What are the BEST picture books you've read?

Question

I am a 7th grade English teacher who wants to create a little library in my classroom of the BEST picture books. What picture books do you recommend most - the essentials to any picture book library? I need these books to appeal to a WIDE audience, however - not just little kids. Please list your absolute favorites and tell me why you loved them. Thank you.

Answer 1

I teach 7th grade history.  My all time favorite is "Rose Blanche."  It is a WWII holocaust story based on historical fact.  It is about a little girl who finds a concentration camp near her town and is killed trying to feed children in the camp.  What I love about this book is that the artwork is composed of several famous holocaust photos and Rose Blanche was the code name of a group who tried to undermine the n**i's in France.  I used to read it aloud to my kids and they were so attentive and spellbound by the story, it just amazed me.  I did a lot of different things after I read it to them...had them write a new ending, evaluate Rose's decision to help the children in the camp, etc.  The book is great.

Answer 2

The best picture books I ever read were Captain Underpants, A series of Unfortunate Events books that don't really have alot,and Hotdog Bob, plus Cool Stuff and How It Works.

Answer 3

Anything with dinosaurs.

Answer 4

Any geography books has pictures in it that when you're reading it, you can use your imagination, and you can put yourself in those different places you read about,or history books,Children's Bible stories,Around the world in 80 days,any books that I've read let me use my imagination, to what other countries did there,what they ate, how old the oldest person lived to be, their animals what kind did they have? I like anyhting book thay tells &shows pictures of other lands;Saving the wild geese, was a book about saving the wild migrating geese from extinction, they are so beautifully painted by God's  hand, with so many different colors on them, in the just the right places,and I've read about theUSA, and the different cities, and what the states look like, they're exports,imports, what their lands look like, everything about them, and you canpicture yourself there.I've read alot of encyclopedias too, about countries, animals, people,,magazines also.I like documentaries also about people,machines and their use, subjects like that, that helps you use your imaginations.Recently I watched a movie of a "7th grade teacher" its called "pay it forward" have you seen it?On his chalk board he wrote this" IF YOU COULD DO 1THING TO CHANGE THE WORLD WE LIVE IN TODAY ,WHAT WOULD IT BE? This was the children to use their imaginations, (and that they would be graded on what they decided to do, such as: clean up trash off the grounds at school,etc.) at and throughout the year for extra credits, and this was based on a book,it has Helen Hunt, Kevin Spacey, Haley JoelOsment, in it. maybe for your students you could do the same, good idea, I wish my teachers made us use our imaginations like this teacher did, and like you do too, I'm sure. He also "ask his class what the world expected out of them?" It made them think,and that's what its supposed to correct?Harry Potter Books,Dr.Seuss Books, Zane Grey books, (Call of the wild) has pictures,books with different parks throughout the world, volcanoes,man made lakes for geese,any books about archeology has pictures in it,Science books has s pictures,the Best book I've read mam was the Bible; it also has pictures in it;I like the concept of "paying it forward" don't you?Good Luck with your class, and God Bless you, for wanting to be one of those that wants to mold the minds of oour children for the future, because they are our future of tomorrow, mam, I really wish I could have had you for my "7th grade teacher" [my many years ago], I'm 55 years old now,I still read about far-away lands, and their cultures because they interest me, and space interests me, they too have pictures.

Answer 5

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch-Just a great story about mothers and how they love you and help you in life.  Makes me cry it is so sweet.

Just the Way You Are by Max Lucado-Being yourself and being a good person is important and rewarded.

A Chocolate Moose for Dinner by Fred Gwyne-I just think this is a fun book.  It is all figurative language/idioms and the pictures are cute.

Answer 6

"Is it Dark, Is it Light?" - Childish but really cool pictures

"The Velvitine Rabbit" - For any age- one version has AMAZING pictures...I'm keeping my copy from childhood for my children

"The Rainbow Fish" - Also Timeless!

Hope I helped...these are some personal Favs ( I am 17)

Answer 7

I have never read a picture book...usually if it's a picture book I look at the pictures. If I want to read a book, I get a book of many words.

Answer 8

I love to read picture books to my students and so do my friends who teach middle/high school.  I'd start with award-winners.  I'm sure there are lists  posted online.  There are lots of excellent picture books on a higher level for these students.

I make a photocopy of the cover, have the kids color it in, add printed vocab. words to the bottom and laminate for next year.  These are posted along the top of the wall by the ceiling as my "Word Wall".  The kids are expected to use the vocab. in their writing.  

Even though I probably have 20-30 of these I put up last year, I can't think of many now.  Let me see what I can come up with:

Verdi, Pinduli, Stellaluna (anything by Janelle Cannon - I think that's her name)  These have wonderful vocabulary.

Just the Way You Are (or anything else by Max Lucado)

The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry

I get all of mine at yard sales during the warm months.

Answer 9

thats difficult to answer.

with a classroom, some people will find one picture lame, while the others find it fascinating.

you need to take a survey, find out what your kids like best.

sci fi, mystery, ect.

and go from there.

Answer 10

the english roses by madonna

i know it sounds weird because it's written by madonna but it's my favorite book of all time.  it has a good lesson that 7th grade girls really need to learn.

Answer 11

shel silverstines poem books. especially "where the sidewalk ends." i always got a kick out of them.