All You Need for a Snowman by Alice Schertle

Book Genre: Fiction

Publishing Info: Scholastic Inc., 32 pages

Awards or honors received: None

Summary: This book is a fiction picture book, about a group of friends building a snowman. The author describes the process of making a snowman in a sing-song fashion. “All you need to build a snowman” is snowflakes. The author humorously adds more and more objects that you would need once you packed the snow into three balls and stacked on top of one another. On top of the biggest ball you need a hat, some bottle cap eyes, a carrot nose, walnuts buttons, a belt and boots, broom, mittens, fanny pack and something to read. The story ends with snowflakes falling again, and the friends building another snowman.

Personal rating and reason for rating: *** Good – This book is pretty good. It is simple enough for first graders to read towards the end of first grade or most second graders, but it works well as a seasonal read aloud for prekindergarten or kindergarten.

Reading level: 2.3

Interest level: PreK-2 (Lower Grades)

Possible uses of the text in integrated units of study (reading and writing across the curriculum): Perfect for a winter unit. It could also be used as an introduction for a writing lesson on adding detailed instruction for an activity or event. Potential

Problems or Difficulties: Seems appropriate for all ages, I do not see any potential problems or difficulties.

Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin

Book Genre: Fiction

Publishing Info: Harper Collins, 40 pages

Awards or honors received: None

Summary: This book is a worm’s journal. Writing in first person, the worm writes journal entries telling each days adventures. Each day, the worm teaches the readers about many lessons he has learned, like how worms can’t walk upside down, and how dangerous the game of hopscotch is to a worm. The worm continues with funny stories, telling readers about the positive and negative sides of being a worm, and making readers aware about how important the life of a worm is to the earth we live on.

Personal rating and reason for rating: ** Okay – This book was alright. I have always heard good reviews, but when I picked it up to read it I was a little disappointed with the lack of facts and details about worms. I would have enjoyed it more if it had a real problem and solution, rather than just a list of funny things the worm did. It is an alright story, my first graders thought parts of it was funny.

Reading level: 2.8

Interest level: PreK-2 (Lower Grades)

Possible uses of the text in integrated units of study (reading and writing across the curriculum): This story could be used as a literature introduction to a unit on worms. It does give some fun facts about worms, which can be humorous and get kids thinking about the importance of worms, and the type of things real worms do every day.

Potential Problems or Difficulties: Small children may not understand that it is written as a diary, and not as a fluent story. The dates of the worms diary are not consecutive enough to see fluency from one day to the next.