Finding good books to use in your classroom can be exhausting. In this post I will share 10 books I use in my classroom that I have learned about at conferences, through Google searches, or picked up during my travels abroad.
Petit Ours Brun aime la galette des Rois by Bayard Jeunesse
This is a great short story for la fête des Rois. I use it with my seventh graders. In the story, Petit Ours Brun and his mother and friend take part in the festivities of la fête des Rois. The language is simple, there are illustrations, and it ties right into the lesson. Click here to read my post about la fête des Rois. Below is a video of the book being read (email subscribers, click here to watch the video).
La main verte by Dolorès Mora
I picked this up in a bookstore in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. I read this story to my seventh graders every year. This is a rather bizarre story about a boy who gets chased by a giant green hand. A lot of the words have images on them, so the students can guess what they mean. There is also a lot of vocabulary that students learn during their first year of study. Since it’s intended for young children, the languages is again very simple.
Petit-Bleu et Petit-Jaune by Leo Lionni
This is an older book about two friends, who happen to be colors, who mix and become another color. I recently read this to my elementary class after doing a lesson on colors. It helps to first introduce what combining the primary colors makes. The story may be about colors, but there’s a social justice message below the surface that’s simple enough for young children to be able to talk about, but complex enough for higher level discussions as well. Below is a video of the book being read (email subscribers, click here to watch the video).
Nous sommes gentils by Monique Gray Smith
This book, which incorporates the author’s Cree background in its illustrations, teaches kids what it means to be kind. A lot of the language is very repetitive, and incorporates lots of descriptive adjectives. It’s perfect for my seventh grade students, but I also have plans to use it with my elementary class in an upcoming lesson. Below is a video of the book being read (email subscribers, click here to watch the video).
Ours brun, dis-moi ce que tu vois ? by Eric Carle
This is another great book to reinforce colors. Most likely you are already familiar with this book in English, in which animals take turns describing animals they see and what colors they are. My French Club students use this to teach colors and animals to their elementary classes, and then play a follow up game where students have to be the first to hold up a card of an animal of a particular color. Click here to learn more about this French Club endeavor. Below is a video of the book being read in French and English (email subsribers, click here to watch the video).
Tout le monde ! by Élise Gravel
Élise Gravel is a Canadian author and illustrator who publishes books in English and French. I read this book to my elementary class on the first week of one of our sessions. The book talks about how everyone makes mistakes and is human, but everyone deserves respect and acceptance. Again, the language is very simple and the illustrations are charming and promote diversity and acceptance. One of my students said she had this same book in her classroom, only in English! Below is a video of the book being read (email subscribers, click here to watch the video).
Bienvenue ! Un livre sur l’inclusion by Alexandra Penfold
I first learned about this book at a NYSAFLT Summer Institute conference. This is yet again a book translated from English. The book shows children and adults from all different backgrounds (such as what you see on the cover), and states over and over that no matter what your background is, you’re welcome here. I read this during the first week of school with my seventh graders and then I show them my “Humain” poster that I designed (see below). I’ve also read it with my elementary class. Click here to read more about what I do the first week of school. Below is a video of the book being read on YouTube. Email subscribers, click here to watch the video.
Pop mange de toutes les couleurs by Pierrick Bisinski
This is a very simple story with simple language about a dinosaur who eats all the colors and turns multicolored. It’s a great way to introduce colors to students. I’ve used it both with my seventh graders and with my elementary class. Below is a video version of the book (email subscribers, click here to watch the video).
On s’aime quand même – en couleurs
I was looking for a new story or book to introduce colors to my elementary class, since I had already done Pop mange de toutes les couleurs, and I came upon this one. It’s very short, and the language is very simple, plus it has a message of accepting one another. What’s not to like? Below is a video of the story being read (email subscribers, click here to watch the video).
Poisson un, poisson deux, poisson rouge, poisson bleu by Dr. Seuss
This is a classic book I tend to pull out any time I am looking for something to read to my seventh grade students on a day when we have a few extra minutes at the end of class. The language in this book is not particularly simple like the other books on this list, so it requires some translating, but it’s a fun read and does contain some familiar words. It’s also not a story with a plot, so you can basically just start anywhere you like in the book, and there’s no need to read the whole thing either. Students also enjoy looking at this book as part of our classroom library.
What are some favorite books that you have in your classroom?
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Great choices!