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TTT: Top 10 Picture Books I Read This Summer

October 1, 2013

Since I want to focus on keeping things positive for my reading recommendations, and I couldn’t really think of enough ideas for this week’s official Top Ten Tuesday topic, I decided to create my own. 🙂
I made it a priority to read more picture books starting this summer (I ended up reading almost 100 from the time school ended to the time it started again). As I’m using them more and more in my middle school classroom, I wanted to have a greater exposure to a variety of titles myself so I can make a more informed decision for the ones I share with my students. These are the ones I’m adding to my “picture books I need to get for my classroom” list for numerous reasons. Some fit unit ideas I have, some fit into units I already teach, some fit author studies, some are informative, some are useful as mentor texts, some have themes I want my students to be thinking about, some will help build classroom community, and some are just plain fun. *I’ve highlighted some other books over the summer, so this list is beyond those.

THE DARK by Lemony Snicket
MR. TIGER GOES WILD by Peter Brown
ART & MAX by David Wiesner
A DAY WITH NO CRAYONS by Elizabeth Rusch 
PRUDENCE WANTS A PET by Cathleen Daly
JOURNEY (wordless) by Aaron Becker
ON A BEAM OF LIGHT: A Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Berne
WATER SINGS BLUE: Ocean Poems by Katie Coombs

MR. ZINGER’S HAT by Cary Fagan
HELLO, MY NAME IS RUBY by Philip C. Stead

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Filed Under: Other, Picture Books

Comments

  1. Coranne says

    October 2, 2013 at 12:41 am

    What grades do you teach? You should Check out a Moose that says Moo and Elephant's Story- they are both cute! (Coming out this month)

    • Jillian Heise says

      October 4, 2013 at 12:57 am

      I teach 7th & 8th grade. I loved Elephant's Story! I got to read it early, and it's so cute.

  2. Anonymous says

    October 1, 2013 at 1:10 pm

    What a great idea…not that I know middle school students these days (my kids are grown!), but I love picture books. I also always thought middle school had to be the hardest to teach based on my kids at the time and volunteering at the school library! You have my admiration!

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