Read-aloud time is my favorite part of the day. We come together as a class to listen and discuss books. The conversation is important because it helps us grow. 

There are many ways to choose read-aloud books. I look for books that will spark conversations. I also like to use the first book in a series because it will inevitably hook students and they will want to read more!

Here are some of my favorite read-aloud titles:

This book is perfect for starting the school year. It opens discussions about being new and fitting in with classmates. The story is told through multiple characters and their unique perspectives. 

One of my favorite activities is to compare and contrast the book and movie. It is interesting to see which version my students like better. I would choose the book version every time. 

This is the first book in a series. It is told through the eyes of seven different characters. This book is great to use when discussing point of view and perspective. Last year my students brought up the idea of stereotypes. We used this book to discuss that big idea, too. 

My students loved finding dollar words while reading this book. They found them everywhere!

This book is part of the Rick Riordan Presents series. Rick Riordan presents is a part of the Disney Hyperion publishing company and the goal, according to the website, is “…to publish great middle-grade authors from underrepresented cultures and backgrounds, to let them tell their own stories inspired by the mythology and folklore of their own heritage.”

I am working to add more books from other cultures to my classroom library. Fantasy is my favorite genre so I was excited to read this last year. My class loved it! Rick Riordan highlights many other authors, too. You can find out more on his website. 

This is one of my favorites! The main character does not like to read. He loves playing games. As you can guess from the title he has to escape from the library. 

My class loved the book. We made rebus puzzles and board games when we finished. There are other books in this series, too. 

This book is wonderful. The story takes place on 9/11, but the book is about friendship and hope. The book is told from two different characters point of view. The chapters alternate between the main character and the man in the white shirt. 

My students had a lot of questions about 9/11. I paired this book with I Survived 9/11 to help. This book is great for discussing theme. 

This book is not available until October 2019. But, it has my curiosity piqued. It is about a girl that writes about the perfect best friend. She calls her Zoe. Her writing notebook disappears and a girl named Zoe moves to town. 

I can’t wait to read this book. I hope that it is as good as it sounds. I have a lot of possible ideas to go along with it. 

What books do you read aloud to your class? Let me know in the comments below.