Picture Books to Teach Reading/Writing Skills
CAUSE and EFFECT
*IF YOU GIVE A MOOSE A MUFFIN, Laura Joffe Numeroff
*IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE
*IF YOU GIVE A PIG A PANCAKE
*ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY, Judith Viorst
*CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, Judi Barrett
*THE STRANGER, Chris Van Allsburg
*THE GIVING TREE, Shel Silverstein
*PECOS BILL, Stephen Kellogg
*THE DAY JIMMY’S BOA AT THE WASH
*JIMMY’S BOA BOUNCES BACK, Trinka Hakes Noble
*JIMMY’S BOA AND THE BIG SPLASH BIRTHDAY BASH
*WHY MOSQUITOES BUZZ IN PEOPLE’S EARS, V. Aardema
*TODAY WAS A TERRIBLE DAY, Patricia Reilly Giff
*RUNAWAY BUNNY, Margaret Wise Brown
FAITHFUL ELEPHANTS, Tsuthiya
ON MONDAY WHEN IT RAINED, Cherryl Kachenmeister
ELBERT’S BAD WORD, Audrey and Don Wood
MAIN IDEA
*BALCKBERRIES IN THE DARK, Mavis Jukes
*IRA SLEEPS OVER, Bernard Waber
*POLAR EXPRESS, Chris Van Allsburg *We have this in English and Spanish
*THE DOORBELL RANG, Pat Hutchins
*THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD, Watty Piper
*TACKY THE PENGUIN, Helen Lester
I WISH I COULD FLY, Ron Harris
POINT OF VIEW
*THE PAIN AND THE GREAT ONE, Judy Blume
*THE TWO BAD ANTS, Chris Van Allsburg
*IRA SLEEPS OVER, Bernard Waber
*THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, James Marshall
*CINDERELLA, Charles Perrault
*THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, Jon Scieszka
*EARRINGS, Judith Viorst
*GEORGE AND MARTHA books, Harry Allard/James Marshall
*MY SECRET CAMERA: LIFE IN THE LODZ GHETTO, Frank Dabba Smith
*TWO BAD ANTS, Chris Van Allsburg
*JOYFUL NOISE: POEMS FOR TWO VOICES, Paul Fleischman
PRINCE CINDERS, Babette Cole
VOICES IN THE PARK, by Anthony Browne
VOICES OF THE ALAMO, Sherry Garland
VOICES FROM THE FIELD: CHILDREN OF MIGRANT FARMWORKERS TELL THEIR
STORIES, Interviews and photography by S. Beth Atkin
VOICES OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR: STORIES OF MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN
WHO LIVED THROUGH THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATE, Kendall Haven
VOICES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION: STORIES OF MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN
WHO FORGED OUR NATION, Kendall Haven
VOICES FROM THE TRAIL OF TEARS, edited by Vicki Rozema
WHEN THIS CRUEL WAR IS OVER: THE CIVIL WAR HOME FRONT, Duane Damon
WORDS WEST: VOICES OF YOUNG PIONEERS, Ginger Wadsworth
THE BEST LOVE POEMS EVER: A COLLECTION OF POETRY’S MOST ROMANTIC
VOICES, edited by David Rohlfing
BIG TALK: POEMS FOR FOUR VOICES, Paul Fleischman
I AM PHOENIX: POEMS FOR TWO VOICES, Paul Fleischman
HOLOCAUST MEMORIES: SPEAKING THE TRUTH, compiled by Elaine Landau
IF THE SHOE FITS: VOICES FROM CINDERELLA, Laura Whipple (poetry)
NATIVE UNIVERSE: VOICES OF INDIAN AMERICA, edited by Gerald McMaster and
Clifford E. Trafzer
QUIET STORM: VOICES OF YOUNG BLACK POETS, selected by Lydia Omolala Okutoro
SLAVE NARRATIVE: THE JOURNEY TO FREEDOM, compiled by Elaine Landau
THROUGH A NIGHT OF HORRORS: VOICES FROM THE 1900 GALVESTON STORM,
edited by Casey Edward Greene
VOICES AND VISIONS: A COLLECTION OF PRIMARY SOURCES, compiled by William
L. Shulman
VOICES: POETRY AND ART FROM AROUND THE WORLD, selected by Barbara Brenner
THE JOLLY POSTMAN, Janet and Allan Ahlberg
DEEP IN THE FOREST, Brinton Turkle
THE THREE BEARS, Paul Galdone
SEQUENCING
*ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD,VERY BAD DAY, Judith Viorst
*THE SNOWY DAY, Ezra Jack Keats
*THE GINGERBREAD MAN – In the Grimm’s collection
*NAPPING HOUSE, Audrey and Don Wood
*THE TINY SEED, Eric Carle
*THE LITTLE RED HEN, Paul Galdone
*THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, Paul Galdone
*LOVE YOU FOREVER, Robert Munsch
*THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR, Eric Carle
*COOKIE’S WEEK, Cindy Ward
*HECKEDY PEG, Audrey Wood
*TIKKI, TIKKI, TEMBO, Arlene Mosel
GOODNIGHT OWL, Pat Hutchins
TEENY TINY WOMAN, Jill Bennett
DRAWING CONCLUSIONS/PREDICTING OUTCOMES
*JUMANJI, Chris Van Allsburg
*IS YOUR MAMA A LLAMA?, Deborah Guarino
*DADDY COULD I HAVE AN ELEPHANT? Jake Wolf
*I WENT WALKING, Sue Williams
*CATWINGS, Ursula K. LeGuin
PAPER BAG PRINCESS, Robert Munsch – in Munschworks
THE ELEVENTH HOUR, Graeme Base
ON A MONDAY WHEN IT RAINED, Cherryl Kachenmeister
WHAT CAN IT BE (RIDDLES ABOUT OUR BODIES), Jacqueline Ball
THE PUMPKIN SMASHER, Anita Benarde
THIS LITTLE PIGGY, Susan Hellard
PREDICTING OUTCOME
*CLICK, CLACK, MOO, Doreen Cronin
*THE SWEETEST FIG, Chris Van Allsburg
*TUESDAY, David Wiesner
*MYSTERIES OF HARRIS BURDICK, Chris Van Allsburg
*THE Z WAS ZAPPED, Chris Van Allsburg
*BARK, GEORGE Jules Feiffer
*THE FORTUNE-TELLERS, Lloyd Alexander
*GINGERBREAD BABY, Jan Brett
*HECKEDY PEG, Audrey Wood
*TOPS AND BOTTOMS, Janet Stevens
*DEAR MRS. LARUE: LETTERS FROM OBEDIENCE SCHOOL, Mark Teague
*SEVEN BLIND MICE, Ed Young
ARE YOU THERE, BABY BEAR?, Catherine Walters
I LOVE TO EAT BUGS, Strejan
THE NIGHT JOURNEY, Dowling
NOT IN THE HOUSE, NEWTON!, Judith Heide Gilliland
WORD STUDY
*A CACHE OF JEWELS (nouns), Ruth Heller
*A CHOCOLATE MOOSE FOR DINNER, Fred Gwynne
*IN A PICKLE AND OTHER FUNNY IDIOMS, Marvin Terban
* QUICK AS A CRICKET (similes), Audrey Wood
*ROSIE’S WALK (prepositions), Pat Hutchins
*WE’RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT, (sound words), Michael Rosin
*THE BOOK OF PEGERICKS, Arnold Lobel
*AMELIA BEDELIA (multi-meaning words), Peggy Parrish
*SLITHER, SWOOP, SWING (active verbs), Alex Ayliffe
THE KING WHO RAINED, Fred Gwynne
KNOW WHAT? NO, WHAT?, Arline and Joseph Baum
ONE WHOLE DOUGHNUT, ONE DOUGHNUT HOLE, Valjean McLenighan
THE SIXTEEN HAND HORSE, Fred Gwynne
ON MONDAY WHEN IT RAINED (words that describe feeling), Cherryl Kachenmeister
WORMS WIGGLE (active verbs), David Pelham and Michael Foreman
TURNIPS FOR DINNER (active verbs), Joy Cowley
ELABORATION
SAM’S SANDWICH, David Pelham (great metaphor for “juicing up” writing)
CHARACTERIZATION / CHARACTER TRAITS
*SARAH PLAIN AND TALL, Patricia MacLachlan
*THE PAIN AND THE GREAT ONE, Judy Blume
*STREGA NONA, Tomie dePaola
*SHEEP IN A JEEP, Nancy Shaw
*CLIFFORD books, Norman Bridwell
*AMELIA BEDELIA, Peggy Parrish
*CURIOUS GEORGE books, H.A. Rey
*MADELINE books, Ludwig von Bemelmans
*BUBBA AND BEAU, Kathi Appelt
AN ANTEATER NAMED ARTHUR, Bernard Waber
EXPRESSIVE NARRATIVE
*JUMANJI, Chris Van Allsburg
*CHARLOTTE’S WEB, E.B. White
*RUBY THE COPYCAT, Peggy Rathmann – my copy
*Bill Wallace books – Good for setting
*THE DAY JIMMY’S BOA ATE THE WASH, Trinka Hakes Noble
*BFG, Roald Dahl
*NUMBER THE STARS, Lois Lowry (Young Adult Novel)
*KING BIDGOOD’S IN THE BATHTUB, Don and Audrey Wood
*FROG AND TOAD books, Arnold Lobel
*GEORGE AND MARTHA books, Harry Allard/James Marshall
*ARTHUR, books, Marc Brown
*WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, Maurice Sendak
*SUSANNAH OF THE ALAMO, John Jakes
*THE PATCHWORK QUILT, Valerie Flournoy
*CATWINGS, Ursula K. Le Guin
*CARL GOES SHOPPING (wordless), Alexandra Day
*IMOGENE’S ANTLERS, David Small
*THE MITTEN, Jan Brett
*SYLVESTER AND THE MAGIC PEBBLE, William Steig
*CHRYSANTHEMUM, Kevin Henkes
*BORREGUITA AND THE COYOTE, Verna Aardema
*MIRETTE ON THE HIGH WIRE, Emily McCully
THE GOOD-LUCK PENCIL, Diane Stanley
AUNT ISABEL TELLS A GOOD ONE, Kate Duke
LITTLE MISS MUFFET, Ian Beck
THE COMPLETED HICKORY DICKORY DOCK, Jim Aylesworth
CHARLIE ANDERSON, Barbara Abercrombie
GUESS WHO MY FAVORITE PERSON IS, Byrd Baylor
IF YOU WERE A WRITER, Joan Nixon
THE SIGNMAKER’S ASSISTANT, Tedd Arnold
INFORMATIVE NARRATIVE
*HOW A BOOK IS MADE, Aliki - in Chinese
*PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY, Nadine B. Westcott (on tape)
*LITTLE BLUE AND LETTLE YELLOW, Leo Lionni
*THE QUICKSAND BOOK, Tomie dePaola
*GROWING VEGETABLE SOUP, Lois Ehlert
*GRANDFATHER TANGS’S STORY, Ann Tompert
*THE POPCORN BOOK, Tomie dePaola
*THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS series, Joanna Cole
*GALIMOTA, Karen Lynn Williams
*WATCH OUT FOR THE FEET IN YOUR CHICKEN SOUP, Tomie dePaola
*CRANBERRY THANKSGIVING, Wende Devlin
*PANCAKES, PANCAKES, Eric Carle
*MESSAGES IN THE MAILBOX: HOW TO WRITE A LETTER, Loreen Leedy
*FROM SEED TO PLANT, Gail Gibbons
THE BLUE BALLOON, Mick Inkpen
HOW TO HIDE AN OCTOPUS, Ruth Heller
IF YOU WERE A WRITER, Joan Nixon
MISS TIZZY, Libba Gray
BEAN AND PLANT, Christine Back
DESCRIPTION
*TWO BAD ANTS, Chris Van Allsburg
*JUMANJI, Chris Van Allsburg
*MANY LUSCIOUS LOLLIPOPS (adjectives), Ruth Heller
*ONION JOHN, Joseph Krumgold
*Gary Paulsen books
*SAINT GEORGE AND THE DRAGON, Margaret Hodges
*GO AWAY, BIG GREEN MONSTER, Ed Emberley
*QUICK AS A CRICKET, Audrey Wood
*THE EYES OF GRAY WOLF, Jonathan London
*BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, Bill Martin, Jr.
*OWL MOON, Jane Yolen
*THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS series, Joanna Cole
*THE LIBRARIAN FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, Mike Thaler
*WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, Maurice Sendak
*TAR BEACH, Faith Ringgold
*HARRY AND THE TERRIBLE WHATZIT, Dick Gackenbach
*WHO SAID RED?, Mary Serfozo
*THE DESERT IS THEIRS, Byrd Baylor
*KNOTS ON A COUNTING ROPE, Bill Martin
*HOME PLACE, Crescent Dragonwagon
NORTH COUNTRY NIGHT, Daniel San Souci
THE ELEPHANT’S CHILD, Rudyard Kipling – In the Just So Stories
THE TEACHER FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, Mike Thaler
HAILSTONES AND HALIBUT BONES, Mary O’Neill
SERENDIPITY books, Stephen Cosgrove
SHOES, Elizabeth Winthrop
FACT AND OPINION
*BRAVE IRENE, William Steig
*EARINGS!, Judith Viorst
*ALEXANDER, WHO USED TO BE RICH LAST SUNDAY, Judith Viorst
*SOMEBODY AND THE THREE BLAIRS, Marilyn Tolhurst
*WHAT IS A WISE BIRD LIKE YOU DOING IN A SILLY TALE LIKE THIS?, Uri Shulevitz
*THE STINKY CHEESEMAN, Jon Sceiska
I WILL NEVER NOT EVER EAT A TOMATO, Lauren Child
SHREK!, William Steig
COMPARE AND CONTRAST
*LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
* THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, Paul Galdone
* LON PO PO, Ed Young
*ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VRY BAD DAY,
Judith Viorst
*SOMEBODY AND THE THREE BLAIRS, Marilyn Tolhurst
*YEH-SHEN (a Chinese Cinderella story), Ai-Ling Douie
*THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, Jon Scieszka
*THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE, C.S. Lewis - novel
*TRUE CONFESSIONS OF CHARLOTTE DOYLE, Avi - novel
*THE SECRET GARDEN, Frances Hodgson Burnett - novel
*ONION JOHN, Joseph Krumgold - novel
*CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, Roald Dahl
*LITTLE WOMEN, Louisa May Alcott
*THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER, Jane Gerver
*MUFARO’S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS, John Steptoe
*ROUGH-FACE GIRL, Rafe Martin
*HEY, AL, Arthur Yorinks
*FROG AND TOAD books, Arnold Lobel
*SLEEPING UGLY, Jane Yolen
*TODAY WAS A TERRIBLE DAY, Patricia Reilly Giff
*PRINCESS FURBALL, Charlotte Huck
*THE THREE BEARS, any author
*RUBY, Maggie Glen
*CORDUROY, Don Freeman
*THE LITTLE RED HEN, Any author
*MISS NELSON IS MISSING, Harry Allard/James Marshall
*PEOPLE, Peter Spier
*FLOSSIE AND THE FOX, Patricia McKissack
*BLUEBERRIES FOR SAL, Robert McCloskey
*PIGGIES, Don and Audrey Wood
*THE TALKING EGGS, Robert D. San Souci
*BERENSTAIN BEARS FORGET THEIR MANNERS, Stan and Jan Berenstain
*THE WUMP WORLD, Bill Peet
*COUNTRY MOUSE AND CITY MOUSE, any author
*TACKY THE PENGUIN, Helen Lester
*EAST OF THE SUN, WEST OF THE MOON, Mercer Mayer
*THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES, Han Christian Anderson
*THE PRINCIPAL’S NEW CLOTHES, Stephanie Calmenson
*THE COWOY AND THE BLACK-EYED PEA, Tony Johnston
*CHICKEN LITTLE, Steven Kellogg
*WHEN I WAS YOUNG IN THE MOUNTAINS, Cynthia Rylant
BIG AL, Andrew Clements
CINDERELLA, Nicola Baxter
DEEP IN THE FOREST, Brinton Turkle
GOOD AS NEW, Barbara Douglass
“NOT NOW,” SAID THE COW, Joanne Oppenheim
THE ARABOOLIES OF LIBERTY STREET, Sam Swope
A WISH FOR WINGS THAT WORK, Berkeley Breathed
THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA, Janet Stevens
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, any author
THE GUNNYWOLF, A. Delaney
THE GUNNIWOLF, Wilhelmina Harper
PERSUASION
*THOMAS’ SNOWSUIT, Robert Munsch – in Munschworks
*MORTIMER, Robert Munsch– in Munschworks
*MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, Jean Craighead George
*A WRINKLE IN TIME, Madeline L’Engle
*ALEXANDER, WHO USED TO BE RICH LAST SUNDAY, Judith Viorst – in collection
*CHARLOTTE’S WEB, E.B. White
*EARRINGS, Judith Viorst
*JUST A DREAM, Chris Van Allsburg
*THE LORAX, Dr. Seuss
*THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, Jon Scieszka
*CORDUROY, Don Freeman
*A POCKET FOR CORDUROY, Don Freeman
*JULIUS, THE BABY OF THE WORLD, Kevin Henkes
*THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF, any author
*THE HUNDRED PENNY BOX, Sharon Bell Mathis
*PURPLE, GREEN, AND YELLOW, Robert Munsch
*THE GREAT KAPOK TREE, Lynne Cherry
*RUBY, Maggie Glen
*FOUR DOLLARS AND FIFTY CENTS, Eric Kimmel
*DEAR MRS. LARUE: LETTERS FROM OBEDIENCE SCHOOL, Mark Teague
A WISH FOR WINGS THAT WORK, Berkeley Breathed
I HATE MY BIG BROTHER HARRY
WHO BELONGS HERE?, Mary Knight
SAVE MY RAINFOREST, Monica Zak
PUNS
*IT LOOKS A LOT LIKE REINDEER, Brian Cleary
*YOU NEVER SAUSAGE LOVE, Brian Cleary
SIMILE
*QUICK AS A CRICKET, Audrey Wood
*COLOR ME A RHYME, Jane Yolen
*LET’S GET A PUP! SAID KATE, Bob Graham
*THE GIRL WHO LOVED WILD HORSES, Paul Goble
*CHANTICLEER AND THE FOX, Geoffrey Chaucer and Barbara Perry
*THE EYES OF THE GRAY WOLF, Jonathon London
*FEARLESS FERNIE: HANGING OUT WITH FERNIE AND ME, Gary Soto
SWING AROUND THE SUN, Barbara Juster Esbensen
TEN-SECOND RAINSHOWERS: POEMS BY YOUNG PEOPLE, Compiled by Sandford Lyne
METAPHOR
*LET’S GET A PUP! SAID KATE, Bob Graham
*THE GIRL WHO LOVED WILD HORSES, Paul Goble
*CHANTICLEER AND THE FOX, Geoffrey Chaucer and Barbara Perry
*THE EYES OF THE GRAY WOLF, Jonathon London
*FEARLESS FERNIE: HANGING OUT WITH FERNIE AND ME, Gary Soto
*THE ROUGH-FACED GIRL, Rafe Martin
*COME ON, RAIN by Karen Hesse
*KNOTS ON A COUNTING ROPE, Bill Martin
SWING AROUND THE SUN, Barbara Juster Esbensen
TEN-SECOND RAINSHOWERS: POEMS BY YOUNG PEOPLE, Compiled by Sandford Lyne
ENCOUNTER Jane Yolen
UP NORTH at the CABIN by Marsha Chall
COLOR
*COLOR ME A RHYME, Jane Yolen
HAILSTONES AND HALIBUTS (Poetry), Mary O’Neill
IMAGERY
*COLOR ME A RHYME, Jane Yolen
SILVER SEEDS, Paul Paolilli and Dan Brewer
SWING AROUND THE SUN, Barbara Juster Esbensen
WORDS WITH WINGS: A TREASURY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN POETRY AND ART, selected
by Belinda Rochelle
HYPERBOLE
*WORDS WITH WINGS: A TREASURY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN POETRY AND ART, selected
by Belinda Rochelle
PERSONIFICATION
*THE LITTLE HOUSE, Virginia Lee Burton
*THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT, Edward Lear
SWING AROUND THE SUN, Barbara Juster Esbensen
THERE’S A HAIR IN MY DIRT, Gary Larson
WORDS WITH WINGS: A TREASURY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN POETRY AND ART, selected
by Belinda Rochelle
DIALOGUE
*LET’S GET A PUP! SAID KATE, Bob Graham
*YO! YES?, Chris Raschka
*PINK AND SAY, Patricia Polacco
*THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT, Edward Lear
ONOMATOPOEIA
THE TRUCKER, Brenda and Mark Weatherby
A DIRTY PILE OF LAUNDRY: POEMS IN DIFFERENCT VOICES, selected by Paul
B. Janeczko
ALLITERATION
*SOME SMUG SLUG, Pamela Edwards
*MY MAMA HAD A DANCING HEART, Libba Moore Gray
*HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, Dr. Seuss