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
- Table View
- List View
The Old Woman Who Named Things
by Cynthia RylantHow does an old woman who has outlived all her friends keep from being lonely? By naming the things in her life she knows she will never outlive—like her house, Franklin, and her bed, Roxanne. When a shy brown puppy appears at her front gate, the old woman won&’t name it, because it might not outlive her. Tender watercolors capture the charm of this heartwarming story of an old woman who doesn&’t know she&’s lonely until she meets a plucky puppy who needs a name—and someone to love. &“Rylant and Brown together create with affection and lovingly humorous touches a glimpse of old age lived with relish.&” —Booklist
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.
Splat Says Thank You!
by Rob ScottonSplat the Cat's trusty mouse friend, Seymour, needs cheering up, and Splat wants to help. He's been working on something special for Seymour—not just a thank-you card but a thank-you book! His book lists all the sweet and often hilarious reasons Splat is thankful for their friendship.
David Goes to School
by David ShannonThere are lots of rules in school. "Don't chew gum. Don't talk without raising your hand..." and many more. David learns that only when he does a good job will his teacher say yes. When he draws on his desk, shouts out an answer, and runs to the head of the lunch line, he hears lots of "no's."
School for Bandits
by Hannah ShawRalph Raccoon looks perfectly normal. But he doesn't act normal at all. He's disturbingly well behaved, clean and tidy, shockingly polite, and he even brushes his teeth! Mr. and Mrs. Raccoon are worried--how will Ralph ever become a great raccoon bandit like Grandpa Cutlass or Uncle Whiskers? It's time Ralph learned some bad manners . . . at Bandit School.Ralph has no chance of winning the "Best Bandit in School" competition--he's not very bandit-like at all. But sometimes good manners can be useful, and Ralph just might surprise everyone--including himself.From the Hardcover edition.
The Giving Tree
by Shel SilversteinThe Giving Tree, a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein, has been a classic favorite for generations.
Since it was first published fifty years ago, Shel Silverstein's poignant picture book for readers of all ages has offered a touching interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another's capacity to love in return.
The Best Story
by Eileen Spinelli and Anne WilsdorfThe best story is one that comes from the heart The library is having a contest for the best story, and the quirky narrator of this story just has to win that rollercoaster ride with her favorite author! But what makes a story the best? Her brother Tim says the best stories have lots of action. Her father thinks the best stories are the funniest. And Aunt Jane tells her the best stories have to make people cry. A story that does all these things doesn't seem quite right, though, and the one thing the whole family can agree on is that the best story has to be your own. Image descriptions present.
Interrupting Chicken
by David Ezra SteinIt's bedtime for the little red chicken, and papa is going to read her a story. "You're not going to interrupt the story tonight, are you?" asks Papa. "Oh no, Papa. I'll be good," says the little red chicken. But she just can't help herself! Whether it's Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, or Chicken Little, as soon as the story gets going . . . out jumps the little red chicken--right into the story--saving the characters from danger and ending the story early. Will that chicken ever get to sleep?
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.
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.
Your Name is a Song
by Jamilah Thompkins-BigelowFrustrated by a day full of teachers and classmates mispronouncing her beautiful name, a little girl tells her mother she never wants to come back to school. In response, the girl's mother teaches her about the musicality of African, Asian, Black-American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern names on their lyrical walk home through the city. Empowered by this newfound understanding, the young girl is ready to return the next day to share her knowledge with her class. Your Name is a Song is a celebration to remind all of us about the beauty, history, and magic behind names.
The Quiet Book
by Deborah UnderwoodThere are many kinds of quiet: Quiet can be delicate. Quiet can be thundering! Quiet can be sweet and cozy, and can most definitely help you fall asleep. This gentle picture book explores all the different quiets that can fill a child's day from morning to night.
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
by Mo WillemsWhen a bus driver takes a break from his route, a very unlikely volunteer springs up to take his place-a pigeon! But you've never met one like this before. As he pleads, wheedles, and begs his way through the book, children will love being able to answer back and decide his fate. In his hilarious picture book debut, popular cartoonist Mo Willems perfectly captures a preschooler's temper tantrum. Images and image descriptions available.
Pigs Make Me Sneeze! (An Elephant and Piggie Book)
by Mo WillemsMeet Elephant Gerald and Piggie Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to. Gerald and Piggie are best friends. In Pigs Make Me Sneeze! Gerald believes that he is allergic to his best friend! Will he have to stay away from Piggie forever?
Time to Say "Please"!
by Mo WillemsThis book teachs children to say please, excuse me, and I'm sorry.
We Are in a Book!
by Mo WillemsGerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald and Piggie are best friends.
In We Are in a Book! Gerald and Piggie discover the joy of being read. But what will happen when the book ends?
Using vocabulary perfect for beginning readers (and vetted by an early-learning specialist), Mo Willems has crafted a mind-bending story that is even more interactive than previous Elephant & Piggie adventures. Fans of the Geisel Award-winning duo won't be able to put this book down--literally!
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.
The Secret Knowledge of Grown-Ups
by David WisniewskiFrom Publisher's Weekly: Caldecott winner Wisniewski (Golem) [available from Bookshare] spoofs conspiracy theories in this "confidential" volume, with a jacket designed to resemble a sealed manila envelope and illustrated with intricate cut-paper collages. "As a parent, I went along with it all at first: going to secret meetings... preparing for the day when my kids would want to know why this and why that. But not anymore!" confesses the narrator, whose typewritten words fill a crumpled sheet of brown paper. On the pages that follow, bulletins labeled "TOP SECRET" offer classified information. For example, "Grown-up Rule #31: Eat your vegetables" is followed by "Official Reason: They're good for you." This leads to "The Truth: You don't eat vegetables because they're good for you. You eat vegetables to k...." Here the document is torn as if by an enemy, and a turn of the page reveals, in oversize type: "to keep them under control!" A tyrannosaurus-style broccoli stalk marauds across the accompanying illustration, joined in its depredations by equally sinister carrots, radishes, etc. The engagingly silly formula repeats throughout, the text and the art consistent in their over-the-top humor and sure execution. The mock-official presentation gleefully contrasts with the utter ridiculousness of the "facts," just as the painstaking cut-paper technique contrasts with the loony wit of the compositions themselves. Yet, strangely, the findings seem to prove that young readers should comb their hair and stop blowing bubbles in their milk-could this exposé be the work of a double agent? The Secret Knowledge of Grown-Ups: The Second File continues the fun and is also available from Bookshare. This book includes picture descriptions.