Stellaluna is heartwarming story about a little bat that feels as if she doesn't belong. After many trials, Stellaluna realizes that she is meant to be a bat. I love this book because it has so many teaching points! Students will learn that they all belong somewhere, it just sometimes takes a little longer to find where that is. They will also learn that being yourself is always the best option. Finally, students will learn to celebrate their differences. You and your little ones will love this story, trust me!

Use in the classroom: I would read this at the beginning of the year to encourage the students to just be themselves, always and to celebrate all of the differences in the class. I would use it to hopefully build a family-like environment in my classroom. 

Target grade: kindergarten-3rd

The Rainbow Fish is a lovely story that teaches students about the joy of sharing. In the story, a beautiful fish with the shiniest scales is asked to share one with a friend. The fish loves his scales and does not want to give any of them up, so he rudely refuses. His decision not to share causes all of the other fish to refuse to be his friend. The fish realizes, through some very wise advice, that sharing his scales will bring him more joy than keeping them all to himself, so he decides to share. He shares his scales with one fish and then another, and then another, until he is left with only one. I love the message of this book!

Use in the classroom: I would read the book at the beginning of the year and follow up by having the students  create a scale with some information about themselves on it. I will glue all of the scales on to a big fish and display it on the wall. This activity will be used to teach the students that they are all apart of a small community with wonderful differences that need to be shared! 

Target grades: kindergarten-2nd

The Giving Tree is an amazing book that captured my heart and brought me back to my childhood. It is about a little boy and a female tree who go through life together. The boy and the tree would spend every day together, from the boy's childhood up to his adult years. The two shared many adventures and memories. Because of those adventures  and memories, they were both happy. Sadly, the boy had to grow up and when he did he began to want more from the tree. The tree gave and gave and gave to him, until she had nothing left to give.

Use in the classroom: After reading this book, I would create a giving tree and put it on a wall (or desk, depending on how I create it). I would make leaves that have a student's name on each one (making sure to use every student). Then I would pass the leaves around and have the students write positive things about their classmates on them. The leaves would then be put on the tree so that they can be seen everyday. I would have extra leaves next to the tree so that the students or myself can add to the tree each day. 

Target grade level: Really I think this book would be great for 1st-5th grades, depending on how it is being used in the classroom.