Genre: Almanac

Almanac simply stands for an annual publication.  A book published every year that contains facts about the movements of the sun and moon, changes in the tides, and information of general interest as described by Merriam-Webster.  There are almanacs for about any topic.  The downfall to almanacs is that they out date very quickly.  Since almanacs are considered reference books, adding almanacs to your classroom library can also be quite spendy.  With this being said, upper elementary students enjoy flipping through the pages searching for unique facts. This is a huge bonus for your classroom, since getting students to read and want to read informational text is extremely challenging. Depending on the theme of the almanac, they can be used in about all content areas.  Features of an almanac usually include a table of contents and progress in chronological order. Accuracy is a key feature to look for when adding almanacs to your classroom.

Student Pick:

Siegel, A., & McLoone, M. (2000). The kid's almanac of geography. Woodbridge, Conn.: Blackbirch Press.

No Lexile found, estimated Grade Equivalent: 4.5
Complextiy Band: 6-8

This book has a very appealing cover to all readers.  The layout of the text is very easy to follow, making the book ideal for readers of all ability levels.  Covering all core content this book would be a great add on to any lesson.  My favorite feature of the book is the world calendar.  In the center of the book there is an entire year calendar and on every date their is something to celebrate.  This would be a great way to bring different cultures into the classroom.  Students would be motivated to look at the calendar each day for the celebration but also creating interest to further their research on the country and their celebrations. 

Teacher Pick:

Silvey, A. (2012). Children's book-a-day almanac. Roaring Book Press.

No Lexile Found
Reference text for educator, students will not independently use

Although, this book is on my list of favorites it is not ideal at all for students.  This book is a great reference book for any educator.  The book is  set up like a calendar and on each date there is a book suggestion.  The book suggestions, give who may be interested in this type of book and also why the author chose that book for that day.  In every classroom, there will be students who struggle to find books.  Features in this book also include an index of all of the titles and authors suggested and a guide to book awards.  Having a copy of this text to pull out and give students suggestions would be beneficial to all. I believe students would be overjoyed to find the book suggested on their birth date (or any other special dates).