Aardema, V. (1975). Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears. New York, NY: Pied Piper Books.Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears is a book by Verna Aardema with pictures by Leo and Diane Dillon. It is the Winner of the Caldecott Medal for 1976. The story is based on a West African folk tale. The full-color illustrations are outstanding and fit the story very well. It could connect to the standards in middle school in Social Studies when studying Africa and Language Arts when studying folk tales. It also has a lot of information about animals in a specific area which would fit the Georgia standards for seventh grade Life Science. Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears is a picture book written for young children. In this story, a mosquito tells a lie to an iguana, who puts sticks in his ears so he won't have to hear and ends up scaring another animal. All of these actions lead the animals to panic. In the end, an baby owl is killed and the mother owl is too devastated to wake the sun and begin the day. The animals meet to find out who is responsible. The mosquito is eventually found out, but it hides in order to escape punishment. So now it constantly buzzes in people's ears to find out if everyone is still mad.
Sendak, M. (1963). Where the Wild Things Are. Harper Collins Publishers.
Where the Wild Things Are is a classic picture book written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak. It is appropriate for elementary as well as middle grades students. It is the winner of the 1964 Caldecott medal for its outstanding illustrations. Maurice Sendak's books can be used in middle school to discuss his representations of the Holocaust found within his books and to talk about immigrants and immigration. Where the Wild Things Are is a picture book based on the adventures of a naughty boy named Max. He is sent to his room without supper and has a series of adventures dressed in a wolf suit. Many people used to think the images in this book were too "grotesque" but Where the Wild Things Are is now regarded as an American classic.
Wiesner, D. (1999). Sector 7. New York, NY: Clarion Books.
Sector 7 is a "true" picture book in that it contains literally no words. Illustrated by David
Wiesner, this book tells the story of a boy on a school trip to the Empire State Building. On this trip, a boy is taken by a friendly cloud to visit Sector 7, where he discovers how clouds are shaped and channeled throughtout the country. This would be a great book for any grade level. I would use it in my sixth grade science classroom to introduce types of clouds and weather. Picture books like this could also be used in language arts for students to write their own story based on the pictures. I have used David Wiesner's books while teaching Social Studies, Reading, Life Science, and Earth Science.
Wiesner, this book tells the story of a boy on a school trip to the Empire State Building. On this trip, a boy is taken by a friendly cloud to visit Sector 7, where he discovers how clouds are shaped and channeled throughtout the country. This would be a great book for any grade level. I would use it in my sixth grade science classroom to introduce types of clouds and weather. Picture books like this could also be used in language arts for students to write their own story based on the pictures. I have used David Wiesner's books while teaching Social Studies, Reading, Life Science, and Earth Science. 
Bemelmans, L. (1977). Madeline. New York, NY: Puffin Books.Madeline was originally published in 1939. The book was such a success that it became series written by its author, Ludwig Bemelmans. The series is in print as well as film. It has been made into a tv show and a line of toys for children. Madeline can be helpful in elementary school for early readers and also character education as it shows bravery and kindness in the face of adversity. It can also be used in middle school Social Studies to illustrate life in France in the 1930s. In "an old house in Paris that was covered with vines," Miss Clavel oversees the education of 12 little girls, the littlest of whom is the mischievous Madeline. Despite her size, Madeline continuously frightens Miss Clavel with her adventurous antics. When she come down with appendicitis, Madeline is rushed to the hospital where, some two hours later, she awakens to find a scar on her stomach! The scar proves quite interesting to the rest of the girls when they make a special trip to visit her in the hospital. Ludwig Bemelmans's rhymes and drawings of the girls in "two straight lines" lend a Parisian flavor to make Madeline a timeless children's favorite
Carle, E. (1987). The Tiny Seed. New York, NY: Aladdin Paperbacks.
Eric Carle's picture books are distinctive and instantly recognizable. While best known for The 
Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Tiny Seed, originally published in 1970 is one of my favorite Eric Carle books. It is suggested for ages 4-8 and is outstanding for teaching the life cycle of a plant in the elementary grades as well as in a seventh grade life science class. It also teached the important character trait of perseverance as a tiny seed overcomes numerous obstacles to become a sunflower. Poetic but simple text and lovely collage pictures dramatize the life cycle of all plants, as one tiny seed grows into an enormous sunflower, which then produces more seeds in its turn.
Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Tiny Seed, originally published in 1970 is one of my favorite Eric Carle books. It is suggested for ages 4-8 and is outstanding for teaching the life cycle of a plant in the elementary grades as well as in a seventh grade life science class. It also teached the important character trait of perseverance as a tiny seed overcomes numerous obstacles to become a sunflower. Poetic but simple text and lovely collage pictures dramatize the life cycle of all plants, as one tiny seed grows into an enormous sunflower, which then produces more seeds in its turn. 
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