Teaching problem and solution can feel like one of those reading comprehension skills that sounds simple in theory but proves challenging in practice. We know our students need to understand how characters face problems and work toward solutions, but finding the right books that clearly demonstrate these concepts while keeping students engaged? That’s where the real work begins.
As elementary teachers, we’re constantly balancing the need to teach specific skills with our desire to foster genuine love for reading. The good news is that picture books provide the perfect vehicle for teaching problem and solution in ways that feel natural and engaging for students. When we choose books with clear, relatable problems and satisfying solutions, our students begin to recognize these story elements automatically.
Today I’m sharing ten carefully selected picture books that make teaching problem and solution both effective and enjoyable. Each book comes with specific discussion questions and activities that you can implement immediately in your classroom, regardless of your grade level or current curriculum constraints.
Why These Books Work for Teaching Problem and Solution
The books in this collection represent different types of problems that resonate with elementary students. Some feature external conflicts that students can easily identify, while others explore internal struggles like fear or self-doubt. This variety helps students understand that problems in literature mirror the challenges we face in real life.
Each book also demonstrates that solutions come in many forms. Some characters solve problems through persistence, others through creativity, and still others discover that working with friends provides the best path forward. This diversity helps students develop a more nuanced understanding of problem-solving strategies.
Book #1: Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
Derek Munson’s beloved story follows a boy whose perfect summer is disrupted when Jeremy Ross moves into the neighborhood and becomes his declared enemy. When his father offers a secret recipe for “Enemy Pie” guaranteed to eliminate enemies, there’s one catch: the boy must spend an entire day with his enemy for the pie to work.
Through their day together, the boys discover they have much in common and become genuine friends. The story’s brilliance lies in how the father’s solution addresses the real problem (misunderstanding and lack of connection) rather than the perceived problem (having an enemy).
Teaching Applications: Before reading, ask students to consider what makes someone an enemy versus a friend. During reading, pause to discuss what the boy believes his problem is and what solutions he considers. After reading, have students create a “Recipe for Friendship” writing activity where they list the ingredients needed to solve friendship conflicts.
Book #2: The Panda Problem by Deborah Underwood
This clever meta-fictional story features a disagreement between the narrator and a panda about whether the story has a problem. The narrator insists every story needs a problem, while the panda maintains he doesn’t have any problems. Through their humorous debate, the panda inadvertently creates the very problem the story requires.
This book excels at teaching students that identifying problems can be challenging and that different perspectives can lead to different interpretations of the same situation.
Teaching Applications: Create a T-chart comparing the narrator’s view with the panda’s view of the story’s problem. Discuss how different characters might see problems differently. For extension, have students write their own meta-fictional dialogues where characters argue with the narrator about their problems.
Book #3: Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber
Bernard Waber’s classic explores the internal conflict many children face when trying to balance being true to themselves with fitting in with friends. Ira is excited about his first sleepover but worries that his friend Reggie will laugh at him for sleeping with his teddy bear, Tah Tah.
The story follows Ira’s decision-making process as he repeatedly changes his mind about bringing the bear. The satisfying resolution reveals that Reggie also has a beloved teddy bear, teaching students that their fears about being different are often unfounded.
Teaching Applications: Track Ira’s decision-making process by creating a flowchart of his choices throughout the story. Discuss how the problem gets solved and connect to students’ own experiences with worrying about friends’ reactions. This book provides excellent opportunities for personal connections and discussions about authentic friendship.
Book #4: Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev
Lisa Mantchev’s beautiful story addresses exclusion when a boy and his pet elephant are turned away from the local Pet Club. As they walk home disappointed, they encounter other children with unusual pets who have also been excluded from the club.
Rather than accepting exclusion, the children create their own inclusive pet club where all pets are welcome. This story demonstrates how problems affecting one person often impact others and how collaborative solutions can benefit entire communities.
Teaching Applications: Use a Venn diagram to compare the original Pet Club with the new inclusive club the children create. Discuss how the solution benefits not just the main character but others facing the same problem. Have students design inclusive club rules that prevent problems before they occur.
Book #5: A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams
This Caldecott Honor book demonstrates that some problems require time, patience, and persistent effort to solve. After losing their home and possessions in a fire, a young girl, her mother, and grandmother save their spare change to buy a comfortable chair where the mother can rest after long workdays.
The story shows how one major problem (the fire) creates multiple smaller problems and how different solutions address different needs. While the community helps with immediate needs, the family’s own solution focuses on long-term comfort and dignity.
Teaching Applications: Create a “problem layer cake” showing how the fire created multiple problems requiring different solutions. Set up a coin-counting math activity to help students understand how small contributions accumulate over time. Discuss the difference between short-term help and long-term solutions.
Book #6: Ada’s Violin by Susan Hood
Based on the true story of Paraguay’s Recycled Orchestra, this nonfiction picture book shows how creativity can transform problems into opportunities. Ada and her community live in extreme poverty in a town built on a landfill, but with help from a music teacher, they create beautiful instruments from discarded materials.
This story expands students’ understanding of problems beyond individual challenges to community-wide issues that require innovative thinking and collective action.
Teaching Applications: Discuss the multiple problems Ada’s community faced and how their creative solution addressed more than just the lack of musical instruments. Have students brainstorm ways to repurpose materials creatively. Watch videos of the real Recycled Orchestra to connect the story to real-world problem-solving.
Book #7: After the Fall by Dan Santat
Dan Santat’s powerful story reveals what happened to Humpty Dumpty after his famous fall. Though physically healed, Humpty develops a fear of heights that prevents him from enjoying his favorite activities. Through determination and gradual exposure, he overcomes his fear and discovers he can transform into something new.
This book helps students understand that problems can be internal and emotional, not just external and physical. It also demonstrates that overcoming fears often leads to unexpected growth and transformation.
Teaching Applications: Create a “steps to solving” diagram showing Humpty’s journey from fear to confidence. Discuss the difference between physical and emotional problems and how they connect. This book provides excellent opportunities for social-emotional learning discussions about overcoming personal fears.
Book #8: Chalk by Bill Thomson
This wordless picture book follows three children who discover magical chalk that brings their drawings to life. When one child draws a dinosaur that comes to life and chases them, they must think quickly to solve the problem by drawing rain to wash away all their chalk creations.
Wordless books require students to infer story elements, making them excellent tools for developing analytical thinking skills.
Teaching Applications: Since there’s no text, students must identify the problem and solution through visual analysis. Have students write a narrative version of the story with explicit problem and solution statements. Create original “magical chalk” stories with clear problems and creative solutions.
Book #9: Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds
Aaron Reynolds delivers a brilliant twist in this story about Jasper Rabbit, who loves eating carrots until he becomes convinced they’re following him. Seeing creepy carrots everywhere, Jasper builds an elaborate fence around the carrot patch to keep them contained. The twist ending reveals that the carrots orchestrated the entire situation to protect themselves from being eaten.
This book teaches students that problems may not always be what they appear to be and that different characters can have entirely different perspectives on the same situation.
Teaching Applications: Create a two-column chart showing Jasper’s perspective versus the carrots’ perspective on the problem. Discuss how the carrots’ clever solution addressed their real problem. Have students rewrite the story from the carrots’ point of view, clearly stating their problem and solution strategy.
Book #10: Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry
Beth Ferry’s simple yet profound story explores friendship and mutual support. When Pinecone bullies Stone, Stick intervenes to help his friend. Later, when Stick gets trapped in a puddle during a storm, Stone returns the favor by helping with his rescue.
This book demonstrates how problems can be solved through friendship and cooperation, showing students that helping others often leads to receiving help when we need it most.
Teaching Applications: Create a “problem-solution ping pong” chart showing how the friends help each other solve different problems. Use this book to launch discussions about helping friends and building supportive classroom communities.
Implementation Tips for Your Classroom
These ten books can be used throughout the school year to reinforce problem and solution concepts across different contexts and situations. Consider creating a dedicated “Problem and Solution” basket in your classroom library where students can easily access these titles for independent reading or partner discussions.
When introducing each book, focus first on student enjoyment and engagement with the story. Once students are invested in the characters and plot, guide them to identify problems and solutions through discussion rather than worksheet-based activities. This approach helps students develop analytical thinking skills while maintaining their love for reading.
For younger students, begin with books that have clear, concrete problems and obvious solutions. As students become more comfortable identifying these elements, introduce books with more complex or subtle problems that require deeper thinking and discussion.
Making Problem and Solution Relevant
The beauty of teaching problem and solution through picture books lies in helping students recognize that these story elements mirror real life. When students see how fictional characters approach challenges, they develop strategies for handling their own problems both in and out of the classroom.
These books provide natural opportunities for students to make text-to-self connections while developing critical thinking skills. As students become more adept at analyzing how characters solve problems, they often become better at approaching their own challenges with creativity and persistence.
Remember that you know your students best. Use these books and activities as starting points, but feel free to adapt them to meet your students’ specific needs and interests. The goal is always to help students become both better readers and more thoughtful problem-solvers.
