One Green Apple by Eve Bunting

A great "back-to-school" story to help build community - "Farah feels alone, even when surrounded by her classmates. She listens and nods but doesn't speak. It's hard being the new kid in school, especially when you're from another country and don't know the language. Then, on a field trip to an apple orchard, Farah discovers there are lots of things that sound the same as they did at home, from dogs crunching their food to the ripple of friendly laughter. As she helps the class make apple cider, Farah connects with the other students and begins to feel that she belongs.



Ted Lewin's gorgeous sun-drenched paintings and Eve Bunting's sensitive text immediately put the reader into another child's shoes in this timely story of a young Muslim immigrant.

Some awards -

• 2007 -- IRA Teachers' Choice
• 2007 -- CCBC Choices
• 2007 -- Bank Street Best Chldn's Books of the Yr

If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff

If you give a cat a cupcake, he'll ask for some sprinkles to go with it. When you give him the sprinkles, he might spill some on the floor. Cleaning up will make him hot, so you'll give him a bathing suit . . . and that's just the beginning!
The lovable cat who first appeared in If You Give a Pig a Party now has his very own book! Written in the tradition of the bestselling If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond's newest story will show everyone that Cat is where it's at!
Some activity pages to share this delightful story - http://www.lauranumeroff.com/ , http://www.mousecookiebooks.com



Also visit a previous post about all of the "If You Give a ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,," books by Laura Numeroff. http://teachingreaderstothink.blogspot.com/2010_08_01_archive.html

Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton

I recently came across this book and found it so funny, but with a reassuring message for the first day of school for some more reluctant learners.  It's Splat's first day of school and he's worried. What if he doesn't make any new friends? Just in case, Splat decides to bring along his pet mouse, Seymour, and hides him in his lunchbox. The teacher, Mrs. Wimpydimple, introduces Splat to the class and he soon starts learning all his important cat lessons. But when Seymour escapes and the cats do what cats do (they chase mice!), Splat's worried again. Maybe now he'll lose all his friends, old and new! Just in time, wise Mrs. Wimpydimple takes charge and teaches everyone an important new lesson. Maybe Cat School is going to be okay after all!Have fun with it!  The autor's website have some great pictures of Splat as well. http://www.robscotton.com/ A coloring page would be fun to decorate your refrigerator. http://web.mac.com/rscotton/www.splat_the-cat.com/Splat_resources.html An activity guide gives some great ideas - www.harpercollinschildrens.com/.../Printable/Splat_Activity%5B2%5D.pdf A YouTube short video gives readers a fun introduction. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mluLgeI7ms
Here is a pic as well of our our "Spalts"!  :)