Special Collections
Back to School (K-3) Read Alouds
Description: Reading aloud can be a powerful way to build community and shared understanding at the beginning of the school year. (Can be a part of your social/emotional learning curriculum.) #teachers
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Thank You Mr. Falker
by Patricia PolaccoThe real-life, classic story of a dyslexic girl and the teacher who would not let her fail. A perfect gift for teachers and for reading students of any age.
Patricia Polacco is now one of America's most loved children's book creators, but once upon a time, she was a little girl named Trisha starting school. Trisha could paint and draw beautifully, but when she looked at words on a page, all she could see was jumble. It took a very special teacher to recognize little Trisha's dyslexia: Mr. Falker, who encouraged her to overcome her reading disability. Patricia Polacco will never forget him, and neither will we.
Why Do You Cry? Not a Sob Story
by Kate KliseAs his fifth birthday party approaches, Little Rabbit decides to invite only those friends who are also too old to cry until he learns that others of all ages weep for all sorts of reasons.
The Kissing Hand
by Audrey Penn and Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. LeakSchool is starting in the forest, but Chester Raccoon does not want to go. To help ease Chester's fears, Mrs. Raccoon shares a family secret called the Kissing Hand to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary.
Since its first publication in 1993, this heartwarming book has become a children's classic that has touched the lives of millions of children and their parents, especially at times of separation, whether starting school, entering daycare, or going to camp. It is widely used by kindergarten teachers on the first day of school. Stickers at the back will help children and their parents keep their Kissing Hand alive.
Henry Aaron's Dream
by Matt TavaresTavares hits one out of the park with this powerful tale of a kid from the segregated South who would become baseball's home-run king. An ideal read for Black History Month and spring training time.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
by Judith Viorst and Ray CruzAlexander knew it was going to be a terrible day when he woke up with gum in this hair. And it got worse... His best friend deserted him. There was no dessert in his lunch bag. And, on top of all that, there were lima beans for dinner and kissing on TV! Judith Viorst's classic picture book is sure to charm readers of all ages. Images and image descriptions available.
The Day You Begin
by Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael LópezNational Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson and two-time Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner Rafael López have teamed up to create a poignant, yet heartening book about finding courage to connect, even when you feel scared and alone. There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you. There are many reasons to feel different. Maybe it's how you look or talk, or where you're from; maybe it's what you eat, or something just as random. It's not easy to take those first steps into a place where nobody really knows you yet, but somehow you do it. Jacqueline Woodson's lyrical text and Rafael López's dazzling art reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes-and how brave it is that we go forth anyway. And that sometimes, when we reach out and begin to share our stories, others will be happy to meet us halfway.
Arnie the Doughnut
by Laurie KellerAt first glance, Arnie looks like an average doughnut―round, cakey, with a hole in the middle, iced and sprinkled. He was made by one of the best bakeries in town, and admittedly his sprinkles are candy-colored. Still, a doughnut is just a doughnut, right?
WRONG! Not if Arnie has anything to say about it. And, for a doughnut, he sure seems to have an awful lot to say. Can Arnie change the fate of all doughnuts―or at least have a hand in his own future? Well, you'll just have to read this funny story and find out for yourself.
If You Take a Mouse to School
by Laura Joffe Numeroff and Felicia BondIf you take a mouse to school, he'll ask you for your lunch box. When you give him your lunch box, he'll want a sandwich to go in it. Then he'll need a notebook and some pencils. He'll probably want to share your backpack, too ... The famous mouse from the New York Times #1 best-seller If You Take a Mouse to the Movies and If You give a Mouse a Cookie is back for his first day of school. Only Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond could make school this much fun! Picture descriptions present.
Nasreen's Secret School
by Jeanette WinterBased on a true story. After her parents are taken away by the Taliban, young Nasreen stops speaking. But as she spends time in a secret school, she slowly breaks out of her shell.
It's Hard to Be Five
by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura CornellIt's hard to be five. Just yelled at my brother. My mind says do one thing, my mouth says another. * It's fun to be five! Big changes are here! My body's my car, and I'm licensed to steer. * Learning not to hit? Having to wait your turn? Sitting still?! It's definitely hard to be five, but Jamie Lee Curtis's encouraging text and Laura Cornell's playful illustrations make the struggles of self-control a little bit easier, and a lot more fun!
Mommy's Khimar
by Jamilah Thompkins-BigelowA young Muslim girl spends a busy day wrapped up in her mother’s colorful headscarf in this sweet and fanciful picture book from debut author and illustrator Jamilah Tompkins-Bigelow and Ebony Glenn.
A khimar is a flowing scarf that my mommy wears. Before she walks out the door each day, she wraps one around her head.
A young girl plays dress up with her mother’s headscarves, feeling her mother’s love with every one she tries on. Charming and vibrant illustrations showcase the beauty of the diverse and welcoming community in this portrait of a young Muslim American girl’s life.
When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry
by Molly BangSophie gets mad, climbs a tree to calm down, and is soon ready to come home to her loving family. "The text is. . . brief, for it is Bang's double-page illustrations, vibrating with saturated colors, that reveal the drama of the child's emotions. " - School Library Journal, starred review. "Bang's strong, nonproscriptive acknowledgment of a feeling most children will recognize will be welcomed. " - Booklist, starred review
Winner of the Caldecott Honor
My Mouth is a Volcano
by Julia CookAll of Louis thoughts are very important to him. In fact, his thoughts are so important to him that when he has something to say, his words begin to wiggle, and then they do the jiggle, then his tongue pushes all of his important words up against his teeth and he erupts, or interrupts others. His mouth is a volcano! My Mouth Is A Volcano takes an empathetic approach to the habit of interrupting and teaches children a witty technique to capture their rambunctious thoughts and words for expression at an appropriate time. Told from Louis perspective, this story provides parents, teachers, and counselors with an entertaining way to teach children the value of respecting others by listening and waiting for their turn to speak.
I Got the Rhythm
by Connie Schofield-MorrisonOn a simple trip to the park, the joy of music overtakes a mother and daughter. The little girl hears a rhythm coming from the world around her- from butterflies, to street performers, to ice cream sellers everything is musical! She sniffs, snaps, and shakes her way into the heart of the beat, finally busting out in an impromptu dance, which all the kids join in on! Award-winning illustrator Frank Morrison and Connie Schofield-Morrison, capture the beat of the street, to create a rollicking read that will get any kid in the mood to boogie.
First Day Jitters
by Julie DannebergEveryone knows that sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach just before diving into a new situation. Sarah Jane Hartwell is scared and doesn't want to start over at a new school. She doesn't know anybody, and nobody knows her. It will be awful. She just knows it. With much prodding from Mr. Hartwell, Sarah Jane reluctantly pulls herself together and goes to school. She is quickly befriended by Mrs. Burton, who helps smooth her jittery transition. This charming and familiar story will delight readers with its surprise ending. FIRST DAY JITTERS is an enchanting story that is sure to be treasured by anyone who has ever anticipated a first day of school.
The Empty Pot
by DemiA long time ago in China there was a boy named Ping who loved flowers. Anything he planted burst into bloom. The Emperor loved flowers too. When it was time to choose an heir, he gave a flower seed to each child in the kingdom. "Whoever can show me their best in a year's time," he proclaimed, "shall succeed me to the throne!" Ping plants his seed and tends it every day. But month after month passes, and nothing grows. When spring comes, Ping must go to the Emperor with nothing but an empty pot.
The School Story
by Andrew ClementsTwelve-year-old Natalie Nelson has written a powerful school story. It's a short novel called "The Cheater," and her best friend Zoe is certain it should be published. All Natalie has to do is give the manuscript to her mom, an editor at a big publishing house. However Natalie doesn't want any favors from her mom. Still, Zoe won't drop the idea. Spurred into action, Natalie invents a pen name for herself and Zoe becomes a self-styled literary agent. But if the girls are to succeed, they'll need support from their wary English teacher, legal advice from Zoe's tough-talking father, and some clever maneuvering to outwit the overbearing editor in chief of Shipley Junior Books. Andrew Clements, the best-selling author of Frindle, The Landry News, and The Janitor's Boy, delights his audience with this story of two irrepressible girls who use their talent, ingenuity, and a little cunning to try to make a young writer's dream come true.
The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes
by Mark Pett and Gary RubinsteinMeet Beatrice Bottomwell: a nine-year-old girl who has never (not once!) made a mistake.
She never forgets her math homework, she never wears mismatched socks, and she ALWAYS wins the yearly talent show at school.
In fact, Beatrice holds the record of perfection in her hometown, where she is known as The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes.
Life for Beatrice is sailing along pretty smoothly until she does the unthinkable–she makes her first mistake. And in a very public way!