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Elementary Teachers: Literature

Most of these recommended books can be found in your library. They are not available for loan from Utah AITC. You can find more in-depth descriptions and can order most of these books from web sites like amazon.com.

Animals
All About Wool (Click to see image)
Grades 3-5
Answers basic questions about the history, uses, and methods of producing wool.
Author: Claire Jobin
Printed by L.E.G.O., Vicenza, Italy
ISBN: 0944589189

Amazing Grazing (Click to see image)
Grade 5
This 28-page book has incredible color photographs of three Western ranches known for their conservation practices.
Author: Cris Peterson
Printed by Boyds Mills Press
ISBN: 1-56397-942-X

Baby Lamb (Click to see image)
Grade K
Facts about baby lambs.
Author: Beth Spanjian
Printed by Longmeadow Press
ISBN: 0681403454

Backyard Detective: Critters Up Close (Click to see image)
Grades 1-4
Welcome to the fascinating world of your own backyard, where more than 125 bugs, worms, and small critters play out the drama of life in miniature. Seven life-size backyard environments, from the soil, to the vegetable garden, to the air above, are vividly depicted in enticingly lush photographic scenes. Scenes are followed by informational spreads which identify all animals and relate intriguing facts about survival in each environment. Includes natural science projects, essential safety information, and an inviting "visual index" for easy reference.
Author: Nic Bishop
Printed by: Tangerine Press
ISBN: 0439174783

Beatrice's Goat (Click to see image)
Grades K-3
Page McBrier and Lori Lohstoeter beautifully recount the true story of Beatrice, a young girl from Uganda, Africa who longs to go to school more than anything else. Unfortunately, only children who can afford uniforms and books can go to school, and with five other brothers and sisters, Beatrice knows that her family is much too poor. But then Beatrice receives a wonderful gift: a goat that will give milk that she can sell. Thanks to Heifer Project International - a charitable organization that donates livestock to poor communities around the world - Beatrice and other families like hers will have a chance to change their lives.
Author: Page McBrier
Printed by: Atheneum.
ISBN: 0-689-82460-2

Brave Dogs, Gentle Dogs (Click to see image)
Grades 2-5
Like other livestock in the Rocky Mountains, sheep need protections from predators such as coyotes and wolves. That’s where the guardian dogs come in. Guardian dogs help ranchers protect their flocks. As puppies, they are placed in fleece and learn to identify with the smell of sheep. With little training, the dogs instinctively know that their job is to keep a lookout for danger, and now and then do some baby-sitting. This is an engaging photo essay of the importance of these animals in Western agriculture. Students will enjoy seeing the bond that these animals share. A good text for introducing how ranchers deal with predators and protection of their animals.
Author: Cat Urbigkit
Printed by: Boyds Mills Press
ISBN: 978-1-59078-317-7


Busy As a Bee (Click to see image)
Grades K-1 (Big Book)
This book is designed for storytelling. It has large pictures and large, easy to read print. It is designed to teach a specific topic about agriculture.
Author: Melvin Berger
Printed by: Newbridge Communications, Inc.
ISBN: 1-56784-101-5

Cattle (Click to see image)
Grades 3-5
Describes the physical characteristics and behavior of cattle around the world and their evolution from their ancestors, the aurochsen, which have been extinct since 1627.
Author: Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
Printed by Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
ISBN: 0876147651

Cattle Kids (Click to see image)
Grades K-4
Cowboys aren't necessarily boys, and they aren't necessarily grown-ups, either. In this lively photo essay, young readers will meet girls and boys who live a unique way of life on their families' cattle ranches. Cowgirls and cowboys take part in many aspects of livestock operations, from calving and branding to haying and rounding up the herd. Students will enjoy looking at the important jobs done by other children their age and making comparisons in the types of chores they are asked to do. This book is an accurate look at western cattle ranching.
Author: Cat Urbigkit
Printed by: Boyds Mills Press
ISBN: 978-1-59078-508-9


Chicken and Egg (Click to see image)
Grades 1-3
The birth of a chicken, a look at what happens inside the egg. Great color photographs.
Author: Christine Back & Jens Olesen
Printed by The Trumpet Club
ISBN: 0440846250

Clarabelle (Click to see image)
Grades K-6
Everyone knows that cows produce milk, which is great for drinking and also is made into cheese, butter, ice cream, and yogurt. But also electricity, fertilizer, and compost for animal stalls? Yes, cows produce these too! A cow is in fact an amazing organism that transforms foods such as hay, corn, and soybean meal into all sorts of other useful products. By featuring a single cow (Clarabelle) and her calf on a large, modern-day Wisconsin dairy farm, internationally acclaimed author Cris Peterson describes all the latest technology that enables farmers to create energy and other by-products from their herds. And yet none of the modern-day machinery matches the miracle of production that is the cow herself. Vibrant, close-up photographs by David Lundquist capture Clarabelle with her herdmates and her newborn calf as well as the family members of Norswiss Farm who live and work together.
Author: Cris Peterson
Printed by: Boyds Mills Press
ISBN: 978-1-59078-310-8

Claws, Coats & Camouflage (Click to see image)
Grade 5
After a short introduction about adaptation, the photographs and text demonstrate how animals fit into their environment, stay safe, obtain food, and reproduce. Brief, informative statements are illustrated with a photograph; on the bottom of the page is a question designed to stimulate scientific thinking. On the verso page, the question is answered, and related information is offered, all accompanied by smaller photographs. The final section reminds readers that "human beings are animals too," and photographs show people getting food, using language, and living in a community. One picture, captioned "making a new generation," shows a young man and woman walking hand in hand.
Author: Michael J. Doolittle & Susan E. Goodman
Printed by: Millbrook Press
ISBN: 0761318658

Farm Animals-Chickens (Click to see image)
Grades K-2
Learn all about chickens--from how they sleep to what they eat. This easy to read factual book will answer all your questions about chickens. A complete table of contents, glossary, and index, make this book easy to use.
Author: Rachel Bell
Published by Heinemann Library
ISBN: 157572530-4

Farm Animals-Sheep (Click to see image)
Grades K-2
How do farmers keep sheep healthy? Find answers to this and many other questions about sheep in this great 32-page book. This book has fabulous photos of various aspects of sheep farming. Easy and fun for children to read. Includes table of contents, glossary, and index.
Author: Rachel Bell
Published by Heinemann Library
ISBN: 575725339

Farmer Duck (Click to see image)
Grades 3-5
When a kind and hardworking duck nearly collapses from overwork, while taking care of a farm because the owner is too lazy to do so, the rest of the animals get together and chase the farmer out of town.
Author: Martin Waddell
Printed by: Scholastic Inc.
ISBN: 0-590-62153-X

The Goat Lady (Click to see image)
Grades K-6
Two children and their mother, new to the neighborhood, befriend Noelie Houle, and elderly lady who raises goats. Her other neighbors bemoan the "Goat Lady's" rundown house and barnyard animals, but the children see how she cares for her goats, they hear her stories, and they come to love her. For many years Noelie has provided goat's milk for people who need it and has sent her extra goat kids to poor people in poor countries through the Heifer Project. The children's mother paints a series of portraits of the "Goat Lady," and her art show at the local town hall helps the rest of the community see Noelie's kindness and courage.
Author: Jane Bregoli
Printed by: Tilbury House Publishers
ISBN: 0-88448-260-X

Has a Cow Saved Your Life? (Click to see image)
Grades 6-10
Millions of people are now safe from smallpox. How did a cow save their lives? Graphic illustrations and photographs along with an extensive glossary tell the story of the smallpox vaccine.
Author: Deborah Underwood
Printed by Raintree
ISBN: 1410926095

Horses (Click to see image)
Grades 3-5
Discusses the physical characteristics and behavior of horses and describes how domestic horses evolved from their wild relatives.
Author: Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
Printed by Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
ISBN: 087614766-X

Hooray for Sheep Farming! (Click to see image)
Grades 2-5
This book introduces the farming of sheep for wool, covering such aspects as shearing, lambs, sheep dogs, wool processing, farm maintenance, and the proper care of sheep.
Author:Bobbie D. Kalman
Printed by Crabtree Publishing Co.
ISBN: 0865056692

Kiss the Cow! (Click to see image)
Grades K-2
Never. Not a chance. Annalisa wouldn't dream of kissing Luella the cow, even though her mother kisses her every day after singing her a song and milking her. Still, inquisitive Annalisa is awfully interested in milking Luella, and one day she sneaks off and does everything just the way her mother does - except for the kiss on the nose. Will Annalisa's innate curiosity get the best of her?
Author: Phyllis Root
Printed by Candlewick Press
ISBN: 0763620033

The Life and Times of the Honeybee (Click to see image)
Grades 2-5
This book presents a wide range of interesting facts about the life-cycle, work, and history of one of the world's most useful insects.
Author: Charles Micucci
Printed by Houghton Mufflin
ISBN: 039586139X

A New Coat for Anna (Click to see image)
Grades K-5
This story takes place after World War II. Anna needs a new coat, but her mother has no money and the stores are empty. Anna's mother decides to trade the few valuables she has left for a coat. The story takes the reader to a sheep farm, a spinner, a weaver and a tailor. When Anna finally gets her beautiful new red coat (which takes about one year), she has a celebration and invites all the people that helped to make it. A great book for teaching how where things come from, how they are produced, economics and seasons.
Author: Harriet Ziefert
Printed by Dragonfly Books
ISBN: 0394898613

No Moon, No Milk! (Click to see image)
Grades K-1
Martha the cow refuses to give milk until she can visit the moon like her great-great-grandmother before her, the Cow Who Jumped Over the Moon.
Author: Chris Babock
Printed by: Scholastic
ISBN: 0-590-60697-2

One Hundred Hungry Ants (Click to see image)
Grade 2
One hundred hungry ants marched in a row, going to a picnic - but were they going too slow? This fantastic counting book allows students to work through simple addition by twos, fives, and tens. They will enjoy the flow of the text and the simple illustrations.
Author: Elinor J. Pinczes
Printed by Scholastic Inc.
ISBN: 0-590-67298-3

Ostriches and Other Flightless Birds (Click to see image)
Grades 3-6

An introduction to the physical characteristics, habits, and natural environment of ostriches and a variety of other birds that do not fly including the rhea, emu, cassowary, kiwi, and tinamou.
Author: Caroline Arnold
Printed by Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
ISBN: 087614377X

A Remainder of One (Click to see image)
Grade 2
Poor Joe! He wants to march in the parade, but every time the lines are uneven, he must stand aside. What's a poor bug to do? Determined to solve the problem, Joe rearranges the bugs in his squadron until inspriation and fortitude result in five lines of five - and Joe fits in at last. Joe's story is a fun and entertaining introduction to the concept of remainders and simple mathematics.
Author: Elinor J. Pinczes
Printed by Houghton Mifflin Company Boston
ISBN: 0-618-25077-8

The Shepherd's Trail (Click to see image)
Grades 2-5
A wagon sits in the sagebrush-covered desert, while herders on horseback move sheep to high summer range. It looks like a scene from the Old West, but it's actually a sight you can see today. Shepherds still live in wagons, tending their flocks in Wyoming and other places in the American West just as they have done for more than a hundred years. You can still see the shepherds "trailing," moving their flocks to the mountains in the summer and bringing them down to the desert for the winter. From breeding season to lambing season, and shearing in between, the informative text and stunning photographs show how sheep are raised over the course of a year. This book is a nice introduction for examining migrant workers and the importance of their contribution to the American economy.
Author: Cat Urbigkit
Printed by: Boyds Mills Press
ISBN: 978-1-59078-509-6


’Til the Cows Come Home (Click to see image)
Grades K-4
Using a traditional Jewish folktale ("The Button Story") and setting it in the American West, the author uses cowboy language to create an engaging tale. A young cowboy, talented in making saddles and bridles, receives a sturdy piece of leather from a grateful cowpuncher. Although many of the items made from this leather eventually wear out, he is able to resurrect pieces to create various needed items throughout his life.
Author: Jodi Icenoggle
Printed by: Boyds Mills Press
ISBN: 156397987X

Unraveling Fibers (Click to see image)
Grades 2-5
Clear, colorful photographs and detailed drawings delve into the sources of our clothes, tablecloths, sheets, towels, and blankets. The authors describe a variety of fibers used to make cloth and how these fibers are collected.
Authors: Patricia A. Keeler and Francis X. McCall
Printed by: Macmillan
ISBN: 0689317778

Welcome to Our Farm...Farmtasic Voyage (Click to see image)
Grades K-2
The book is a simple to read hog farm tour designed for very young children.

When the Bees Fly Home (Click to see image)
Grades 2-6

It's frustrating for young Jonathan, the son of a beekeeper, when he isn't quite strong enough to help his dad with some of the work on the farm. Sometimes his father is irritable with him, and it's worse how, because the family is struggling to make ends meet during a drought, and their bees aren't making much honey. When Jonathan's mom stays up late one night to make beeswax candles to sell at the local farmer's market, Jonathan comes downstairs to help. He puts his own skills to work modeling small wax animals and insects to decorate the candles—which prove so popular that they come home from the market with orders for lots more.
Bee facts buzz through this human story about a child trying to please his father, and we come to understand why Jonathan is so fascinated with bees and why we might want to learn more about them ourselves. Some wonderful resources on bees are offered at the end of the book.
Author: Andrea Cheng, Illustrations by Joline McFadden
Printed by: Tilbury House Publishers
ISBN: 0-88448-238-3

A Young Shepherd (Click to see image)
Grades K-5
Cass is a young shepherd who works on his family's sheep farm. He makes sure the sheep get the attention they need to grow healthy and strong. The text showcases that raising sheep is hard work and Cass works hard to give them the attention and care that they will need. This book is recommended because it is a solid depiction of raising orphaned lambs and integrating them into a sheep herd. It also showcases how Cass keeps good records of his animals and shows them at the county fair. There are many other children throughout the West and Midwest who would also have similar "small businesses." An excellent way to show how these kids learn the economics of agriculture.
Author: Cat Urbigkit
Printed by: Boyds Mills Press
ISBM: 1-59078-364-6

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Farming
Century Farm (Click to see image)
Grades K-3
This 32-page book tells the story of a Wisconsin dairy farm that has been owned and operated by the same family for four generations. Weaving family history into daily operations of the farm, the author describes the changes that have taken place during the past century.
Author: Cris Peterson
Printed by: Boyds Mills Press
ISBN: 1563977109

Clarabelle (Click to see image)
Grades K-6
Everyone knows that cows produce milk, which is great for drinking and also is made into cheese, butter, ice cream, and yogurt. But also electricity, fertilizer, and compost for animal stalls? Yes, cows produce these too! A cow is in fact an amazing organism that transforms foods such as hay, corn, and soybean meal into all sorts of other useful products. By featuring a single cow (Clarabelle) and her calf on a large, modern-day Wisconsin dairy farm, internationally acclaimed author Cris Peterson describes all the latest technology that enables farmers to create energy and other by-products from their herds. And yet none of the modern-day machinery matches the miracle of production that is the cow herself. Vibrant, close-up photographs by David Lundquist capture Clarabelle with her herdmates and her newborn calf as well as the family members of Norswiss Farm who live and work together.
Author: Cris Peterson
Printed by: Boyds Mills Press
ISBN: 978-1-59078-310-8

Creative Discoveries - World Agriculture (Click to see image)
Grades 3-10
This book contains interesting facts and pictures about agriculture products and processes all over the world. Great for studying geography and countries. Among other things, learn how chocolate is made from cocoa beans, where salt comes from, and how potatoes are grown. This great book is complete with a supplement filled with quizzes, fascinating facts, games, and ideas for activities.
Author: Laurence Ottenheimer
Printed by Creative Education
ISBN: 0-88682-952-6

Farm Crops (Click to see image)
Grades 3-8
This book will show you a side of farm crops you've never seen. What close relative of the carrot is used to flavor cookies and candy? On which vegetable could you tee up a golf ball? What vegetable is used to make photographic film? Find out the answers to these fascinating questions, and much, much more.
Author: Carol Benanti & Ray H. Miller
Printed by The ERTL Company, Inc.
ISBN: 1-887327-02-9

Farm History
Grades 3-6

A look at how farms and farming have changed over the years.
Author: Ray H. Miller
Printed by ERTL Company, Inc.
ISBN: 188732703

Farmer George Plants a Nation (Click to see image)
Grades 5 & 8
Few students and teachers may know that George Washington was a farmer and he made several great contributions to agriculture. This text is a look at George Washington as he's rarely seen. Besides being a general and the first president of the United States, his efforts to create a self-sufficient farm at Mount Vernon, Virginia, mirrored his struggle to form a new nation. Excerpts from Washington's writings are featured throughout the book, which also includes a timeline, resource section, as well as essays on Washington at Mount Vernon and his thoughts on slavery. Both illustrator and author worked closely with the staff of Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens to render an accurate portrait of Farmer George at work. One of the best and most accurate accounts of the contributions of Washington available. Not only that, but it is easy and enjoyable to read. A must have for 5th grade teachers.
Author: Peggy Thomas
Printed by: Calkins Creek Books
ISBN: 9781590784600

Farming the Land (Click to see image)
Grades K-3
Excellent color photography shows a variety of farm equipment, including tractors, plows, combines, and carrot pickers. There is also a good variety of makes and models. The short history and comparison of old and new tractors is interesting. The brief text simply describes the photo on each page.
Author: Jerry Bushey
Printed by Carolrhoda Books
ISBN: 0876143141

Heartland (Click to see image)
Grades K-6
Evokes the land, animals and people of the Middle West in poetic text and illustrations.
Author: Diane Siebert. Printed by Harper Collins Publishing.
ISBN: 0690047304

If It Weren't for Farmers (Click to see image)
Grades K-2
This book briefly describes some of the work that is done on a different kinds of farms and the foods that are produced there.
Author: Allan Fowler
Printed by: Children's Press
ISBN: 0516460099

Lazy B: Growing up on a Cattle Ranch in the American Southwest
(Click to see image)
Grades K-6 (Teacher Reference Book)
Deep in the granite hills of eastern Arizona in 1880, H.C. Day founded the Lazy B Ranch, where U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and her brother Alan spent their youth, a time they recall in this affectionate joint memoir. "We belonged to the Lazy B, and it belonged to each of us," write O'Connor and Day. This fascinating glimpse of life in the Southwest in the last century recounts an important time in American history, and provides an enduring portrait of an independent young woman on the brink of becoming one of the most prominent figures in America.
Author: Sandra Day O'Connor.
Printed by Random House Trade Paperbacks
ISBN: 0812966732

The Life and Times of the Honeybee (Click to see image)
Grades 2-5
This book presents a wide range of interesting facts about the life-cycle, work, and history of one of the world's most useful insects.
Author: Charles Micucci
Printed by Houghton Mufflin
ISBN: 039586139X

Little House Books (Click to see image)
Grades 4-6
The charming Little House books tell the story of Laura Ingalls Wilder who, with her family, was among the early pioneers of the American West. Laura traveled with her family by covered wagon through Kansas, Minnesota, and finally the Dakota territory. There are nine classics about their life on the prairie.
Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Printed by Harper Trophy
ISBN: 0064400409

Snow Comes to the Farm (Click to see image)
Grades K-4
A day comes, after the leaves have fallen and the wild geese have left for warmer places, when the air holds its breath, still and full of expectation. Snow is coming, and soon farmland and forest, ground and sky will be transformed. This story tells about two brothers waiting and watching for the first snow of winter.
Author: Nathaniel Tripp, Illustrated by Kate Kiesler
Printed by: Candlewick Press
ISBN: 1-56402-426-1

The Usborne Book of Tractors (Click to see image)
Grades 3-5
Take a three-dimensional look at the tractors and their usefulness on a farm.
Author: Caroline Young
Printed by Usborne Publishing Ltd., Usborne House
ISBN: 0746006713

World Farming (Click to see image)
Grades 5-11
This book is a valuable learning tool and reference about agriculture around the world. Full color diagrams, illustrations, and photographs along with hands on activities and a very complete glossary.
Author: M. Bramwell
Printed by Usborne Publishing Ltd., Usborne House
ISBN: 074600737X
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Food & Nutrition
Bread Comes to Life: A Garden of Wheat and a Loaf to Eat
(Click to see image)
Grades K-2
How is bread made? Where does it come from? This book answers those questions with beautiful photographs of the process of turning wheat into a loaf of bread. You’ll never look at a loaf of bread in the same way again.
Author: George Levenson
Printed by Tricycle Press
ISBN 1-58246-114-7

Clarabelle (Click to see image)
Grades K-6
Everyone knows that cows produce milk, which is great for drinking and also is made into cheese, butter, ice cream, and yogurt. But also electricity, fertilizer, and compost for animal stalls? Yes, cows produce these too! A cow is in fact an amazing organism that transforms foods such as hay, corn, and soybean meal into all sorts of other useful products. By featuring a single cow (Clarabelle) and her calf on a large, modern-day Wisconsin dairy farm, internationally acclaimed author Cris Peterson describes all the latest technology that enables farmers to create energy and other by-products from their herds. And yet none of the modern-day machinery matches the miracle of production that is the cow herself. Vibrant, close-up photographs by David Lundquist capture Clarabelle with her herdmates and her newborn calf as well as the family members of Norswiss Farm who live and work together.
Author: Cris Peterson
Printed by: Boyds Mills Press
ISBN: 978-1-59078-310-8

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (Click to see image)
Grades 2-4
The town of Chewandswallow is a place where all of your meals come from the sky - clouds of scrambled eggs for breakfast followed by a shower of orange juice. The "weather" is great until the sky gets cloudy with a chance of meatballs. When the food showers down for many days, the townsfolk realize that there is just too much food to eat!
Author: Judy Barrett and illustrated by Ron Barrett
Printed by Aladdin Library
ISBN: 0689707495

Cooking Up World History (Click to see image)
Grades 6-10
Any study of world cultures or history can be enlivened by experiencing the foods of those peoples. Through foods, students appreciate the differences, as well as the commonalities, among peoples. Further, they strengthen their reading, math, cooperative, and problem-solving skills as they determine how to prepare, adapt, and serve a recipe. Teachers who regularly cook in the classroom find that cooking often is the highlight of a unit of study. This book provides teachers with recipes, research suggestions, and resources appropriate for culinary explorations.
Author: Patricia C. Marden
Printed by Teacher Ideas Press
ISBN: 0-7613-0354-5

Cool as a Cucumber Hot as a Pepper (Click to see image)
Grades 3-6 (Teacher Reference Book)
The general outline of each of the following chapters presents early history, cultivation, processing, and importance in diet of the individual foods. Cucumber discusses tomatoes, avocados, eggplants, breadfruits, cucumbers, squashes, and peppers. The two-column text reads easily and is full of informative material.
Author: Meredith Sayles Hughes
Printed by Lerner Publications Company
ISBN: 0822528320

Does Cheese Grow on Trees? (Click to see image)
Grades K-1
Kermit the Frog guides children through their questions about where some of their favorite foods come from on the farm.
Author: Michael Teitelbaum
Printed by Jim Henson Productions, Inc.
ISBN: 0307628213

Everybody Bakes Bread (Click to see image)
Grades 3-6
A rainy-day errand introduces Carrie to many different kinds of bread, including chapatis, challah, and pupusas. Includes recipes.
Author: Norah Dooley
Printed by Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
ISBN 087614864X

Extra Cheese, Please! (Click to see image)
Grades K-4
When Annabelle gives birth to her calf, she also begins to produce milk. The milk is then processed into cheese, and from the cheese, pizza is made.
Author: Cris Peterson
Printed by Caroline House
ISBN: 1563971771

Food (Click to see image)
Grades K-6
Food is essential for life. We need to eat to stay alive but food is also an important part of how we celebrate our culture. This book visually shows why different foods are popular in different parts of the world due to climate, cooking methods, and religious practices. Discover why people still go hungry when there is more than enough food produced to feed everyone on the planet.
Author: Fiona MacDonald
Printed by: Crabtree Publishing Company
ISBN: 0-7787-0248-0

Food and Farming (Click to see image)
Grades K-6
An illustrated overview of how various foods are cultivated and used. A Dorling Kindersley Book.
Printed by DK Direct Limited
ISBN: 1564583872

Genetically Modified Food (Click to see image)
Grades 5-10
Introduces the science behind and to the issues surrounding the production of food using genetic engineering. The book, by Nigel Hawkes, is divided into chapters and looks at what genes are, how they can be modified, and the wider environmental and health implications of GM food and farming.
Author: Nigel Hawkes
Printed by Copper Beech Books
ISBN: 0761311548

Glorious Grasses: The Grains (Click to see image)
Grades 3-6
The general outline of each of the following chapters presents early history, cultivation, processing, and importance in diet of the individual foods. Grasses covers wheat, rice, corn, millet and barley, and oats and rye. The two-column text reads easily and is full of informative material.
Author: Meredith Sayles Hughes
Printed by Lerner Publications Company
ISBN: 0822528312

Greedy Cat's Breakfast (Click to see image)
Grade K
With wonderful illustrations and easy to read words, Greedy Cat finds that getting everything you want, comes with a price.
Author: Joy Cowley
Printed by: Wright Group
ISBN: 0780224051

How Do Apples Grow? (Click to see image)
Grades K-3
Beginning with snow-covered buds to the harvest of apples, the process of how fruit comes from flowers is clearly illustrated and described. The parts of the flower at different stages are large and simply labeled. Different varieties of apples are also discussed. This straightforward presentation with soft watercolors provides grade appropriate details to promote understanding of the pollination process.
Author: Betsy Maestro
Printed by: Harper Trophy
ISBN: 0064451178

How Much Is a Million? (Click to see image)
Grades K-4
The fascinating world of big numbers is vividly brought to life in this award-winning classic.
Author: David M Schwartz, Illustrator: Steven Kellogg
Printed by Harper-Collins
ISBN: 0688040497

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World (Click to see image)
Grades 2-6
In this whimsical, geographical shopping journey, a young baker thinks of how to proceed if the market is closed. She directs readers, via various modes of transportation, to gather semolina wheat in Italy, a chicken (for its egg) in France, bark from the kurundu (cinnamon) tree in Sri Lanka, a cow (for butter) in England, salt water and sugar cane in Jamaica, and apples in Vermont. Processing the worldly ingredients is quickly handled, a pie is baked, and friends are invited to share. A look around the table reveals children from all of the countries in which the foods have been found.
Author: Marjorie Priceman
Printed by Random House Children's Publishing
ISBN: 0679880836

I Will Never, Not EVER Eat a Tomato (Click to see image)
Grades K-4
Lola is a very fussy eater. Carrots are for rabbits and peas are "too small and too green." One day, after rattling off her long list of despised foods, she ends with the vehement pronouncement, "And I absolutely will never not ever eat a tomato." Not convinced, Lola's older sister Charlie has an idea. She tells Lola that the orange things on the table are not carrots, but "orange twiglets from Jupiter" and peas are in fact "green drops from Greenland." Mashed potatoes, when pitched as "cloud fluff from the pointiest peak of Mount Fuji" suddenly seem appealing to Lola. And in the end, might she even eat a tomato?
Author: Lauren Child
Printed by Candlewick Press
ISBN: 0763621803

The Life and Times of the Honeybee (Click to see image)
Grades 2-5
This book presents a wide range of interesting facts about the life-cycle, work, and history of one of the world's most useful insects.
Author: Charles Micucci
Printed by Houghton Mufflin
ISBN: 039586139X

Little Nino's Pizzeria (Click to see image)
Grades K-2
Tony likes to help his father at their small family restaurant, but everything changes when Little Nino's Pizzeria becomes a fancier place. The book is also accompanied by the Reading Rainbow video, starring LaVar Burton and his friends, who enjoy a homemade pizza and a trip to a pizzeria.
Author: Karen Barbour
Printed by Harcourt Brace
ISBN: 0152463216

The Little Red Hen (Click to see image)
Grades K-2

A classic tale of a little red hen who asked, "Who will help plant this wheat?" "Not I," said the cat. "Not I," said the dog. "Not I," said the mouse. The little red hen does everything by herself—including the eating of the entire cake!
Author: Paul Galdone
Publisher: Clarion Books
ISBN: 0-89919-349-8

Make Mine Ice Cream (Click to see image)
Grades K-1 (Big Book)
This book is designed for storytelling. It has large pictures and large, easy to read print. It is designed to teach a specific topic about agriculture.
Author: Melvin Berger
Printed by: Newbridge Communications, Inc.
ISBN: 1-56784-007-8

One Grain of Rice (Click to see image)
Grades 2-5
It's the story of Rani, a clever girl who outsmarts a very selfish raja and saves her village. When offered a reward for a good deed, she asks only for one grain of rice, doubled each day for 30 days. Remember your math? That's lots of rice: enough to feed a village for a good long time--and to teach a greedy raja a lesson.
Author: Demi
Printed by Scholastic
ISBN: 059093998X

Pasta Please! (Click to see image)
Grades K-1 (Big Book)
This book is designed for storytelling. It has large pictures and large, easy to read print. It is designed to teach a specific topic about agriculture.
Author: Melvin Berger
Printed by: Newbridge Communications, Inc.
ISBN: 1-56784-021-3

Peanut Butter (Click to see image)
Grades 3-6
Describes how peanut butter is made, from the cultivation of the peanuts through filling the jars with the nutty spread.
Author: Arlene Eribach
Printed by Lerner Publications Company
ISBN: 0822523876

Three Cheers for Catherine the Great (Click to see image)
Grades K-2
It's not Catherine, empress of Russia, who inspires this charming story of family love, but Best's Russian immigrant grandmother. When Sara's grandmother requests "no presents" for her birthday celebration, Sara is stumped. The neighbors all have ideas, but Sara wants her "no present" to be as special as her grandmother. Seeking inspiration, Sara watches her grandmother cook, play clapping songs with the baby, and read Russian books and newspapers. Suddenly she realizes the perfect "no present": helping Grandmother learn to read and write English. In lively, lyrical prose, Best celebrates a special family relationship, and conveys the unique challenges and joys of an immigrant's new life. Kids may also be inspired and reassured by Best's realistic examples of a "no present"--heartfelt gifts that need not be tangible or costly to be appreciated, useful, and cherished.
Author: Cari Best
Printed by DK Publishing
ISBN: 0789426226

A World of Recipes Series Books: China, Japan, India, Mexico
(Click to see image)
Grades 4-6
From vegetable Chow Mien to coconut custard, this book delivers recipes that will introduce young chefs to new tastes. Following a short introduction to the food and the region are a glossary and a general introduction to cooking, including some rules for safety. Then are the recipes, arranged by difficulty. Each recipe is carefully organized into a series of numbered steps, with unfamiliar words in bold type. Following the recipes are suggestions for further reading on the food and the country; a chart comparing weights and measures; and an explanation of the healthy-eating food pyramid.
Author: Julie McCulloch
Printed by Heinemann Library
ISBN: 1588103862 (China), 1588103897 (Japan), 1588100855(India), 1588103900 (Mexico)

You Are What You Eat (Click to see image)
Grades K-1 (Big Book)
This book is designed for storytelling. It has large pictures and large, easy to read print. It is designed to teach a specific topic about agriculture.
Author: Melvin Berger
Printed by: Newbridge Communications, Inc.
ISBN: 1-56784-014-0

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Plants
Anno's Magic Seeds (Click to see image)
Grades K-6
A wizard offers Jack two seeds and instructs him to eat one and plant the other. As Jack obeys this advice, he experiences a cycle of mathematical progression in the harvests. When Jack decides to plant both seeds one year, the increase becomes even greater until a hurricane wipes out the crops and he must begin once again. This book provides a creative way for students to explore mathematical operations and make connections in the real world.
Author: Mitsumasa Anno
Printed by: Paperstar Book (June 1, 1999)
ISBN: 0698116186

An Apple a Day (Click to see image)
Grades K-1 (Big Book)
This book is designed for storytelling. It has large pictures and large, easy to read print. It is designed to teach a specific topic about agriculture.
Author: Melvin Berger
Printed by: Newbridge Communications, Inc.
ISBN: 1-56784-011-6

An Apple Tree Through the Year (Click to see image)
Grades 2-6
Follows an apple tree through the four seasons, detailing the yearly growth cycle and examining the ecosystem of the entire apple orchard.
Author: Claudia Schnieper
Printed by Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
ISBN: 087614248X

Backyard Detective: Critters Up Close (Click to see image)
Grades 1-4
Welcome to the fascinating world of your own backyard, where more than 125 bugs, worms, and small critters play out the drama of life in miniature. Seven life-size backyard environments, from the soil, to the vegetable garden, to the air above, are vividly depicted in enticingly lush photographic scenes. Scenes are followed by informational spreads which identify all animals and relate intriguing facts about survival in each environment. Includes natural science projects, essential safety information, and an inviting "visual index" for easy reference.
Author: Nic Bishop
Printed by: Tangerine Press
ISBN: 0439174783

Cool as a Cucumber Hot as a Pepper (Click to see image)
Grades 3-6 (Teacher Reference Book)
The general outline of each of the following chapters presents early history, cultivation, processing, and importance in diet of the individual foods. Cucumber discusses tomatoes, avocados, eggplants, breadfruits, cucumbers, squashes, and peppers. The two-column text reads easily and is full of informative material.
Author: Meredith Sayles Hughes
Printed by Lerner Publications Company
ISBN: 0822528320

Cotton, Now & Then (Click to see image)
Grades 2-4
A story that follows the process of fabric-making from boll to bolt.
Authors: Karen Bates Willing and Julie Bates Dock
Printed by Regent Publications.
ISBN: 0964182025

The Cotton in Your T-Shirt (Click to see image)
Grades 3-5
Answers questions about the history, uses and methods of producing cotton.
Author: Aline Riquier
Printed by L.E.G.O., Vicenza, Italy
ISBN: 0944589405

Desert Plants of Utah, Mountain Plants of Northeastern Utah, & Common Native Trees of Utah (Click to see image)
Grades 4-12
These books are Utah State University Extension publications that are excellent resources for any teacher looking for more information about native plants. Every plant listed on the state core exam can be found in these books. Either a photograph or detailed line drawing is shown with information about where the plant is found (elevation, soil type, etc.) and any additional information that might be useful in a classroom.
You can purchase from your local County Extension office. These books can be viewed in their entirety on our web site. To find the plant you are looking for, go to the book index.

Down to Earth (Click to see image)
Grades 3-6
The body of the book is devoted to 38 reminiscences and musings, each about a different plant. The subjects range from milkweed and moss to roses and zucchini; the quality and tone vary too, as is the case in this kind of collection. The illustrations are more even in quality than the writings: colorful artwork in many different styles combines to make a garden of enjoyment. The second part of the book contains 33 projects or recipes related to the plants discussed: making a fruit tree bell to keep the birds away, drying flowers, making dandelion salad, making sun prints, etc.
Author: Michael J. Rosen
Printed by: Harcourt Brace
ISBN: 0-15-201341-5

The Empty Pot (Click to see image)
Grades 1-3
The Emperor is growing old and is searching for a child to be a successor to the throne. He presents each of his children with a special seed, declaring that the child who grows the most beautiful flower will inherit the Emperor's throne. Although the children plant and care for their seeds, they will not grow. All of the children except one boy, Ping, replace their seeds and grow beautiful flowers to impress the Emperor. Ping returns to the palace carrying an empty pot. The Emperor values Ping's honesty and chooses him to become the new Emperor, revealing to the children that the seeds he had given them had been cooked and were unable to grow.
Author: Demi
Printed by: Henry Holt and Co.
ISBN: 0805012176

Farm Crops (Click to see image)
Grades 3-5
Answers questions about vegetables and other plants grown on the farm.
Authors: Carol Benanti and Ray H. Miller
Printed by The Ertl Company, Inc.
ISBN: 1887327029

From Peanuts to Peanut Butter (Click to see image)
Grades K-1 (Big Book)
This book is designed for storytelling. It has large pictures and large, easy to read print. It is designed to teach a specific topic about agriculture.
Author: Melvin Berger
Printed by: Newbridge Communications, Inc.
ISBN: 1-56784-001-9

The Gardener (Click to see image)
Grades 4-6
Lydia Grace is not only a gardener, but a writer of letters. This book has such an unexpected gut-level impact on everyone who reads it! Each of the short letters begins with a date which will be meaningful to anyone who lived through the depression. Oddly enough, disasters and hard times seem to bring out the best in people and this book sets out to show just how that is true. With a child's enthusiasm and optimism, Lydia works to bring a little bit of the farm back home to her new city home. David Small's simple but powerful illustrations bring Sarah Stewart's story of this brave little girl to life. What a great combination of author and illustrator.
Author: Sarah Stewart
Printed by Farrar Straus & Giroux
ISBN: 0374325170

Glorious Grasses: The Grains (Click to see image)
Grades 3-6
The general outline of each of the following chapters presents early history, cultivation, processing, and importance in diet of the individual foods. Grasses covers wheat, rice, corn, millet and barley, and oats and rye. The two-column text reads easily and is full of informative material.
Author: Meredith Sayles Hughes
Printed by Lerner Publications Company
ISBN: 0822528312

Grow It Again (Click to see image)
Grades K-6 (Instructional Resource)
You may find it hard to believe, but the makings of a fantastic growing experience are probably in your kitchen right now. Don't put those carrot tops in the compost or throw out the seeds in that apple core— instead, try growing them. Turn a peanut into an unusual flower or a beet top into a leafy plant. This resource will help you find creative solutions to growing affordable plants in the classroom. The step-by-step illustrated instructions make it easy!
Author: Elizabeth MacLeod
Printed by Wing King Tong Co. Ltd.
ISBN: 0374325170

Growing Pumpkins (Click to see image)
Grades K-1 (Big Book)
This book is designed for storytelling. It has large pictures and large, easy to read print. It is designed to teach a specific topic about agriculture.
Author: Melvin Berger
Printed by Newbridge Communications, Inc.
ISBN: 1-56784-018-3

Hard to Crack: Nut Trees (Click to see image)
Grades 3-6
The nut is more than just a salted-dusted snack or crunchy part of a candy bar. Did you know that, in prehistoric times, nuts were one of the most important food sources? Hard to Crack: Nut Trees is a fun-filled look at the history of pecans, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, and macadamias-some of the world's most popular nuts. Through a close-up look at planting, harvesting, and processing, readers will also learn how nuts make their way from the field to the table.
Author: Meredith Sayles Hughes
Printed by Lerner Publications Company
ISBN: 082252838X

Harvest Year (Click to see image)
Grades K-5
A photographic essay about foods that are harvested year-round in the United States.
Author: Cris Peterson
Printed by Boyd Mills Press
ISBN: 1563975718

How Do Apples Grow? (Click to see image)
Grades K-3
Beginning with snow-covered buds to the harvest of apples, the process of how fruit comes from flowers is clearly illustrated and described. The parts of the flower at different stages are large and simply labeled. Different varieties of apples are also discussed. This straightforward presentation with soft watercolors provides grade appropriate details to promote understanding of the pollination process.
Author: Betsy Maestro
Printed by: Harper Trophy
ISBN: 0064451178

The Life and Times of the Honeybee (Click to see image)
Grades 2-5
This book presents a wide range of interesting facts about the life-cycle, work, and history of one of the world's most useful insects.
Author: Charles Micucci
Printed by Houghton Mufflin
ISBN: 039586139X

Native American Gardening (Click to see image)
Grades 4-5
This 141-page book contains stories, projects, and recipes for the whole family. Native American Gardening brings the magical world of stories together with the nurturing experience of gardening. Native stories lay the groundwork for understanding while hands-on activities show readers how to continue the work of generations of Native farmers.
Author: Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac
Printed by Fulcrun Publishing
ISBN: 155591148X

One Grain of Rice (Click to see image)
Grades 2-5
It's the story of Rani, a clever girl who outsmarts a very selfish raja and saves her village. When offered a reward for a good deed, she asks only for one grain of rice, doubled each day for 30 days. Remember your math? That's lots of rice: enough to feed a village for a good long time--and to teach a greedy raja a lesson.
Author: Demi
Printed by Scholastic
ISBN: 059093998X

Plantzilla (Click to see image)
Grades K-3
After Mortimer takes a plant home from his 3rd grade classroom during summer vacation, strange things begin to occur. Plantzilla begins to grow tentacles and perform miraculous feats. Mortimer's parents begin to worry as they see the plant take on human characteristics, but Mortimer's love for Plantzilla grows even deeper. Written in letter-form, the text is a series of communications between Mortimer and his teacher, and the teacher and Mortimer's mother regarding the progress and concerns of this unusual plant. This humorous story contains beautiful watercolor illustrations that spill across the page and engage the reader.
Author: Jerdine Nolen
Printed by: Silver Whistle
ISBN: 0152024123

The Pumpkin Book (Click to see image)
Grades K-3
This book describes and illustrates the different shapes and sizes of pumpkins and explains the planting, cultivating, and harvesting of pumpkins. There is an excellent section on the traditional uses and cultural significance of pumpkins. Also included are instructions for carving a pumpkin and drying the seeds.
Author: Gail Gibbons
Printed by Holiday House
ISBN: 0823416364

Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden (Click to see image)
Grades K-2
A wonderful, graphic book about the circle of life. Why are kids so fascinated by pumpkins? Take a look at this visually intense book and see why. The photographs are definitely the feature here and is very enjoyable to read aloud to children. Both children and adults can learn about the life cycle of a pumpkin and can appreciate the wonders of nature.
Author: George Levenson, Shmuel Thaler
Printed by Tricycle Pr
ISBN: 1582460043

Pumpkins (Click to see image)
Grades K-4
Pumpkins is a picturebook celebration of the edible plant. Full-color photography offers a tour of the life of a pumpkin plant, from seeding to flower to fruit and harvest, and finally being carved into a jack-o-lantern.
Author: Ken Robbins
Printed by: Roaring Brook Press
ISBN: 1596431849

The Reason for a Flower (Click to see image)
Grades 2-4
Describes the process of regeneration in flowers, from flower to fruit.
Author: Ruth Heller
Printed by Scholastic Inc.
ISBN: 0590412523

Seeds Get Around (Click to see image)
Grades K-1 (Big Book)
This book is designed for storytelling. It has large pictures and large, easy to read print. It is designed to teach a specific topic about agriculture.
Author: Melvin Berger
Printed by Newbridge Educational Publishing
ISBN: 1-56784-006-X

Spill the Beans and Pass the Peanuts (Click to see image)
Grades 1-6 (Teacher Reference Book)
Following an introduction that offers general botanical information, four chapters cover peanuts and beans (especially soybeans) at length, and lentils and peas to a lesser extent. The author tells their history and provides agricultural and botanical information for each plant. Chapters are illustrated with clear color and black-and-white photographs, reproductions, and drawings. Various cooking methods around the world are discussed and one recipe for each legume is provided.
Author: Meredith Sayles Hughes
Printed by Lerner Publications Company
ISBN: 082252834

Sunflower House (Click to see image)
Grades K-3
A little boy plants sunflower seeds in a big circle. He cares for them and watches them grow into a round wall of stems with golden flowers at the top. After playing the "sunflower house" all summer, he and his friends collect the seeds from the dying plants to sow for next summer's flowers. Rhymed couplets written in first person express the boy's determination, surprise, and delight as he weaves his own play into the sunflowers' cycle from seed to seed. Primary teachers will find this a colorful, child-appealing addition to units on plants.
Author: Eve Bunting
Printed by Harcourt, Inc.
ISBN: 0-590-33036-5

Seeds and Seedlings (Click to see image)
Grades 3-5
Describes how seeds are formed, how they grow, what they look like, how they reproduce, and how they make food, and provides instruction for related hands-on science projects.
Author: Elaine Pascoe
Printed by Blackbirch Press, Inc.
ISBN 1567111785

The Tiny Seed (Click to see image)
Grade 1
This picture book admirably conveys the miracle of a seed. Flower pods burst and dispatch their seeds on the wind; the air-borne seeds are subject to myriad disasters; and the ones that make it through the perils of the seasons to become mature flowering plants are still susceptible to being picked, trod upon and otherwise damaged. But nature allows for survivors, and so the tiny seed grows into a giant flower, releasing its seeds and continuing the cycle.
Author: Eric Carle
Printed by Aladdin Library
ISBN: 0689842449

Tomatoes, Potatoes, Corn, and Beans (Click to see image)
Grades 4-10
In this fascinating story of the many foods first grown in the Americas, the author describes how each one was used by Native Americans, how the foods then made their way to other parts of the world, and the new ways of preparation that have been developed.
Author: Sylvia A. Johnson
Printed by Simon and Shuster Children's
ISBN: 0689801416

Tops & Bottoms (Click to see image)
Grades K-2
A fun way to introduce food sources. Uses Mr. Bear and Mr. Hare to show which garden plant "tops" and "bottoms" are edible.
Author: Janet Stevens
Printed by Harcourt
ISBN: 0152928510

Unraveling Fibers (Click to see image)
Grades 2-5
Clear, colorful photographs and detailed drawings delve into the sources of our clothes, tablecloths, sheets, towels, and blankets. The authors describe a variety of fibers used to make cloth and how these fibers are collected.
Authors: Patricia A. Keeler and Francis X. McCall
Printed by: Macmillan
ISBN: 0689317778

The Vegetable Garden (Click to see image)
Grades K-1
This book is designed for storytelling. It has large pictures and large, easy to read print. It is designed to teach a specific topic about agriculture.
Author: Melvin Berger
Printed by: Newbridge Communications, Inc.
ISBN: 1-56784-024-8

Weather Detectives (Click to see image)
Grades 3-5 (Teacher/Student Resource)
Meet the Weather Detectives! You'll learn amazing weather facts, safety tips, and how to do fun-filled experiments (such as building a rain gauge, measuring wind speed, and charting temperatures). This book is great for science fair ideas and facts.
Author: Mark Eubank and illustrated by Mark A. Hicks.
Printed by Gibbs Smith Publishing
ISBN: 1-58685-412-7

Working Cotton (Click to see image)
Grade 5
This book is a Caldecott Honor selection. The story describes the life of a sharecropper's daughter shortly after the Civil War. It is written by Sherley Anne Williams and beautifully illustrated by Carole Byard. This book is a must read when studying the Civil War era. Available at most school libraries.
Author: Sherley Anne Williams
Printed by: The Trumpet Club
ISBN: 0-440-83189-X
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Social Studies
American Kids in History: Colonial Days (Click to see image)
Grade 5
King follows the fictional Mayhew family of western Massachusetts throughout the year 1732 as a framework for describing more than 40 colonial activities. Projects include making a sundial, measuring the height of a tree, dying yarn, and dipping candles.
Author: David C. King
Printed by John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0471161683


American Kids in History: Pioneer Days (Click to see image)
Grades 2-5
Pioneer Days is filled with interesting bits of historical information and fun facts about growing up in days gone by. Discover how different-and how similar-life was for American kids in history.
Author: David C. King
Printed by Bt. Bound
ISBN: 0613165438

American Kids in History: Revolutionary War Days (Click to see image)
Grade 5
Step back in time to 1776 America and visit with the Logan family on their farm in Virginia, and the Wentworths at their inn in Philadelphia. Join eleven-year-old Joshua Logan and twelve-year-old Peggy Wentworth as they share the excitement, adventure, and hard work of Revolutionary War days. Let Joshua and Peggy show you how to play their favorite games, cook up yummy recipes, and even make cool toys and crafts!
Author: David C. King
Printed by: John Wiley & Sons; (June 8, 2001)
ISBN: 0471393088

Ancient Agriculture (Click to see image)
Grades 6-10
This book, written by Michael and Mary B. Woods, details ancient technology as it progresses from foraging to farming. The story of agriculture is the story of human civilization. Without agriculture, humans would not have settled in towns and cities. They would still be roaming from place to place to find food. There would be no civilization. Ancient cultures left a rich legacy of agricultural knowledge and technology. This book tells the story of their contributions.
Author: Michael and Mary B. Woods
Printed by Runestone Pr.
ISBN: 0-8225-2995-5

Apple Pie Fourth of July (Click to see image)
Grades 3-6

No one wants Chinese food on the Fourth of July, I say. We're in apple-pie America, and my parents are cooking chow mein! Shocked that her parents are cooking Chinese food to sell in the family store on this all-American holiday, a feisty Chinese-American girl tries to tell her mother and father how things really are. But as the parade passes by and fireworks light the sky, she learns a lesson of her own.
Author: Janet S. Wong
Printed by: Harcourt
ISBN: 015202543X

Around the World, Series (Click to see image)
Grades K-2
The books in this series, by Margret Hall, provide a look into the lives of others around the world. The books "Food," "Homes," and "Clothing" discuss raw resources, weather and other conditions that determine what people eat, how they live, and what they wear.
Author: Margaret Hall
Printed by Heinemann Library
ISBN: 1588101010 (Clothing), 0431151210 (Food), 1588101037 (Homes)

Atlas in the Round (Click to see image)
Grades 4-6
Using computer-generated images, this atlas supposedly gives children an idea of what Earth's landforms look like from above, free of clouds, ice (for the Northern Hemisphere, at least), and the distortions of standard flat projections.
Author: Keith Lyle and Alastair Campbell
Printed by: Running Press
ISBN: 0-7624-0657-7

Barn (Click to see image)
Grades 1-4
The barn is a tale of change over time. The barn experiences numerous generations of people and their cultural traditions. An excellent resource for showing how communities, cities and people adapt to changes in the land and technology.
Author: Debby Atwell
Printed by Houghton Mufflin
ISBN: 0395785685

Beatrice's Goat (Click to see image)
Grades K-3
Page McBrier and Lori Lohstoeter beautifully recount the true story of Beatrice, a young girl from Uganda, Africa who longs to go to school more than anything else. Unfortunately, only children who can afford uniforms and books can go to school, and with five other brothers and sisters, Beatrice knows that her family is much too poor. But then Beatrice receives a wonderful gift: a goat that will give milk that she can sell. Thanks to Heifer Project International - a charitable organization that donates livestock to poor communities around the world - Beatrice and other families like hers will have a chance to change their lives.
Author: Page McBrier
Printed by Atheneum.
ISBN: 0-689-82460-2

Cactus Soup (Click to see image)
Grades 1-3
In this Mexican version of Stone Soup, citizens of San Miguel are unhappy when soldiers ride into town wanting to be fed. After an attempt to convince the soldiers that they are too poor to provide food, the townspeople help the soldiers make cactus soup for the entire town.
Author: Eric A. Kimmel
Printed by Marshall Cavendish
ISBN 0-7614-5155-2

Chocolate: Riches from the Rainforest (Click to see image)
Grades 3-6
From the bitter drink of ancient kings to the favorite fad of the Spanish court, from the "chocolate houses" of England to the pockets of American soldiers, the history of processing chocolate into candy has its beginnings in the rainforest.
Author: Robert Burleigh
Printed by Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
ISBN 0-8109-5734-5


Chronicle of America: Colonial Times 1600-1700 (Click to see image)
Grades 5-8
This book, written by Joy Masoff, takes you on a journey back in time and see what life was really like in America's past. See what was eaten, worn, and lived in during the 1600-1700s. This book contains photos from living historical museums to illustrate text about life in America in the 17th century. Native American, African, and European people's lives are examined in this excellent book of American history.
Author: Joy Masoff
Printed by: Scholastic Reference
ISBN: 043905107X

Clothing and Jewelry (Click to see image)
Grades K-6
This beautifully illustrated book takes a close up look at clothing and jewelry in the world today and in ancient times. Attractive illustrations and intriguing information allow children to compare their own clothing styles with those of different cultures around the world as well as clothing in the past.
Author: Fiona MacDonald
Printed by: Crabtree Publishing
ISBN: 0778702464

Continents, Series (Click to see image)
Grades K-2
These books, by Leila Merrell Foster and Mary Virginia Fox, introduce young readers to Earth's continents, highlighting plants, animals, weather, landforms, landmarks and special features, and important cities. Extensive use of maps with the specific continent highlighted reinforces recognition of the continent's shape. Plus, each book has a political map showing countries of the continent, which can be used as a springboard for studies of specific countries, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Australia, and Africa.
Author: Mary Virginia Fox (Australia, North America, South American)
Leila Merrell Foster (Africa, Asia, Europe)
Printed by: Heinemann Library
ISBN: 1588109453 (Africa), 157572448-0 (Asia), 1575724499 (Australia), 1575722135 (Europe), 158810950X (North America), 1588100022 (South America)

Cooking Up World History (Click to see image)
Grades 6-10
Any study of world cultures or history can be enlivened by experiencing the foods of those peoples. Through foods, students appreciate the differences, as well as the commonalities, among peoples. Further, they strengthen their reading, math, cooperative, and problem-solving skills as they determine how to prepare, adapt, and serve a recipe. Teachers who regularly cook in the classroom find that cooking often is the highlight of a unit of study. This book provides teachers with recipes, research suggestions, and resources appropriate for culinary explorations.
Author: Patricia C. Marden
Printed by Teacher Ideas Press
ISBN: 0-7613-0354-5

Count Your Way Through Mexico (Click to see image)
Grade K
In the flying pole dance, five dancers celebrate an ancient Indian ritual - flying in the air, upside down. Could it be that eight Mexican foods make them brave? In this introduction to the Spanish numbers one through ten, young readers are led on an adventure of discovery "south of the border."
Author: Jim Haskins
Printed by Carolrhoda Books
ISBN: 0876145179

Creative Discoveries - World Agriculture (Click to see image)
Grades 3-10
This book contains interesting facts and pictures about agriculture products and processes all over the world. Great for studying geography and countries. Among other things, learn how chocolate is made from cocoa beans, where salt comes from, and how potatoes are grown. This great book is complete with a supplement filled with quizzes, fascinating facts, games, and ideas for activities.
Author: Laurence Ottenheimer
Printed by Creative Education
ISBN: 0-88682-952-6

Down To Earth (Click to see image)
Grades 3-6
Down to Earth, Garden Secrets, Garden Stories, Garden Projects You Can Do!
Created by Michael J. Rosen, with 41 children's book authors and illustrators.
ISBN 0152013415

Eating the Plates (Click to see image)
Grades 3-8
A fascinating account of the Pilgrims' eating habits, customs, and manners. A great book to bring the Pilgrims to life.
Author: Lucille Recht Penner
Printed by First Scholastic
ISBN: 0590469754

Epitaph for a Peach (Click to see image)
Grades K-12 (Teacher Reference Book)
This tale about four seasons in the life of a California farm, where the quest to rescue a peach becomes a tribute to the family and to passion for one's work. The story of David Mas Masumoto's Sun Crest peaches begins on the day he turns the bulldozers away from his orchards and vows to give himself one year to find a viable market for the fruits of his labor. This book will enable teachers to get an emotional glimpse of a lifestyle connected directly to food, land & people.
ISBN: 0-06-251024-X

Esperanza Rising (Click to see image)
Grades 5-11
Esperanza Ortega, a member of Mexico's elite land-owning class, immigrates to California in the 1930s with her mother after her father is murdered by bandits. Working as a migrant farm laborer, Esperanza experiences a growing awareness of class and ethnic tensions. Winner of the 2001 Pura Belpre Award, the author describes Esperanza's strong feelings for the land through the use of beautiful metaphors and imagery. Following the seasons of the harvest, the title of each chapter bears the name of fruits gathered by Esperanza and her compadres while working in the migrant fields. The novel is richly woven with historic events (Mexico's post-revolution era, the movement of Dust Bowl victims and the struggles for migrant farm worker reform) and introduces the reader to Spanish words and Mexican traditions.
Author: Pam Muñoz Ryan
Printed by: Scholastic Press
ISBN: 043912042X

Farm Facts (Click to see image)
Grades K-12
This 26 page booklet presents colorful charts, graphs and agricultural facts. New lesson plans make Farm Facts a usable resource in your classroom.
First booklet free from Utah AITC. Contact "Educating About Agriculture" for additional copies.

Farmer George Plants a Nation (Click to see image)
Grades 5 & 8
Few students and teachers may know that George Washington was a farmer and he made several great contributions to agriculture. This text is a look at George Washington as he's rarely seen. Besides being a general and the first president of the United States, his efforts to create a self-sufficient farm at Mount Vernon, Virginia, mirrored his struggle to form a new nation. Excerpts from Washington's writings are featured throughout the book, which also includes a timeline, resource section, as well as essays on Washington at Mount Vernon and his thoughts on slavery. Both illustrator and author worked closely with the staff of Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens to render an accurate portrait of Farmer George at work. One of the best and most accurate accounts of the contributions of Washington available. Not only that, but it is easy and enjoyable to read. A must have for 5th grade teachers.
Author: Peggy Thomas
Printed by: Calkins Creek Books
ISBN: 9781590784600

Fever 1793 (Click to see image)
Grade 6
During the oppressive summer heat of 1793, the bustling capital city of Philadelphia experienced an outbreak of yellow fever that killed 10 percent of the city's population. Fever 1793, a fictional story that focuses on the life of 16-year-old Mattie Cook and her family, weaves Mattie's hardship and terror with actual events of historical significance. This book discusses the customs of the times, including the common practice of gathering at coffeehouses, daily trips to the marketplace for food, and herbal remedies and medical procedures used by desperate citizens and physicians in an attempt to cure the fever and provide hope for all.
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Printe by: Aladdin
ISBN: 0689848919

Food (Click to see image)
Grades K-6
Food is essential for life. We need to eat to stay alive but food is also an important part of how we celebrate our culture. This book visually shows why different foods are popular in different parts of the world due to climate, cooking methods, and religious practices. Discover why people still go hungry when there is more than enough food produced to feed everyone on the planet.
Author: Fiona MacDonald
Printed by: Crabtree Publishing Company
ISBN: 0-7787-0248-0

Food and Farming (Click to see image)
Grades K-5
Explains the world of food and farming with vivid pictures and clear concise text. The book covers such topics as wheat, citrus fruits, pigs, underground vegetables, and cocoa. Synergistic Solutions.

Food: How We Hunt and Gather It, How We Grow and Eat It, How We Buy and Sell It, How We preserve and Waste It - and - How Some Have Too Much and Others Have Too Little Of It (Click to see image)
Grades 4-6
Author Milton Meltzer deals with these and other questions as he shows how food and the search for it has been a powerful force in shaping the world's history. He shows us how food has had a great influence on population and its growth or decline, on the rise of cities, on the expansion of trade, on economic and political thought, as well as on wars and revolutions. This book contains a series of entertaining essays, each of which is designed to elucidate another aspect of his topic. A great reference book for teachers and students.
Author: Milton Meltzer
Printed by Millbrook Press
ISBN: 0-7613-0354-5

The Gardener (Click to see image)
Grades 4-6
Lydia Grace is not only a gardener, but a writer of letters. This book has such an unexpected gut-level impact on everyone who reads it! Each of the short letters begins with a date which will be meaningful to anyone who lived through the depression. Oddly enough, disasters and hard times seem to bring out the best in people and this book sets out to show just how that is true. With a child's enthusiasm and optimism, Lydia works to bring a little bit of the farm back home to her new city home. David Small's simple but powerful illustrations bring Sarah Stewart's story of this brave little girl to life. What a great combination of author and illustrator.
Author: Sarah Stewart
Printed by Farrar Straus & Giroux
ISBN: 0374325170

George Washington Carver—Ingenious Inventor (Click to see image)
Grades 2-5
This 32-page graphic biography will engage students as they read about one of America's most important scientists. The text focuses on George Washington Carver's scientific work and his numerous inventions.
Author: Nathan Olson
Printed by: Graphic Library
ISBN: 0736854843

The Goat Lady (Click to see image)
Grades K-6
Two children and their mother, new to the neighborhood, befriend Noelie Houle, and elderly lady who raises goats. Her other neighbors bemoan the "Goat Lady's" rundown house and barnyard animals, but the children see how she cares for her goats, they hear her stories, and they come to love her. For many years Noelie has provided goat's milk for people who need it and has sent her extra goat kids to poor people in poor countries through the Heifer Project. The children's mother paints a series of portraits of the "Goat Lady," and her art show at the local town hall helps the rest of the community see Noelie's kindness and courage.
Author: Jane Bregoli
Printed by: Tilbury House Publishers
ISBN: 0-88448-260-X

Great Grandma and I (Click to see image)
Grades K-2
Discover similarities and differences of the way great grandma did things and the way they do them now.
Author: Brenda Parkes. Printed by Adventure Publishing.
ISBN: 1885061064

Guns, Germs, and Steel (Click to see image)
Grades 6-12 (Teacher Reference)
This book is for teacher reference only. A great look at how human societies around the world have developed. Diamond offers an account of how the modern world was formed and is full of lessons for our future. Teachers will enjoy reviewing the development of ancient cultures, civilizations and how their interactions have created our current civilizations and standards of living.
Author: Jared Diamond. Publisher: W. W. Norton.
ISBN: 0393317552

Hands-On Pioneers (Click to see image)
Grades 3-6
This 80-page book includes games, crafts, and historical background and stories. It is divided into 4 sections: 3 activity sections and the pattern pages. The activity sections begin with double-page photographs of museum artifacts. You can modify the patterns to express your individuality. Have fun while learning about the pioneers with 21 easy craft activities. Stunning photographs of unique pioneer relics link these projects with those of the past. These true stories and children's activities will enhance the teaching moment.
Author: Yvonne Young Merrill. Printed by: Desert Book Company
ISBN: 1573450855

Harvest Year (Click to see image)
Grades K-5
A photographic essay about foods that are harvested year-round in the United States.
Author: Cris Peterson
Printed by Boyd Mills Press