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CREATE YOUR OWN Pairings: Highlight other connections between books Suggested Pairings
Wingwalker by Rosemary Wells The Man who Walked between the Towers by Mordecai Gerstein Both books highlight the story of young “dare-devils”. In Wingwalker, a young boy faces his fear of heights when his father gets a carnival job standing on the wings of low-flying planes. In The Man who Walked between the Towers, Philip Petit daringly tight-rope walks between the World Trade Center buildings in New York City.
The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling and Margot Apple Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (Also try the poem “Squishy Touch” by Shel Silverstein in A Light in the Attic to make this a multi-genre pairing) “Be Careful what you wish for.” In The Chocolate Touch, John Midas is thrilled at first when everything he touches turns to chocolate – until he kisses his mother and begins to panic. Along the same lines, Tuck Everlasting’s Tuck family comes to terms with whether or not they would really want use a “fountain of youth” to live forever.
On This Spot: An Expedition Back in Time by Susan E. Goodman A Thousand Years Ago on Planet Earth by Sneed B. Collard III and Jonathan Hunt What came before us? Both books introduce ideas about how the world has changed and explore what preceded our own existence. In On This Spot, readers travel back in time to find out what happened first in particular locales. 1000 Years Ago depicts 12 major world cultures circa 1000 A.D.
Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish Epossumondas Coleen Salley Both books center on mishaps and adventures that occur as a result of misunderstandings. Amelia Bedelia is a literal-minded housekeeper who always does exactly as she is asked. Similarly, Epossumondas gets himself into trouble when trying to carefully follow his mother’s directions.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett Strega Nona by Tomie DePaola This pair features food showing up in unexpected places. In Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs¸ food falls from the sky instead of the weather. In Strega Nona, food appears magically from a special cauldron. In both cases, too much food can cause a lot of trouble!
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson The Pencil by Alan Ahlberg Imagine if your drawings could become reality and that by drawing, you could create your own surroundings. As explored with both the purple crayon and the pencil, it sounds intriguing but can cause some interesting problems.
Zachary’s Ball by Matt Tavares Game Day: Behind the Scenes at a Ballpark by Robert Young Contrast Zachary’s fantastical story about the magic of baseball at Fenway Park with the nonfiction Game Day describing behind-the-scenes workings of baseball parks and facts about the game. (This is also a multi-genre pairing!)
A Woman for President: The Story of Victoria Woodhill by Kathleen Krull Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph became the World’s Fastest Woman by Kathleen Krull Written by the same author, both of these books describe the true stories behind incredible female accomplishments and how two historical women tackle monumental obstacles to pursue their goals.
Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop (also Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg) At one point or another, most children have imagined that their toys could come to life. All three books revolve around the theme of toys that become real --and the real dangers the might follow!
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle Time Warp Trio: Knights of the Kitchen Table by Jon Scieszca Few things are more thought-provoking than the idea of time-travel! You and your reader can use this pairing to explore the issue together. Where would you go if you could travel back in time?
Shrek by William Steig Babe: The Gallant Pig by Dick King Smith You knew them as popular movies, but did you know they were great books first? Revisit two enchanting stories written long before they ever made it to the big screen
Slam Dunk! By David Diehl Basketball Stars by Therese Shea Here’s a great pairing for sports enthusiasts! Read this pairing to find out more about basketball and the game’s best players.
Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery by Deborah Howe The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf Both Bunnicula and Ferdinand are characters who are not what they seem. Bunnicula is a suspected vampire rabbit while Ferdinand is pinned as an aggressive bull. You’ll have to read the books to find out what they’re really like.
The Mysterious Tadpole by Steven Kellogg Nessie The Loch Ness Monster by Richard Brassey Help your student understand Kellogg’s story of a tadpole who grows so large he has to live in a lake by reading Brassey’s more-or –less true book about the legendary Loch Ness monster. A multi-genre pairing?
How Much is A Million? By Steven Kellogg If America were a Village: A Book About the People of the United States by David J. Smith Both books help student to conceptualize very large numbers with outstanding examples.
Just a Little Bit by Ann Tomert The Mitten by Jane Brett These books deal with the issue of how much is too much? When it comes to size and weight, every little bit makes a difference and one tiny amount can be the change between just enough and too much.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst Today was a Terrible Day by Patricia Reilly Giff We’ve all had days that go from bad to worse. With this pairing, read about two terrible days and how two different characters handle them.
Open Wide: Tooth School Inside by Laurie Keller *EWMB staff favorite! Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions from Around the World by Selby Beeler Open Wide details a day in the class of Mr. Flossman, a teacher whose students are a class of teeth! While this book offers a humorous take on how to take care of our teeth, Throw Your Tooth on The Roof explains what children from different cultures do once they have lost their teeth. Did you think the tooth fairy visits every country in the world? Read this book to find out!
Dear Mrs. La Rue: Letters from Obedience School by Mark Teague The Diary of a Killer Cat by Anne Fine The pets become the narrators! Your student might be familiar with a dog being sent to obedience school, or a cat stalking a bird, but has he/she ever thought about these things from the pet’s perspective? Both books highlight the issue that your pet might be thinking one thing, while you are thinking another.
The Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller NG Kids World Atlas by National Geographic (or any Atlas) You might not think an Atlas is very funny, but pair an Atlas with Laurie Keller’s book, and you have discovered a hilarious way to learn about the 50 States. (Also a multi-genre pairing!)
Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building by Deborah Hopkinson Pops Bridge by Eve Bunting Explore the construction of two important historic landmarks through the eyes of two young boys in these books.
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