Bibliography

Theme 3: Around Town: Neighborhood and Community

The books listed below may be available through publishers, distributors such as bookstores or online retailers, or library systems.

Recommended Leveled Books for Independent Reading

Below Level

Night Lights by Steven Schnur
Farrar 2000 (32p)
Each night, a girl counts the lights around her, including window lights, headlights, and lamplights.
Math

From Here to There by Margery Cuyler
Holt 1999 (32p)
Maria Mendoza places herself in her family, neighborhood, town, state, and country.
Multicultural

Market Day by Lois Ehlert
Harcourt 2000 (32p)
A family brings their produce to the market in a story illustrated with folk art.
Social Studies

Communities by Gail Saunders-Smith
Pebble 1998 (24p)
Photos and brief text describe community helpers, from police officers to mail carriers.
Social Studies

Delivery by Anastasia Suen
Viking 1999 (32p)
Trucks, bikes, and other vehicles deliver all kinds of things to stores.
Social Studies

The Paperboy by Dav Pilkey
Orchard 1996 (32p)
Early in the morning, a boy and his dog deliver newspapers.
Multicultural

I Know a Lady by Charlotte Zolotow
Greenwillow 1984 (32p)
An elderly woman makes all the neighborhood children feel special. Available in Spanish as Mi amiga la Señora Mayor.

Riding the Ferry with Captain Cruz by Alice K. Flanagan
Children's 1996 (32p)
Captain Cruz ferries people back and forth from Staten Island to New York City.
Multicultural

Uptown by Bryan Colli
Holt 2000 (32p)
A boy describes the sights of Harlem.
Multicultural

On Level

The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin
Charlesbridge 1999 (32p)
A girl's neighbors love the Chinese vegetables from her mother's garden.
Multicultural

Home Lovely by Lynne Rae Perkins
Greenwillow 1995 (32p)
The neighborhood letter carrier helps Tiffany plant flowers to brighten up her trailer home.

Cat Up a Tree by John and Ann Hassett
Houghton 1998 (32p)
Nana Quimby can't get anyone to help rescue an accumulating number of cats in a tree.

Good-bye, Curtis by Kevin Henkes
Greenwillow 1995 (32p)
A neighborhood gives their retiring letter carrier a special party.
Multicultural

Fire Fighter! by Angela Royston
DK 1998 (32p)
When the alarm sounds, firefighters rush to put out a fire.
Social Studies

Pinky and Rex and the New Neighbors by James Howe
Simon 1997 (48p) also paper
Pinky and Rex wonder who their new neighbor will be.

Isla by Arthur Dorros
Dutton 1995 (32p) also paper
A girl and her abuela take an imaginary trip to a Caribbean island. Available in Spanish as La isla.
Multicultural

Above Level

* Prairie Town by Arthur Geisert
Houghton 1998 (32p)
A small prairie town bustles with activity throughout a year.
Social Studies

Garbage by Robert Maas
Holt 2000 (32p)
A photo essay follows garbage on its journey from trash can to landfill.
Social Studies

The Little Painter of Sabana Grande by Patricia Maloney Markun
Simon 1993 (32p)
Fernando decorates the homes in his Panamanian village.
Multicultural

Ogbo: Sharing Life in an African Village by Ifeoma Onyefulu
Harcourt 1996 (32p)
In a Nigerian village, children join lifelong companionship groups called ogbo.
Multicultural

City Green by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan
Morrow 1994 (32p)
Marcy and her neighbors turn an empty lot into a community garden.
Multicultural

* Lyle, Lyle Crocodile by Bernard Waber
Houghton 1965 (48p) also paper
Lovable Lyle saves a cantankerous neighbor from a fire.
Classic