Clare Landrigan’s Favorite Books

Books create space for caregivers to invite children into a topic that may be challenging for them to articulate their feelings about and discuss. Books naturally scaffold and differentiate when we read with our kids, let them take the lead in conversations, and give them options for response like art, building, movement, discussion, and quietude. Here are some topics caregivers often request titles for and some texts I recommend to broaden the perspective on the topic so young readers can find mulitple connections and points of entry for response:

Loss

Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Griffin

Evelyn del Rey Is Moving Away by Meg Medina

Birdsong by Julie Flett

Grandpa's Stories by Joseph Coelho

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

Cape by Kevin Johnson

Fear

Brave Molly by Brooke Boynton-Hughes

Punky Aloha by Shar Tuiasoa

I Am Okay to Feel by Karamo Brown

Wallpaper by Thao Lam

Truman by Jean Reidy

Butterflies on the First Day of School by Annie Silvestro

Mistakes

Danbi Leads the School Parade (Danbi) by Anna Kim

Can I Give You a Squish? by Emily Neilson

We Don't Eat Our Classmates (A Penelope Rex Book #1) by Ryan T Higgins

Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg

Together We Ride by Valerie Bolling

Change

Map Into the World by Kao Kalia Yang

El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! (El Cucuy) by Donna Barba Higuera

Home Is in Between by Mitali Perkins

Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle by Nina Lacour

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

Jealousy

Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Khan

Party Hearty Kitty-Corn (Kitty-Corn) by Shannon Hale

Picture Book Biography Collections

Learning about people who impact our world is compelling and empowering. The more people we encounter as we read, the more possibilities we see for how we can use our strengths to change the world. These picture books are collections of people who are history makers.  Each text is organized around a theme, topic, time in history or character trait.  It is important for young readers to read nonfiction literature within and beyond the content area curriculum. Students need to have choice in their nonfiction reading to nurture their curiosity and passions.  These texts are perfect for independent reading, partner reading, read-aloud, and book clubs!

Tenacious: Fifteen Adventures Alongside Disabled Athletes by Patty Cisneros Prevo

In the Spirit of a Dream: 13 Stories of American Immigrants of Color by Aida Salazar

Yes We Will: Asian Americans Who Shaped This Country by Kelly Yang

Bravo!: Poems about Amazing Hispanics by Margarita Engle

Stand Up!: 10 Mighty Women Who Made a Change by Brittney Cooper

Lift Every Voice and Change: A Sound Book: A Celebration of Black Leaders and the Words That Inspire Generations by Charnaie Gordon

No Voice Too Small: Fourteen Young Americans Making History by Lindsay H. Metcalf

No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change by Lindsay H Metcalf

Voices of Justice: Poems about People Working for a Better World (Who Did It First?) by George Ella Lyon

We Can: Portraits of Power by Tyler Gordon

Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes by Wab Kinew

Amazing: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Inspire Us All by Maia Shibutani

A is for Aretha by Leslie Kwan

Rebel Girls Climate Warriors: 25 Tales of Women Who Protect the Earth (Rebel Girls Minis) by Rebel Girls

Wonders We Seek: Thirty Incredible Muslims Who Helped Shape the World by Saadia Faruqi

Notable Native People: 50 Indigenous Leaders, Dreamers, and Changemakers from Past and Present by Adrienne Keene

Justice Rising: 12 Amazing Black Women in the Civil Rights Movement by Katheryn Russell-Brown

Little Heroes of Color: 50 Who Made a Big Difference by David Heredia

New Royalty: Hoop Kings (Sports Royalty) by Charles R Smith

Hoop Kings (Sports Royalty) by Charles R Smith

Hoop Queens (Sports Royalty) by Charles R Smith

Soccer Queens (Sports Royalty) by Charles R Smith

Nice Jewish Girls by Julie Merberg

Kind Like Marsha: Learning from LGBTQ+ Leaders by Sarah Prager

Rainbow Revolutionaries: Fifty LGBTQ+ People Who Made History by Sarah Prager

Queer Heroes: Meet 53 LGBTQ Heroes from Past and Present! by Arabelle Sicardi

Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes by Juan Felipe Herrera

Latinitas: Celebrating 40 Big Dreamers by Juliet Menéndez

Rebel Girls Climate Warriors: 25 Tales of Women Who Protect the Earth (Rebel Girls Minis) by Rebel Girls

Clare Landrigan spent years serving as an educator and administrator in elementary public schools and is now a consultant partnering with school systems to implement best practices in the field of literacy. Clare is the coauthor of It’s All About the Books: How to Create Bookrooms and Classroom Libraries That Inspire Readers and Assessment in Perspective. She is on the board of The Book Love Foundation and leads the Book Love Summer Book Club. Clare blogs about books and the art of teaching on her website www.clarelandrigan.com and is co-authoring a book, The Possibilities of Poetry, with Aeriale Johnson in Fall 2024 (Stenhouse).