JoEllen McCarthy’s Favorite Books

JoEllen McCarthy champions the power of read alouds and explores her vision for this work for teachers, families, and students in her book, Layers of Learning: Using Read Alouds to Connect Literacy and Caring Conversations.

JoEllen believes there is no tool more powerful than a picture book and sharing stories can promote a love of oneself, a love of learning, and through a heartprint framework reflect limitless possibilities for both! She demonstrates the ways we can layer our academic and affective standards using books as our coteachers for lessons in reading, writing, and life!

To invite conversations to do this work, you can check out her ever changing “unlist of books.” This will help to shift your thinking from that book… to books that….” because beyond the books, some of the most important lessons we can teach are often those led by children, stirred by a read aloud.

Books that Help Address All the Feels

I Feel!: A Book of Emotions (I Will!) by Juana Medina

Grumpy Monkey (Grumpy Monkey) by Suzanne Lang

Sometimes I'm Bombaloo (A Big Feelings Book) by Rachel Vail

Sometimes I Grumblesquinch (A Big Feelings Book) by Rachel Vail

Many Colors of Harpreet Singh by Supriya Kelkar

My Cold Plum Lemon Pie Bluesy Mood by Tameka Fryer Brown

In My Heart: A Book of Feelings (Growing Hearts) by Jo Witek

My Heart Fills with Happiness by Monique Gray Smith

What's Sweeter by June Tate

Me Gusta (English With Some Spanish) by Angela Dominguez

Books that Celebrate Reading & More

All of the Factors of Why I Love Tractors by Davina Bell

House for Every Bird by Megan Maynor

My Very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World by Malcolm Mitchell

Loud Librarian by Jenna Beatrice

Walk in the Words by Hudson Talbott

This Is a Story by John Schu

Once Upon a Book by Grace Lin

Library by Nikki Giovanni

Everything in Its Place: A Story of Books and Belonging by Pauline David-Sax

Books that Teach Concepts While Celebrating Culture  & Community

Marta! Big & Small (English With Some Spanish) by Jen Arena

Round Is a Mooncake: A Book of Shapes by Roseanne Thong

Green Is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colors by Roseanne Greenfield Thong

Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets: A Muslim Book of Shapes by Hena Khan

What Will Fit? (Storytelling Math) by Grace Lin

Grandma's Tiny House: A Counting Story! by Janay Brown-Wood

How to Two by David Soman

Bracelets for Bina's Brothers by Rajani Larocca

Books that Honor Families & More

Family Is a Family Is a Family by Sara O'Leary

Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke

Drawn Together by Minh Le

Poemas Familiares Para Cada Día de la Semana: Family Poems for Every Day of the Week (Bilingual English/Spanish) by Francisco X Alarcon

Saturday by Oge Mora

Under My Hijab by Hena Khan

Tell Me a Tattoo Story by Alison McGhee

Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle by Nina Lacour

Morning with Grandpa by Sylvia Liu

Plenty of Hugs by Fran Manushkin

Pop Pop and Me and a Recipe by Irene Smalls

Mi Casa Is My Home (English With Some Spanish) by Laurenne Sala

Far Apart, Close in Heart: Being a Family When a Loved One Is Incarcerated by Becky Birtha

Books that Invite Conversations Around Hope and Healing

Jenny Mei Is Sad by Tracy Subisak

I Am Okay to Feel by Karamo Brown

Why Do We Cry? by Fran Pintadera

Little Hummingbird by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas

Calling the Wind: A Story of Healing and Hope by Trudy Ludwig

Breathe by Scott Magoon

I Need a Hug by Aaron Blabey

Pinch of Love by Barry Timms

Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Griffin

JoEllen McCarthy is a lifelong learner, educator, and literacy specialist who spends her days teaching and learning alongside students, teachers, and administrators. As a literacy consultant and a Book Ambassador for The Educator Collaborative, she gets to spread her enthusiasm for literature through an exploration of powerful picture books that help layer reading and writing connections and nurture a more inclusive, responsive, caring community of learners. Learn more about her work in Layers of Learning: Using Read Alouds to Connect Literacy and Caring Conversations, connect with her via social media at @JoEllenMcCarthy, or visit her website.