Under the Ground: Hidden World by Claude Delafosse and Gallimard Jeunesse

Children get to take a look at what goes on with the animals and bugs that live under the earth. This book uses overlaying papers to reveal what goes on underground.

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

A great and heart-wrenching story of a teacher who finds himself with pancreatic cancer and only a few months to live. He gives advice about life and how one should follow and never give up on their childhood dreams. This is a truly inspiring story that warms the heart and gives you a new perspective on life.

Magnets by Brenda Parkes

This is a very simple book that allows kids to explore magnets. It talks about things that are magnetic and things that aren't. It talks about magnet sizes and just talk about magnets' properties in general.

Around the World by Matt Phelan

This book is about three individuals who were inspired by the novel Around the World in Eighty Days. The challenge of circumnavigating the globe was what drove these three to this challenge. Thomas Stevens made the journey on a classic bicycle. Then pioneer reporter Nellie Bly embarked and brought age of the American celebrity as her progress was published in newspapers everywhere. Finally, a retired sea captain Joshua Slocum set sail, having the worst dreams and flashbacks, to become the first person to sail around the world alone.

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein

A man who walked between trees in the park dreamed of walking on a rope between the twin towers. So one day he and some friends snuck in and he did just that. The police came and when he got down he was sentenced to walking in the park and that was all. He never had another experience quite like the one he had between the towers, but he will always remember it.

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

Setting: Vermont
Characters: Wilson Bentley, Mother, Father, Neighbors
Theme: Don't give up on your dreams

Wilson Bentley loved snow! He loved everything about it. His mother finally bought him a microscope for him to look at snowflakes even closer. His father thought that messing around with snowflakes was foolish. He invested in a camera to take pictures of snowflakes. It didn't work well at first, but he eventually got the hang of it. To this day there is a museum with his pictures showing that each snowflake is different.

Killer Whales by Seymour Simon

Setting: Ocean
Characters: Whales
Theme: Whales

This book talks all about Killer Whales. It talks about their size, speed, and how they can leap out of water. They also hunt, and don't attack people. They eat fish, seal, squid, penguins as well as dolphins and other whales.

Henry's Freedom Box by Kadir Nelson

Setting: Times of slavery
Characters: Henry Brown, Mother, Nancy, James, Dr. Smith, William
Theme: Slavery

Henry was a slave. He never knew his birthday. He had a nice owner, but his mother was scared of him being taken away from her. Once morning, their master called them into his room; he was ill. He said Henry was being given to his son. So Henry said goodbye to his mother. His new master dealt with tobacco. One day, he met Nancy, and their masters agreed that they could be married. They had three children. Soon, Nancy's master had lost a lot of money, and they were afraid that their children would be sold. Soon after that, Henry found out his wife and children were indeed sold. After a few weeks, Henry decided he wanted to be free. He asked his friend James and Dr. Smith, who was a white man who thought slavery was wrong, to help. He decided he would mail himself to his friend, William, who lived in Philadelphia. Henry hurt his head so that his master would let him stay home. Henry made his way to Philadelphia in the box. It was upside and he thought he'd die, but finally her arrived in Philadelphia. His new birthday would be March 30, 1849. From then on he was known as Henry "Box" Brown.

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill

Setting: Time of Slavery
Characters: Dave
Theme: Slavery, Perseverance

 Dave was a potter. He used clay from Big House Creek, and he would mix the clay with a big paddle. He would kick his potter's wheel to make it spin as fast as possible. He would form the clay into a tall jar by wrapping a big coil of clay into a jar shape and smoothing it out. While it dried, he made a glaze to withstand time. Before it was hardened, he wrote, "I wonder where is all my relation friendship to all- and, every nation." Dave always wrote poems on his pottery in spite of his slave life.

My Great-Aunt Arizona by Gloria Houston

Setting: Henson Creek
Characters: Arizona, Galen, Jim, Mom, Dad, Aunt Suzie, Carpenter, Narrator
Theme: Inspiration

Great-aunt Arizona was born in a cabin on Henson Creek. Her family got a letter from her brother, Galen, to name her Arizona. She was tall, wore her hair in braids, wore long full dresses, a white apron, high-button shoes, and petticoats, and liked to grow flowers. She liked to read, sing, and square dance. She played with her brother and helped her mother. She went to a one room schoolhouse. Then one day, her mother died so she had to stay home to help take care of her little brother, Jim, and her Papa. Her Aunt Suzie eventually invited her to stay with her while she taught. When she returned home, she taught at her old schoolhouse. She wore the same things and taught her students about faraway place she hadn't gotten to go but they could go someday.  She got married to the carpenter that helped her build the new school and became Mrs. Hughes. She also eventually had a baby girl. Her and her students would plant Christmas trees together each year. She taught for 57 years, taught Jim's only song, the narrator, and their brother. She died on her 93rd birthday and never got to go to any far away places, but she travels with her students in their minds.

What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Steven Jenkins and Robin Page

Setting: No defined setting
Characters: Various animals
Theme: Learning about different animal body parts

This books goes through many different parts of animal bodies and tells what they are used for. They list noses, ears, tails, eyes, feet, and mouths. Each body parts has several animals listed and what they use that body part for.

We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution foreworded by David Catrow

Setting: U.S.A
Characters: Kids and a dog
Theme: The Preamble of the Constitution

This books states the Preamble of the Constitution. It gives an easy way for it to be explained to kids as well. The dog tells you what each section of the Preamble means.