One Love Written by Cedella Marley and Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

One Love

Written by Cedella Marley

Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Grades: PreK- 1st

Cedella Marley, Bob Marley's oldest child, brings her father's well-liked song, One Love, to life. In this book, a determined little girl shows her family, friends, and neighbors how love and teamwork make a community a better place. They create a park from what was once a garbage-strewn lot. 

Great to use in the classroom with the song from Bob Marley. It is also on YouTube! 

This is Not My Hat Written and Illustrated by Jon Klassen

This is Not My Hat

Writing and Illustrated by Jon Klassen

Grades: PreK-3

Awards:

• Caldecott Medal (2013)

• Kate Greenaway Medal (2014)

• Canadian Booksellers Association Libris Award for Children’s Picture Book (2013)

• Irma Black Award Nominee (2013)

• OLA Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award Nominee (2014)

• Premi Llibreter for Àlbum il·lustrat (2014)

 I Want My Hat Back, this story involves a hat theft. A small gray fish has stolen a tiny bowler hat from a much larger fish. He wastes no time or words in confessing his crime as he swims announcing, "This hat is not mine. I just stole it." He continues his narrative with no regrets, but with a bit of rationalizing ("It was too small for him anyway.") as he swims to his hiding place, unaware that the big fish is in quiet pursuit. Readers, of course, are in on this little secret. When the two disappear into a spread filled with seaweed, the narration goes silent, and youngsters can easily surmise what happens as the big fish reemerges with the tiny blue bowler atop his head. 

The Velveteen Rabbit Written by Margery Williams Bianco and Illustrated by Monique Felix

The Velveteen Rabbit

Written by Margery Williams Bianco

Illustrated by Monique Felix

Grades: Pre-k - 2nd
Awards:
Lewis Carroll Shelf Award (1971)

A stuffed toy rabbit with real thread whiskers and pink satin ears,  comes to life. Given as a Christmas gift to a young boy, the Rabbit lives in the nursery with all of the other toys, waiting for the day when the Boy will choose him as a playmate. In time, the shy Rabbit befriends the tattered Skin Horse, the wisest resident of the nursery, who reveals the goal of all nursery toys: to be made "real" through the love of a human. "'Real isn't how you are made,' said the Skin Horse. 'It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.'" The boy does love the rabbit and he soon looses his nice plump stuffed body and his pink ears fade. Will the rabbit become real?

This is a wonderful story of love between a child and his toys. Every child feels their toys are real. This will let them continue to question that and understand how the animals feel as well. 

Children Make Terrible Pets (Starring Lucille Beatrice Bear) Written and Illustrated by Peter Brown

Children Make Terrible Pets
Written and Illustrated by: Peter Brown
Grades: PreK-3
Awards:
Irma Black Award Nominee (2011), 
NAIBA Book of the Year for Picture Book (2011), 
Cybils Award Nominee (2010), 
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Picture Book (2010)

Lucy the bear finds a boy in the forest one day. She thinks he is the cutest thing in the world and must keep him for a pet. The boy makes a squeak sound, so she names him squeaker. Lucy's mom warns her that the boy will make a terrible pet, but she lets Lucy keep him anyway. It was a really cute story and the pictures are funny. The boy eventually returns to his "habitat" and Lucy finds that he is happy there. 

This is a great book for the classroom. It can be used for any child who has wanted pets that are not your average dog or cat. It shows there is a lot more to taking care of a pet than you think.