Miss Smyly's Library

James and the Giant Peach has always been one of my favorite books. I have always enjoyed all of Ronald Dahl's stories. This particular book is about adventure, tragedy, friendship, how to treat others, loyalty, and happy endings. I would use this to teach that you should never judge a book by its cover and treat others kindly no matter how you have been treated by others. I would include some kind of activity about being kind to others, a study about bugs and insects, or a peach-themed snack. This could also be used to teach how to cope with the loss of a loved one. I would use this in 3rd-5th grade. The guided reading level is Q and the Lexile level is 870L.

Charlotte's Web is a wonderful classic Children's literature book. This story is all about an unlikely friendship between a pig and a spider. It teaches the importance of friendship, loyalty, and acceptance. I would use this book in my class library in grades 3-6. I would teach different vocabulary words from the text including "humble" and "radiant". I would also use this text to show that differences is sometimes what makes friendship so special and also how to cope with the death of a loved one. The guided reading level is R and the Lexile level is 680L.

Tuck Everlasting is one of my all time favorite books. This book is filled with adventure, romance, innocence, tough decisions, fighting bad guys, and so much more. This book teaches that the grass is not always greener on the other side and can help teach children to be thankful for their lives no matter the circumstance. I would use this book in fifth grade. The guided reading level is W and the Lexile level is 770L.

Bridge to Terabithia is a great book for older elementary students. I would use this book for 4th-6th grade as individual reading or for a whole class study. This book is full of imagination and creativity as well as real life situations including different types of families and coping with the loss of a loved one. The guided reading level is T and the Lexile level is 810L.