First graders will begin to identify line, color, shape, form, and texture as the elements of art. Mixing colors is also a feature of first grade. This book would be a great introduction to an art unit, reminding students that while they will be learning technical elements of art, anything can be used to make art. In this book, Kenya won an art contest and was given an airplane as a toy. It is broken and her mom asks her to throw it away. Kenya runs into many friends on her way to the park with her dad. They all ask Kenya what she did on her spring break, but she says she did nothing. She is supposed to go back to school and report on what she did over her break. Kenya’s dad takes her to a museum and suggests she tells her class what she learned at the museum. Kenya learns about artwork that was made out of recycled materials. Recycle, reuse, make art Kenya chants. Kenya decides to make an art project out of recycled objects for her spring vacation project. As a family Kenya and her family all worked together on different projects. Kenya ends up using her broken plane in her art project and brings it to school. This would also be a great introduction to a group discussion on recycling and repurposed materials. 

Other books by the author: 
Kenya’s Song, Kenya’s World

The first-grade curriculum covers weather patterns, the water cycle, and how the water cycle maintains life on earth. Introducing the water cycle with a picture book with fun fictional characters could be a good start to a science unit. Then reading a nonfiction book with more direct facts such as Earth’s Water by Kira Freed could be next in the lesson. It introduces temperature, thermometers, and describes the three states of water. At the end of the book, there is a Try This section which offers three different mini-lessons that encourage students to experience the water cycle. There is an idea for the liquid, solid, and gas stages. The book suggests making notes about observations, which is a simple introduction to the scientific method. There is a glossary at the end of the book which is simple and straightforward. This series of books by Red Cat Reading also has high-quality YouTube videos which the class could watch, as well. The first-grade curriculum also includes air and weather, plants and animals, and more discoveries of solids and liquids. This series of books by Red Cat Reading could be used for each science unit. 

Other books by the author: The Coral Reef, Bugs, Pets, Where Does Our Food Come From?, Dinosaurs, In the Morning, Weather, Feelings, Birds, Parts of the Plant, Trees, etc. 

People collect all sorts of things, but Jerome collects words. He writes down interesting words that he hears, sees, and reads. He is not picky, he likes short and long words. Words with many syllables are like a song to him. He has scrapbooks full of words and he organizes them by theme. One day they drop from his books and fall to the ground. As he picks them up he starts stringing them together, writing poems and songs. He learns that his most powerful words are the most simple, like “you matter” or “I understand”. Jerome decides to throw all his words out into the wind to share with others. He is delighted to share them with the world. This book would be a great start to a unit on poetry or creative writing. It could help to facilitate word walls or group discussions on new or interesting words. It is a wonderful reminder of the power and beauty of language and literacy and sharing your unique voice. 

Other books by the author: The Dot, Be You, Say Something, Sky Color, Ish, Happy Dreamer

It’s Okay to be Different is a book about self-esteem and individuality. It is a colorful picture book that tells children throughout the pages that “It’s okay to be different. You are special and important just because of being who you are.” The book combines drawings of animals and depictions of humans to express that everyone is different and that is okay. One page says, “it’s okay to need some help” and features a person with a guide dog. Another page says “it’s okay to have no hair” and features a drawing of a child with no hair and simply a bow. A few pages over there is a child in a wheelchair and the book says, “it’s okay to have wheels.” Wearing glasses, talking about your feelings, saying no to bad things, coming in last, being adopted, losing things, and getting mad are all some of the examples of things that are okay. This book does a good job of incorporating silly themes with more serious themes, all while reminding children that it is okay to be who they are. This book would be able to make children laugh while also facilitating more serious conversations about acceptance and tolerance. 

Other books by author: The I Love You Book, Reading Makes You Feel Good, The Earth Book, The Peace Book, The Feel Good Book, The Feelings Book, The Mommy Book, The Daddy Book, The Grandma Book, The Grandpa Book, The Family Book, We Belong Together

This is a story about Ruby. She is happy and loves being who she is, until one day she feels a new feeling- worry. Her worry takes on the form of a yellow blob with two eyes and a brow. Her worry grows and grows. No one else can see her worry, so she tries to pretend she can’t see it, either. The worrying feeling won’t stop growing and it won’t go away. She wonders if it will stay forever. The worrying feeling has gotten so big, it’s now bigger than she is. One day she notices a boy sitting alone at the park, looking sad. Ruby sits down and talks to the boy. They both discuss how they are feeling and perhaps why they are feeling that way. Before she knows it, the worry is gone and she feels like herself again. Ruby still gets worried sometimes, but now she knows to talk about her worries and feelings. She also learns to express her feelings in different ways like drawing. This is a great book to remind students that it is normal and okay to have big feelings. It reminds students to talk about their feelings, be empathetic to others who look sad, express their feelings through art or writing, that feelings are fleeting, and it’s possible to feel better again soon. 

Other books by author: Perfectly Norman, Ravi’s Roar, Meesha Makes Friends, Little Legends series, Herman series