The whole month of November has been dedicated to celebrating picture books! Did you know? If not, that's ok - Picture Book Month is a brand new international initiative to designate November as picture book month and encourage people to celebrate literacy through picture books! This initiative was founded by a group of writers and illustrators, including Diane de Las Casas and Katie Davis, who believe that "in this digital age where people are predicting the coming death of print books, picture books (the print kind) need love. And the world needs picture books. There’s nothing like the physical page turn of a beautifully crafted picture book." with daily posts by some really impressive authors and/or illustrators of this art form.
The rhythm and tones, the delight and humor, the imagery and beauty that can be found in children's books are just a few reasons why I have found picture books to be integral tools I can use to bring language alive for my students. Whether teaching rhyming in Kindergarten or use of metaphors to make a story more interesting in 4th & 5th grade, I have found an abundance of quality children's literature out there to support my instruction.
When I moved from the kindergarten classroom to my current position as a fourth/fifth grade teacher, I knew that I didn't want to leave picture books behind. There would be opportunities to use picture books in powerful ways across my teaching day. Vacca & Vacca state in Content Area Reading:Literacy and Learning Across the Curriculum 
that a picture book "has the potential to act as a magnifying glass that enlarges and enhances the reader's personal interactions with a subject" ( 2005, p. 161). So true! They are a quick and convenient way to help older students activate their prior knowledge. There is a new focus on picture books that deliver difficult content in simple language. Contemporary picture books explore issues such as homelessness, war, drugs, death, violence, racism, and divorce. Using picture books as mentor texts for student writing is another way I have found to use them, as they contain vivid language and a variety of text structures. The beauty of using picture books in the upper grades (and I believe in middle and high school too) is that they can be read aloud in a few minutes and provide students with information connected to the concept or skill being introduced. They can be used for increasing fluency and expanding students' vocabularies. Picture books can be used to help differentiate instruction and make learning more fun and interactive for students of all ages. Really the possibilities are endless!
that a picture book "has the potential to act as a magnifying glass that enlarges and enhances the reader's personal interactions with a subject" ( 2005, p. 161). So true! They are a quick and convenient way to help older students activate their prior knowledge. There is a new focus on picture books that deliver difficult content in simple language. Contemporary picture books explore issues such as homelessness, war, drugs, death, violence, racism, and divorce. Using picture books as mentor texts for student writing is another way I have found to use them, as they contain vivid language and a variety of text structures. The beauty of using picture books in the upper grades (and I believe in middle and high school too) is that they can be read aloud in a few minutes and provide students with information connected to the concept or skill being introduced. They can be used for increasing fluency and expanding students' vocabularies. Picture books can be used to help differentiate instruction and make learning more fun and interactive for students of all ages. Really the possibilities are endless!Visit the Picture Book Month website to read fantastic essays about the importance of picture books written by an amazing group of authors & illustrators. You can also follow the posts on Twitter by following the hashtag #picturebookmonth.
by Bernard Waber (2002) Focusing on a variety of scenarios, from the serious ("Courage is being the first to make up after an argument") to the more lighthearted ("Courage is tasting the vegetable before making a face"), Waber introduces children to the many ways to define this character trait. One or two statements appear on each page, accompanied by a whimsical pen-and-ink and watercolor illustration that offers an amusing interpretation of the caption like text.
by Giora Carmi (2006) When a young boy anonymously donates his snack to a homeless man, he begins a cycle of goodwill that reverberates and expands in a great circle of kindness. I love using wordless picture books to help students really focus on the comprehension strategies they use while reading and this one is one of my favorites for thinking about inferring. It also lends itself to discussions about showing kindness and the idea of paying it forward.
by Joy Morgan Dey (2007) Agate is a moose with low self-esteem. He feels inadequate and plain, like an ugly brown rock, especially when he compares himself to his beautiful friends who are named after birthstones. These friend help Agate to see that just like his namesake, true beauty lies within. Stunning original watercolors, a witty, positive message about self image plus bonus pages with birthstone and agate facts. 
by 
Serge Bloch (2008) With witty and wonderful images that mix whimsical line drawings with photographs of inanimate objects, Bloch gives us a unique and sympathetic perspective on a boy’s first day of school where colorful butterflies flutter in our hero’s stomach and a cloud rains on him when he’s “under the weather.” Even the “big cheese” Principal has a body cut out of a block of Swiss. This is one I go back to later in the year when talking about idioms, similes, and metaphors.
by Laurie Keller (2009)
Mr. Rabbit's new neighbors are Otters. OTTERS! But he doesn't know anything about Otters. Will they get along? Will they be friends? Just treat otters the same way you'd like them to treat you, advises wise Mr. Owl. And so begins Mr. Rabbit's reflection on good manners. But don't be fooled! While on the surface this book may appear a simple list of manners, it's really about becoming the kind of person you would like others to be.
by Patricia Polacco (2010)When young Trisha finds out her class at the new school is known as “The Junkyard,” she is devastated. She moved from her old town so she wouldn’t be in a special class anymore! But then she meets her teacher, the quirky and invincible Mrs. Peterson, and her classmates, an oddly brilliant group of students each with his or her own unique talent. And it is here in The Junkyard that Trisha learns the true meaning of genius, and that this group of misfits are, in fact, wonders, all of them
by Steve Seskin (
2002) Do you wear glasses? Ever been picked last for the team? Afraid you’ll be called on in class? Have you laughed at someone else for the same reasons? Someone you thought was geeky or slow--someone different from you. For anyone who’s ever been bullied--or been a bully themselves--it’s time to change your tune. This is not a book for whiners, but a new language that will give you the words you need to take charge and stop the cycle of teasing.
by Peggy Moss (2008) This story takes an interesting slant on an important topic. A young narrator describes different examples of bullying that she witnesses at school and on the bus, but remains silent. One day, when her friends are absent, she must sit alone in the cafeteria, and several students make jokes at her expense. In addition to feeling angry about being treated this way, the girl is frustrated with the other kids who look on sympathetically but say nothing. She is then able to empathize with other victims. As well as demonstrating different examples of bullying, the author gradually but clearly illustrates that being a silent bystander contributes to the problem.
by N. Joy (2007)
and 
. What I love most about Kate's writing, besides the fantastic story lines, is her ability to create strong girl characters that young readers can not only relate to but also, hopefully, emulate. I was thrilled to once again find that type of character her new early chapter book series, 
and 
, she's a girl who knows what she likes. From the opening chapter where she says "I'd call Veronica Grace Princess-Bossy Pants if I was allowed to call people names. But I'm not. So I won't." her voice rings true. She's funny and full of energy without coming across as annoying. I also love the caring, supportive adults that surround Marty in the story. One of my favorite lines is when her teacher, Mrs. Aloi, who is explaining to Marty why she would make the "perfect" princess in the class play, reminds her that she's..."somebody with a lot of talent and confidence. Somebody with a strong voice and lots of energy. Somebody who is brave and smart who can think on her feet." And she is all that and more! I love that in the end, Marty is true to herself.
which is due out in February, 2012. 
Michael Hall
by 
by Bobbie Pyron
and 
, A Dog's Way Home is so perfect for middle readers. It has a perfect mix of danger, family drama, friendship issues, nature, and more. I won my autographed copy over at Linda Benson's 
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