, for they are too old to care for him. Ecstatic the boy and do lived their lives out together. Evaluation: This book is very simple to read, but the plot is kind of sad. The reader can use the pictures to convey more about the story, than the actual words say.

Author: Toni Buzzeo Illustrator: Amy Wummer Awards: 2013 Caldecott Honor Book Ages: Pre-Kinder-2nd Grade Pineapple Points: 3/5 🍍🍍🍍 Summary: Adventure Annie learns that if she follows the rules she has the opportunity to get a gold star! All day Annie tries her best, but keeps messing up her chance to get that star. Finally, her chance came when the missing milk fetchers are rescued by Adventure Annie herself. She was bestowed with the gold star, that she wanted so badly. Evaluation: As part of a very successful series, young kids will fall in love with Adventure Annie and learn valuable lessons from the book as well. This would be a great read aloud for the last day of Pre-Kindergarten.

Author: Alexandra Penfold Illustrator: Eda Kaban Awards: Ages: Pre-Kinder- 1st Grade Pineapple Points: 3/5 🍍🍍🍍 Summary:        Big brother tells his new little brother about all the things he has to show him and all he will do to show that he is his best friend. Evaluation: A cute book with great illustrations. Perfect for a little boy expecting a new sibling brother.