Circles, Stars, and Squares

TITLE: Circles, Stars, and Squares  Looking for Shapes
AUTHOR:  Jane Brocket
ILLUSTRATOR:  Jane Brocket
PUBLISHER:  Millbrook Press
COPYRIGHT: 2013

Shapes are everywhere.  Learn the names of both flat shapes and solid shapes.  The text is easy to understand with vivid picture examples given. 

This book caught my eye because of the cover. It has wonderful photographs and would be great for the primary school classroom for a lesson on shapes.

Jake's 100th Day of School

TITLE: Jake's 100th Day of School
AUTHOR:  Lester L. Laminack
ILLUSTRATOR: Judy Love
PUBLISHER: Peachtree
COPYRIGHT: 2006

Mr. Thompson's class is preparing for the 100th day of school.  Each child is going to bring a collection of 100 things.  When Jake gets to school, he realizes he forgot his collection at home.  The principal helps him find a solution.  The class has a special 100th day visitor also.

This is a nice book to read to prepare for or celebrate the 100th day.  I thought the  students had good ideas of things to bring in a collection to share with the class. 

How Many Seeds In a Pumpkin?

TITLE:  How Many Seeds In a Pumpkin?
AUTHOR:  Margaret McNamara
ILLUSTRATOR:  G. Brian Karas
PUBLISHER:  Schwartz & Wade Books
COPYRIGHT:  2007

Mr. Tiffin brings three pumpkins to school.  The children guess how many seeds are in each one.  They clean out the pumpkins and come up with three ways to count the seeds (by 2s, 5s, and 10s).  Besides the pumpkin lesson, a boy named Charlie learns that it is okay to be the smallest.

This would be a wonderful book for an elementary school classroom or library.  I can see this being read in a unit on pumpkins in a Kindergarten or 1st grade class, and then the class could count the seeds in various pumpkins as the kids in the book do.  I liked this book and that it included a simple lesson for Charlie (besides the math/pumpkin lesson).  

Sort It Out!

TITLE: Sort It Out!
AUTHOR: Barbara Mariconda
ILLUSTRATOR: Sherry Rogers
PUBLISHER: Sylvan Dell
COPYRIGHT: 2008

Pack the Packrat sorts his collection of things. He finds various ways to sort the items, such as things that are green, things with a shell, and things you use when you sew. The illustrations for this book are adorable and add to the appeal of this book. Primary through elementary aged children will enjoy this book.

My son and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a great educational book that would be good for the elementary classroom as well as the library.