Read Aloud Archives - So Blessed to Be a Teacher

Five Fun Fall Picture Books to Read Aloud

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Leaves are changing, temps are dropping, terrifying decorations are adorning my neighbors’ yards, and pumpkin spice everything has been in full force for two months – yup, we’re smack in the middle of fall! Autumn may not be my favorite season weatherwise, and I’m NOT into spooky stuff, but I do enjoy sharing some light fall read alouds with the students in my school library!

There are so many wonderful books set in autumn, but to keep this post short and sweet, I picked five favorites to highlight today.

Leif and the Fall

I love the book Leif and the Fall by Allison Sweet Grant and Adam Grant. It’s the story of Leif, a leaf who is afraid to fall to the ground. With the help of his friend Laurel, Leif designs numerous inventions to keep himself from falling or to brace his fall, but none of them works as he hopes they will, and he ends up discarding them all on the ground. When he can hold on no longer and the wind finally whisks him from the tree, he is surprised by what he discovers when he lands. This is a great story, and its wonderful lesson is especially appropriate if you incorporate STEAM into your library classes.

The Leaf Thief

The Leaf Thief: (The Perfect Fall Book for Children and Toddlers)

The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming tells the story of a squirrel who is certain that there is a THIEF on the loose who is STEALING his leaves. With wonderful illustrations and captivating dialogue between the squirrel and his wise bird friend, this story is perfect for students in kindergarten and first grade! (Want some FREE learning resources to go with this book? Download a freebie from my TpT store that includes math and literacy printables that your students can use after reading this story!)

Fall is Not Easy

Fall Is Not Easy

This short read aloud by Marty Kelley always delights my students! It is the story of a tree whose leaves always turn colors in wacky patterns! Instead of turning all red or orange like the other trees, this tree’s leaves change colors to resemble a soccer ball, hamburger, smiley face, and more. After reading this story, I give students a chance to draw their own trees that have changed colors in unusual and fun patterns. I have used this book with kids from Preschool through third grade over the years, and it is always seems to be a hit! (Sadly, it is out of print, so if you happen to find an inexpensive copy available on Amazon, snatch it up! Otherwise, check your local public library or a used book store!)

The Pumpkin Patch Parable

The Pumpkin Patch Parable: Special Edition (Parable Series)

I discovered The Pumpkin Patch Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs last year and knew it would be a great fit for my preschool class in the Catholic school where I teach! The preschoolers have a farm-themed week in their classroom in early October, and The Pumpkin Patch Parable is a perfect story to end the week and tie in with their theme. The book explains the steps a farmer takes to grow and harvest his crops, how to carve a pumpkin, and at the end, the author brings the story to another level by encouraging listeners to let God’s light shine through them just as a jack o’ lantern lights up the dark night. I enjoy reading it to the preschool students in my library, and it would also be a great gift for Christian children at this time of year in families who may be looking for a “not scary” story to celebrate the fall season.

Little Acorn

Little Acorn by Melanie Joyce is another story that I added to my read aloud repertoire for preschool library class last year. It chronicles the story of an acorn who falls to the ground, is hidden underground by a squirrel, and grows into an oak tree. The book explains the life cycle of an oak tree in rhyming verse, and those little acorn illustrations by Gina Maldonado Ruiz are just so cute!

I hope you decide to share some of my fall favorites with your students in your classroom or library!

If you are looking for resources to teach library skills this autumn, feel free to visit some of my other fall-themed blog posts such as this post where I have a FREE skeleton-themed book care worksheet for you to download, or this one with links to some of the first fall library TpT products I designed!

Or, check out this apple-themed library resource in my TpT Store:

I hope your students enjoy reading and learning their way through fall!

Back-to-School Read Alouds for the School Library

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Some of my first priorities when I begin the school year in my elementary library are helping to build my school’s culture of kindness and sharing my love of books with the students.

In keeping with these goals, the first few stories that I share with my elementary students are centered around social emotional learning, the wonder of libraries, and book care.

Here are a few of my favorite books that I have read aloud to students at the beginning of the school year!

Kindness is a Kite String

Kindness is a Kite String: The Uplifting Power of Empathy

Kindness is a Kite String is a sweet book by Michelle Schaub about how kindness can change the world, one small kind act at a time. I like to read this one to the second graders.

The Day You Begin

I love this book by Jacqueline Woodson! This is one of the few books during the year that I actually do not read aloud to the kids myself, but instead I love to share the Youtube video of the author reading it. There is something so soothing and kind about her voice that sets a tone of peace and acceptance, and I love to get the kids thinking about the power authors have to share stories.

The Invisible Boy

This book by Trudy Ludwig shares the story of Brian, a quiet boy who feels invisible among the students in his noisy classroom. The book promotes inclusion, kindness, and celebrating our differences. From a library lesson perspective, it is also a great book for talking about the important role of an illustrator, since the unique illustrations by Patrice Barton tell us a lot about how Brian is feeling throughout the story.

The Good Egg

Kids love these books in “The Food Group” by Jory John, and I like reading The Good Egg at the beginning of the year because it addresses social-emotional learning in an accessible, fun way. This story speaks to students who struggle with stress and perfectionism and sends positive messages about kindness, self-care, and acceptance.

The Library Bus

I see the beginning of the year as an opportunity to give my students some perspective on the importance of books and the role libraries play around the world. The Library Bus by Bahram Ramham is a wonderful book that I love to share with upper elementary students as a reminder of how blessed my students are to have access to education and so many shelves of books.

Waiting for the Biblioburro

Set in a different part of the world, but with similar themes to The Library Bus, Waiting for the Biblioburro is another great story that shows that access to books is not universal or uniform around the world. I hope that sharing this story with my upper elementary students at the start of the school year inspires them to really dive into our school library and all it has to offer.

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The Book That Jake Borrowed

Switching gears, this silly story by Susan Kralovansky is perfect for your beginning of school book care lessons! Check out another post I wrote specifically about The Book that Jake Borrowed for more information and a printable freebie to go with the book!

Mr. Wiggle’s Book

This book about a cute bookworm is an oldie-but-goodie by Paula M. Craig and Carol L. Thompson that my students look forward to each year! Reading it is a perfect way to start the year and remind students to develop good book care habits. It’s out of print, though, so if you happen to click the link and a used copy happens to be available, grab it, because they are hard to come by!

I also read its companion, Mr. Wiggle Loves to Read, to my students as well.

If you are looking for resources to go along with these back-to-school books, feel free to check out some that I use in my library at the beginning of the school year:

I hope this post has helped you find a couple of new titles to try in your school library! Feel free to keep the conversation going and share one of your favorite start-of-school read alouds in the comments!

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15 Favorite Picture Books of a Future Librarian

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I didn’t always know I would end up being a school librarian, but I DID always know I loved books. With summer vacation starting and the crazy pace of teacher life FINALLY slowing down, I thought I’d take you on a stroll down Memory Lane with me as I share some of my favorite picture books I loved when I was growing up.

Although a couple of these are holiday-specific and would work better in the fall or winter, most would make fabulous reads for your students or children any time of the year (so think about adding some of these picture books to your kids’ summer reading lists!).

How many of my favorite classic picture books do you remember loving as a child?

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

Make Way for Ducklings

Definitely an oldie-but-goodie, this book won the Caldecott Medal in 1942. It’s the story of how the Mallard family scours Boston for the best place to make their nest, stopping some traffic along the way.

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business

I’m not sure if I was more in love with the illustration of that peddler with a pile of hats on his head or the cheeky monkeys who steal the caps, but this is another one that brings back happy memories.

Just for You by Mercer Mayer

Just for You (Little Critter) (Look-Look)

This is the original Little Critter book and by far my favorite in the series. Little Critter wants to do something kind for his mom but can’t seem to get anything right.

Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin

Cranberry Thanksgiving (Cranberryport)

Cranberry Thanksgiving tells the story of Grandmother and Maggie as they share their Thanksgiving meal with two guests. Will Grandmother’s special cranberry bread recipe remain a secret, or is one of the guests up to no good? I definitely loved that the authors included a cranberry bread recipe at the end of the story…my seven-year-old self thought it was the coolest way to end a book.

Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition: A Christmas Holiday Book for Kids

I’ll never forget seeing the gorgeous illustrations in this picture book for the first time. I couldn’t believe someone really drew that perfect little jingle bell. Amazing!

Corduroy by Don Freeman

Corduroy

Corduroy’s after-hours adventure in the department store is magical and fueled my blossoming five-year-old imagination. And I just love that line when Lisa tells Corduroy she likes him just the way he is but that fixing the button might make him more comfortable.

A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams

A Chair for My Mother: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner (Reading Rainbow Books)

A beautifully-illustrated story of a family that starts over after a fire. I remember being captivated by the idea of saving pennies in a jar, and I loved the beautiful floral-printed chair the family purchases. I shared this one with my second grade library students this past spring, and they enjoyed it too.

Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish

Amelia Bedelia

Oh, Amelia Bedelia! I have so many fond memories of reading about this queen of literal language when I was a first grader!

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

The Giving Tree

I remember being about eight and hearing this story for the first time during library time at school and being a little bit changed that day. I wondered, am I more like the boy or the tree? Should I try to grow up to become the tree? And it still gets me thinking.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Because we all have a day like Alexander’s from time to time.

The Little Duck by Judy Dunn

The Little Duck (Pictureback(R))

I had a copy of this book as a child and was thrilled to come across it on Amazon awhile back so I could enjoy this story again. With beautiful photography, this book tells the story of Henry, a duckling who is raised by a little boy on a farm and who eventually makes his way back into the wild. My favorite photo in the book would have to be the picture of Henry resting on the back of the boy’s golden retriever. Such a sweet book. (If you decide to read this one to your students, check out these print-and-go activities that go with this book!)

The Berenstain Bears’ New Baby by Stan and Jan Berenstain

The Berenstain Bears’ New Baby

I was a HUGE Berenstain bear fan as a kid. When McDonald’s came out with Berenstain Bear Happy Meal toys, my parents let us have so much McDonald’s, and eventually when the fast food restaurant switched to a new kind of toy, my dad negotiated with the McDonald’s manager to find one last Mama Bear in a back room somewhere to complete my set. (Thanks, Dad! I still remember that!)

I’m a self-proclaimed connoisseur of the early books in this loveable series, and this one that tells about the birth of Sister Bear is my fave.

The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper

The Little Engine That Could (Original Classic Edition)

Such an inspirational little story! I remember loving the illustrations of the toys and the cheery little engine.

Round Trip by Ann Jonas

Round Trip

These illustrations…Wow! This is another one of the picture books that left me skipping out of my elementary school library with a new appreciation for human creativity. If you aren’t familiar with the book, all of the black-and-white illustrations can be viewed right-side up or upside down. I busted this one out for my own library students this year and they were just as excited as I had been years ago. I heard a lot of, “How did they do that?” “Turn the page upside down again!” and “This is awesome!” that day.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

A creative twist was oh so fun for me when I was learning to read, and I just loved the pages of this book with the holes as part of the design. When I think back to early moments of childhood joy, I think of sitting on my mom’s lap and imagining that caterpillar eating his way through one watermelon slice and one slice of chocolate cake and one ice cream cone.

Each and every one of these books came into my life courtesy of my parents, teachers, or school librarian. What an amazing gift a great book is for a child – for building language skills AND memories that can last a lifetime! Thinking about these stories makes me stop to appreciate the blessing of my job as a school librarian. I hope that one day my students can still remember some of these and other life-changing stories I’ve shared with them.

What books come to mind when you think about reading as a young child? Feel free to share one of your favorite childhood books in the comments!

Ten Terrific Read Alouds for Kids in Kindergarten!

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I love kindergarten! It seems like every year, the kindergarten kids have the most enthusiasm and energy of any of the classes, AND they obviously win the “cute” award, so I always look forward to that library class. (It also doesn’t hurt that the fantastic kindergarten assistant visits the library with the class to help keep them in line!)

It is always very obvious which read aloud stories are hits with the kindergarteners and which books aren’t their favorites. Keeping twenty five-year-olds engaged during read aloud time can be a tall order…EXCEPT when I’m reading one of these books to them!

Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas

We might as well start with this high energy book for your high energy students! The kids love this because A) it’s silly B) it’s cute and C) I let them jump around during the story. (How can you read the line, “Jump up and down on chicken’s sofa!” and make the kids stay still?)

Is Everyone Ready for Fun?

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems

This one is fun, AND it’s a perfect start to a library behavior and etiquette lesson. After I read this story, we talk about shelf markers, and taking on the role of the pigeon, I ask the kids if I can do a bunch of things with my shelf marker that I clearly should not do. The kids, who are now used to responding “NO!” when the pigeon asks about driving the bus, continue to yell “NO!” after each of silly questions I ask about what I can do with my shelf marker. (Me: Should I pretend my shelf marker is a hat? Kids: NO! Me: Can I swing it around? Kids: NO! Me: Just ONE swing-er-oo? Kids: NO!) Soooo much fun!

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

The Caterpillar and the Polliwog by Jack Kent

The kids will love this story about a caterpillar and a polliwog growing up and changing! This one is perfect for spring. (And…we’re finally getting there! Spring is in sight! Yay!)

The Caterpillar and the Polliwog

Please, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony

Here is another really cute story, and it emphasizes the importance of being polite and using manners. Last year’s kindergarten class voted it one of their most favorite read alouds! (If your students like this one, you could also try out a few other adorable stories about Mr. Panda, including I’ll Wait, Mr. Panda and Thank You, Mr. Panda.)

Please Mr Panda

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Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett

This book is more fun than a barrel full of an undisclosed number of monkeys! It has interactive moments built right into the story, so it will keep your kids on the edge of their carpet squares.

Count The Monkeys

Leon the Chameleon by Melanie Watt

Here we have the story of little Leon the Chameleon, who always turns a different color from all the other chameleons (which makes him feel sad in the beginning of the story, but turns out to be a very good thing in the end). You can use this story as a springboard for talking about what it is like to feel different, and how our differences make us unique.

Leon the Chameleon

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

With Dr. Seuss’s birthday right around the corner, I had to include my favorite Dr. Seuss classic in this list of read alouds! It’s the best book ever written with fifty words or less!

Green Eggs and Ham

Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk

As a school librarian, when I find a book that kids love AND it takes place in the library, I know I have a winner! Library Mouse is the story of a mouse who lives in a library and writes books at night, so it even inspires kids to become authors!

Library Mouse

A Pet for Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold

My students enjoy the Fly Guy books we have in our library, and this one is my choice for the best read aloud in the bunch, mostly because it is larger than the others so everyone can see the pictures! The kids love this story of Fly Guy’s quest for a pet.

A Pet for Fly Guy

You Will Be My Friend! by Peter Brown

This is the story of one day when Lucille Beatrice Bear decides that she WILL make a new friend, right then and there. Spoiler alert: It doesn’t go well at first. This one inspires A LOT of giggling!

YOU WILL BE MY FRIEND! (Starring Lucille Beatrice Bear, 2)

I hope my list gave you some new ideas that you can share with your students. What are your favorite books to read to kindergarten kids? Feel free to add some more suggestions in the comments!

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Fantastic Read Alouds for First Graders

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(UPDATE 08/12/24: To freshen up this post, I have switched up some of the books from the original list to include some of the favorite titles of my 2023-24 students!).

Reading aloud to my students is one of my favorite parts of being a school librarian. I love trying out funny voices and dramatic faces and making the kids laugh. As a result, I typically pick light and fun books to share with my students. While I admit that some of my read alouds might not be great literature, I think that one of my primary goals of reading aloud is to sell reading as something that can rival video games and Netflix in terms of entertainment value. And based on the enthusiasm I saw with some of these read alouds, I think I’m on the right track!

Over the years, I have asked the first graders to name their favorite picture books that we had read together in library class, and the zany, silly ones were well-represented among the ones they chose, although there are some beautiful, gentle ones in the mix as well. Here are their picks.

Enemy Pie by Derek Munson

Enemy Pie : (Reading Rainbow Book, Children’s Book about Kindness, Kids Books about Learning)

This book CAPTIVATES the first graders every year! Suspense builds as they wait to find out what will happen when Jeremy Ross eats the enemy pie, and the story shares a wonderful lesson about friendship.

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! by Mo Willems

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy shows the quirky genius of Mo Willems at its best with his version of the classic story of “be careful what you wish for.”

Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Little Pea (Little Books)

This book could not be more adorable! With super cute illustrations by Jen Corace, I needed to set up a looooong waiting list for this one after I read it to the first grade class last spring!

If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson

If You Plant a Seed: An Easter And Springtime Book For Kids

This is a lovely book with gorgeous illustrations and a simple story that promotes kindness. The students absolutely loved the pictures by Kadir Nelson!

Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast by Josh Funk

Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast (Volume 1)

I have read this book with the first graders for years and it is always a hit. I love (attempting) to do different character voices and accents. In my version of the read aloud, I decided that Lady Pancake speaks with a bit of a Southern drawl, while Sir French Toast obviously has a French accent (my rendition sounds kind of like Lumiere from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast…well, at least, that is what I’m going for). It’s one of those situations where I’m not quite sure if they are laughing at me or with me, but the kids like the accents and love this book!

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Mr. Wiggle’s Book by Paula M. Craig and Carol L. Thompson

Mr. Wiggle’s Book

I read this book with kindergarten, first grade, and second grade every year as the first read aloud of the year in order to get kids thinking about how they should treat the library books they are about to check out. You would think I’d get groans from the kids who have already heard it, but actually, nope. The kids look forward to hearing this story at the beginning of each school year, even in second grade when it’s their third listen. It’s out of print, so if you can get your hands on a copy, hang on to it!

Pumpkin Trouble by Jan Thomas

Pumpkin Trouble

This story is perfect for fall. The kids find it hilarious, and it’s a very short book, which works well for a library class since us librarian-folks are usually trying to squeeze a read aloud, a lesson, an activity, and book checkout into a short amount of time.

Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown

Warning: Do not read this one to the kids unless you are okay with A LOT of laughter. It’s the story of a bear who finds a little boy and decides to keep him as a pet, and ever since I discovered it a few years ago, it has definitely been a fave every time I read it.

Principal Fred Won’t Go to Bed by Carolyn Crimi

Principal Fred Won’t Go to Bed

The first graders loved this silly rhyming book. Maybe it’s because kids love to think about what their teachers (and principal) are like outside of school, and it’s always fun to think of grownups acting like kids. It’s another fun read.

Bob and Otto by Robert O. Bruel

Bob and Otto

This is the story of two best friends, a caterpillar and earthworm, and how their lives change as the caterpillar does his thing and becomes a butterfly. I read this book to the first graders in the spring when the class was learning about butterflies in science, and they loved this sweet book.

Miss Smith’s Incredible Storybook by Michael Garland

Miss Smith’s Incredible Story Book

Michael Garland’s illustrations are always gorgeous, and this book is no exception. It’s the story of a teacher who loves to read aloud from a special book, and the characters in this book always jump out of the book and become real as she reads. One day, someone else reads the book, and chaos ensues! It’s fun, and the kids love to think about story characters that they would like to see in real life.

What are your first graders’ favorites? Feel free to shout out other fabulous first grade read aloud ideas in the comments!