Duck for President
This book does an excellent job at educating readers on the process of nominating and electing a person in office. It also gives a little background on the responsibility of the President. I think using animals instead of people will grab the attention of younger students better. It's much more fun that way. I like that the duck starts out at a position of no power and slowly climbs the political ladder all the way to presidency. I would use this book to introduce the election process and have a mock election, rather it be during the presidential election or a classroom election.
Lexile Measure: AD680L
 - Mary Wollstonecraft; Macdonald, D. L.; Scherf, Kathleen (editor) Shelley)
Bridge to Terabithia
Bridge to Terabithia is a great novel that tells a story about two lonely children that feel like outsiders create a magical forest kingdom with their imaginations. This novel tells a story about great friendship and the loss of it. The real life conflicts that the characters experience throughout this novel make you love them all the more. I would use this novel in my classroom to not only teach life lessons but also practice with segmenting of events.
Accelerated Reader Level: 7.0
Bud, Not Buddy
This is a heart-warming story about a child that lost his mother and unknowingly mistaken about who his father is. He has lived in an orphanage and has been in and out of several foster homes. He runs away with a small case of the only few possessions he has in a search to find the man that he believes to be his father. I would use this book to work on making inferences and discuss how sometimes if there are not enough clues or facts those inferences can turn out to be something completely different then what we thought.
Accelerated Reader Level: 5.0
Charlotte's Web
This is the story about how a pig escapes death, more than once, and makes a bunch of friends. This story is about being rescued, having long lasting friendships, and losing loved ones. There are moments of happiness, anger, and sadness all throughout. This book is easily enjoyable for readers of all ages. I would use this book in my classroom to work on constructing time lines, discussing main events and plot themes, and sequencing of events. I would also consider having students write a summary of the story with an alternate ending.
Accelerated Reader Level: 4.4
