Miss Smyly's Library

Peanut Butter and Cupcake is an adorable book about friendship. I would use this in my early elementary classroom. This book teaches that you can be friends with everybody even though everybody is different. I would use this book for Kindergarten - 2nd grade. The guided reading level is K and the Lexile level is 750L.

Another one of Lewis Carroll's masterpieces, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a great book for the 4th grade student and older. I would have this in my classroom library for older grades for independent reading. This story highlights the importance of creativity, imagination, and a little bit of nonsense. The guided reading level is V and the Lexile level is 890L.

Lewis Carroll has always been one of my favorite authors. Through the Looking Glass is a great book that includes adventure, imagination, creativity, and silliness. I would have this in my classroom library for 4th or 5th grade. The guided reading level is T and the Lexile level is 910L.

The Giver is a classic book about a utopian society and how it may not be such a "perfect" idea after all. This teaches about corrupt government, doing what's right even when its scary or you are alone in it, and the importance of color, beauty, creativity, and imagination. There are a few heavier topics in this book including corrupt governance and abortion so I would use this book in later elementary grades (5th and 6th). The guided reading level is Y and the Lexile level is 760L.

Another one of my childhood favorites, Where the Wild Things Are is a classic Children's book that spikes student imagination and creativity. To go along with this book I would have the students draw their own wild thing and we would all make crowns like the little boy in the book. I would use this book in K-3rd grade. The guided reading level is J and the Lexile level is 740L.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is one of my all time favorite books. I read this book countless times as a child and was so intrigued by the adventurous nature of the book, the different places Edward went, the different Characters that he met, and how his own personality changed throughout the text. I would use sequencing activities and character charts for this book. I would also have the students write about a special toy that they have in their reading journals. I would use this book in 3rd - 5th grade. The guided reading level is Q and the Lexile level is 700L.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a super fun and interesting book to teach students that the grass is not always greener on the other side. With this book I would use activities such as making their own "Cloudy with a Chance" flipbook with their favorite foods, teach interesting vocabulary, and provide fun snacks that go along with the text. I would use this book in 2nd or 3rd grade. The guided reading level is M and the Lexile level is 740L.

The BFG is a wonderful Ronald Dahl story about unlikely friendship and adventure. I would use this book in 3rd or 4th grade to teach not to judge a book by its cover and that differences are what makes friendships special. This book also have wonderful vocabulary words. I would use different activities including having the students draw what their own BFG would look like. The guided reading level is U and the Lexile level is 720L.

Another of Ronald Dahl's classics, Matilda is a wonderful book to bring imagination and magic to the classroom. I would use this text to teach the importance of good character. I could use a variety of different activities including a compare and contrast between characters (Ms. Honey and Ms. Trunchbull) and a writing prompt asking the students what good and kind things would they do for others if they had magical powers. I would use this book in 3rd-5th grade. The guided reading level is S and the Lexile level is 840L.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is another great classic by Ronald Dahl. This story is all about adventure, creativity, imagination, and priorities. This book would be great for teaching what is important in life (Charlie's willingness to give up the grand prize for his family). This book would spark such great imagination and creativity in students and I would definitely follow up with some kind of writing -  maybe have the kids "invent" their own candy, write about what they would do if they owned the chocolate factory, or write a letter to Willy Wonka. I would also want to incorporate some kind of drawing or coloring activity. I would use this text in 4th-6th grade. The guided reading level is R and the Lexile level is 810L.