Choice Lit Topic: Booklists
There are so many wonderful new children’s and young adult books published each year — and there is a lot of dreck out there too. We aim to be curators as we sort through, organize, and group books so that you can find just what you need.
Whether it’s mentor texts for a unit on persuasive writing, or just-right books for a fifth-grade English language learner, we’ve scoured lists of award winners, recommendations from colleagues, and the Kidlitsophere to come up with these lists.
Results
Books with Overlooked Potential for Launching the School Year (and Ideas for Using Them with Students)
Editor's Note: Teachers often have cherished favorite books for launching the school year, and it's no wonder. We know how students will respond based on our experiences in previous years, and...
Books for Launching the School Year (and Ideas for Using Them with Students)
Editor's Note: Teachers often have cherished favorite books for launching the school year, and it's no wonder. We know how students will respond based on our experiences in previous years, and...
Favorite Short Mentor Texts for Demonstration Lessons
Teachers and coaches often ask us for a list of mentor texts to teach a particular strategy or genre unit of study. While we certainly have some favorites, we truly...
Organizing a Classroom Nonfiction Library with Students
I will be honest with you. I am not a shopper. I do not like strolling through malls, hunting for bargains at outlet shops, or spending extended time under the...
Book Matchmaker: Texts for 5th Grade English Language Learners
Kelly is a fifth-grade teacher with two English language learners in her class who have trouble finding books. These students are reading at a level 16 independently, and...
Book Matchmaker: New Books for Intermediate Readers
Lori Sabo, a first-grade teacher, asked me to suggest some books that she could recommend to former students who still ask her advice about books. She wanted a...
Social Justice Picture Books
Many wonderful new resources exist to introduce issues of social justice to even very young children. There are a wealth of picture books that can help us educate students, their...
Creating a Kindergarten Classroom Library
Overwhelming. This is the only word I could use for many months as I thought about the transition from my third grade to a kindergarten classroom library. The first step...
Young Learners and Martin Luther King Day (BOOKLIST)
I never met this parent, but her concerns in a letter to the editor stayed with me for years. The parent was very upset that her kindergarten daughter came home...
Reflections on a Year of Read Alouds
Last summer at about this time, I started to gather books I loved and thought my fifth grade students would also enjoy. My goal was to make a list of...
Book Matchmaker: A Friendship Theme for Literature Circles
Recently Joan asked me to recommend some books that dealt with the theme of friendship. She was planning a set of literature circles, and in the past had never...
Book Matchmaker: Texts to Build Stamina
 Recently Gail Boushey asked me to recommend some books to use with students who are working on building stamina in their reading. Building stamina, or even understanding...
Book Matchmaker: Teaching Inferring to Intermediate Students
Kathy is a literacy coach in a grades 3-5 school. She is looking for new books to use to teach inferring to students. Readers often have experience with...
Book Matchmaker: Characters Across the Grades
Jennifer Allen is looking for a new set of books to use with her teachers in her role as a literacy coach. She said, "I am working to differentiate...
Book Matchmaker: Teaching Point of View
Jennifer Allen is looking for a new set of books to use with her teachers in her role as literacy coach. She said, "I am working to differentiate the...
Book Matchmaker: Helping a Struggling Reader in 5th Grade
Deb is a teacher who works with struggling readers in grades 3-5. She is particularly interested in finding books for one of her 5th graders who is reading at...
Books to Celebrate Earth Day
As we think about celebrating Earth Day in our schools in April, we can expand the things that we can teach children by the books that we share. There are...
Book Matchmaker: Short Vowel Practice with Older Students
Ellen is a school volunteer working with a group of students who are not reading at grade level in third grade. She is concerned about their understanding of short...
Book Matchmaker: Texts to Inspire Our Youngest Readers and Writers
I recently received this request from Danielle DeRome, a first-grade teacher, asking for book recommendations: One of the hardest times for some students (and me!) is when they are...
Using Picture Books to Spice Up Vocabulary Instruction (BOOKLIST)
Vocabulary instruction has always been a challenge for me. I believe strongly that students need to learn vocabulary in context, but I have realized recently that there are concepts related...
Great Little Books for Professional Book Clubs
Tracie and Shelly were absolutely beaming! Their first professional book club as the literacy coaches at Wilson School was an undeniable success. The teachers had agreed to meet before school...
