Recommended Books for Interactive Read Aloud
Title |
Author |
Genre (theme) |
Suggested Grades |
The Babe and I |
D. Adler |
Realistic Fiction Picture Book (family, hard times) |
K–3 |
Mr. Popper’s Penguins |
R. Atwater |
Fantasy Chapter Book |
3–4 |
Poppy |
Avi |
Fantasy Chapter Book |
2–5 |
Tuck Everlasting |
J. Babbitt |
Fantasy Chapter Book |
4–5 |
I’m in Charge of Celebrations; The Other Way to Listen |
B. Baylor |
Poetry Picture Books |
1–4 |
Double Fudge; Freckle Juice; The Pain and the Great One; Superfudge; Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing |
J. Blume |
Realistic Fiction Chapter Books |
3–5 |
Flat Stanley |
J. Brown |
Fantasy Easy Chapter Book |
1–3 |
Cheyenne Again; Fly Away Home; A Picnic in October; Smoky Night |
E. Bunting |
Realistic/Historical Fiction Picture Books |
K–2 |
Ruby’s Wish |
S. Y. Bridges |
Historical Fiction or Narrative Nonfiction Picture Book (determination; breaking gender stereotypes) |
K–3 |
The Principal’s New Clothes |
S. Calmenson |
Realistic Fiction Picture Book (school, humor) |
K–3 |
The Stories Julian Tells; More Stories Julian Tells; The Stories Huey Tells; More Stories Huey Tells |
A. Cameron |
Realistic Fiction Short Stories (brothers, humor) |
K–3 |
The Most Beautiful Place in the World |
A. Cameron |
Realistic Fiction Short Chapter Book (family, poverty) |
3–5 |
Hairs/Pelitos |
S. Cisneros |
Realistic Fiction Picture Book (family, diversity) |
K–3 |
Woman Hollering Creek; The House on Mango Street |
S. Cisneros |
Realistic Short Stories (family, Hispanic culture) |
3–5 |
Ramona [series]; Dear Mr. Henshaw; Socks; Ralph S. Mouse |
B. Cleary |
Realistic Fiction and Fantasy Chapter Books (family, friendship) |
2–5 |
Frindle; The Landry News; The Janitor’s Boy; The School Story; A Walk in the Woods; The Jacket |
A. Clements |
Realistic Fiction Chapter Books (school, social issues, family, friendship) |
3–5 |
Big Al |
A. Clements & Yoshi |
Fantasy Picture Book (friendship, acceptance) |
K–3 |
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes |
E. Coerr |
Realistic Fiction or Narrative Nonfiction Chapter Book (illness, determination) |
3–5 |
Molly’s Pilgrim |
M. Cohen |
Historical Fiction Short Chapter Book (immigration; acceptance) |
2–5 |
Miss Rumphius |
B. Cooney |
Picture Book (breaking gender stereotypes; giving back to the community) |
K–3 |
Love That Dog |
S. Creech |
Poetry |
3–5 |
Walk Two Moons |
S. Creech |
Chapter Book (family; friendship) |
3–5 |
Bud, Not Buddy; The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 |
C.P. Curtis |
Historical Fiction Chapter Books (determination; fighting racism) |
3–5 |
Matilda; The BFG; The Witches; James and the Giant Peach; Flying Solo |
R. Dahl |
Fantasy Chapter Books (humor, family; friendship) |
2–5 |
Because of Winn Dixie; The Tiger Rising |
K. DiCamillo |
Realistic Fiction Chapter Books (family; friendship) |
3–5 |
Abuela |
A. Dorros |
Fantasy Picture Book (family; culture) |
K–2 |
Yolanda’s Genius |
C. Fenner |
Realistic Fiction Chapter Book (determination; family) |
3–5 |
Title |
Author |
Genre (theme) |
Suggested Grades |
Seedfolks; The Whipping Boy |
S. Fleishman |
Realistic and Historical Fiction Short Chapter Books (unity; determination; friendship) |
3–5 |
My Side of the Mountain |
J.C. George |
Realistic Fiction Chapter Book (finding oneself; survival) |
3–5 |
My Mama Had a Dancing Heart |
L.M. Gray |
Realistic Fiction Picture Book (family; seasons) |
K–2 |
Childtimes |
E. Greenfield |
Memoir Chapter Book (culture; racism; growing up) |
4–5 |
For the Love of the Game; Grandpa’s Face; Honey, I Love |
E. Greenfield |
Poetry Picture Books (family; culture) |
K–3 |
Just Juice; Out of the Dust |
K. Hesse |
Realistic Fiction and Historical Fiction Poetry Chapter Books (determination; survival; family) |
3–5 |
Red Scarf Girl |
J.L. Jiang |
Memoir Chapter Book (determination; family; culture) |
5+ |
The Phantom Tollbooth |
Juster |
Fantasy Chapter Book |
3–5 |
Peach and Blue |
S. Kilbrone |
Fantasy Picture Book (friendship) |
K–2 |
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler; The View from Saturday |
E.L. Konigsburg |
Chapter Books (friendship) |
3–5 |
Throwing Shadows |
E.L. Konigsburg |
Short Stories (relationships) |
3–5 |
Wilma Unlimited |
K. Krull |
Narrative Nonfiction Picture Book (determination; women and African-American firsts) |
K–3 |
A Wrinkle in Time |
M. L’Engle |
Fantasy Chapter Book (determination; good vs evil) |
4–5 |
The Chronicles of Narnia [series] |
C.S. Lewis |
Fantasy Chapter Books (good vs. evil) |
3–5 |
Hey World, Here I Am! |
J. Little |
Short Stories, Poems (noticings on life) |
3–5 |
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson |
B. Loro |
Realistic Fiction Chapter Book (immigration, friendship, family) |
4–5 |
The Giver; Gathering Blue; Son |
L. Lowry |
Science Fiction Chapter Books (dystopia) |
5+ |
Number the Stars |
L. Lowry |
Historical Fiction Chapter Book (Holocaust; defending others and truth) |
4–5 |
Arthur for the Very First Time; Baby; Journey; Sarah Plain and Tall; Skylark |
P. MacLachlan |
Historical Fiction Chapter Books |
2–5 |
Knots on a Counting Rope |
B. Martin Jr. |
Realistic Fiction Picture Book (family; Native American; overcoming challenges) |
K–3 |
The Honest to Goodness Truth |
P.C. McKissack |
Realistic Fiction Picture Book (truth; standing up) |
K–3 |
Roxaboxen |
A. McLerran |
Realistic Fiction Picture Book (power of imagination) |
K–3 |
Baseball Saved Us |
K. Mochizuki |
Picture Book (Japanese internment; determination; fighting racism) |
K–3 |
The Three Questions |
J. Muth |
Picture Book (life questions; helping others) |
K–3 |
Black Cat; Wings |
C. Myers |
Poetry; Picture book |
K–3 |
Shiloh [series] |
P.R. Naylor |
Realistic Fiction Chapter Books (standing up; growing up) |
3–5 |
Mick Harte Was Here |
B. Park |
Short Chapter Book (death; coping with loss; family) |
3–5 |
Bridge to Terabithia; Flip-Flop Girl; The Great Gilly Hopkins |
K. Paterson |
Realistic Fiction Chapter Books (death; coping with loss overcoming challenges) |
5+ |
Hatchet; Brian’s Winter; The Cookcamp; The Monument |
G. Paulsen |
Realistic Fiction Chapter Books (survival; growing up) |
5+ |
The Rainbow Fish |
M. Phister |
Fantasy Picture Book (friendship) |
K–3 |
Title |
Author |
Genre (theme) |
Suggested Grades |
Babushka’s Doll; The Bee Tree; Chicken Sunday; Just Plain Fancy; The Keeping Quilt; My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother; My Ol’ Man; Thank You Mr. Falker; Thunder Cake; Tikvah Means Hope |
P. Polacco |
Historical Fiction Picture Books (culture; friendship; overcoming challenges) |
K–3 |
Tar Beach |
F. Ringgold |
Historical Fiction and Autobiographical Picture Book (culture; growing up) |
K–3 |
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever |
B. Robinson |
Realistic Fiction Chapter Book (humor, family) |
3–5 |
Earthdance |
J. Ryder |
Poetry Picture Book (unity; conservation) |
K–2 |
An Angel for Solomon Singer; Appalachia; The Bookshop Dog; Dog Heaven; Miss Maggie; The Relatives Came; Scarecrow; The Whales; The Wonderful Happens |
C. Rylant |
Realistic Fiction Picture Books (perspective; life) |
K–3 |
Every Living Thing |
C. Rylant |
Short Stories (family; friendship; animals) |
3–5 |
Missing May |
C. Rylant |
Realistic Fiction Chapter Book (family, loss) |
3–5 |
Dogs Don’t Tell Jokes; Holes; There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom; Sideways Stories from Wayside School |
L. Sachar |
Fiction (school; humor; friendship; bullying; determination) |
3–5 |
Abiyoyo |
P. Seeger |
Folktale Picture Book (culture; acceptance) |
1–2 |
The Cricket in Times Square |
G. Seldon |
Fantasy Chapter Book (friendship; family) |
3–4 |
A Bad Case of Stripes; How Georgie Radbourn Saved Baseball; The Rain Came Down |
D. Shannon |
Fiction Picture Books |
K–2 |
A Taste of Blackberries |
D. Smith |
Short Chapter Book (friendship; loss) |
4–5 |
The War with Grandpa |
R.K. Smith |
Realistic Fiction Chapter Book (humor; family) |
3–5 |
Baseball in April and Other Stories |
G. Soto |
Short Stories (family; Hispanic culture) |
2–5 |
Sign of the Beaver |
E.G. Speare |
Historical Fiction (fighting racism; overcoming challenges; culture) |
5+ |
Crash; Maniac Magee; Wringer; The Library Card |
J. Spinelli |
Chapter Books; Short Stories |
3–5 |
Stevie |
J. Steptoe |
Picture Book (family; overcoming challenges) |
K–3 |
Angel Child, Dragon Child |
M. M. Surat |
Narrative Nonfiction Picture Book (family; immigration; overcoming challenges) |
K–3 |
The Tenth Good Thing About Barney |
J. Viorst |
Realistic Fiction Picture book (pets; loss) |
3–5 |
The Other Side |
J. Woodson |
Realistic Fiction Picture Book (friendship; fighting racism; overcoming challenges) |
K–3 |
Always my Dad; Something Beautiful |
S.D. Wyeth |
Realistic Fiction Picture Books (overcoming challenges) |
1–3 |
The Devil’s Arithmetic |
J. Yolen |
Historical Fiction Chapter Book (Holocaust) |
5+ |
Welcome to the Green House |
J. Yolen |
Poetry Picture Book |
K–3 |
