The Joy of Literacy: Books

Awesome Read Alouds (All Field Tested, by Me!)

By Grade

Preschool- Grade 2

An Extraordinary Egg, by Leo Lionni (best for preschool- grade 2)
BATS, by Gail Gibbons (best for grades 1st-3rd)
Bears on Chairs, by Shirley Parenteau (best for ages 2-6)
Better Not Get Wet, Jesse Bear by Nancy White Calstrom (best for ages 2-5)
Boo to a Goose, by Mem Fox (best for grades K-1)
Can you Growl like a Bear? by John Bulter (best for ages 1-4)
Chrysanthemum, by Kevin Henkes (best for preschool-grade 2)
Circles of Hope, by Karen Lynn Williams (best for grades 1st-3rd)
Drum City , by Thea Guidone and with illustrations by Vanessa Newton (best for ages 2-6)
Feast for 10, by Cathryn Falwell (best for ages 1-5)
Frog and Toad, Arnold Lobel (Preschool-grade 1)
Goodnight, Gorilla! by Peggy Rathman (best for ages 1-5)
Hairs, by Sandra Cisneros (best for preschool- grade 2)
I Spy with My Little Eye, by Edward Gibbs (best for ages 2-5)
Koala Lou, by Mem Fox (best for preschool-grade 1)
Leaves by David Ezra Stein (best for ages 2-6)
Madeline's Christmas, by Ludwig Bemelmans (best for age 2-Grade 3)
Nora's Room by Jessica Harper, illustrated by Lindsay Harper duPont (best for ages 3-6)
Pierre the Penguin, by Jean Marzollo (best for grades K-1)
Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum, by Meghan McCarthy (best for grades 1-2)
Potato Joe , by Keith Baker (best for ages 2-5)
Pumpkin Jack, by Will Hubbell (best for preschool- grade 3)
Rap a Tap Tap by Leo and Diane Dillion (best for ages 2-6)
Shake My Sillies Out, by Raffi (best for ages 1-6)
Where is Tippy Toes? by Betsy Lewin (best for ages 2-5)

Grades 3-4

BATS, by Gail Gibbons (best for grades 1st-3rd)
Circles of Hope, by Karen Lynn Williams (best for grades 1st-3rd)
Freedom Summer, by Deborah Wiles and illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue (best for grade 2nd-4th)
Owl Moon, by Jane Yolen (best for grades 2-5)
Pumpkin Jack, by Will Hubbell (best for preschool- grade 3)
Madeline's Christmas, by Ludwig Bemelmans (best for age 2-Grade 3)
My Name is Sangoel, by Karen Lynn Williams (best for grades 2nd-3rd)
The Name Jar, by Yangsook Choi (best for grades 1-3rd)

Grades 5-6

Ninth Ward, by Jewell Parker Rhodes
One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia

Grades 7+

One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia

By Topic

Author's Craft

Hair, By Sandra Cisneros (best for grades 1-5)
One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia (Grades 5+)
Owl Moon, By Jane Yole (best for grades 2-5)

Cultural Awareness

Circles of Hope, by Karen Lynn Williams (best for grades 1st-3rd, Haitian rural life)
Mrs. Katz and Tush, by Patricia Polacco (best for grades 3-5, Jewish American)
My Little Car, by Gary Soto (best for grades 1-2, Mexican American)
One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia (YA, Black Panthers)
Rap a Tap Tap by Leo and Diane Dillion (best for ages 2-6, African American artists)

Holidays

I am a Bunny, by Ole Risom (best for preschool aged kids, Easter/Spring)
Madeline's Christmas, by Ludwig Bemelmans (best for age 2-Grade 3, Christmas)
Mrs. Katz and Tush, by Patricia Polacco (best for grades 3-5, Passover)
In November, by Cynthia Rylant (best for grades k-3rd, Thanksgiving)
Pumpkin Jack, by Will Hubbell (best for preschool- grade 3, Halloween)
The Trees of the Dancing Goats, by Patricia Polacco (best for grades 2nd-5th, Christmas and Hanukkah)

Making Connections

My Little Car, by Gary Soto (best for grades 1-2)

Rhyming/Pattern

Bears on Chairs, by Shirley Parenteau (best for ages 2-6)
Better Not Get Wet, Jesse Bear by Nancy White Calstrom (best for ages 2-5)
Boo to a Goose, by Mem Fox (best for grades K-1)
Can you Growl like a Bear? by John Bulter (best for ages 1-4)
Feast for 10, by Cathryn Falwell (best for ages 2-5)
The Magic Hat, by Mem Fox (best for grades K-1)
Madeline's Christmas, by Ludwig Bemelmans (best for age 2-Grade 3)
Nora's Room by Jessica Harper, illustrated by Lindsay Harper duPont (best for ages 3-6)
Pierre the Penguin, by Jean Marzollo (best for grades K-1)
Potato Joe, by Keith Baker (best for ages 2-5)
Rap a Tap Tap by Leo and Diane Dillion (best for ages 2-6)
Shake My Sillies Out, by Raffi (best for ages 1-6)

Science

BATS, by Gail Gibbons (best for grades 1st-3rd)
I am a Bunny, by Ole Risom (Seasons, best for grades K-1)
Leaves by David Ezra Stein (Seasons, best for ages K-1)
Planting a Rainbow, by Lois Elhert (Gardening, Spring, best for preschool-K)
Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum, by Meghan McCarthy (best for grades 1-2)
Pumpkin Jack, by Will Hubbell (seasons, life cycle, best for preschool- grade 3)
The Year at Maple Hill Farm, by Alice and Martin Provensen (Seasons, Farm life, best for preschool-grade 2)

Theme/Message/Lesson

Chrysanthemum, by Kevin Henkes (best for preschool-grade 2, themes of acceptance and friendship)
Circles of Hope, by Karen Lynn Williams (best for grades 1st-3rd, dogged determination)
Mrs. Katz and Tush, by Patricia Polacco (best for grades 3-5, themes of friendship and community)
My Name is Sangoel, by Karen Lynn Williams (resilience, best for grades 2nd-3rd)
Ninth Ward, by Jewell Parker Rhodes (best for grades 4+, themes of friendship, determination, and community)
The Name Jar, by Yangsook Choi (best for grades 1-3rd, themes of acceptance)
The Trees of the Dancing Goats, by Patricia Polacco (best for grades 2nd-5th, themes of friendship and community)

Books and Products

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Books