Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909

Bibliographic
Author: Michelle Markel
Illustrator: Melissa Sweet
Publisher: Balzer + Bray; First edition (2013)
Hardcover: 32 pages
ISBN-10: 0061804428
ISBN-13: 978-0061804427

Summary
Brave Girl is the true story of Clara Lemlich, an immigrant in the early twentieth century, who led the largest walkout of women workers in the history of the United States. When the Clara’s family discovers there is no work for her father, she goes to work as a garment worker, attending school at night. Surprised by long hours, poor working conditions and unfair labor practices, Clara begins to fight for the rights of workers and women and discovers that one girl can make a difference.

Melissa Sweet’s illustrations enhance the story, even foreshadowing the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in March of 1911. Michelle Markel tells an important story about an unsung hero in American history. An abrupt ending is mitigated by an addendum with more information. Includes a bibliography that highlights the use of primary sources.

Quantitative
Lexile Measure: AD760L
Age Range: 7 – 12 years
Grade Level: 2 – 6

Qualitative
Purpose: Middle Low
Structure—Organization: Low
Structure—Text Features: Low (none used)
Structure—Use of Graphics: N/A
Language—Conventionality: Middle Low
Language—Clarity: Middle Low
Knowledge Demands—Subject Matter Knowledge: Middle Low
Knowledge Demands—Intertextuality: Middle Low

Standards
CA.CC.RI.2.2, RI.2.4., RI.2.5., RI.2.7., RI.2.8., RI.2.10.
CA.CC.RF.2.4, RF.2.4.a., RF.2.4.c.
CA.CC.L.2.4, L.2.4.a.
CA.CC.RI.3.2, RI.3.4., RI.3.5., RI.3.7., RI.3.10.
CA.CC.RF.3.4, RF.3.4.a., RF.3.4.c.
CA.CC.SL.3.2, SL.3.2.
CA.CC.L.3.4, L.3.4.a., L.3.6.
CA.CC.RI.4.2, RI.4.3., RI.4.4., RI.4.7., RI.4.8., RI.4.10.
CA.CC.RF.4.4, RF.4.4.a., RF.4.4.c.
CA.CC.L.4.6
CA.CC.RI.5.2, RI.5.4., RI.5.8., RI.5.10.
CA.CC.RF.5.4, RF.5.4.a., RF.5.4.c.
CA.CC.L.5.6.
CA.CC.RI.6.2., RI.6.3., RI.6.4., RI.6.7.
CA.CC.L.6.6
CA.CC.RH.6-8.5., RH.6-8.10.

Content Area
English Language Arts, History, Social Studies

Curriculum Connections
With scaffolding, a good read aloud. Could be used for history of labor movement, immigrant experience, or women.

Awards
Booklist 2013 Lasting Connections, Social Studies; SLJs Best Books of 2013, Nonfiction; 2014 Sydney Taylor Notable Book, Younger Readers; 2014 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award Honor Book; 2014 Amelia Bloomer Project List, Early Readers Nonfiction, Top Ten; 2014 Flora Straus Award.

A Remainder of One

Bibliographic
Author:  Elinor J Pinczes
Illustrator: Bonnie MacKain
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (1995)
ISBN-10: 0395694558
ISBN-13: 978-0395694558

 

Summary
Joe, an unidentified insect and member of the 25^th Infantry, keeps finding himself in a line marching all alone in the parade for the Queen. First his troop divides 2 by 2, then 3 by 3, then 4 by 4, each time incurring the displeasure of the Queen who likes things tidy. It’s no fun to be left out as the remainder of 1, so Joe thinks very hard and comes up with the answer to problem impressing the Queen and his troop with his skill in dividing. Told in rhyming text with simple, humorous illustrations.

Quantitative
Lexile Measure: 570L
Age Range: 4 – 8 years
Grade Level: Kindergarten – 3

Qualitative
Meaning: Middle Low
Structure—Narrative Structure: Middle Low
Structure—Narration: Low
Structure—Order of Events: Low
Language—Conventionality: Middle Low
Language—Clarity: Low
Knowledge Demands—Life Experiences: Low
Knowledge Demands—Cultural/Literary Knowledge: Low

Content Area
Language Arts; Math

Standards
CA.CC. M.2.0A.4
CA.CC. M.3.0A.3, M.3.0A.6
CA.CC.RL.K.1, RL.K.10,
CA.CC.RL.1.1, RL.1.10
CA.CC.RL.2.1, RL.1.10
CA.CC.RL.3.1

Curriculum Connections
Pair this as a read aloud to introduce introductory concepts of division, repeated addition, or arrays.

Penny and Her Marble

Bibliographic
Author/Illustrator: Kevin Henkes
Series: Penny
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Greenwillow Books (2013)
ISBN-10: 0062082035
ISBN-13: 978-0062082039

Summary
Penny loves to play with her doll Rose, pushing her in a stroller and pretending to be in different places, even though she is only allowed to go as far as Mrs. Goodwin’s house. When Penny finds a beautiful blue marble on Mrs. Goodwin’s lawn and takes it, she quickly goes from delight in her new possession to doubt about whether or not it was right to take it. After a restless night, Penny wakes up and knows what to do to make things right. Award-winning author/illustrator Kevin Henkes has created a character children will love to read about as they gain independence as readers.

Quantitative
Lexile Measure: 350L
Age Range: 4 – 8 years
Grade Level: Preschool – 3

Qualitative
Meaning: Low
Structure—Narrative Structure: Low
Structure—Narration: Low
Structure—Order of Events: Low
Language—Conventionality: Low
Language—Clarity: Low
Knowledge Demands—Life Experiences: Low
Knowledge Demands—Cultural/Literary Knowledge: Low

Standards
CA.CC.RL.1.1, RL.1.2., RL.1.7., RL.1.10., RL.1.10.a.
CA.CC.RI.1.1, RI.1.10., RI.1.10.a.
CA.CC.RF.1.4, RF.1.4., RF.1.4.a., RF.1.4.c.
CA.CC.SL.1.2, SL.1.2.a.
CA.CC.L.1.4., L.1.4.a.
CA.CC.RL.2.2., RL.2.7., RL.2.10.
CA.CC.RI.2., RI.2.4.
CA.CC.RF.2..4., RF.2.4.a., RF.2.4.c.
CA.CC.L.2.4., L.2.4.a.
CA.CC.RL.3.7., RL.3.10.
CA.CC.RF.3.4., RF.3.4.a., RF.3.4.c.
CA.CC.SL.3.2.
CA.CC.L.3.4., L.3.4.a., L.3.6

Content Area
English Language Arts

Awards
SLJ Best Children’s Books 2013, Picture Books; Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Books of 2013; 2014 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Honor Book; Horn Book Fanfare, Best Books of 2013, Fiction; ALA 2014 Notable Children’s Books, Younger Readers; 2013 Cybils Awards, Easy Readers, Finalist

Other Books in Series
Penny and Her Doll and Penny and Her Song.

Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night

Bibliographic
Author: Joyce Sidman
Illustrator: Rick Allen
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers (2010)
Hardcover: 32 pages
ISBN-10: 0547152280
ISBN-13: 978-0547152288

Summary
Twelve poems about the forest at night are paired with informational text about the nocturnal woods and illustrated by lush woodblock prints. Poems are in many formats, the titular poem is in concrete format. A glossary contains the words bolded in the information text. Whether read for the poetry, the informational text, or both, Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night is a treasure.

Quantitative
Lexile Measure: 1020L
Age Range: 6 – 9 years
Grade Level: 1 – 4

Qualitative Literary Text
Meaning: Middle Low
Structure—Narrative Structure: Middle High
Structure—Narration: Middle High (multiple shifting perspectives)
Structure—Order of Events: Low (really not applicable for poetry)
Language—Conventionality: Middle High (heavily uses metaphor/simile, imagery)
Language—Clarity: Middle High (for complexity)
Knowledge Demands—Life Experiences: Middle Low
Knowledge Demands—Cultural/Literary Knowledge: Middle Low

Qualitative Informational Text
Purpose: Low
Structure—Organization: Middle Low
Structure—Text Features: Middle Low
Structure—Use of Graphics: N/A
Language—Conventionality: Middle Low
Language—Clarity: Middle High
Knowledge Demands—Subject Matter Knowledge: Middle High
Knowledge Demands—Intertextuality: Low

Standards
CACC.RL.1.4, 1.10
CACC.RI.1.4
CACC.RF.1.4, 1.4.a, 1.4.c
CACC.RL.2.4, 2.10
CACC.RI.2.4
CACC.RF.2.4, 2.4.a, 2.4.c
CACC.RL.3.5, 3.10
CACC.RI.3.1, 3.4, 3.10
CACC.RF.3.3, 3.3.c, 3.3.d, 3.4, 3.4.a, 3.4.b, 3.4.c
CACC.RL.4.5, 4.7, 4.10
CACC.RI.4.1, 4.4, 3.10
CACC.RF.4.3, 4.3.a, 4.4, 4.4.a, 4.4.b, 4.4.c

Content Area
Language Arts, Life Science

Curriculum Connections
Paired with nocturnal animal study; Mentor text for poetry / informational text study.

Awards
2011 Newbery Honor Book; 2011 ALA Notable Children’s Books, All Ages; CLA Notable Children’s Books in the English Language Arts 2011; Booklist 2010 Editor’s Choice, Books for Youth, Nonfiction, Middle Readers; Horn Book Fanfare, Best Books of 2010, Poetry; Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12: 2011; Children’s Book Committee Bank Street College of Education Children’s Choices – Best Books of 2011, Special Interests, Poetry; BCCB Blue Ribbon 2010, Nonfiction; 2011 Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, Picture Booka

Infinity and Me

Bibliographic
Author: Kate Hosford
Illustrator: Gabi Swiatkowska
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books (2012)
ISBN-10: 0761367268
ISBN-13: 978-0761367260

Summary
Uma looks up at the night sky and wonders how many stars are in the sky. The impossibility of counting makes her feel very small in relation to how big, how infinite the universe is. The next day, wearing brand new red shoes, Uma asks her schoolmates, her grandmother, the cafeteria cook, and her music teacher what infinity means to them. She finds that each one has a different perspective on infinity, but not one has noticed her amazing new shoes. What Uma learns is that infinity may be a concept too large to truly understand, except when it comes to understanding the infinity of love that she shares with her beloved grandma who in the end compliments Uma on “the most beautiful shoes she has ever seen”. Infinity and me explores a complex topic in an authentic voice that is recognizable and accessible to most children. An author’s note discusses the author’s research on infinity in more detail, while quirky, detailed steampunk inspired illustrations enhance the story.

Quantitative
Lexile Measure: AD670L
Grade Level: K – 3
Age Range: 5 – 8 years

Qualitative
Meaning: Middle Low
Structure—Narrative Structure: Middle Low
Structure—Narration: Middle Low
Structure—Order of Events: Middle Low
Language—Conventionality: Middle High (abstract concept)
Language—Clarity: Middle Low
Knowledge Demands—Life Experiences: Middle Low
Knowledge Demands—Cultural/Literary Knowledge: Middle Low

Content Areas
Language Arts, Math

Curriculum Connections
Language Arts, Math, as suggested by the Lexile measure, best read aloud.

Standards
CA.CC.RL.K.4., RL.K.7., RL.K.10., RL.K.10.a.
CA.CC.RI.K.10., RI.K.10.a.
CA.CC.RF.K., RF.K.4.
CA.CC.L.K.6.
CA.CC.RL.1.1., RL.1.2., RL.1.7., RL.1.10., RL.1.10.a.
CA.CC.RI.1.1, RI.1.10., RI.1.10.a.
CA.CC.RF.1.4., RF.1.4.a., RF.1.4.c.
CA.CC.SL.1.2., SL.1.2.a.
CA.CC.L.1.4., L.1.4.a.

Awards
Scientific American Science Books for Stormy Weather; 2013 Cook Prize Finalist; 2012 Cybils Award Finalist, Fiction Picture Books; ALSC 2013 Notable Children’s Books, Younger Readers

Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures

Bibliographic
Author: Kate DiCamillo
Illustrator: K.G. Campbell
Publisher: Candlewick (2013)
Hardcover: 240 pages
ISBN-10: 076366040X
ISBN-13: 978-0763660406

Summary
Flora is a child who is prepared for anything to happen. Her choice of comic book reading material The Illuminated Adventures of the Amazing Incandesto, Terrible Things Can Happen to You and The Criminal Element, which she frequently references, shows her inclinations towards adventure. But even Flora is taken aback when she witnesses her neighbor vacuum up a squirrel into her new indoor/outdoor Ulysses 2000X vacuum cleaner.

Thanks to a little timely mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, the squirrel emerges with consciousness, the ability to understand humans and to communicate through poetry by typing. Flora names the squirrel Ulysses and becomes convinced that he is a superhero and that she must save him from her mother who would have Ulysses removed one way or another.

Flora’s mom is too busy (or self-absorbed) to understand, but Flora’s father, though sad and lonely, is willing to believe. A new friend who has “temporarily blindness induced by trauma” becomes an unlikely ally in Flora’s quest to save Ulysses.

Flora & Ulysses is a story that asks you to suspend disbelief so that squirrels can be artistic superheroes; lonely children can find one another and become friends; and disconnected families can be healed. It is a story where a girl who believes a squirrel is a superhero can discover the superhero in herself. It is a story about the “impossibility of possible things.”

Content Advisory
Flora’s mom smokes and at least one picture depicts her smoking. She also suggests a gruesome death for Ulysses which may be upsetting for younger readers.

Quantitative
Lexile: 520L
Age Range: 8 – 12 years
Grade Level: 3 – 7

Qualitative Analysis
Meaning: Middle Low
Structure—Narrative Structure: Middle Low
Structure—Narration: Middle Low (third person)
Structure—Order of Events: Middle Low
Language—Conventionality: Middle Low
Language—Clarity: Middle High for use of comic book slang, advanced vocabulary, personification, hyperbole, and irony.
Knowledge Demands—Life Experiences: Middle Low
Knowledge Demands—Cultural/Literary Knowledge: Middle Low

Content Area
Language Arts

Standards
CA.CC.RL.3.10
CA.CC.RF.3.4., RF.3.4.a., RF.3.4.c.
CA.CC.SL.3.2
CA.CC.L.3.4, L.3.4.a., L.3.6.
CA.CC.RL.4.1, RL.4.2., RL.4.10.
CA.CC.RI.4.1, RI.4.4.
CA.CC.RF.4.4, RF.4.4., RF.4.4.a., RF.4.4.c.
CA.CC.L.4.4, L.4.4.a., L.4.6.
CA.CC.RL.5.1, RL.5.10.
CA.CC.RI.5.1, RI.5.4.
CA.CC.RF.5.4, RF.5.4.a., RF.5.4.c.
CA.CC.W.5.9, W.5.9.a.
CA.CC.L.5.4, L.5.4.a., L.5.6.

Curriculum Connections
A great classroom read aloud, particularly good with the high vocabulary demands.

Awards
Amazon.com Best Books of the Year 2013: Ages 9-12; Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2013, Children’s Fiction; National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, 2013 Longlist; Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Books of 2013; SLJs Best Books of 2013, Fiction; Booklist Editor’s Choice: Books for Youth, 2013, Fiction; 2014 Newbery Medal Winner; ALA 2014 Notable Children’s Books, Middle Readers

Supporting Digital Content
Book trailer
http://bit.ly/FloraUlysses

Words with Wings

Bibliographic
Author:  Nikki Grimes
Publisher: Wordsong; First Edition edition (2013)
Hardcover: 96 pages
ISBN-10: 1590789857
ISBN-13: 978-1590789858

Summary
Deceptively simple, beautifully phrased prose, packs a lot of meaning into a few words. Named by her father after the fiercest of angels, Gabriella feels anything but fierce most of the time. An active mind and vivid visual imagination provide escape for her, worrying her parents and teachers and distancing her from classmates and friends who do not realize what is going on inside the quiet, reserved girl who spends most of her time day dreaming. But finding a friend who understands and a teacher who appreciates her gifts and works with her to express her thoughts and ideas on paper is the key to giving wings to Gabriella’s words. In the Acknowledgements, Nikki Grimes discloses that Mr. Spicer, Gabriella’s teacher, is based on Nikki Grimes own teacher Ed Spicer who “regularly nurtures daydreamers.”

Quantitative
Lexile Measure: 850L
Age Range: 8 and up
Grade Level: 3 and up

Qualitative Analysis
Meaning: Middle High
Structure—Narrative Structure:  Middle High
Structure—Narration:  Low (first person, limited omniscient)
Structure—Order of Events:  Middle Low (occasional flashback)
Language—Conventionality:  Middle High (heavily uses metaphor/simile, imagery)
Language—Clarity: Middle High (for complexity)
Knowledge Demands—Life Experiences: Middle Low
Knowledge Demands—Cultural/Literary Knowledge: Middle Low

Content Area
English

Standards
CA.CC.RL.3.10.
CA.CC.RF.3.4., RF.3.4.a., RF.3.4.c.
CA.CC.SL.3.2.
CA.CC.L.3.4., L.3.4.a., L.3.6.
CA.CC.RL.4.1., RL.4.2., RL.4.10.
CA.CC.RI.4.1., RI.4.4.
CA.CC.RF.4.4., RF.4.4.a., RF.4.4.c.
CA.CC.L.4.4., L.4.4.a., L.4.6.
CA.CC.RL.5.1., RL.5.10.
CA.CC.RI.5.1., RI.5.4.
CA.CC.RF.5.4., RF.5.4.a., RF.5.4.c.
CA.CC.W.5.9., W.5.9.a.
CA.CC.L.5.4., L.5.4.a., L.5.6.

Curriculum Connections
Pair with Patricia Polacco’s Thank You Mr. Faulker to compare theme of teachers making a difference.

Awards
Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Books of 2013; 2014 Coretta Scott King Award Honor, Author; ALA 2014 Notable Children’s Books, Middle Readers

Unspoken: A Story From the Underground Railroad

Bibliographic
Author / Illustrator: Henry Cole
Publisher: Scholastic Press  (2012)
Hardcover: 40 pages
ISBN-10: 0545399971
ISBN-13: 978-0545399975

Summary
A wordless book with detailed black and white pencil drawings on tan colored paper that set the mood for this story about the underground railroad. Unspoken begins on the dedication page, with a quilt hanging over a split rail fence. Next, a young girl leading a cow watches as soldiers on horses ride across her yard; the Confederate flag signals the time period. The girl continues doing chores, feeding chickens when her mother appears with a basket. The reader sees her enter the root cellar. As she gathers vegetables, she hears a noise behind the corn and sees an eye peering out from behind the dried leaves. Her fear is palpable as she runs from the root cellar. Later at the dinner table, with her mother and grandparents, praying, her attention goes back to the root cellar. The reader sees her taking the lantern with a bundle outside. She spreads out a cloth napkin exposing a biscuit and waits expectantly. When she returns to the house, grandmother is calmly knitting. More offerings are made: pie, cornbread, muffin, drumstick, but the reader does not see who is hiding behind the corn. When armed men arrive on horseback with a poster that reads “WANTED ESCAPED! REWARD!” the young girl watches from a closet under the stairs. Will she feel compelled to report what she knows or will she protect the stranger hiding in the root cellar? Later that night she returns to the root cellar to find the napkin has been transformed into a dress for a simple corn husk doll. The story ends with the girl in bed, holding the doll, watching the “drinking gourd” (big dipper) in the sky. In an author’s note, Henry Cole says “I wanted to tell—or rather show—the courage of everyday people who were brave in quiet ways.” Unspoken gives voice to one of these stories.

Quantitative
Lexile Measure: N/A
Age Range: 4 – 8 years
Grade Level: Preschool – 3

Qualitative
Meaning: Middle High
Structure—Narrative Structure: Middle High
Structure—Narration:  Middle High
Structure—Order of Events: Low
Language—Conventionality: N/A
Language—Clarity: N/A
Knowledge Demands—Life Experiences: Middle High
Knowledge Demands—Cultural/Literary Knowledge: Middle High

Content Area
Language Arts, Social Studies, Historical Fiction

Standards
CA.CC.RL.K.4., RL.K.7., RL.K.10., RL.K.10.a.
CA.CC.RI.K.10., RI.K.10.a.
CA.CC.RF.K.4.
CA.CC.L.K.6.
CA.CC.RL.1.1., RL.1.2., RL.1.7., RL.1.10., RL.1.10.a.
CA.CC.RI.1.1., RI.1.10., RI.1.10.a.
CA.CC.RF.1.4., RF.1.4.a., RF.1.4.c.
CA.CC.SL.1.2., SL.1.2.a.
CA.CC.L.1.4., L.1.4.a.

Curriculum Connections
Excellent for use with units on the underground railroad (compare to Deborah Hopkinson’s Under the quilt of night, Faith Ringgold’s Aunt Harriet’s underground railroad in the sky, or Jeannette Winter’s Follow the drinking gourd). Also good for a genre study of wordless books (compare to Brian Selznick’s The invention of Hugo Cabret). With proper scaffolding, an excellent book to use for inference.

Awards
Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books of 2012, Picture Books; SLJ Best Children’s Books 2012, Picture Books; ALSC 2013 Notable Children’s Books, Middle Readers; NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2013, History/Life & Culture in the Americas; 2013 Notable Children’s Books in the English Language Arts

Sugar

Bibliographic
Author: Jewell Parker Rhodes
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (2013)
Hardcover: 288 pages
ISBN-10: 0316043052
ISBN-13: 978-0316043052

Summary
Sugar is hard. Sugar bites a hundred times. Sugar kills. For the freed slaves, now workers, at River Road Plantation, along the Mississippi River, in Louisiana, planting, tending, harvesting and processing sugar cane for scant pay in post-Civil War, Reconstruction differs very little from slavery. Ten year old orphan Sugar, named after the substance she hates, dreams of a different reality, one in which she can be free to be a child. A forbidden friendship with the plantation owner’s lonely son provides Sugar with the fun she craves. And when Chinese workers arrive to supplement, or maybe supplant the residents of River Road, Sugar is the one to bridge the gap between the two communities of workers. But anxiety over changing times impacts everyone in the community and one man who cannot accept change will commit an act with a devastating outcome for everyone. Sugar is the story of the resilience and hope; much like the African and Chinese trickster tales woven through the story, it is a story of the power of the human mind to escape even the harshest of realities.

Content Advisory
Portrays the reality of life for African Americans, including violent discipline. In the climax, Sugar runs into a burning warehouse to rescue a cat and suffers burns.

Quantitative
Lexile Measure: 430L
Age Range: 8 – 12 years
Grade Level: 3 – 7

Qualitative
Meaning: middle low
Structure—Narrative Structure: middle low
Structure—Narration: low
Structure—Order of Events: middle low
Language—Conventionality: middle low (use of figurative language, i.e. allegory, foreshadowing, imagery)
Language—Clarity: middle low
Knowledge Demands—Life Experiences: middle high for intended audience
Knowledge Demands—Cultural/Literary Knowledge: middle high for intended audience (some knowledge of African American history, the Civil War, Slavery, and Reconstruction required)

Content Area
Language Arts; Social Studies/History

Standards
CA.CC.RL.3.10.
CA.CC.RF.3..4., RF.3.4.c.
CA.CC.SL.3.2.
CA.CC.L.3.4., L.3.4.a., L.3.6.
CA.CC.RL.4.1., RL.4.2., RL.4.10.
CA.CC.RI.4.1., RI.4.4.
CA.CC.RF.4.4., RF.4.4.a., RF.4.4.c.
CA.CC.L.4.4., L.4.4.a., L.4.6.
CA.CC.RL.5.1., RL.5.10.
CA.CC.RI.5.1., RI.5.4.
CA.CC.RF.5.4., RF.5.4.a., RF.5.4.c.
CA.CC.W.5.9., W.5.9.a.
CA.CC.L.5.4., L.5.4.a., L.5.6.

Curriculum Connections
Excellent read aloud or book club book, especially in conjunction with units about folk/trickster tales, slavery, Civil War or Reconstruction.

Awards
Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Books of 2013; ALA 2014 Notable Children’s Books, Middle Reader