May is a wonderful month! The weather is warm and many classrooms are transitioning into summer vacation. I’ve pulled together a collection of read aloud books to celebrate the fun holidays during the month. Check out these read aloud books for May!
I’m sharing all of these books on video too! Check out the Read Aloud Books for May on my YouTube channel:
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Read Aloud Books for May
National Moving Month
Since May is National Moving Month, I have a brand new book to share with you! Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away is the perfect book for this. It tells the story of 2 best friends who live across the street from one another. One of them is moving away. This story truly captures the emotions of having fun one last time before saying goodbye.
National Egg Month
The Good Egg is my favorite book about eggs! In this story, a young egg is quite the perfectionist. He wants everything to be just right and for everyone to follow the rules. This causes him to literally crack under all the pressure. A great read aloud for students who are afraid to make mistakes.
National Photography Month
Flotsam is a wordless picture book about the magic of a camera and photographs. A young boy finds a camera that has washed up on the beach. He develops the photos and finds a very interesting surprise! A fun read for National Photography Month.
School Principal’s Day – May 1st
Mr. Lincoln’s Way tells the story of an amazing principal! Everyone loves Mr. Lincoln, except Mean Gene. Mean Gene is the school bully, but Mr. Lincoln is determined to make a connection with him. Can he find a way to show this student that the difference between people is what makes them so special?
Teacher Appreciation Day – May 7th
Teacher Appreciation Day is on May 7th! Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I don’t) truly shows the persistence of a teacher. Miss Brooks is a library teacher and she is determined to find a book that every child loves. There is one young student who is extra picky, though. Can she find her the perfect book to read?
There are so many wonderful books about teaches that I wrote a whole post with Teacher Appreciation Book ideas!
National Pie Day – May 13th
Who doesn’t love pie?? Pie is for Sharing not only talks about pie, but all the memories that can be made in the warmer weather. This is a perfect read for May, as we transition into summer vacation.
Love a Tree Day – May 16th
The Tree Lady is the true story of Kate Sessions. She was a scientist who brought trees and plants to San Diego. Very few people believed that she could turn this desert area into a lush, leafy city. But she defied a lot of odds with her own determination.
Endangered Species Day – May 21st
There are so many important books about endangered species, but I chose a brand new one to share. Galapagos Girl is a bilingual Spanish & English story. It is the true story of Valentina Cruz who lives on the Galapagos Islands. She makes it her mission to protect the animals of this special place.
National Turtle Day – May 23rd
Alfie (the Turtle that Disappeared) is one of my favorites! This book is about a young girl who has a pet turtle. He’s not very cuddly and doesn’t do much. Sometimes she even forgets he’s there, until one day he disappears! This story then flips point of view and we learn what life is like to be Alfie. A fun read aloud!
Creativity Day – May 30th
The Most Magnificent Thing is the perfect read aloud for Creativity Day! In this story, a young girl has a wonderfully creative idea…but she can’t get it quite right. She gets frustrated, but eventually returns to her invention. It turns out a little different than she planned, but that’s okay! An important lesson on how creativity takes time, patience and a growth mindset.
The Most Magnificent Thing is perfect to teach about growth mindset as well. I’ve put together a full interactive read aloud for you. Grab The Most Magnificent Thing lesson plan here!
Memorial Day – May 31st
The Wall is a powerful read aloud for Memorial Day. A young boy and his father visit the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial. The book doesn’t give specific details about the war, but students can make inferences about it. They will understand that many soldiers died or were hurt and that families missed their loved ones.
What are your favorite read aloud books for May?
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