Kindergarten is a most delightful ages for read alouds–kids are full of wonder and silliness, and the selection of excellent picture books is enormous. Here are 50 of the best books for kindergarten.
Booklist of diverse and multicultural picture books. Children need to not only learn about new cultures, places, and traditions but they also need to be able to "see" themselves in a book.
Picture books about anger, frustrations and other negative emotions that will help kids learn how to handle their difficult feelings.
Using wordless shorts in language therapy gives you so many options and your clients will LOVE it! Links to the best wordless videos!
A great list of 25+ picture books exploring growth mindset. Perfect for elementary/primary age students. Exploring themes of perseverance, facing failure...
These children’s books about perseverance show how grit and determination help us push through challenges and try again after setbacks.
This book list for asking questions includes picture books and chapter books that will compel kids to ask questions before, during and after reading.
Studying the Ancients this year? Even if you aren't you're going to want to check out this big list of the best ancient history picture books!
Use mentor text children's books to teach sensory description and model for our kids how good writers use all their five senses in their writing to show, not tell.
Check out this list of picture books for upper elementary! Use them for interactive read alouds and as mentor texts! Such great picture books for older kids in third, fourth, and fifth grade. #readalouds
Looking for a book list for making inferences and predictions? Here you go! Be sure to check out all the book lists I have for teaching comprehension. *This post contains affiliate links. Making inferences and predictions are highly related comprehension strategies. In fact, most books for teaching comprehension lump them together. For the younger ... Read More about Book List for Making Inferences and Predictions
Today I wanted to share some of my favorite books to support your lessons on respect. Having strong read-alouds makes it so much easier to introduce and reinforce social-emotional skills. […]
This list of picture books to use for character trait lessons and character analysis lessons are perfect for upper elementary 3rd 4th 5th grade.
These picture books about kindness and empathy will help you spark important conversations about this topic with children at home and school.
Do your students struggle with homonyms? Do they confuse your students when they are reading or writing? Come learn ways to help with that.
Guys.... it's time! 3rd Grade Rooted in Reading is coming your way. Amy and I have read a gajillion picture books over the past few weeks in search of the VERY BEST literature for your 3rd graders.
The list below contains the books I have used over the years for teaching figurative language. Some of them are designed to teach about figurative language and some of them are books with figurative language woven naturally into the poem or story. Just recently, we shared how we used one of these books to do a text ... Read More about Books with Figurative Language
Looking for some fabulous Christian picture books for your children? Be sure to check out the picture books on this list!
Use picture books personification examples as mentor texts for your writing workshop in the classroom at home to introduce figurative language.
STEM picture books with reviews! Great STEM books for kids to inspire.
For the past two weeks, my class has been learning about figurative language and how to use it to enhance writing. We worked through 6 elements of figurative language: similes, metaphors, hyperboles, idioms, personification, and onomatopoeia. Here is a listing of picture books I used to teach figurative language and the activity we completed for each piece of language: My lovely student teacher started off with a T-Chart on the board with "like/as" in the center. She had a variety of pictures and words on magnets. Students came up and moved the pieces to create similes such as "busy as a bee" or "cool as a cucumber." She then read the class "Crazy like a Fox." Afterward, she brainstormed with the class characters and a plot to create a class simile story. Pairs of students were assigned a page and had to write a few sentences, including one .". They are currently working on finishing off the illustrations. This story is great to read to your class even if you aren't teaching figurative language! It's all about a boy who can't help but shout out and the strategy he learns to stop it from happening. I didn't do much beyond read the story as the students were able to easily understand having done similes first. Again, I LOVE this story! There are two sequels as well: "More Parts" and "Even More Parts." They are quite funny. The entire book is an exaggeration, but there's also some idioms in here as well. I started off this lesson by having students wash their hands. They were so intrigued just from that! When they returned to their desks, there was a bowl of Alpha-bits cereal on each table group. I gave them 5 minutes to make as many words as they could. After, I told them "Eat your words." :) I explained that in this situation, I actually meant "eat your words", but that's not what the saying really meant. Only one student has actually heard the saying before, so they explained it to the class. As I read "Amelia Bedelia's First Field Trip" (you could read any Amelia story, they are all full of idioms) the students munched their snack and were on the lookout for other things that sounded one way, but actually meant something else. They were able to find them all! I didn't use a book for this one. We talked about onomatopoeia earlier in the year when working on "great grabbers" for writing. A student did tell me that Batman comics would be really useful for teaching this though. I heard about this book on my favourite website - Pinterest. I ordered it off Chapters website and am very happy I did. The little red pen has a whole lot of marking to do, and none of the other school supplies want to help her. But, when she falls into the Pit of No Return (the garbage can) the supplies get together to help her out. I started off by making a chart with all the supplies as headings. I also had an actual red pen, stapler, eraser, push pin and green highlighter. I had the students describe the items. After reading the story, we added more to the chart based on how the books are in the story. I called a student up to circle any "alive" words. It was at this point I introduced the term personification. Students made their own chart that had the headings: noun, verb and adjective. The added at least 5 items under each. From there, they could create personification sentences such as "the wind tapped softly on my window" or "the car grunted as it slowly climbed the hill". What books do you use for teaching figurative language? Leave me your suggestions in the comments!
Chapter books aren't the only options for 5th graders! Take a look at our top picks of 5th grade picture books, sure to delight your child.
Teach students how to have fun with figurative language by reading aloud these books with alliteration! #figurativelanguage
Children's books that teach about honesty and encouarge kids to build truthful relationships with others.
Ready for one of my favorite ways to teach students about writing, reading, creativity, and even kindness? It’s something that elementary teachers have known all along…it’s the picture book! The picture book is a powerful instructional tool that can work in any classroom…and I thought I’d share some examples of my favorites with you today. I’ve put the collection of books in a simple (and free) PDF with links that you can download by clicking this LINK. I’ve also paired each book with a ready-made unit that you can easily teach in your classroom too. Feel free to download the PDF at any time. In the meantime, let’s take a look at some of my favorite picture books for any classroom. First, I’m sharing a book that is great for the beginning of the year as you’re building a positive classroom community. Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts taps into a child’s innate need to have what everyone else has. In this case, the main character longs for the “cool” shoes even though they are too expensive for his grandmother to purchase. After finding a pair that is much too small, the main character makes the ultimate sacrifice for a classmate. It’s a touching story that celebrates kindness and classmates…perfect for any time of year. (Click HERE to check out the book.) Picture books are also wonderful examples of creativity. Since learning to be creative has shown to be one of the most powerful skills for helping students thrive in life, it’s important to celebrate creativity in the classroom. These two books do just that… Not a Box by Antoinette Portis is fairly simple at first glance. A box shape is turned into everything expect a box – a robot, a hot air balloon, even a rocket ship. It’s a fun example of “thinking outside of the box,” just imagine all the creative lessons you could do as an extension to this story. (Click HERE to check out the book.) The Three Pigs by David Wiesner is another example of creativity. This time students see how a traditional story can be flipped on its head and come to life with a little imagination. This book is the perfect springboard for lessons about thinking in new and creative ways. (Click HERE to check out the book.) Picture books are wonderful for adding a little humor and whimsy into the classroom. You can keep these two books on your shelf for a rainy day and pull them out when students can use a laugh. And…as a major bonus, humor produces psychological and physiological benefits that help students learn. One of my favorite funny books is The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak. While there are no pictures in the book, there are plenty of silly words and crazy sentences that you, the reader, must read out loud. Students love how “powerless” you become against the words Novak makes you say. You’ll all be laughing together with this book! (Click HERE to check out the book.) Another funny book filled with voice (and a sweet message) is Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea. Not only is the book funny as the goat laments about the new Unicorn in town, it’s also cleverly written. There’s a lesson in this book along with a few laughs. (Click HERE to check out the book.) What about using picture books to teach critical ELA skills? That’s a genius idea. For instance, if you’d like to teach theme, try The EmptyPot by Demi. It’s one of my favorite stories because the reader learns its themes of honesty and integrity along with the main character that shows up to a gardening challenge with an empty pot. Not only is it a great way to teach theme, it’s a lovely way to showcase important character traits too. (Click HERE to check out the book.) The next time you’re putting together a writing unit, have students begin by reading mentor texts in the form of pictures books. It’s a super engaging and quick way for students to learn about the critical elements of the genre. I always started my memoir writing unit with a review of several picture books like The Baby Sister by Tomie dePaola. (Click HERE to check out the book.) Want to each about figurative language? It’s easy with picture books. Send students on a figurative language hunt in a book like WhiteSnow Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt. The story has a poetic quality as it tells about the first snowfall of the year. (Click HERE to check out the book.) Alright, I could go on for days…but I better stop right here. I just love how picture books are a powerful way to help students learn about critical ELA topics and build character. Remember, you can check out a list of all my favorites in this FREE download. Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope some picture books make an appearance in your classroom! See you soon! Mary Beth *This post contains affiliate links.
Writing teachers and homeschoolers! Use a picture book as writing prompts to inspire creative writing. Use snippets of the story, the illustrations, the style, or the format.
Life experiences, books and activities that teach kids about how to honor and remember those who we have lost during wartime.
I never would have thought of picture books for 5th graders. I thought they were just for little kids. Luckily I was wrong. When we started this homeschool journey my daughter was a very reluctant …
These children’s books about perseverance show how grit and determination help us push through challenges and try again after setbacks.
Teach your child about diversity and inclusion with these multicultural children's books for toddlers, preschool, and elementary kids!
I love using picture books in my classroom. There is just SO much that can be taught with them and through them that excluding them from my fifth grade class just because they are "for younger kids" is a travesty to me. Picture books can be full of rich imagery, wonderful lessons, complex characters....you name it, picture books have it. There are SO many different picture books that I use in my class throughout the year, but for this particular post, I thought I would focus on 10 of my favorites and how I use them. (all of the links to the books are affiliate links on Amazon.) I See You I See You is a book about homelessness. This book literally changed the course of my classroom. It is a wordless book that I picked up to read to my students the last 10 minutes of class one day. At the beginning of the book, we see a little boy who notices a woman, illustrated in black and white. As the book goes on, we see that she is homeless and that the other people in the book are not treating her very well. It is a heart wrenching book that really hit home with my students. We had a very long discussion at the end of the day that I wasn't really expecting, to be honest. They began to see that maybe we weren't treating those experiencing homelessness very well, and embarked on a 3 month long service project to help those in our area and school district who might be homeless. Even if you don't plan on doing a homelessness service project, this book is worth a read. First Day Jitters (Mrs. Hartwells classroom adventures) This one is PERFECT for the first day of school! I read it aloud to my students and then had them use emojis to describe how they were feeling in class that very moment. Doing this on the first day helps the kids to see that reading is important AND their feelings have a place in school. To read about the activity (and pick up the sheet so you can do it too), follow this link here. Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Familys Fight for Desegregation (Jane Addams Award Book (Awards)) This is a fabulous book about a little known or talked about chapter in American history, particularly in California. Mexican families, in the time around WWII, were not allowed to go to school with their white counterparts. This is the story of a family who fought against that, winning a landmark decision that paved the way for Brown vs. the Board of Education. This book is particularly timely and makes for a great discussion with your students. I found that my kids were very interested in this story (since many of my students are of hispanic dissent and connected with it.) The Man in the Red Bandanna I love this book to use on 9/11. It talks of a real life hero who put others before himself. He was a 24 year old man (the same age I was that day) who helped bring people down from the high floors, then went back up twice to get more. Ultimately the towers fell on his last trip up. This is a story the kids immediately relate to, telling them enough details of the tragedy for an upper elementary kid who wasn't around at the time to understand without getting too in-depth. It focuses on character and acts of selflessness. I wrote more in detail about exactly how I use this book on 9/11 in my classroom here but you can use this book at any time of the year, particularly in a study of personal character. After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again) This book is about failing and picking yourself up again. It tells the story of Humpty Dumpty and what happens AFTER he fell off the wall. It has a fantastic message that shows just because you fail once the world is not ending. Pick yourself up and get back out there....even though it may be hard. The Library Book What an adorable book to kick off the joy of reading in your classroom! It is about a little girl who has nothing to do on a rainy day, so she heads to the library. Told in verse, the little girl finds so much joy in the pages of the books she is passing. The characters call out to her and "join" her as she reads. It shows what magic is available just from reading books and is the perfect way to start the year in your room. Just read it on day one to set the tone for how you view books and your library and then let your kids loose on the books in your library! The Whispering Town (Holocaust) There are many stories of people who stepped up to help those being targeted by the Nazis during WWII, but this story is one that must be shared. It is the fictionalized account of one family who, along with their entire Danish town, helped nearly every Jew living in Nazi occupied Denmark escape to the safety of Sweden. This story shares how dangerous it was, how these people were putting themselves at great personal risk, to help the Jews escape what would mean certain death for them. In the end, 7,200 of the 7,800 Jews were ferried to Sweden. Through the pictures and eloquently written words, the students instantly see how working together for a cause you believe in can be worth the great sacrifice that there may be in the end. The Word Collector This is such a simple book but a very powerful one. It tells the story of a little boy who loves words. She collects them, organizes them, and makes them important. Then, he shares them with the world. The story is perfect to capture the magic of words. It is great to introduce a writing unit or to just read on its own. My own son was captivated by the book. He read it over and over and over again. It is a must have in any library. Creature Features: Twenty-Five Animals Explain Why They Look the Way They Do My kids went gaga for this book. It shares 25 different animals and the reasons for their specific coloring patterns, facial features, etc... Some reasons were as you would expect (i.e.: camouflage) and others were not (I won't spoil them, but they are so fun!) My kids loved trying to guess what the reasons were and were mesmerized by the fascinating facts held within the covers of this book. This is a great jumping off point into cause and effect and problem and solution. If you teach an animal unit in upper grades, you could use it too. They also could just research a different animal not mentioned in the book and write their own page in the same style. So many possibilities with this one. A Letter to My Teacher Honestly, this is one that I just couldn't bring to read aloud this year as I knew it would cause massive amounts of uncontrollable sobbing to take place. This is an end of the year book for sure, when you reflect together about how far you have all come together and how much the year meant to each of you. But be warned. You will cry. So there you have it. 10 books that I love to have in my upper grade library. Each of these books gets read nonstop throughout the year. My fifth graders just love them! They are passed around constantly and I never can keep them on the shelves....which, I would say, is a win for all. :) What picture books are must haves in your room? Want to read about even more books to use in your upper grade classroom? My friends below also have joined me in writing about their favorite books. Hop on over to read all about them! Life In Fifth Grade The Creative Apple Fairchild in Fifth Teaching in High Heels 5th is My Favorite The Hungry 5th Grade Teacher SaveSaveSaveSave
Here are some fantastic human body books for kids if you’re planning on teaching a healthy body unit study. Find all of our K-2 Unit Studies and links to book lists and freebies! *This post contains affiliate links. Human Body Books for Kids These books are recommended for K-2 learners. Several books are mentioned ... Read More about Human Body Books for Kids
By now you’ve probably ditched your 2022 resolutions, and you’re certainly not bothering with that manifesto on manifestation your mother passively-aggressively annotated. So what to do when your Z…
Natural disasters can be a scary and confusing topic for young children. However, they are also an important part of science and it is important for children to learn about them. Picture books can be a great way to introduce children to natural disasters in a way that is both engaging and informative. I’m sharing
A great big list of 101 social skills picture books for kids. Help develop friendship, communication and many other important social skills.
