Site Map for Humans

Site Map (for Humans)

I. Book Tools

A. Alphabetical Book List
a complete list of every book on the website (500+ titles), arranged in alphabetical order

B. Author Book List
a list of all the authors with book recommendations on this site, with links to their book pages

C. Grade-Level Book Recommendations
General guidelines for appropriate age-level recommendations for independent reading, with an eye to complexity and content, understanding that individual readers have different tastes and needs which may fall outside this general set of norms. Please see individual book descriptions and related topics to support children in selecting books that will challenge and delight them, as that is the ultimate goal.
Grades 2-3 - simpler stories with content and vocabulary appropriate for 8-year-olds
Grades 4-5 - somewhat longer books, or books with more complex vocabulary and content, sometimes a little scary or sad
Grade 5 - A little edgier than the 4-5 list, but still appropriate for most upper elementary students, may include references to crushes, may include slightly darker content such as death, violence, or kidnapping
Grades 6-8 - may include some mild language that would be considered inappropriate in most schools, may have references to romantic relationships, may refer to adult behavior such as use of alcohol or troubled relationships, books are generally longer with more complex themes
Grade 8 - references may be more mature than books in the 6-8 category, although not as explicit as in the 9-12 category
Grades 9-12 - may include profanity and adult subject matter

D. Book Recommendations by Genre
a list of book recommendations by realistic fiction in sub-categories: school, serious crisis, guilty pleasure /light friendship problems, other realistic fiction; mystery, fantasy - magic, fantasy - thinking/talking animals, biography, other nonfiction, science fiction, historical fiction, adventure - outdoor adventure/survival, humorous adventure, thriller, action adventure, and sports stories

E. Book Recommendations by Format
Looking for books written in verse or graphic novels? How about books written from alternating or multiple viewpoints?

F. Book Recommendations by Topic
This is the good stuff - find books about specific topics to recommend to individual readers, or to connect with other units of study. Categories include: Animals, The Arts, Careers, Contests, Families, Health, Historical Events, Journeys, Legends/Myths/Fairy Tales, The Outdoors, School, Society, Sports, and Unexplained Phenomena,

G. Book Recommendations by Theme
If you are setting up book clubs organized around a unifying theme, but want individual readers to choose titles, or want to connect another unit of study to a literary theme, see this list. Categories of themes include Self, Family, Education, Nature, Overcoming Obstacles/Resilience, Prejudice, Integrity/Doing the Right Thing, Social Relationships, Society, Other Values and Conflicts.

H. Book Recommendations by Setting
You can connect literary units to geographic or historical factors, help students build connections to a new student's former home, or expand the diversity of your class library based on titles from this list

I. Award-Winning Books
Newbery, Printz, Pura Belpre, Schneider Family, Coretta Scott King, ALA, ALSC Notable, YALSA, Amelia Bloomer, APALA, Jane Addams, Dorothy Canfield Fisher, Rebecca Caudill, Iowa Children's Choice, Missouri Mark Twain, and more. There is a sub-page just for Texas Lone Star and Bluebonnet award-winning books.

J. IB - PYP Book Recommendations
If you are searching for books to connect with specific learner profile attributes, IB attitudes, approaches to learning, or transdisciplinary themes from the Primary Years Programme, this page will help you find books with strong connections to those elements.

K. Book Series Lists - Find Series Books in Order

L. Picture Books for Lessons
Discover books organized by assorted topics and themes for mentor texts and curricular connections - also check the blog post tag "Picture Book Recs" on this site for a number of different collections

II. Specific Book Pages

This section is the largest on the website. There are over 450 specific book recommendation pages. Each includes the title and author, book photo, book summary, book review, book quote, related book recommendations, as well as the genre, grade-level, awards, topics, and themes for that specific book.

IIA. Book Resource Pages

Resource pages for books are separate from the specific book recommendations (above). Resource pages frequently include links to content related to the book. For example, if the book is about mountain climbing, the resource page could include links to facts about mountain climbers. Links are specifically chosen to minimize ads and content that doesn't fit an educational setting. Links are also annotated so you have a better idea about what to expect before you click.
Resource pages also include book quizzes and discussion questions, if available for a particular book (see below).

IIB. Book Quizzes

Although I am not a proponent of multiple choice quizzes to assess a reader's understanding or appreciation of a text, I offered most of these book quizzes on my previous site from 2010, and even without any promotion, they continue to attract a lot of visitors, so I'm updating the quizzes to be self-checking for users who are interested. The link above has the list of available quizzes, almost all of which have ten questions each. A book quiz can be found on an individual book's resource page, not on the main recommendation page (but you can find a link from the main book page to the quiz).

III. Enrichment Ideas

IIIa. Easy Enrichment Ideas to Try Today
IIIb. Problem Solving
Instant Challenges, Resources, Ideas for Manageable Differentiation, Writing Activities, and more coming soon

IV. About

For information about the site author, see the About page
Contact information is also in this section
FAQ regarding the site
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