Books! Books! Books!

After listening to the podcast conversation between Dr. Betsy Baker and Dr. Heidi Anne Mesmer discussing Text Complexity, I thought it would be helpful to compile a list of books appropriate for each grade level.

1. How to be a Friend by Laurie Kransy Brown and Marc Brown is a book where fun dinosaur characters show different ways to be a good friend.
2. Alphabet Adventure by Audrey Wood is a book that brings the A, B, C's to life so younger children can learn the order of the letters, what they look like, and the different sounds they make.
3. David Goes to School by David Shannon is a book about a little boy named David who wrecks havoc in the classroom. Kindergarteners will find Davids antics silly and mischievous! 

1. The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister is a wonderful book about a fish that promotes sharing, kindness, friendship, and happiness.
2. Junie B.: First Grader, Toothless Wonder by Barbara Park is a book about a first grader who is about to lose a tooth and is having trouble dealing with the loss. First grade students can really relate to this book!
3. The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle is a book about a ladybug who is a bully. This book shows how to treat people nicely and how to share.

1. The Best Seat in the Second Grade by Katherine Henah is a book about a little boy who waits patiently for the day when he can be Hamster Helper in class. 
2. Dogku by Andrew Clements is a great way to introduce poetry and haiku into the classroom. 
3. Get Ready for Second Grade, Amber Brown by Paula Danzinger is a story about a girl named Amber who has to deal with a school bully.

1. 7x9=Trouble by Claudia Mills is a great way to introduce multiplication into the 3rd graders reading. The little boy in the book has trouble with Math, just like so many 3rd graders.
2. Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith is a book about a boy named Henry who eats too much chocolate.
3. Because of Wynn Dixie by Kate DiCamillio is a book about a little girl named Opal and her dog, Wynn Dixie, and the friendship they form to bring a little town together.

1. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinny is a book about a boy named Greg who starts at a new school and has trouble fitting in.
2. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl is a book about James and how he escapes his horrible life to and becomes a hero to his new insect family.
3. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis is a book that invokes imagination in a magical world.

1. Holes by Louis Sachar is a book about a boy named Stanley who is sentenced to dig holes. This is a thriller that all students can get into. 
2. Savvy by Ingrid Law is a book about a supernatural family where each member has superpowers. 
3. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech is a book about a 13 year old girl who desperately tries to find her mother by telling stories.

1. Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko is a book that follows a boy named Moose who moves to Alcatraz with his family in 1935. He lives his life in new surroundings with his Autistic sister.
2. Call of the Wild by Jack London is a book that takes place in the extremely cold Yukon and is about sled dogs.
3. Smile by Raina Telgemeier is a book about a girl with a variety of dental issues like braces who feels bad about herself.

A lot of these books can go up or down a grade level based on the child's reading level. 3rd grade is a great time to get students interested in chapter books. A great way to get students hooked on reading is finding them a book series that they find interesting. If you, as a teacher, can do this... their interest in books will never end!