If you are like me, you read many, many picture books during the first few weeks of school to settle into new routines and discuss the new school year’s expectations. What better way to build relationships than by getting cozy with your new students in your freshly organized classroom library and discussing exciting new books?
Picture books are also a great way to begin discussions about your classroom community. My goal is always to create a classroom atmosphere where students feel safe to take risks and feel a sense of belonging, not just for back-to-school season but for the entire school year.
The picture books listed below are my go-to books. I love to read them with my new students to begin creating a strong classroom community. These books allow for meaningful discussions and role-playing activities and have similar themes.
What I love about each of these books is that they have a main character who changes throughout the story, allowing for comparison and contrast of not just the stories but also the characters.
What I love about each of these books is that they have a main character who changes throughout the story, allowing for comparison and contrast of not just the stories but also the characters.
Be sure to grab the free printable activities to use with these books at the bottom of this post!
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This is one of my favorite books to read and refer back to all year long. This book is about a boy who feels like he doesn’t fit in with his peers and is strong enough to not be a follower to all the current trends. Instead, he begins his own land where he is free to be himself. The land he creates reflects his interests and his unique personality. He finds out that by being himself, he ends up with more friends than he could imagine. A fun follow up activity is for students to create their own land based on their interests and unique personalities. This is a great way for students to get to know one another, too. This is a definite must-read!
This book is filled with many metaphors, but truly perfect for any grade level. The main character of this book is Blue, who normally likes himself, except when hot-headed Red is around. With the backing of his colorful friends and a new friend too, Blue has the courage to stand up to Red. This book offers the opportunity to discuss how students can work together to look out for one another in your budding new classroom community. This cleverly written book will become your new favorite back to school read-aloud!
This book is about a quiet boy named Brian who literally feels invisible everywhere he goes while at school. The illustrations are amazing, with colors that reflect how Brian is feeling. When Brian is feeling invisible he is drawn in black and white. Brian becomes more colorful as his feelings change and he becomes visible to his peers at school. This story is very relatable, allowing students to make connections on each and every page.
Bonus Book Suggestion #1: Out of Nowhwere by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
This book is one that you will love to read to kick off the school year and then again to wrap up the school year as it celebrates the power of friendships. This book follows the friendship of Beetle and his friend Caterpillar as they became fast friends out of nowhere. But one day, Caterpillar disappears and so Beetle's search begins to find his missing friend. With obstacles in front of him, and distance between them, Beetle learns that true friendship endures changes!
Bonus Book Suggestions #2: The Together Tree by Aisha Saeed
The Together Tree, written by Aisha Saeed, is a must-read in every classroom during the back-to-school season! this story follows Rumi in his new school. The other kids do not welcome Rumi. He is teased for his shoes and the kids laugh at him, so he ends up spending recess alone under a big tree. After one student, Asher throws a rock at him, things change. Some other students go over to Rumi to check to see if he is okay. This sparks Rumi's beginning of new friendships. Over the next few days, Rumi shares the drawings he has made under the tree. By the end of the story, Rumi includes Asher in his new friendship group. I especially love the author's note at the end of this book! This is a must-read page as it sheds light on the true story that inspired the book!
These stories can be easily compared and contrasted by students in small groups after reading them aloud. With such similar themes, your students will have so much to talk about! Grab the free activities and discussion questions at the bottom of this post.
Kick off your classroom community discussions easily with these books. Use one a week for a few weeks, or one a day for a full week. Don;t forget to reveist these books all year long to keep your positive classroom community strong!
Looking to continue to discuss classroom community with your students each day? These quotes are a great way to engage students in discussing important themes like kindness, friendships, and, of course, community building! Perfect for morning meeting time or after-recess discussions.
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Check out my favorite bulletin boards to keep your classroom community strong like this one!
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*affiliate links: “Think Grow Giggle is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.” (source: Section 5)
