Need a Good Read Aloud?
March 2017
Want to let your children in on the latest and greatest?
We all know that reading aloud to children is one of the most effective ways to instill a love of reading in them. We all have our favorite classic read alouds, and we should keep those. They have stood the test of time for a reason. But ... it's exciting when we let our students in on being one of the first to enjoy an excellent book that is current, new, and all the buzz in the news. Here are a few titles worthy of the read-aloud. Enjoy!
Chapter Books
The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill
This year's Newbery winner does not disappoint. It lends itself to being read aloud because it reads like a story being told and passed down. The Girl Who Drank the Moon is a true fairy tale complete with witches, swamp monsters, ordinary people, good, evil, and the most precious Simply Enormous Dragon you've ever met. This story is captivating!
Pax, by Sara Pennypacker
This is a heart-warming ... and sometimes heart-breaking story of a boy and his beloved fox, Pax. Peter has raised Pax from the time the kit was just a few weeks old, but due to circumstances beyond his control, he has to leave the fox behind. Knowing this was a mistake, the boy overcomes many obstacles to find his beloved pet, but is together what's best for both of them?
The Wild Robot, by Peter Brown
This book is completely unconventional. The main character is a robot who gets stranded on an island. She must adapt to her surroundings in order to survive, but the animals she encounters there are less than welcoming. As crazy as it sounds, the reader will care for robot and root for her happiness ... and her survival.
Picture books for older students
The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles, by Michelle Cuevas
This book is beautiful, as all books illustrated by Erin Stead are! The language in this book is what makes it excellent to use in your classes. There are such descriptive adjectives throughout, and the author's use of figurative language would be a perfect introduction to the teaching of these devices (similes, metaphors, personification....) The story itself is beautiful, quiet, and sweet.
The Secret Project, by Jonah and Jeanette Winter
Perfect for 5th grade when they study World War II, this book explains the secret making of the atomic bomb ... complete with shadowy figures and mystery, and takes the reader through the effects of the dropping of the bomb. This book (especially including the author's note) would be excellent for studying cause and effect, and would most definitely spark conversation on the ethics of such an experiment.
Clara: The (Mostly) True Story ... by Emily Arnold McCully
This heart-warming tale of a famous rhinoceros from the 1700s is, as the title describes, mostly true. The liberties that the author takes with details that she must fill in are believable and I hope close to the truth because they describe a magnificent life for an orphaned rhino. As always, if there is an author's note at the end, read it.
Picture books for younger students
School's First Day of School, by Adam Rex
My new favorite picture book! This book is so sweet! It is written from the perspective of a brand new school, and he's a little nervous about his first day. As he gets to know the students and the routine of a school, he will warm your heart and make you laugh! (I'll try to remind you of this one at the beginning of next year.) This is perfect for K4/K5 on their first day when they might be nervous, too, or it would be great for older students learning about point of view.
Leo a Ghost Story, by Mac Barnett
Leo is an excellent friend. He likes to draw and he makes delicious snacks. Most people can't even see him, however, because Leo is also a ghost. Not everyone is willing to be friends with a ghost. When a new family moves into his home and Leo's efforts to welcome them are misunderstood, Leo decides it is time to leave and see the world. That is how he meets Jane, a kid with a tremendous imagination and an open position for a worthy knight. That is how Leo and Jane become friends, and that is when their adventures begin.
The Lion Inside, by Rachel Bright
A mouse feels small and insecure and determines that what he needs to do is learn how to roar like a lion. He knows he has to act brave when he approaches a lion to learn how. In a hilarious turn of events, the lion is afraid of mice! The mouse comforts the lion, they become friends, and we learn that there's a lion and a mouse inside all of us.