I’m so excited to be ringing in the new year with a fun list of books, and a new month comes with a fun list of read-alouds to celebrate all of the unique holidays celebrated throughout the month. And, these are great books to read as you head back into the classroom after winter break. Here is a list of January read aloud books to celebrate all of the fun and unique holidays that are celebrated this month.
I’m sharing all of these books on video as well! Check out the January Books for Kids Read-Aloud video on my Youtube channel.
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January Read Aloud Books
National Soup Month
Thank You, Omu! is a book I shared before, but it’s one of my favorites. A wonderful story of Omu who is cooking her delicious red stew and she generously offers a bowl to anyone who knocks on her door. But, when it’s time for dinner there is no stew left for Omu. What will she do? Fortunately, her generosity pays off! This is an excellent depiction of the importance of community and kindness.
Grab the interactive read aloud here.
New Year’s Day- January 1st
New Year’s is the perfect time to talk to your students about the importance of setting goals. And, I have an entire blog post dedicated to goal setting stories and I have a freebie included!
National Spaghetti Day- January 4th
Spaghetti in a Hotdog Bun uses an endearing little girl to teach a powerful lesson. Lucy is being picked on at school, but she knows what she stands for and decides to make a good choice in a sticky situation. This book teaches several lessons from bullying to treating others how you want to be treated and being a good friend. An excellent story for empowering kids to be proud of who they are and the choices they make
National Technology Day- January 6th
We live in a technology-filled world so I decided to go in the opposite direction and chose the book Unplugged, the story of Blip who LOVES being plugged into her computer. But, during a blackout, Blip realizes how wonderful and colorful the world truly is, and she realizes that the world is a little brighter when you unplug. This story is similar to The Couch Potato, and both stories would be an excellent reminder for your students to unplug and enjoy the world!
Martin Luther King Jr. Day- January 17th
A Place to Land is a compelling story that peeks behind the historic speech and the many people who advised Dr. King on its content. This book is a bit longer, but it’s a great behind the scenes look into this historical moment. The illustrations are fabulous, and the back matter is incredibly informative. I love the message, and it’s just a fantastic book to share on MLK day!
Winnie the Pooh Day- January 18th
Finding Winnie is a book that I have heard so much about but never read before. It’s the story of the real bear who inspired Winnie the Pooh. It is full of love, history, and it’s a neat story within a story. This is an excellent book to celebrate Winnie the Pooh Day while teaching your students about some pretty cool history!
National Popcorn Day- January 19th
For this fun holiday, I have chosen the book Pop. And, it’s the story of a very excited kernel who can’t wait to pop…but he waits, and waits, and waits. But he just never pops. But he learns to celebrate and love his differences. It’s a strong and fun book about how being different doesn’t mean you need to miss out. I love this one for an easy start to discuss embracing differences. Don’t forget to pop some popcorn with your students for this fun holiday!
National Penguin Day- January 20th
And Tango Makes Three is a true story of the two male penguins who became partners and raised a chick in the Central Park Zoo. It’s a lovely story with cute illustrations, and it’s truly a touching story about what it takes to make a true family!
National Hugging Day- January 21st
I decided to share a book against hugging for this fun holiday instead. Don’t Hug Doug is a fun and funny book about a little boy who loves his friends but doesn’t love hugs. It’s a great reminder about the importance of respecting personal space and asking permission. Perfect lesson for teaching students, if you want to hug someone, always ask first!
Grab the interactive read-aloud here.
What books are you going to read aloud in January?
Looking for more read aloud books? Check out these Goal Setting Read Alouds and Snow Read Alouds posts.
Want to save these book ideas for later? Just pin the image below!
