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 
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