Annotated bibliography: methods and applications

Dakos, Kalli. Don't Read This Book Whatever You Do!: More Poems about School

This book would be most appropriate for students aged eight through ten, who have had some elementary school experience. The book contains both poems and mini plays, all of which are centered on the funny moments that can happen in the classroom. This book can be useful in teaching some early elements of drama because the plays are short and fun.

Foxworthy, Jeff. Dirt on my Shirt

This book is for children aged four to seven years. It is a collection of poems about a neighborhood filled with fun and silly characters intended to make the reader laugh. The use of imagination is also important for reading this book because Foxworthy includes a trip to an imaginary planet in one of the poems. In the book, two friends bond over a hatred of spinach; this idea of bonding with a friend over something each person does not like is an illustration that can be useful in the classroom.

Harvey, Karen D. American Indian Voices

American Indian Voices includes history of some native American peoples. There are legends, myths, stories, poetry, songs and prayers, beliefs, and biographical sketches included in the book. This book is a little longer, so an appropriate age group is 13 to 15 years old. This book can be included in any American history course with an illustration that compares similarities and differences between the ways various native peoples behaved and the way current Americans behave.

Katz, Alan. Oops!

This book teaches children about wordplay and puns in a fun way. Black and white illustrations help along the way as Katz incorporates nonsense rhymes with the sly images of daily life. Recommended for students aged seven to 10 years, this book can be useful in teaching students about fun with words. Since this book turns everyday events into funny events, it should be easy for teachers to find appropriate illustrations for their classrooms.

Kellogg, Steven. Johnny Appleseed: A Tall Tale.

Johnny Appleseed: A Tall Tale is the story of the life of John Chapman from infancy through old age. The book describes his love of nature, his physical strength, and his kindness to animals. This short book is very well illustrated. In fact, the pictures in the book almost tell more of a story than the words do. The book would be fitting to new readers, between six and eight years old. A teacher can tie this book in with a basic lesson on how things grow. The class can plant a seed and continue to water it, watching the plant grow from a seed to full maturity.

Kennedy, X.J. Exploding Gravy: Poems to Make You Laugh

This book is filled with fun, silly poems intended to elicit laughter from the reader. Also included are detailed drawings of the silliness being describe in the poems. Kennedy also ends many of the poems with clever punchlines. The age group for this book is nine to 12 years old. This book can be included in any English curriculum to help students see that reading and learning can be fun. This book will allow students to really let their imaginations run wild.

Lewis, Patrick J. Swan Song.

This short picture book is about the lives of 20 species of animals that have gone extinct over the last three centuries. This book can be used with students up to age eight to help teach them the importance of valuing what they have. A teacher can draw a connection between extinct animals in this book with any animal that is currently endangered. Students can draw pictures of their favorite animals to help them understand the importance of animals in the world.

Nelson, Marilyn. A Wreath for Emmett Till.

The deeply historical aspect of this memorial to a teen who was lynched in 1955 makes this book only appropriate for students aged 14 through 18 years. The "wreath" is a cycle of 15 sonnets in a highly formalized style that makes readers reflect on the events while also calling attention to the events. This book would be useful in an American History course. A teacher can draw parallels between the way Emmett Till was mistreated and other forms of mistreatment that continue currently.

Pearson, Susan. Grimericks.

Grimericks is filled with ghoulish, gothic limericks about ghosts, skeletons, banshees, and the like. The poems are clever with an emphasis on the macabre. Use of this book can be especially useful around Halloween because it can still be used within the curriculum, but the themes of the poems would be fitting for the time of year. This book is for students aged six to nine years.

Prelutsky, Jack. Awful Ogre Running Wild.

Recommended for readers aged four to eight years, this book is about the awesomely gross Awful Ogre. The reader follows Awful Orge on a picnic, a visit to Grandma's house, on a swimming trip, and exercising with ogre yoga. An important lesson this book teaches is the importance of being comfortable with what you are doing. Although the reader may consider what the ogre does gross, the ogre himself is content.

Silverstein, Shel. Giving Tree

Giving Tree is the story of a young boy's relationship with a tree. The tree loves the boy very much and gives the boy whatever he needs. The tree gives the boy shade, apples, and branches to swing on. The tree even lets the boy cut it down so he can make a boat to sail on. When the boy returns to the tree stump as an old man, the stump gives him a place to rest.