Books and Activities:
Whether you're a parent, teacher, the mystery reader
at your child's school, or just looking for an enriching and fun activity for kids or printable worksheets, these children's books are some of my favorites for elementary school!
Novels for students ages 9 and up, Click here.
Title
Grade Level
Grade LevelWhere's My Teddy?PK
PKby Jez Alborough
Activity: Have children bring their teddy bears for a special picnic.
Compare, sort, and contrast the bears by size, shape, color, and clothes.
Jacob and the Magic Polar BearsPK-2
PK-2By Janet Graber
Activity: This is a great pajama day story! Have children bring a special bedtime buddy.
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus PK-2
Pigeon Wants a Puppy
The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog
By Mo Willems
Who Will I Be, Lord? PK-2
By Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
Gregory, the Terrible Eater K
KBy Mitchell Sharmat
Diary of a Fly K-3
Diary of a Worm
Diary of a Spider
By Doreen Cronin
Hopalong Jack and the Blue BunniesK-1
K-1By Jeri Landers
Snack: Blueberry muffins. Activity: Wad up a sheet of blue paper. Children sit in a circle and pass the “blueberry” while counting to 100. Bring various musical instruments and have a musical bunny parade.Bus-a-saurus Bop K-2
How to Drive Your Sister Crazy
By Diane Z. Shore
The Paper Bag Princess K-2
K-2By Robert Munsch
Mr. Putter and Tabby chapter book series K-3
K-3By Cynthia Rylant
Dinner at Magritte’s K-3
K-3By Michael Garland
Activity: Teach children about surreal art (art from objects that wouldn’t normally be seen together) as illustrated in the book which describes artists Salvador Dali and Renee Magritte. Take in small paper plates, napkins, toothpicks and an odd assortment of treats (ex: marshmallows, fish crackers, pretzels, licorice, squirt cheese) Have children create surreal art with their treats.By Caralyn Buehner
Activity: Take in apples pre-cut width-wise to make stars in the center. Tell the children that they are each a special star, just like Superdog. Place a spoon of peanut butter on small plates. Make a graph on the chalk board showing how many children like apples with peanut butter and how many do not.Dylan: The Eagle Hearted Chicken K-3
K-3By David L. Harrison
Activity: Teachers, have children work in groups or as a class to write and illustrate their own superhero books about brave things they can do.Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (PRINTABLE WORKSHEET) K-3
By Judi Barrett
Tumble Tower K-3
K-3By Anne Tyler
Snack: Take in peanut butter and jelly triangle sandwiches and orange wedges. Teachers, have students draw a map of their rooms. Use this book to introduce your weekly Star Student program. Use as a fictional story starter for children writing about how they have helped their families from disaster.By Mary Jane and Herm Auch
By Laurie Keller
By Laurie Keller
The Backyard 1-3
1-3By John Collier
Activity: Teachers, use this book to introduce history and encourage respect for our earth. A great Earth Day book!Traction Man is Here! 1-3
Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog
By Mini Grey
George Washington and the General’s Dog 1-3
1-3By Frank Murphy
How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World1-3
1-3By Faith McNulty
Activity: Bring in different rocks, sands, gravels and build layers of earth in a clear glass vase as you read the book.Art Dog 1-4
By Thacher Hurd
Activity: This book has wonderful opportunities for children to practice their prediction skills through discussion, drawing or writing. At one of several turning points in the book, stop and have students make their predictions. Art Dog also provides a wonderful introduction to classical artists and their work. Have books or print outs of the real artwork for students to compare and find throughout the book.How the Sphinx Got to the Museum 1-4
1-4By Jessie Hartland
Hamlet and the Enormous Chinese Dragon Kite 1-4
1-4Hamlet and the Magnificent Sandcastle
By Brian Lies
Activity: Teachers, the Hamlet books are a great way to encourage discussions about friendship and conflict resolution with your students.Weslandia 1-4
1-4By Paul Fleischman
Activities: Teachers, after reading this book, have students write directions to a game they've invented, write out their plans for the summer, or write what they did on vacation. As a social studies connection, have students plan a town (including specifics elements such as roads, a fire station, school, neighborhoods, library, grocery store, etc.) Parents, using poles from a hardware or garden store, create a teepee and grow ivy to cover the poles for a shady summer hideout!Captain Underpants and the... 2-4
By Dav Pilkey
Super Chicken Nugget Boy 2-4
2-4By Josh Lewis
Escape North! The Story of Harriet Tubman3-5
3-5By Monica Kulling
Activity: Teachers, use for map study and introduction of the Underground Railroad.Miss Alaineus: A Vocabulary Disaster 3-5
3-5By Debra Frasier
Activity: Teachers, plan a spelling bee using the vocabulary words in the book. Have students draw a picture of their own vocabulary parade costumes. Then hang these pictures for a classroom parade around the room.The Popularity Papers: Research for the Social Improvement and General Betterment of Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang 4-5
By Amy Ignatow
Lawn Boy 4-5
By Gary Paulsen
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series
by Rick Riordan
Hoot
Flush
by Carl Hiaasen
Holes
by Louis Sachar
The Giver
by Lois Lowry
Bruce Coville's Alien Adventures:
Aliens Ate My Homework
I Left My Sneakers in Dimension X
The Search for Snout
Aliens Stole My Body
The Chessmen of Doom
The House With a Clock in it's Walls
by John Bellairs
Bobby Baseball
by Robert Kimmel Smith
The Boy Who Saved Baseball
By John H. Ritter
A Long Way from Chicago
A Year Down Yonder
by Richard Peck
Danger Zone
by David Klass
My Name is Brain Brian
by Jeanne Betancourt
Surviving the Applewhites
by Stephanie S. Tolan
Send Me Down a Miracle
Dancing on the Edge
by Han Nolan
Resistance
The White Witch
by Janet Graber
The Breadwinner
Parvana's Journey
by Deborah Ellis
Esperanza Rising
by Pam Munoz Ryan
Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time
by Lisa Yee
Each Little Bird that Sings
Love, Ruby Lavender
by Deborah Wiles
The View from Saturday
E.L. Konigsburg
Al Capone Does My Shirts
by Gennifer Choldenko
No More Dead Dogs
Swindle
by Gordon Korman
Because of Winn-Dixie
by DiCamillo
Olive's Ocean
by Kevin Henkes
Lily's Ghosts
by Laura Ruby
Lily B. on the Brink of Cool
Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
The Power of Un
by Nancy Etchemendy
Sam I Am
by Ilene Cooper
Seaman: The Dog Who Explored the West With Lewis and Clark
by Gail Langer Karwoski
The Ugly Princess and the Wise Fool
The Lovesick Salesman
by Margaret Gray
Every Soul a Star
by Wendy Mass
Feathers
by Jacqueline Woodson
Savvy
by Ingrid Law
Leaving the Bellweathers
by Kristin Clark Venuti
Danger Boy series
by Mark London Williams
Have your children click
"Kids Only" to cast their votes. I’ll try working
their favorites into my
children's books!
