Years ago I had an administrator who was making suggestions during a pre-service session. She said she thought every teacher should be doing read-alouds with their students above their grade level. It is great for vocabulary, comprehension and there are so many reading response activities you can do about characters changing over time, etc. It was like a lightbulb went off over my head. And from that day on I have ongoing chapter books that we read aloud together. It has become my favorite part of the day.
My suggestions for read alouds in early childhood:
This is an amazing mentor text to teach voice. Bernice has a rough life and a tough time fitting in. Lots of scenarios to discuss ethics and perspective. And it's funny!
Some students have seen the movie, but I feel like the book is different. It focuses more on the family and their poverty in the beginning and I think it makes the luck Charlie has even more amazing.
This is a tremendously deep book. It's about whether or not it's worth it to love-because you can get hurt. Edward goes through a tremendous change throughout the book and it's hard for me to get through the last page without tears. Lots of opportunities for activities to compare perspectives. I usually follow up with the Veleveteen Rabbit and we compare those two titles.
There are a few parts I skip that talk about things that happened in the war but otherwise I think this is a great story of an ESL student making his way in America. The main character is a refugee who is thrilled to have his own desk at school and accidentally puts the dishes in the washing machine. An opportunity for discussions about adapting to new situations and helping people who may not understand.
I truly believe every teacher should read this book. The protagonist is an odd bird and his teachers don't always understand him. Discussions about how differences make us stronger are my favorite part of sharing this story with kids.
Dad is late coming home with milk from the store and he weaves a revolutionary tale of why that is. Storytelling at its finest.
Melody is in a wheelchair and cannot speak but she is just like other kids. In places this book is poetic and what happens to Melody at the end still angers me. Great discussions about how to treat people with disabilities.
The donkey's mother died and they don't expect the baby to live very long. A great book to display empathy and how to care for animals. There is a parallel story about the boy's brother who is abroad as a soldier.
I was one of those people who believed my stuffed animals had feelings. This book details what the dolls do when the humans are not looking.
Tua sees an elephant being mistreated so she takes it. Again, empathy for animals and discussions on ethics and fighting for social justice.
My new favorite to read aloud. Funny and genuinely fun to read. Wedgie is a very energetic Corgi and Gizmo is a guinea pig with plans to rule the world. Great example of voice in writing. (I've never seen a dog's voice captured better!)
A little long for the little ones, but it's exciting so it will keep their attention. The robot has to adapt to survive in the wilderness. Discussions about how a character can change and also things like "would you like to have a robot for a mother?"
I change up the books I read from year to year and I LOVE finding new ones to share with my students.
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