By Denise Dillon-Hreha

How would you feel if your friends didn’t include you in their games because you just don’t "fit in?" One day in Syllable City, the letter "Q" faces this very situation. Distraught but determined, Q decides to find a partner, one who will stick with her through thick and thin. Guess who fits the bill? Lucky "U!" Q and U have the wedding of the season, and their partnership makes possible words that are critical to the English language. Young readers will remember the "qu" combination by the time they finish reading this fun and funny book. For kindergarten and early elementary students. 45 pp. $10.60 from AuthorHouse Publishers.

Go to www.weddingofqandu.com to order.

By Eugene Napoleon and Michael D'Amato

Primarily the memoir of an exceptional man, Dream Real recounts the life of a professional athlete turned classroom teacher and sports agent. Born to a single mother and raised in the Jersey City Projects, Eugene Napoleon refused to be defined by low expectations, and succeeded academically as well as on the college gridiron. After an injury cut short his professional career, Napoleon rethought his goals and decided to use his experience and positive attitude to teach students how to succeed through perseverance. Note: the book contains mature themes. For teens and adults. 136 pp. $13.95 from iUniverse, Inc.

Available online at Barnes & Noble.

By Peter Daddone

Written by the advisor and student staff of a successful high school newspaper, this textbook emphasizes hands-on techniques for producing a quality student publication while exploring the basics of news gathering and reporting. Grades 6–12. 219 pp. $32.95 from The Writing Company.

To order, visit www.writingco.com. (An Advisor’s Guide is also available for $22.95.)

By Rosalea Fisher, Eric Henry, and Deborah Porter

Welcoming students, setting a positive tone, and reinforcing academic skills are just some of the ways that you can use morning messages to send students into the day ready to learn. In addition to its many samples, this book offers guidelines and tips for creating your own inspiring messages. 240 pp. $24 from Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc.

Go to www.responsiveclassroom.org to order.

By Suzanne Churchman

In this homework guide, parents stymied by pleas of "Help me with my math!" will find information and reassurance to move beyond basic arithmetic to more complex concepts taught in today’s math curriculum. Using the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards as a foundation, the author offers projects, games, and activities that children and adults will enjoy together. Grades K–5. 240 pp. $19.95 from Zephyr Press.

Visit www.zephyrpress.com.

By Dave Foley

Written by a 29-year middle and junior high school classroom teacher, this volume focuses on how teachers can help students behave through immediate response, consistency, and understanding the motivations of typical adolescents. Foley encourages teachers to avoid getting bogged down in rules and concentrate instead on eliminating behaviors that interrupt the process of teaching and learning. 265 pp. $15.95 from JIST Works.

Go to www.jist.com.

By Jill Frankfort

Written to save teachers from hours of researching summer opportunities and programs, this comprehensive resource profiles diverse activities that range from touring Japan to working in laboratories of renowned scientists. The book includes eligibility requirements for each program, application procedures, information on funding and course credit, and people to contact.

In addition, each program is cross-referenced in several indexes. 173 pp. $19.95 from Benefit Press.

Go to www.benefitpress.com.

By Brook Berg

Written by a library media, specialist, this picture book introduces the consequences of plagiarism through the story of Marion, a good student who blithely copies from the Internet for a history paper. As a result, Marion and her classmates learn the proper way to make use of Internet material, and how to correctly cite their sources. Included are Library Lessons with suggestions for preventing plagiarism and alternatives to written reports, as well as templates for citation cards. Grades 1–4. 48 pp. $17.95 from Upstart Books.

Go to www.highsmith.com.

By Brad Buhrow and Anne Upczak Garcia

Filled with student artwork, this book demonstrates the role of art in ELL literacy and language acquisition. Through personal narrative and independent inquiry, students find meaning in science and social studies, and demonstrate their learning with extensive use of art. 187 pp. $22.50 from Sten-house Publishers.

To order, go to www.stenhouse.com.

By Adam Eisenson

Written by a fourth-grade teacher and storyteller, this book is told through the eyes of Chantell, an average fourth- grader with friends, a good home, and not a care in the world. When she is paired to work on a project with Hope, a new student who tries to conceal the fact that she is homeless, Chantell learns about the devastating effects of homelessness and comes to understand the life she takes for granted. 127 pp. $14.95 from Lone Star Publications.

Go to www.amazon.com to order.

By Kathleen Marie Marsh and Heather Sprangers

Written by an English teacher and her former student, this novel explores the unlikely friendship that develops between Ellie, a soon-to-be-retired educator, and Janelle, a young woman who has finally become pregnant after years of infertility, as each is faced with a personal struggle. While Ellie handles her mother’s Alzheimer’s, Janelle cannot seem to make her life anything but chaotic.

306 pp. $12.50 from Otter Run Books. Go to www.otterrunbooks.com.

By Robert Lawrence Gilstrap

A retired professor draws on family history to write the fictional story of 13-year-old J.W. Gilclay, who must give up his dream of becoming a farmer when his parents move to Hollywood to join the growing movie industry. While there, J.W. helps make ends meet, and through a series of jobs, rediscovers his talent for art and grows to embrace his new life.

Ages 12–adult. 111 pp. $16.95 from PublishAmerica. To order, go to www.publishamerica.com/books/10607 to order.

By Patricia A. Pierce

"O" is for the Oak,
Our official state tree...
Fun rhymes and heartwarming illustrations give young readers a taste of Iowa’s vibrant history. Each page in this hardback book, written by an Iowa native, features alphabet-themed verse, alongside one or two paragraphs that give a more detailed look at the people and places Iowa is best known for.

Ages 4–8. 40 pp. $17.95 from Sleeping Bear Press. To order, go to www.gale.com.

By Bill Bailey

An experienced educator, author, and speaker shares advice, tips, techniques, and lessons learned from his 30-plus years of teaching in this guide to running an organized and effective classroom. Written primarily to empower new teachers, each tip is backed up by clear, concise prose and includes quotes, practical ideas, and little touches of humor. 127 pp. $14.95 from Character Press.

To order, go to www.amazon.com.