On August 10, Cathy and Mandy hosted #pb10for10 and gathered many rich resources from educators all over the world. I had so much fun looking at other people's book lists, that I just had to join in, even though I'm more than a tad embarrassed I didn't make the actual deadline. But a huge thank you to these ladies for hosting and organizing everyone's post!
The years before this, the 10 books I chose always revolved around one big idea. This year is sort of the same, but with a small twist -- I have sub-categories of books as well. The big umbrella my books fall under this year is "Books I Will Share in the First Two Weeks of School." There are 4 sub-categories for these books. And the books are some old favorites as well as some amazing new favorites.
Picture Books that Help Set Expectations for Classroom Climate / Celebrating our Differences
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSduusqEEe9BRHr_2ZpHdd1bhSrV4OQcsafE0SGl_nYUwHI8F8CquQy0Kyqov5FRvlrq3OHp7OtqsoaHQILzWWKuDUM-G7UtM0lzhBQRkvHb17ZaanfMktKmS5hzUw6wxqX9vOwGe4XiF/s200/amazing+faces.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJPlcpWTrYzOzXYfxlj_4h1N9zUibqSiKKiJWjZMJlMJ9ehx9MQXqayhkQKwZWyKfFr3Bl2YndqfH36xy-SwkcgSTS9cmK_co14P039dYP_xQ3-42b4rKk3cm3ert67MPn9Y_epf8rRHE/s200/apology+poems.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ViBjjC1RMnKnjc4ryZR_6SYXej03D6f7sBhEGHt9G9VkP-FxQQ1irdzRAE04ggrn72PAHTInviclSSdoGQlxGV_gJf2nUUMEL8KklEV7aYP0beJRKrEW3HHC4cgJVKkpW2ic6W1FT8h_/s200/tarra+and+bella.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix48ZllObcKrey4B4b_9RtSOjfwNfbjiHR5WTk39oc9nedGnVFpiqrerProe0Eo_ohnvsZS8ZTaVOgFBW8JtvP-3WwoL7_V96NpSGATiUfcbFdo3WFuy_XXck8wtS1zoX4_x3Yj-zYbErT/s200/crankee+doodle.jpg)
4) Crankee Doodle - written by Tom Angleberger. This picture book is just a hoot! We have two main characters, and one is a huge whiner. As Angleberger has fun with how the song, "Yankee Doodle Came to Town," originated, we as readers can learn a lot through humor about how not to approach problems and boredom. The surprise ending is just icing on the cake!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgpdpbwzzMYUbtMlum5SjQes4c8RAT4sXpNNjBFtgoAokl_mwkCguQdO8uArGEls-9-BgoLssv2ijDQNh5I05NCJ-njXrqWs9msv_bzZmmGy5_QWmFLzp_0fwPmQJFZobErmguuBrIIvK/s200/each+kindness.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqD9CzQoECCmDJ7P32z4X-T2RXRMyWPKFjR_uRtxNX399hbs-BgPwnAa7KoxlCipKNtJA9TeVxyxwpfB924T0FPxu4v4EaJ99J9sYRoMWaPpALhXOlhs7vLJpTmkK0vriPWKJN5cL78SR/s200/moving+day.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA37591WmmVGP5UDib5m3DLfsGQQs20L1U9BphhBCWtrbyHdvhcvM2ZfnkAxkpcRtbE8rpu1igLNgJ4Y6uRNdX5R_Tx4mSWcn9J_ThG-R72l8Joyu26TrqTuEf3-pznHRnBam4v67M9Y5Y/s200/oh+brother.jpg)
6) Moving Day - poems by Ralph Fletcher, and
7) Oh Brother! - poems by Nikki Grimes
Both of these books tell stories through poetry, and would be a great introduction to the concept of novel in verse. Equally important, both stories have beautiful language embedded within their poetry. This will be a wonderful way to look at word choice in their own writing.
Picture Books That Promote Gathering Pieces of Life for Future Writing
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBoQ2EoJfUwwlq8qX7WDgtpKodDZYGF3KVP4nGD36nUhmPzD3Yf7YbOreT64hBcWle9yYQc08_kZAaxRm1gfYG-3_vL6O_Ly0tj5vggISxPfqDfTmZF-AuVvhKwdi2ao8WCZiPg_z6cvi/s200/the+matchbox+diary.jpg)
Picture Books That Promote Life Science and Word Study
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaY1o09xHdzPoYudSJxuthtlhBwul4Chnp6IQCahMF8FYhPU1vQhNAkOj2oW5moTXEAa1S25MdkLVjwtqhvGVFWkiTCBTCehxKV-PWpwiGLMrdlD8doA2lRTI1vy1ehTFxIPS6NLHjfc-S/s200/clean+a+hippo.jpg)
9) How to Clean a Hippopotamus: A Look at Unusual Animal Partnerships - written by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. Symbiotic. I love that word, and it turns out with our new state standards, it is a word my 5th graders will need to know as well. Steve Jenkins is a prolific writer of nonfiction so this will be a great way to introduce my classes to him as a nonfiction author. More importantly, we will begin our word study with a word observation of "symbiotic." We will notice many things together about this word, and after that, I will read the book. After reading this book and sharing the unique ways animals form partnerships, we will revisit the word to add more thinking.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5QfQnhjVxR0BAwf9fLTWQ1mRw8qTzkSPSbiP2lmHaEGqMNCIS9B1s2UCHG9JG5yuVO2FYDA6bU2jvmBASAaIh_D_30Nrt3r1niSbse8M1vIkPFfyn2v1L5TcHgTpHV9_UF2MZhX__IHMq/s200/ubiquitous.jpg)
So there you have it - my very belated #pb10for10. I wish for you and your students many wonderful reading experiences this year!
Thanks to Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers for co-hosting the kidlit version of the meme, It's Monday, What Are You Reading?