It’s time for one of my favorite blogging events of the year–#pb10for10! Cathy Mere and Mandy Robek host, so visit their blogs for more details. It’s easy to play: simply put together a list of 10 picture books you can’t live without.
I had a lot of ideas for themes this year, but ultimately decided to focus on the ten books I’m most excited about sharing with my students this fall. Inspired by Jillian Heise, I’m planning to add picture #classroombookaday to all of my classes. I can’t wait to spread the picture book love among my college students.
A book to show us that mistakes and failures are part of the process of making beautiful things.
A book about imagination and creativity and how much richer our lives are when we love books.
In the hopes that “skilly” can become part of our shared vocabulary
A terrific book to encourage a growth mindset, this story is therapy for all my many perfectionist control freak students.
Ish is pretty much my metaphor for life—and definitely a metaphor for teaching that I like to share with my students. This is a deceptively simple story with such wisdom and generosity at its center.
Somehow I always manage to find a place for The Story of Fish & Snail on every picture book list I make. Because we all need reminders to be brave.
A book I first discovered via Katherine Sokolowski and now one of my favorite mentor texts and prompts for incredibly rich student writing.
One of my favorite books for disturbing the universe. My college students can’t believe this kind of thing can happen in a picture book. Of course I follow up with This Is Not My Hat and their universe tilts just a little bit more.
An important story about how we treat others. The unresolved ending leaves so much to talk about.
So many clever excuses for why the homework didn’t get done—and an even more clever teacher who sees right through them. I can’t wait to use this for a writing prompt.
the dirigible plum 
23 responses to “10 Picture Books I Can’t Wait to Share with My College Students #pb10for10”
I love that you’ll be sharing #bookaday with your college students! And if these books don’t reel them in, I don’t know what will! You’ll have to give us an update later in the fall.
Gladly! I have several students in overlapping classes so I have to decide if I’m doing a different book for every class period or if my students who have me twice in a day just get to hear the same title twice. Who wouldn’t want to listen to Ballet Cat twice?!
I love that you use Jon Klassen titles to mess with the minds of your students! My little ones love him! As do I. And I love that they will meet Sadie and think about being “skilly”
We usually get good conversations about Sam & Dave too. How I love the skilliness of Cheetah!!
I love that you are sharing these titles and the book-a-day challenge with your college students. How will you do this? Are you reading to them in classes? Or challenging them to do it on their own? I teach graduate students in literacy and am participating in the Global Read Aloud Project. Have you considered that too? Thanks for a great post!
Stephanie
I read aloud in class. I’ve always shared picture books sporadically, but this fall I’m going to be much more intentional. Last year, I did Global Read Aloud in one of my classes and my students loved it, so this year I’m planning to add it to two more classes. Really love that reading event! Mostly I love any excuse to buy more books, LOL. Thanks for commenting!
Elisabeth, I’m glad that you and Stephanie are connecting! You both do amazing work with your pre-service and grad students!
So many of these are my favorites! I love the idea of #classroombookaday with your college students. So amazing!
I think #classroombookaday is going to be so fun! I need to start planning my piles of books!
Love that you are planning on reading more with #classroombookaday with your students! Yea to books! So many favorites, but I’m missing that silly Cheetah book! Adding it now!
The Cheetah book is so funny. I do love Bob Shea’s books.
You have SO many of my favorite titles here! You picked a great list to share with your college students! I don’t know I Didn’t do my Homework because… so I will definitely check that one out!
I am sure that my pre-service teachers will appreciate the many excuses in I Didn’t Do My Homework… it’s fun! And GREAT illustrations!
You have so many of our favorite titles on this list. We can’t wait to read I didn’t Do My Homework Because… – Looks hysterical.
There’s another one by same author/illustrator team, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to School, that I can’t wait to read.
I too work with university level students (teacher prep) and love it when kids books totally take them by surprise. They often don’t realize how sophisticated, intense, wry or beautiful they can be. Klassen is perfect for this! Thanks for your offerings.
Tammy
Apples with Many Seeds
I am glad to see another teacher educator in this project! Are you sharing 10 for 10 with your students or trying the #classroombookaday challenge?
There’s just so much we can do with picture books–they’re absolutely sophisticated and complex. I love using them to teach literary elements.
So happy to see you use these books with your students, Elisabeth. I am excited to find “Cheetah Can’t Lose”. I will also be adding “Beautiful Oops” to my Genius list. Thanks!
Cheetah Can’t Lose is a delight–as are all of Bob Shea’s books. (I’m also very partial to Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great and Ballet Cat.) I do think his sense of humor appeals more to a certain type of reader!
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Finally time to read some of the #PB10for10 posts. I know these, except for Cheetah Can’t Lose, sounds good, Elisabeth. I do love the new This Is Sadie, and have used What You Know First many times. I do love Beautiful Oops, too. Great list for your students!
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