Best Back to School Read Alouds for the ELA Classroom
I currently teach middle school (7th and 8th grade), and there are few things my students love more in class than listening to a nice picture book. It used to surprise me until I learned that some of them were very rarely read to as young children. How sad!
Studies show how important children’s books are for building empathy and a vast working vocabulary in children – not to mention how consistent reading boosts imagination. Why do we stop reading fun, colorful, amazing books in upper grades?
I know all about the time constraints middle school teachers face – I live them every day! But I’m convinced that thoughtfully incorporating children’s books into your lessons and curriculum map will increase student enjoyment of reading AND build empathy in your kiddos. Doesn’t the world (and the beginning of the school year) need a little more kindness?
Here are my favorite back to school read-alouds to start the school year off strong! I’ll be using some of them this year!
- If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson
Warning! You might need a tissue for this one. The first time I read this sweet story, I was freshly postpartum with our first baby (hence the sobbing), and it has remained one of my favorite ways to lay a foundation for kindness in my classroom. I usually read this on the second or third day of class. The bold illustrations show how planting seeds of anger, jealousy, and bitterness will always come to fruition.
But, just the same, planting seeds of kindness and love will always bloom, too – and it will be so beautiful! I use this book to encourage students to plant seeds of positivity in the classroom and in their daily lives as students in our school. I love it! + the illustrations are so cute.
- Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
I remember this lovely story so vividly from childhood. It tells the story of a little mouse with a lengthy name. She is proud of her name and herself until peers at school begin making fun of her. I love how this simple and beautifully illustrated story encourages children to keep a tight grasp on what makes them who they are and what makes them special.
Middle school is often a time when kids try to blend in. I hope this story pushes them to be uniquely themselves, while also encouraging everyone to be kind to others! Plus, you can’t go wrong with Henkes’ award-winning illustrations. I keep telling myself I should print some of them out and hang them in my classroom!
- Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
Most of the books on the list end on a happy note, but this poignant ending – the main character realizes she has lost her chance to be nice to a new classmate after the girl moves away – teaches a real lesson for middle schoolers. This is a great way to emphasize the importance of welcoming all students no matter when they arrive in the year. The ending is one that will stick in students’ heads and hopefully change their perspective on kindness. We read lots of Jacqueline Woodson in my classes, so this is a great first look at her craft!
- Your Name Is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
It never fails . . . every year I have one precious, quiet student who tells me that I’m pronouncing her name wrong . . . in MAY. I love my kiddos, and most of them are so easy-going, but I want them to have the courage to always speak up for themselves, especially how to pronounce their name, especially since I ask if i’m saying names correctly on the first few days!
This book is my jumping-off point for helping kids develop that courage. This amazing book celebrates the diversity in names, culture, and student experiences. Names are chosen with care, and I want students to be proud of their own.
- After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again) by Dan Santat
Mistakes. We all make them. “Everybody has those days” (Hannah Montana, anyone?). This is the perfect book to confront making mistakes. It takes the well-known Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme and takes for a new spin. After the fall, Humpty is terrified of heights but slowly develops the courage to climb the wall again. The ending ALWAYS shocks students.
For middle school, it is the perfect way to help students think deeply about the power of getting back up again – and touches on metaphor which is always a plus, diving straight into our content!
I hope this list gives you some great ideas for the back to school season! I don’t own all of these books – I just request them from my local library to make sure they’re ready for the first weeks of school! But you don’t have to only use them in the first weeks of school. These lessons are great for anytime in the year. Students in middle school can always use some social-emotional support combined with pure fun!
