Welcome to the Read Aloud Classroom where we’re making picture books work for you even with a packed schedule. Hi, I’m Sarah, an educator who believes in the power of read alouds to transform your teaching without adding to our already full plates.
Happy first Thursday of the month, everyone! You know what that means—it’s time for our monthly roundup of new picture book releases that I’m excited about. I love sharing these treasures with you because I know how busy teacher life can be, and sometimes we just don’t have the time to research all the amazing new books hitting the shelves. So consider this your personal picture book shopping guide for the month ahead!
Now, before we dive in, I want to remind you that all of these titles and links will be available in the show notes, so no need to pull over if you’re driving or stop your meal prep if you’re listening while cooking dinner. Just enjoy, and you can always come back to the show notes later.
Alright, let’s get to what you came for—some fantastic new picture books that are perfect for your classroom!
First up, we have “The Bear Who Wanted to Dance” by Stephanie Stansbie. Oh my goodness, this one hits all the right notes! Rita is a bear who dreams of being a ballerina. She takes classes with Monsieur le Fox and practices constantly with her best friend Wanda. But when auditions come up for prima ballerina, Rita starts wondering if she can really get the part when she doesn’t look like the other dancers.
This book is such a beautiful celebration of hard work, determination, and body positivity. I can already picture the amazing discussions this will spark in your classroom about following your dreams and embracing what makes you unique. The illustrations sound absolutely stunning too!
Next, we have a special treat from Peter H. Reynolds—”The Gift of Words.” If you love “The Word Collector” like I do, you’re going to be over the moon about this holiday follow-up! Jerome is on a mission to collect words of hope, love, and joy to share during the holidays, but he’s finding it harder than expected.
What I love about this is how it shows the power of words to connect communities. Perfect timing for the holiday season, and it’s such a natural extension if you already use “The Word Collector” in your classroom. Your students will love seeing Jerome again!
Here’s one that made me laugh just reading the description—”I am Not Happy!” by Caroline L. Perry. You know those adorable quokkas with their permanent smiles? Well, this quokka is here to tell us that just because he looks happy doesn’t mean he always feels that way!
This is such a clever way to talk about emotions and how we can’t judge how someone’s feeling just by looking at them. It reminds me of “Grumpy Monkey”—that same kind of humor that kids absolutely eat up while learning something important about feelings.
Oliver Jeffers has a new one called “I’m Very Busy: A (Nearly Forgotten) Birthday Book,” and you know anything from Oliver Jeffers is going to be amazing! Poor Bridget wants to spend her birthday with friends, but everyone’s too busy—Royal has places to go, Regis has to wash his hair, Pearl has her endless to-do list.
This one really speaks to our world right now, doesn’t it? Sometimes we get so caught up in being busy that we forget what really matters. It’s a perfect conversation starter about friendship and priorities, and knowing Oliver Jeffers, the art is going to be absolutely brilliant.
“I’m Going to Eat a Polar Bear” by Karl Newson sounds like it’s going to have your students in stitches! A little penguin is bored of eating fish and hears about this mysterious fluffy creature called a “bolar pear.” Off he goes to find one, not realizing he’s actually looking for a polar bear—who happens to be following right behind him!
This is one of those books where kids will be shouting “It’s behind you!” the whole time. Pure fun, and sometimes that’s exactly what we need in our read aloud time.
For something more peaceful, “Moon Song” by Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade looks absolutely magical. This is a winter companion to her “Berry Song,” and it follows a girl who spins stories about moonlight, bioluminescence, and northern lights to comfort her worried cousin.
Michaela Goade’s work is always breathtaking, and this sounds like the perfect book for those cozy winter read alouds when you want something gentle and beautiful. Great for sparking curiosity about natural phenomena too!
“And They Walk On” by Kevin Maillard is a tender book about loss that I think will really resonate with students who’ve experienced the death of a loved one. A young boy’s grandmother has “walked on,” and he’s trying to understand where she’s gone while finding ways to feel connected to her.
Kevin Noble Maillard wrote “Fry Bread,” which won so many awards, and Rafael López is doing the illustrations. This looks like a beautiful, culturally rich way to help children process grief and understand that love continues even after someone is gone.
Now, if you loved “Teatime Around the World,” you’re going to want “Soup’s On Around the World” by Denyse Waissbluth. This takes us on a journey exploring different soups and soup traditions from around the globe. Did you know wonton soup is over 1000 years old? Or that French Onion Soup might have been invented by a king?
This is perfect for those cultural studies units or when you want to celebrate diversity through food. I can already imagine the extension activities—maybe a classroom soup tasting or having families share their own soup traditions!
“I am the Sun” by Janessa Parker is a really important book that portrays modern Native American life, specifically the Diné (Navajo) people. It captures both the hardships and triumphs, showing a people who maintain their beautiful traditions while facing ongoing challenges.
What makes this especially meaningful is that it’s written by Janessa Parker, whose Navajo father grew up on the reservation, and illustrated by Beverly Blacksheep, who is also Navajo. This is authentic representation at its finest, and it’s exactly the kind of book that helps all children understand and appreciate different cultures.
Finally, “The Quilt of Our Memories” by Desiree Acevedo tells the story of women across generations who maintain a beautiful tradition of embroidering their essence onto a family quilt. Each generation adds their own thread to this tapestry of love and memories.
This book celebrates family traditions and the special bonds between women across generations. I love books that honor family stories and cultural traditions—they always lead to such rich discussions about students’ own family histories.
And that’s our roundup for this month! From bears who dance to penguins on adventures, from celebrating cultural traditions to processing big emotions, there’s truly something here for every classroom need.
I’m particularly excited about the diversity in this month’s releases—we have books celebrating different cultures, addressing emotional literacy, and honoring family traditions. These are the kinds of books that don’t just entertain our students but help them see themselves and others in literature.
Remember, all these titles will be listed in the show notes along with links to find them. I’d love to hear which ones you’re most excited about—drop me a message on Instagram @thecolorfulapple and let me know which books you end up adding to your classroom collection!
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Next week is extra special because we’re celebrating our 50th episode of the podcast! I can hardly believe we’ve reached this milestone together. To celebrate, I’ll be sharing my all-time favorite picture book read alouds—the ones that never fail to captivate students and create those magical classroom moments. You definitely won’t want to miss this one!
Thanks for joining me today in the Read Aloud Classroom. Until next week, keep transforming those everyday moments into read aloud magic!
