Read Alouds (I read to them)
Little House on the Prairie Series. Every year, and no matter the make up of my class, they LOVE them. Last year I had mostly boys, and they would be ready to hand me the next book as I finished one.
First Day Jitters
I'm Still here in the Tub
Where the Sidewalk Ends
Gooney Bird Greene- great for elements of personal narrative.

For Literature Circles- I start with a whole class literature circle so students get use to what they are suppose to do then I gradually release responsibility to them and they chose the books.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Tale of Despereaux
Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Best School Year Ever

Sadako and the 1,000 Paper Cranes (can't think of a grade that would not be good for), Touching Bear Stone (awesome for guided and read aloud), Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, and Bridge to Terabithia - all for 7th. (I know, a couple are usually lower grades but the themes are eternal and usually only a few kids had read or heard them all.)

For 8th, Fever 1793, Who Comes With Cannons, and I Heard the Owl Call My Name. If I was still teaching I'd replace one or simply add Woods Runner (Paulsen). I wrote a unit for my former teaching partner and it is a terrific book. Oh, and Code Orange - again, I worked on it for my partner, but never used it in class.

was my favorite before lunch read-aloud when I was in third grade.

I'm a self-contained 5th grade. The chapter book titles with the asterisks are the ones I read each year. The others are some that I use but not necessarily every year. I like to change them up each year and match the titles to the content units we are working on around that time.


*Top Ten Ways to Ruin the First Day of School

May Bird

*The Kid Who Ran for President

*The Watsons go to Birmingham

The City of Ember

Fever, 1793

*My Brother Sam is Dead

Crandall's Castle

The Green Book

Trouble Don't Last

The Lemonade War


I read a large variety of picture books, fiction and nonfiction, that also are geared toward our lessons/units, but I often change them up year to year unless they're really a favorite. I use a lot of new ones each year. However, I can only think of a few examples right now:

The Wretched Stone
The Moon Book
The Stranger
Owls
We The Kids
Some Smug Slug
Eats, Shoots, and Leaves
A Chocolate Moose for Dinner
Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi
Dr. Xargle and the Earthlets
From Slave Ship to Freedom Road
The Magic School Bus and the Electric Field Trip

various Poetry selections

I'm doing a bit of a survey, and although I'm interested in all levels, I'm most interested in upper elementary and middle school answers.

What titles do you use the most for shared reading and/or read aloud?

Please indicate grade level you would use these titles for (a range is fine). I am not looking for titles of textbooks. I'm interested in picture books, nonfiction books and novels only at this time.

Thank you in advance for your help!