The Garden of Abdul Gasazi by Chris Van Allsburg*

**-Award Winning Book-A Caldecott Honor Book
Alan watches his neighbor's naughty dog, Fritz.  While on a walk, Fritz dashes off into Abdul Gasazi's garden where dogs are forbidden.  Frantically, Alan chases Fritz but to no avail.  Mr. Gasazi, a magician, turns the dog into a duck.  How will Alan break the news to Fritz's owner?
A great ending which requires the reader to infer.
*Highly recommend.
Daily CAFE website recommends using this book to model the strategy "check for understanding" (for grade 5th grade but I think it would be suitable for 3rd grade and higher).  If you are a member to their website you can  print out a brief focus lesson for this book and strategy.
*Borrowed from the library.
Guided Reading Level: P (end of the 3rd grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.7
**I highly recommend Mr. Van Allsburg's books for encouraging readers to think deeply and infer.

Mudball by Matt Tavares*

I love Mr. Tavares' amazing artwork in all of his books.  He draws his characters' faces so well you can feel what they are experiencing and feeling.
In this book he brings to life the legend of Andy Oyler.  Stories about him and that fateful day have changed over the years but no matter what is true, the story is uplifting and inspiring!
Andy is the shortest player on his team, the Minneapolis Millers and the entire league!  One rainy day Andy contemplates quitting.  He just cannot seem to make contact with the ball.
Then during the downpour, Andy's career in baseball is forever changed.  He hits the ball and helps the team win the game.
Mr. Tavares captures the suspense and the atmosphere of baseball well.  My boys and I were laughing at the opposing team's second baseman's reactions to Andy.
The palette used is very appropriate for a rainy day in baseball-browns, grays, whites and blacks.  Even the page edges have wet splotches on them.
**Highly, highly  recommend.
*Borrowed from the library.
I wish I had known about this book for my library story time this past summer which focused on "unlikely heroes".
Strategies: Daily CAFE website recommends using this book to model check for understanding for 4th grade.  On their website they provide a "brief focus lesson" using this book.  It also lends itself to predicting.
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.2

How Are You Peeling? Foods with Moods by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers*

These illustrations are phenomenal!! Mr. Freymann ventured into New York to discover "expressive produce".  Then using an Exacto knife, he created expressive sculptures.  For the eyes he used black-eyed peas.
Amazing works of art!!!
With rhyming text and very expressive fruits and vegetables, readers will enjoy relating to the various feelings displayed.
*Highly recommend.
Borrowed from the library.
Strategy: Daily CAFE website recommends using this book to model "use prior knowledge to connect with text" for first grade.   On the website they have a "brief focus lesson" available for the 1st grade level using this book.

Shy Charles by Rosemary Wells

Strategies: Daily CAFE website recommended using this book to model/reinforce check for understanding for first grade.  On their website is a "brief focus lesson" outline using this book.  I also recommend using this book to model/reinforce using prior knowledge to make connections.

Charlies is painfully shy.  His parents are sick and tired of it so they come up with some solutions, like joining ballet and football.  These solutions are a failure.  Then Charles' babysitter comes for the evening and falls down the stairs, hurting herself.  Will Charles shyness prevent him from helping her?

Warning: I did not like how the father treated Charles.  His words were demeaning (like "You're a jelly roll! You're just a cowardly custard." . . .)
Guided Reading Level: L (2nd grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.1
*Borrowed from the library.

The Stray Dog by Marc Simont*

Award-winning book-Caldecott Honor book
A family from the city goes to park for a picnic and encounter an adorable dog.  The next week the dog consumes their thoughts.  The next weekend they return to the park and find the dog being chased by a dog warden.
A happy ending for all parties!
Based on a true story.
This book was recommended on the Daily CAFE website but I cannot no longer find why they recommended it.
*Highly recommend.
Strategy: inferring
Guided Reading Level: J (1st grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 1.8
Borrowed from the library.

The Reading Strategies Book by Jennifer Serravallo*

"Your Everything Guide to Developing Skilled Readers"
Another professional book I wish I could give to every teacher who teaches reading!
By reading through a chart on one page, a teacher will be to determine how to teach a specific strategy, learn a teaching tip and have prompts ready to use.  The page also shares which level readers can "handle" this strategy and genre it best suited.  She also references other professional books so if a teacher  is wanting additional professional reading, you have a plethora your fingertips!
Example charts with each strategy.
**Highly, highly recommend.
This book can be used no matter what reading approach you use (reading workshop, Daily 5/CAFE, Guided Reading, Balanced Literacy, Core Reading Programs).

In Defense of Read Aloud by Steven L. Layne**

"Sustaining Best Practice"
Daily CAFE recommended this book in their weekly email letter.  "The Sisters" love Dr. Layne!
I could have read this professional book in one sitting!
Dr. Layne's writing style is conversational.  He is motivating -sometimes in your face!  He is humorous.  Most importantly he is not afraid to speak the truth in an articulate manner.
All of his points are backed by solid research.
This book will not only motivate a teacher (and parent) to read aloud to their students/children but it also gives vital suggestions on how to read aloud well and provides a long list of great books to share.
**Highly, highly recommend.
If I could , I would give a copy of this book to every teacher I know!

The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers

Recommended by the Daily CAFE under "Book Looks".
A girl was full of curiosity and wonder about the world and loved sharing her wondering with an adult.  When that adult is no longer there, she decides to keep her heart in a bottle so she cannot be hurt.  As a result, her love for life is contained also.
Simple text but potential for deep conversations with older students.
Strategies: inferring, connections, ask questions, author's purpose, cause/effect

Huggapotamus by Steve Metzger illustrated by Gabriele Antonini

Albert, a young hippo, comes from a loving home where his parents bestow him with lots of hugs and love.  Since he loves his friends, he ventures out one day to share hugs.  A couple of problems-he is a hippo so he is huge and rough plus his timing is not the best.  As a result, his friends do not want to play with him.
A great book to read with your child about "thinking before acting."

This book is recommended on the Daily CAFE website.
Strategies they suggest utilizing with this book: parts of a story, cause/effect, chunking letters (ing), using punctuation to help read with expression, read text as author would say it, tune into interesting words

I Like Me! by Nancy Carlson

This book was a bit too much about "liking me".  I want my children to know that they are fearfully and wonderfully made but this book was a bit too much for me-especially when the narrator begins the book with, "I have a best friend.  That best friend is me!".  Maybe I am being too harsh?!

Otherwise, I really like it because it contains mostly sight words or uses words that can be decoded or figured out by looking at the illustrations.  Daily CAFE website recommends using to model reading sight words.
Grade Level Equivalent: 1.3

A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams*

Award-winning book-Caldecott Honor Book
A young girl, her mother and grandmother save any extra money in a huge jar.  A year ago their house and all their possessions burn in a house fire.  Generous neighbors share various household objects but they are still in need of a comfy chair in which her mother can relax.
*Highly recommend.
Strategies: check for understanding (the girl flashes back to a year ago and explains what had happened; then returns to the present), Daily CAFE website recommends using it to model "skip the word, then come back".
Guided Reading Level: M (third grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.8

Goodnight Already! by Jory John illustrated by Benji Davies*

I may be purchasing this book!  So many ways to utilize it!
Bear is so excited to crawl into bed for the night.  Duck, his next door neighbor, is soo awake!  You can guess what happens next!
I love how the entire story is told via dialogue.  Perfect for Reader's Theater for two people or "Read to Someone" in Daily 5.
Strategies: fluency/accuracy-reading with expression, reading punctuation
                 predicting/confirming predictions, inferring, character traits
*Highly recommend.

The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau by Jon Agee*

Famous painters gather in Paris, France to display their amazing artwork.  At first everyone scoffs at Felix Clousseau's duck painting but then it quacks!  He quickly rises to stardom but just as rapidly falls when his paintings cause havoc.  One painting may just save his life.
A wonderful, surprise ending that will make readers ask questions and think!!
Daily CAFE recommended using this book to model finding word parts to read larger words.  I would use it for the primary grades (K-2nd) to model this skill.
*Highly recommend.
Strategies/skills: decoding, asking questions, predicting, inferring

Mary Smith by A. U'Ren*

Before there were alarm clocks, there were "knocker-ups"!
A entertaining story about a real Mary Smith whose job was to wake up the town for the day!
*Highly recommend.
Daily CAFE recommends using this book when teaching -looking for word parts.

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

George's mother is concerned that when he barks, he does not say "Arf"; he says other animal sounds.  So she takes him to the vet.  Readers will laugh when they discover George's problem!  Funny ending too!
Strategies: prediciing, inferring

My Nose is a Hose by Kent Salisbury*

"Pop into Phonics"
An interactive book that allows the reader to see word families.
*Highly recommend.

Ed and Ted and Ted's Dog Fred by Andy Griffiths illustrated by Terry Denton

"My Readers  Classic Stories Classic Characters"
A silly story about Ed, Ted and Fred.
Lots of "ed" words plus words like "dead/read" that are pronounced with like "ed".  Perfect for modeling cross checking and flipping the vowel sound.
Good fit for beginning readers.

We're Going on a Book Hunt by Pat Miller illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott

Three bears and their teacher visit the library and try to pick the "just right" book.
Perfect for the beginning of the year when sharing how to pick a "good fit" book, how to act in the library, how to page through the book etc.

The Best Place to Read by Debbie Bertram and Susan Bloom illustrated by Michael Garland

A young boy tries to find a comfortable place to read.  Sweet ending!

The Best Time to Read by Debbie Bertram and Susan Bloom illustrated by Michael Garland

A young boy tries to find someone to listen to him read aloud.  No one, however, has time.