Looking for picture books that are engaging and can be used to teach important reading and social skills? If so, then this list is for you! These books will become your go-to read alouds, as well as your student’s favorites for years to come!
Best Books to Teach Rules and Classroom Community
1. Quiet Please, Owen Mcphee by Trudy Ludwig
Owen doesn’t just like to talk- he LOVES to talk. He talks so much that he often forgets to listen. When Owen develops laryngitis he learns the importance of listening to what others have to say. This book is great for teaching kids the importance of listening and learning from others. This is always on my list of books to read the first week of school. We usually follow with a mini-lesson on what good listeners do.
A bonus book that deals with the same topic is Lacey Walker, Non-Stop Talker. Use these resources to teach about what a good listener is. Students can do a cut and paste sort, a directed drawing, and learn more about good listening through anchor charts.
2. What if Everybody Did That? by Ellen Javernick
What if everybody blurted during story time, or threw their garbage out the window? The world would be a chaotic place. In the story What if Everybody Did That, students get to see the power of choices. This book is great to start discussions about why rules are important. I typically will read this story before creating our class rules for the year.
Check out this resource to go with the book. Students will learn about expected and unexpected behaviors, engage in multiple cut and paste expectation sorts, and make their own What if Everybody Did That scenario (these always turn out hilarious).
3. Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen
Such a fantastic story where kids will learn that the classroom is a place where it is safe to be yourself, to make mistakes, and to be helpful to others. The illustrations in this story are absolutely beautiful and can tie in perfect with a fun lesson where students draw what they want their classroom community to look like.
4. A Letter From Your Teacher on the First Day of School by Shannon Olsen
Another fantastic book from Shannon Olsen. This books talks about how you as their teacher are so excited to learn more about them. It lends itself perfectly to getting to know you activities. Use my best-selling mentor text activities to do just that!
5. I Walk With Vanessa by Karascoet
This book is told through pictures in a very powerful way. The story shows how one small act of kindness can have a huge impact. It is a great beginning of the school year read aloud to demonstrate the importance of standing up for others against bullying.
6. We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins
This is always a class favorite that has students giggling to the end! Penelope Rex is excited for her first day of school, but there is just one problem- she keeps eating her classmates! Find out if Penelope learns how to be a member of her classroom community. After the story I have my students write about ways they will be a good classmate.
7. First Day Jitters
Such a classic first day of school book! I love to talk about students first day of school feelings and graph them, read the story and drink jitter juice. Students can also create their own jitter juice and play some fun get to know you activities with this resource.
Best Books for Teaching Growth Mindset
1. The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett
Beatrice Bottomwell has neve made a mistake! She is absolutely perfect! But what happens when she messes up at her school talent show? This story is great for teaching students you don’t have to be perfect and that everybody makes mistakes! I like to use it to start conversations about growth mindset.
2. The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
Another great book that teaches the importance of having a growth mindset and not giving up even if you make a mistake. I love that students can relate to the character when she is frustrated and things aren’t going the way she had planned. It helps them to see that it is a normal feeling. I love this book for helping students think about strategies they can use when something is hard or they can’t quite do it yet.
3. Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg
This book shows children that every mistake is the chance to make something beautiful. I use squiggle stories when using this book in my classroom. I make a different type of line on a piece of paper and have my students turn it into something else. I love seeing their creativity come through in this lesson. It also sparks great conversations about how something that looked like a blunder at first can turn into something beautiful.
4. What Do You Do With a Problem? by Kobi Yamada
This is the story about a persistent problem and a child who doesn’t know what to make of it. The longer the boy avoids the problem, the larger the problem gets. I love what happens when he finally gets the courage to face the problem head on. I use this story when talking about problems students may have in the classroom- when work is too hard, when a pencil is broken, getting into a conflict with a classmate, and so many more of those instances that students may not know how to handle in the beginning of the year. We talk about common questions or issues in the classroom and how they can solve them.
5. Your Fantastic Elastic Brain: A Growth Mindset Book for Kids to Stretch and Shape Their Brains by JoAnn Deak
Teach your class the science behind growth mindset and how it works. Students are always amazed to hear that they can stretch and shape their brain by making mistakes. This one is longer, so I don’t typically use it in the first week as my students can’t always sit that long!
Mikkonen Magic is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you click on an ad or on an affiliate link, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. You are not obligated to make your purchase using these links but if you do, it does support my blog and my business. I am thankful if you choose to use my links. I only share products that I use and love.
