elementary school | Page 3 of 7

The Sweetest Scoop, a fun picture book on ice cream, ethics and persistence

The other day I heard on the radio that Touch of Grey was released on this date in 1987. They then went on to chat about Jerry Garcia and I immediately regretted not seeing them on tour with my friend in 1988. However, now I’m all about reading, children’s literature, and introducing kids to great books, which bring us to The Sweetest Scoop, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Revolution. This is a picture book that examines the rise of the duo in the world of frozen treats and corporate responsibility. Don’t read too much into that last series of words because the book is entertaining, has a great narrative, and will make readers smile, in addition to giving them something to learn.

The Sweetest Scoop is a picture book on Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, the flavors, their business, the ethics, and walking the walk.

At the intersection of life, business and ethics is this surprisingly fun picture book

Hornswoggled!, a super silly book that runs with wacky words

There’s a box social at the ole Smith place. There’s a difference between using outdated slang and using a large vocabulary. When I teach I often use a larger vocabulary because students need to practice their inference skills, of course, if there are any blank stares or questions I’ll re-state what I just said, and then say it in a way that they’ll understand. Horsnwoggled! is an illustrated book that looks at uncommon slang, peppered with a propensity of alliterations, and is set against a forest of anthropomorphic animals trying to solve a farcical whodunit.

Hornswoggled! Is a very fun book about silly sayings that will have early elementary ages alluding to much merriment.

Fun, nothing but fun, and that’s a great thing

Baseball Around the World, a vortex of America’s pastime, wherever you are

When is America’s pastime, not America’s pastime? Baseball Around the World, How the World Plays the Game addresses that question early on in the book. It also touches on the ‘boys of summer’ nickname, but thankfully skips any soft AOR songs that might reference that. Baseball Around the World is an intelligent illustrated book that looks at baseball, and how it’s done in different areas. It’s a great entry point for those who don’t know anything about the game but also provides dozens of instances where diehard fans will learn something too.

Baseball Around the World takes a look at the game through 13 countries, how it got there, famous players and more.

The diamond, boys of summer (but not just for boys), etc

100 Things to Know About Inventions is curiosity rabbit hole 101

Sharing is caring, and kids love to share, bits of knowledge that is. Those trivial bits of fun knowledge that are 100% true, sometimes odd, many times functional, and always fascinating are just the sort of thing that kids will share without prompting. Think like Jonathan Lipnicki from Jerry Maguire, and then share your trivia that’s not just related to the human head. 100 Things to Know About Inventions is loaded with a handful of obscure facts about 100 technological advances that people have created.

100 Things to Know About Inventions has nugget paragraphs of little-known facts on things that you see every day, perfect for all elementary school ages.

Potato chips, cat videos and trying to stop at one page on books like this

Classic Adventures Treasure Island, the ‘classics’ that ages 7 and up will want to read.

Go read the classics, that’s what you think to yourself as you navigate the literary world of your elementary school student. You think that until you realize the number of distractions that they have, you didn’t. Now, factor in that the classics you wistfully want them to read are at a reading level that’s too advanced and can be a little boring at times for those eight-year-old readers. Classic Adventures’ Treasure Island is by Robert Louis Stevenson, but this version is adapted by Jacqueline Dembar Greene and it’s got illustrations that were done by Carlo Molinari.

Classic Adventures Treasure Island presents the classic book in an intelligent way for ages seven and up to experience on their own.

Classic, and not in a Bill and Ted kind of way

A Dinosaur Named Ruth, old soul, patient story telling with charm

I wanted more. That is not something that you think to yourself after many books. A Dinosaur Named Ruth brings up that thought as soon as you read the last word on the final two pages that show a young girl, and a dinosaur, looking wistfully into the prairie. It’s also not the story that you know. The dinosaur was called Sue, wasn’t it? Well, a dinosaur was called that, however, this story has more numerous subjects, and one that plays out in a more patient manner. It’s also worth noting that Ruth (the dinosaur) was discovered by its more famous T-Rex dinosaur who was found just down the road.

A Dinosaur Named Ruth is the story that you think that you know, but instead is patient tale about knowing what you have.

A dino tale that elementary, illustrated book fans haven’t heard

Kick Push, an illustrated book that runs with enthusiasm to kids 6 and up

A book that reaches out and grabs the nape of your neck is a rare thing. It’s not something that you’re expecting as it slams your senses, wakes up your eyes, and takes you on a trip to a place that you’ve never been before. Kick Push is an illustrated book that lovingly yells at you until you pay attention. At first, it seems like that manic, out-of-control student whose only goal is to distract the teacher from the lesson of the day. But then, after you spend a couple of pages with Kick Push you realize that it’s a picture book that’s unlike anything you’ve seen before and will challenge you in all the right ways.

Kick Push is an illustrated book that screams at just the right volume. It grabs readers’ attention, makes them curious and entertains, all while teaching a lesson.

Kinetic action in a book that teaches a lesson

Tales of Ancient Worlds, fun history in an archeology wrapper

People of a certain age will credit or blame Indiana Jones for their interest in archeology. For me, I am somewhere in-between the two. Archeology is a subject that I toyed with in college, played with after graduation, and have it littered about in my house. It’s based on that background that I was incredibly surprised by how immersive and varied Tales of Ancient Worlds, Adventures in Archeology was. It’s an illustrated book that’s meant for mid-elementary students but has the breadth on some level to add content to papers or conversations for those much older.

Tales of Ancient Worlds is short, non-fiction blurbs that elementary kids need, in a package that they can handle and want to read.

History wonks unite, gateway for elementary-aged archeologists!