One of the best things about back to school planning is choosing which books I’m going to read aloud to my
class! September is so busy with getting to know each other, learning routines and procedures, adjusting to our schedule, starting curriculum. It’s a lot. I make sure every day has at least one read aloud to spark discussion about feelings and emotional problem solving.
The Cloud That Stuck, written by
Karen Krossing, illustrated by Dorothy Leung, and published by Charlesbridge.
Not all problems are easily solved and feelings don’t always go away quickly. I’m
hoping this book will help my students understand that it’s okay to feel their feelings and there are ways to manage them.
Waffles & Julius, written and
illustrated by Ed Vere, published by Balzer & Bray.
Books that share important messages
in a humorous way are so helpful! I will be sharing lots of
different books about the importance of giving others space, including physical
space.
I’m Sorry, written by Michael Ian
Black, illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi, published by Simon & Schuster
Books for Young Readers.
Kids need to know its okay—and important—to use the word sorry. I love how this book emphasizes talking and sharing feelings. I
think this book will spark a lot of discussion.
So excited to share these
books with my new class!
As a person who feels shy about new experiences, I could relate to Sloth and his desire to help his friend while at the same time feeling nervous and worried. In this story, Sloth's friend Patti leaves an important notebook at the Animal Rainforest Rescue Center. Sloth decides to bring it back to her, even if it means stepping out of their comfort zone.
I loved the way Sloth could rely on friends to help, as well as using strategies to stay calm. The illustrations are colourful and detailed, and the animal faces are so expressive!
My thoughts as a creator:
This would be a great mentor text if you're trying to incorporate social emotional learning into a story that has a classic problem and solution plot.
My thoughts as an educator:
I really liked how even though Sloth was feeling stressed, they were kind to their friends and pointed out how their friends' strengths could help them get through a part of the journey to find Patti. This book would be great for introducing discussions about problem-solving and strategies for feeling calm.
Ages: 3 - 7
Grades: Prek - 3
Connections: new experiences, problem-solving, feelings, belly-breathing, rainforest animals, helping friends, first day of school
Activities:
Create - Have students choose a favourite animal and write or draw a picture of what would happen if that animal came to school. Questions to think about: What is your animal good at? How would that help them in a tricky situation?
Math - Count all the different animals in the story. How many are there?
Social-Emotional Learning - Practice belly breathing. Make a poster for a calm down corner in your classroom that reminds others to try belly breathing when they feel stressed.
More resources:
Learn to belly breathe with Rosita from Sesame Street:
At the Rainforest
Rescue Center, Sloth loves when Patti comes to visit. But when Patti forgets
her class report, it’s up to Sloth, with the help of his other (faster)
rain-forest friends, to return Patti’s notebook to her-at school! Will they be
able to find her among all the other kids in a new environment?
The first day of
school can be scary-especially if you forget your summer assignment-but in
Sloth to the Rescue,Sloth, Peccary, Boa, Capuchin, and Ocelot overcome their
fears and realize that what makes them unique is what helps them fit right in!
Sloth to the Rescue by Leanne Shirtliffe & Rob McClurkan was published by Running Press Kids in 2019.
I liked this story, a good one for generating discussion about sadness. I read a hard copy I had signed out from the public library, but it is also available on Epic. If you're looking for my daily One for Fun learning activity, the post will be up later today.
Summary from the publisher:
Henry and Bea are inseparable, but one day Henry
suddenly stops talking to his best friend. Bea knows there’s something Henry’s not
telling her, but what could it be?
Henry and Bea have always been inseparable…until
one day Henry suddenly stops talking to Bea. He won’t chat with her in class,
and he won’t sit with her at lunch. Bea can tell something’s going on, and
she’s determined to find out what it is.
When their teacher announces that the class is
taking a field trip to a farm, Bea hopes that this might be her chance to
reconnect with Henry. When Henry finds an old cat collar at the farm and starts
to cry, he finally reveals his secret to Bea: his cat Buddy died last week.
And even though it’s hard for them both, Bea knows
that she’ll be there for Henry, as his best friend, no matter what.
Henry and Bea was written and illustrated by Jessixa
Bagley. It was published in 2019 by Holiday House.
Opening:
It’s always lucky to find someone who understands you,
and that’s why Henry and Bea were the best of friends.
My Thoughts as a Writer:
This story about the loss of a pet was a little different in that it
showed how sadness affected the character during their everyday life. It was
really interesting how his friend tried to figure out what was wrong when he
didn’t feel like talking. A good example for writers for how to include some
interiority from a character.
The soft-toned illustrations capture a lovely, quiet mood for this
story. I enjoyed how the details on the clothing and the character expressions
make them seem so real.
My Thoughts as an Educator:
This is a quieter story about emotions and sadness. Although this story
is about dealing with the loss of a pet, it could be used for discussion about
any kind of loss or sadness.
Ages: 4-7
Grades: K – 2
Themes: sadness, loss, friendship
Activities:
Discuss:What is your favourite page
in the story? Explain why.
Draw & Write: What do you do when you feel sad? Draw a picture of
something you like to hold or a place you go to be by yourself. Write sentence:
I feel sad when…
Fun at home: With a grown-up, find a cookie recipe and bake some cookies!
[Baking is a great opportunity for learning about measuring.]
I am
thrilled to be featuring this picture book on my blog today. It’s the third in
a series of books about emotions (the other two are I’M BORED and I’M SAD, see my review here). Thanks so much to Simon & Schuster Canada
for sending me this copy for review!
Summary from the publisher:
Potato is
worried. About everything.
Because
anything might happen.
When he
tells his friends, he expects them to comfort him by saying that everything
will be okay. Except they don’t. Because it might not be, and that’s okay too.
Still, there’s one thing they can promise for sure: no matter what happens…they
will always be by his side.
I’m Worried, written by Michael Ian
Black and illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi, was published in 2019 by Simon
& Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Opening:
I’m worried.
What are you worried about?
The future.
My Thoughts as a Writer:
I love the characters
and how their worries suit their personalities. This is a great book to search
out when you’re looking for creating a story with multiple characters and wondering
how to create different personalities in the same story.
Even though the topic
of emotions and anxiety could be presented in a heavy, serious way, the gentle
humor and bold and fun illustrations give this story a lighter tone that will
really connect with young children.
My Thoughts as an Educator:
I’m so happy
to have this whole series of books for helping my kindergarten students talk
about emotions. They love the quirky characters and they can really relate to
these books. (My classroom copy of I’m Bored is in tatters because it is so
well-loved.)
In I’m Worried, I especially love how the friends listen to each
other, compare their stories and accept each other’s feelings. I often tell my
students, “It’s okay to feel worried” or “It’s okay to feel sad.” This book is
a must for a classroom collection! I would love to pair this book with Scaredy
Squirrel by Melanie Watt, a character who also has a lot of worries.
Ages: 3-7
Grades: PreK – 2
Themes: anxiety, feelings, friendship
Activities:
Draw &
Write: Think of a time when you felt worried. Draw and write about what
happened.
STEM: Provide
a real potato for students to feel and explore. Can you build a “safe place” or
“hideout” for the potato?
STEAM:
Provide bubble wrap and art materials. What can you make with bubble wrap?
Make a list:
What are some things you can do when you feel worried?
A perfect
book to help young children understand and deal with difficult feelings! I'm so pleased these books are forming a series – the next to come is I’m Worried
(check out the cover reveal on Matthew Winner's blog). I received a review copy of this book from Debbie Ridpath Ohi, who has
also been my critique partner for several years now. Debbie is such a kind and generous person in the world of children's publishing and I’m so thrilled to be
featuring her book on my blog today!
When
Flamingo announces he’s feeling down, the little girl and Potato try to cheer
him up, but nothing seems to work. Not even dirt! (Which usually works for
Potato.)
Flamingo
learns that he will not always feel this way. And his friends learn that
sometimes being a friend means you don’t have to cheer someone up. You just
have to stick by your pal no matter how they feel.
Even if
they’re a potato.
I’m Sad was written by Michael Ian Black and
illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. It was published by Simon &
Schuster Books for Young Readers in
2018.
Opening:
I’m sad.
Will I always be like this?
My Thoughts as a Writer:
This book
has a definite message, but it’s presented in such a fun and matter-of-fact way that
it doesn’t come across as didactic. The story connects with readers because of the
universal theme of sadness as well as the kid-friendly dialogue and solutions
to the problem. It’s so lovely to find a book that doesn’t present an easy solution to wrap up the problem, the way many picture books do, but instead lets the feeling sit with readers.
My Thoughts as an Educator:
I'm so thrilled to have this book as part of my classroom collection. As a kindergarten teacher, I can never have too many books about
emotions and this one provides so many opportunities for discussion. It
includes a few questions, such as “Why do sad things happen?” and the message
that sad feelings are natural and okay. The big, expressive illustrations are perfect
for read alouds. Books with a humor that have deeper layers for discussion and thought are always a big hit!
Ages: 4 - 8
Grades: K – 3
Themes: sadness, emotions, friendship
Activities:
Share: Draw
a picture or tell about a time when you felt sad. Educators could collect the
pictures or stories to make a class “Sad Book” or video for students to look at
when they are feeling sad.
Design &
Build: Could you make a hideout for flamingo and two friends to hang out in
when they feel sad? What materials would you use?
Write: Make
a list of things that might cheer you up when you’re feeling sad.
For more details about I'm Sad, check out Debbie Ohi's bonus page and this amazing teacher's guide created by Marcie Colleen, which is absolutely packed with great activities.
What an
awesome book for talking about diversity and to use as a model for some really cool
art!
Summary from the publisher:
In the
beginning, there were three colors . . .
Reds,
Yellows,
and Blues.
All special
in their own ways, all living in harmony—until one day, a Red says "Reds
are the best!" and starts a color kerfuffle. When the colors decide to
separate, is there anything that can change their minds?
A Yellow, a
Blue, and a never-before-seen color might just save the day in this inspiring
book about color, tolerance, and embracing differences.
Mixed: A Colorful Story was written and illustrated by Arree
Chung. It was published by Henry Holt & Company in 2018.
Opening:
In the beginning, there were three
colors . . .
Reds,
Yellows,
and Blues.
Reds were the loudest,
My Thoughts as a Writer:
I think this
would be a perfect example of what agents and editors mean when they say they
are looking for something “fresh.” Colour mixing stories are not new. But even
though I predicted that the colors would mix together, I didn’t realize it
would happen in such a fun and visually exciting way. I really loved the way
the author didn’t dumb down the text and used lovely words such as “vibrant”
and “fascinated” and “possibilities.” And I loved the use of speech bubbles to
show the character dialogue (awesome, modern design choice).
My Thoughts as an Educator:
In a way,
this reminded me of a modern take on Dr. Seuss’s The Sneetches, but without the
rhyming and the machine. (Maybe a good opportunity for comparing and
contrasting themes?) I loved how the author drew attention to the feelings of
the characters in different situations, through the text and the colours. Lots
to discuss here about friendship, community, inclusion and feelings.
Ages: 4 - 7
Grades: K – 2
Themes: colour mixing, inclusiveness,
diversity
Activities:
Design: Use
the art style in the beginning pages of the book to draw your own cool town and
add a few pops of color.
Create a
class mural: Day 1 - Students draw
elements of a town using black marker and Day 2- Students mix a colour and add
themselves somewhere in the town.
Explore: Put
out paints and give students a chance to mix & name their own new colors.
A sad,
disturbing but important book to read for adults as well as children.
Summary from the publisher:
A simple,
imaginative story depicting the complex emotional reality of a girl whose
father no longer lives at home.
The girl
conjures up an imaginary companion — a lion — who will join her on the long
walk home from school. He will help her to pick up her baby brother from
daycare and shop at the store (which has cut off the family’s credit), and
he’ll keep her company all along the way until she is safely home. He will
always come back when she needs him, unlike her father whom she sees only in a
photograph — a photograph in which he clearly resembles a lion.
Walk With Me was written by Jairo Buitrago and
illustrated by Rafael Yockteng. It was published in 2017 by Groundwood Books.
Opening:
Keep me company on the way home,
then I can have someone to talk to so
I don’t fall asleep
on the long walk out of the city.
My Thoughts as a Writer:
A nice
example of a simple text that provides a glimpse of a child who imagines as
lion as her companion to help her feel safe. A lovely way to show a difficult
life that may resonate with many young children.
My Thoughts as a Teacher:
This story shows
the reality of life for some children and a way to cope through imagination.
There is a disturbing scene that depicts a man lying on the ground and a woman
screaming, which may require a preview by the teacher and some thinking about
how to respond to student discussion. Students may need guidance to make a
connection between the picture with her father at the end and the lion that
keeps her safe. A important book for a teacher's collection.
Ages: 5 - 12
Grades: K – Grade 5
Themes: emotions, hardship, family
Activities:
If you were
to have an imaginary animal to help you through your daily life, which animal
would you choose? Paint a picture of your animal.
This story is so preposterous it might make you laugh out loud! That's what happened to me. It reminded me of how, when my daughter was little, sometimes a ridiculous thing would strike us funny and we'd laugh hysterically together.
Summary from the publisher:
Grab the
best seat in the house with this funny, touching picture book about a giraffe
who keeps being mistaken for a chair!
From the
acclaimed author-illustrator of There’s a Giraffe in My Soup, Ross Burach,
comes a curious tale about finding one’s courage and standing up for oneself.
Full of vibrant and playful illustrations and hilariously absurd logic, kids
will want to read it again and again.
Could there
be anything worse for Giraffe? Maybe being sat on by a skunk or smooshed by two
hapless hippos, or worst of all—cornered by a hungry lion? No one seems to
notice that Giraffe is not standing around just to be sat upon. Will he be able
to find his voice and make his friends realize who he really is?
I Am Not a Chair was written and illustrated by Ross
Burach. It was published in 2017 by HarperCollins.
Opening:
“On Giraffe’s
first day in the jungle, he felt something wasn’t right.”
My Thoughts as a Writer:
This is a
great book to study if you are learning about plot – the main character makes
several attempts to solve his problem and there’s a fun twist at the end when
the character finally does take the step that solves the problem. It’s also a
great one to study for humor and pacing. I loved the personality of the main
character . The text and illustrations worked together so well to tell the
story. And then there was a deeper layer with a theme about speaking up for
yourself. I think this book has many of the elements of a perfect picture book.
My Thoughts as a Teacher:
I thought
this book would be too silly for me, but I was wrong. I really liked the
underlying theme about speaking up for yourself. The way it’s done with animals
is quite clever. The character of the giraffe really captures how a quieter,
shy or nervous child feels, to the point of being nervous even about asking to
go to the bathroom. I liked the line: “I need to be me.” Lots of discussion possibilities
for young children. Of course, giraffes don’t live in jungles—but then they
aren’t used as chairs, either.
Ages: 4 - 7
Grades: K - 2
Themes: sense of self, feeling afraid, individual
differences, funny stories
Activities:
Think of a
time when you felt afraid but couldn’t speak up for yourself. How did you feel?
Draw a picture or share in a discussion if you wish.
If there was
another page to the story, what do you think the turtle would do or say? Draw
your idea!
As a teacher, I'm always on the lookout for books that help children identify and manage their emotions. This picture book is nominated for this year’s Blue Spruce Award from the Ontario Library Association.
The hero of this picture book, Sam, has to wait for
everything on the playground one day, and this makes him mad. He got madder and
madder until he was the maddest he had ever been in his whole life. And then,
suddenly, an unusual thing appears. It runs around, shoving and tripping and
pinching and stomping, until all the other children have run away. It was
hanging upside down from the monkey bars, grinning at him. Sam had never seen
anything like it before, but he knew what it was. It was a Temper. At first,
having a pet Temper is fun. But before long, the Temper starts causing trouble
for Sam. And eventually, Sam comes to the realization that his Temper is
something he needs to learn to control.
Sam’s Pet Temper,
written by Sangeeta Bhadra and illustrated by Marion Arbona, was published in
2014 by Kids Can Press.
My Thoughts as a
Writer:
The writing has some great images and language: “The Temper
hissed. It thrashed. It lashed out like a giant angry snake.” The author has
really captured how it feels to be angry. Many children will be able to connect
with and relate to this story.
The illustrations depict the Temper as a scary, scribbly
monster, which seems appropriate from a child’s perspective. However, some
reviewers have noted that the images of the Temper can be associated with an
iconic racial image, “the golliwog.”
Even though this book is recommended for ages 5 – 7, it feels
lengthy in comparison to the shorter style picture books I’ve seen lately.
My Thoughts as a Teacher:
This book offers lots of possibilities for discussion about
feelings and being angry. I was a bit cautious about the concept of feelings as
a separate entity, which could suggest it’s okay for a child to blame their
actions on “the temper” rather than taking responsibility. But I liked how it
shows a way to think about anger and also included a couple of strategies for calming
down, such as taking a deep breath. I don’t know if I liked the ending – passing
along the Temper resolves the problem for Sam but not for the next child.
Ages: 5 –
7
Grades: K
- 2
Themes:
anger, temper tantrums, emotions
Activities:
Re-read the story and talk about the situations where Sam’s Temper
seems to be in charge. What different way could he have handled the situation?
Act out a new way to solve the problem.
Make a list of words to describe angry feelings. Choose
three and put them in a poem or story.
Draw a picture of your own “Temper”. Think of one way you
can keep it under control.
To find more great picture books to read or to use in your classroom, visit author Susanna Leonard Hill's website for her theme-based summary of Perfect Picture Books posted by book-loving bloggers on Perfect Picture Book Friday.
, written by
Karen Krossing, illustrated by Dorothy Leung, and published by Charlesbridge.
