5 books (new ones) Every Primary Library Should Have

I thought I would turn Franki's question and Sarah's inquiry (see comments section from previous post) into a post.

I have to begin with some explanation about the kinds of books I feel support primary readers. Since most kids are coming into first grade needing practice with rhyme, repetition and pattern in text, practice with reading and rereading high frequency words within text, practice reading with picture support and short text to begin building stamina during workshop, I am often looking for books that support these readers. When I find books that match these criteria I use them for everything but often introduce them as shared reading ( We read them again and again, noticing new features each read) and then kids often want to add these to their book bins for independent reading. I often pull them back out during writing workshop to notice their craft. For me these books are often WHOLE texts that kids can model. Again, for me, I often like simple craft (again, the criteria I mentioned above... repetition, pattern, pictures, etc.) that kids can model in an entire text. So here are new books (that I use for just about everything) I think every primary library should have are:

This is the Way by Charles Fuge This is my newest find for next year and I am hoping kids catch on to the rhyme, pattern and repetition. It is all about how animals move so we can of course move around and act a bit with this one. Maybe some of my writers will write their own version of the book.


What will Fat Cat Sit On? By Jan Thomas This is just pure reading fun and is full of questions. Kids notice questioning and play with it as a craft in their writing. Someone wrote "What will Fat Cat Eat?" last year and we talked about series writing. Readable and writable




Pigeon Wants a Puppy by Mo Willems
Ok, this is my favorite Pigeon book in the Mo Willems
series. It is very primary friendly and it contains many high
frequency words kids need practice reading in text. It also
asks readers to infer questions the reader poses as Pigeon answers.
This book worked as a mentor text for my stronger writers last year as
one student wrote her version...The Pigeon Wants a Walrus where she
experimented with inferencing (like Mo) in her own writing. This text also worked for another student who was practicing voice in his story...I Want a New Puppy.


Not a Box by Antoinette Portis
This book is another favorite with kids as Portis asks
us to infer using pictures what the rabbit is pretending to do with
the box. This book inspired books called Not a book and Not a Hat last
year. Don't forget to check out Not a Stick by Portis.





New Socks by Bob Shea
I just can't help but love the voice and pictures of this story.
I fell in love with the chick and the pride he has in his new socks.
He begins with "Notice anything different about me?" I love this beginning.
Check out other Bob Shea books...Big Plans and Dinosaur Vs. Bedtime.



Ok, I have a long list of others but these are a few of my favorites.