Picture books to teach comprehension strategies
50+ Books for Modeling Comprehension Strategies
Modeling comprehension strategies is KEY for readers of ALL ages. That’s why reading TO and WITH your child is vital, even if they are in upper elementary school! So much of comprehension is silent, meaning our readers never hear or see it. As I mention in our Reading Comprehension Series, we need to be explicit in thinking out loud to SHOW readers how we comprehend and monitor our comprehension when reading.
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Modeling our comprehension out loud may seem quite unnatural to some of us. I know it did for me when I first started teaching. That’s why I’ve compiled these book lists as they can help facilitate modeling comprehension strategies with your child. They are written in a way that you can’t help but ask questions, or predict what will come next, just to mention a couple. These books are some favorites that I’ve used over and over again in the classroom, as a reading tutor, and now as a homeschooling mama.
Even if you don’t feel your child needs to work on comprehension, these are HIGH quality texts than can be read and enjoyed together any time.
Books for Teaching Reading Comprehension
If you’re new to the teaching of reading comprehension, I highly recommend that you get your hands on some of these books you see below {click here or on the image below} and read the seriously amazing ideas inside. If you are a classroom teacher, most of these books are geared towards you, but homeschooling parents can definitely glean from them, too.
My number one recommendation for homeschooling parents or parents in general is 7 Keys to Comprehension by Susan Zimmermann because it is written without as much teacher jargon. If you’re struggling to model your comprehension out loud and wondering where to start, Improving Comprehension with Think-Aloud Strategies by Jeffrey Wilhelm is a great read that explains the reasons behind it and steps you can take to make your think alouds ROCK!
And if you’re unsure what comprehension strategies are to begin with, you’ll find a quick overview of the different comprehension strategies kids need to understand in our post,
Comprehension Strategies: Reading Equals Thinking.
50+ Texts for Modeling Comprehension
In the lists below, find our suggested books for each comprehension strategy!
- Books to Help Kids MAKE CONNECTIONS
- Books for MAKING INFERENCES and PREDICTIONS
- Books & Poetry for MAKING MENTAL IMAGES
- Books that Model & Teach Figurative Language
- Books that Get Kids ASKING QUESTIONS
- Books with a Clear Problem & Solution
- Great Books for Teaching SYNTHESIZING
Now you can take these book lists to the library or book store ~
Just download our printable comprehension book list!
Enjoy!
~Becky
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Mentor Texts to Teach Reading Comprehension Strategies
Have you been searching for a quick reference of texts to support you in teaching comprehension skills? I have researched and gathered some of my top Mentor Texts to Teach Comprehension Strategies.
These texts can be used to teach skills such as: Main Idea, Summary, Context Clues, Character Traits, Setting, Plot, Cause and Effect, Inference, Drawing Conclusions, Predictions, Timeline of Events, Generalizations, Fact and Opinion, Connections, Author’s Purpose, Comparing and more! Throughout my 18 years in education I have purchased many books for read alouds, book clubs, for teaching in small groups; these books I share with you will hopefully become part of your library and assist in making your teaching easier. I have added links to each of the strategies to make it easier for you to locate and use these books to teach these skills.
This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.
Mentor Texts to Teach Plot Comprehension Strategies
Teaching plot which is teaching students the ability to recognize important events, problems, conflict and resolution is essential to understanding the story. I have found these books to be wonderful in teaching plot.
- Julius Baby of the World by: Kevin Henkes
- Thank you Mr. Falker by: Patricia Polacco
- The Patchwork Quilt by: Valerie Flournoy
- Millions of Cats by: Wanda Gag
- Come on, Rain by: Karen Hesse
- The Island of Skog by: Steven Kellogg
- Alexander and the Terrible Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by: Judith Virost
Texts to Teach Main Idea
Teaching and understanding the main ideas of the text is important. It gives the reader the ability to understand what the text is mostly about. Having books that help us teach this skill is important. These are some of my favorites to use.
- Exploring the Titanic by: Robert Ballard
- Leah’s Pony by: Elizabeth Friedrich
- The Important Book by: Margaret Wise Brown
- The Paperboy by: Dav Pilkey
- Swimmy by: Leo Lionni
Texts to Teach Word Study
It is important for kids to be exposed to new words on a daily basis. Many times when we read we come across words we do not know the meaning of but have the ability to use context clues and other components to help us.
Many of the books I love to use for read alouds focus on word study and teaching skills such as figurative language, synonyms, antonyms, suffixes, affixes, and more. Here are a few of the books I use to help teach word study.
- Baloney by: Jon Scieska
- Brave Irene by: William Steig
- Skin Like Milk, Hair of Silk: What Are Similes and Metaphors?
- What’s Mite Might? by: Guilio Maestro
- The Sun Played Hide-and-seek: A Personification Story
Mentor Texts to Teach Summary Comprehension Strategies
When teaching this skill these are some of my go to books as they are easy to focus on this skill. Summary is the retelling of the most important ideas and details from the text. We retell the events in sequential order from the beginning, middle, and end.
- Going Home by: Eve Bunting
- Koala Lou by: Mem Fox
- A Chair for my Mother by: Vera Williams
- The Snowy Day by: Ezra Jack Keats
- Water Dance by: Thomas Locker
- Someday a Tree by: Eve Bunting
Mentor Texts to Teach Character Traits Comprehension Strategies
Teaching students the ability to notice details on how characters look, feel, and act can be challenging.
I have used a variety of picture books and chapter books. These books have helped teach and understand characters feelings, relationships, and so much more.
- Because of Winn Dixie by: Kate DiCamilio
- Wonder by: RJ Palacio
- A Day’s Work by: Eve Bunting
- Amazing Grace by: Mary Hoffman
- Alexander and the Terrible Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by: Judith Virost
- Amelia Bedelia by: Peggy Paris
- My Rotten, Redheaded Older Brother by: Patricia Polacco
- Romona Forever by: Beverly Cleary
Comprehension Strategies
It is important for students to recognize the time and place an event happens in a story. Teaching this skill is fun with some of these books I have used and recommend.
- All the Places to Love by: Patricia Maclachlan
- Canoe Days by: Gary Paulsen
- Great Kapok Tree by: Lynn Cherry
- Owl Moon by: Jane Yolan
- Because of Winn Dixie by: Kate DiCamilio
- The Polar Express by: Chris Van Allsburg
- Zathura by: Chris Van Allsburg
Mentor Texts to Teach Sequential Order Comprehension Strategies
Teaching sequential order or order of important events is important as it allows students to understand when key events happen in a story.
These books are easy for students to understand this concept.
- Alexander and the Terrible Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by: Judith Virost
- Patchwork Quilt by: Valerie Flourney
- The Paperboy by: David Pilkney
- Napping House by: Audrey Wood
- Stone Soup by: Marcia Brown
- Grandfather’s Journey by: Allen Say
Mentor Texts to Teach Cause and Effect Comprehension Strategies
These books are great for teaching students cause and effect, sometimes the author states it, other times it must be inferred in the reading.
- A Chair for my Mother by: Vera Williams
- A Day’s Work by: Eve Bunting
- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by: Judi Barrett
- Fireflies by: Julie Brickloe
- Rabbit Stew by: Donna Kosow
- Napping House by: Audrey Wood
Mentor Texts to Teach Inference Comprehension Strategies
This skill is usually a difficult skill for my students as they have to take information from the text and use their schema to figure out something that is not stated.
These books are my favorite for teaching this difficult skill.
- The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by: Chris Van Allsburg
- Babushka’s Doll by: Patricia Polacco
- Going Home by: Eve Bunting
- How Many Days to America by: Eve Bunting
- Is Your Mama A Llama by: Deborah Guarino
- Millions of Cats by: Wanda Gag
- The Wump World by: Bill Peet
Texts to Teach Fact and Opinion Comprehension Strategies
These books allow the students to understand fact and opinion. It is important to teach the skill of understanding that a fact must be proven and an opinion is someones beliefs, ideas or feelings.
- A Place Called Freedom by: Scott Russel Sanders
- My Rotten, Redheaded Older Brother by: Patricia Polacco
- Lightning by: Stephen Kramer
- The Reasons for The Seasons by: Gail Gibbons
Mentor Texts to Teach Comparing Comprehension Strategies
Comparing is fun for kids as they often do it in real life.
I have found that they are able to notice how details are alike and different especially when comparing two different texts. Here are several I use together. We focus on comparing : characters, setting, plot, themes and more.
- Thank you Mr. Falker by: Patricia Polacco and More Than Anything Else by: Marie Bradby
- Grandfather’s Journey by: Allen Say and My Freedom Trip by: Frances Park
- I was Dreaming to Come to America by: Veronica Lawlor and Journey to Ellis Island by: Carol Bierman
- Fairy Tales and Folktales are wonderful to use especially the newer versions comparing different points of views from characters.
Mentor Texts to Teach Author’s Purpose Comprehension Strategies
Students need to be able to recognize whether the author wrote the text to entertain, to inform, to explain or to persuade. At times the author may write the text for more than one purpose. These books help my students recognize this skill.
- Thank you Mr.
Falkner by: Patricia Polacco - The Ant Bully by: John Nickle
- Fly Away Home by: Eve Bunting
- Two Bad Ants by: Chris Van Allsburg
- The Diary of a Worm by: Doreen Cronin
- The Lorax by: Dr. Seuss
Mentor Texts to Teach Making Connections Comprehension Strategies
Making connections is something that will go beyond the text itself. Students will recognize whether the text connects to them personally, connects to a world event, or to another text. These books are great for making connections for students.
- Because of Winn Dixie by: Kate DiCamilio
- Wonder by: RJ Palacio
- Thank you Mr. Falkner by: Patricia Polacco
- My Rotten, Redheaded Older Brother by: Patricia Polacco
- Through Grandpa’s Eyes by: Patricia MacLachlan
- Enemy Pie by: Derek Munson
Hopefully this list of books will provide a quick reference of texts to support you in teaching comprehension skills. I am always searching for books to add to my personal collection.
Many books can be used for multiple skills and sometimes they lend to one skill. The great thing about using these books is that students can recall the book when practicing the skill. Happy Reading!
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Pedagogy books: the best books for teachers
It's time for professional development of teachers. Books will help you master teaching techniques, improve communication skills with children and adolescents, and recharge your enthusiasm for working in the classroom. Our selection includes novels about the school, memoirs, popular science literature on psychology, books on pedagogy from famous teachers.
In them you will find answers to questions that constantly arise in the practice of any teacher: how to attract the attention of students, explain a complex topic, understand children's emotions, work with foster children at school.
The Finnish Education System: How the World's Best Schools Are Organized by Timothy Walker
The Finnish education system has been leading the world in terms of efficiency for two decades in a row. Schoolchildren in Finland choose their own classes and show excellent results. And teachers cooperate with each other, do not experience overload and are satisfied with their work. How to achieve this is described in the book The Finnish Education System.
The author is American teacher Timothy Walker, who worked for two years at a school in Helsinki. He spoke in detail about his experience, compared the Finnish school with the American one, and deduced 33 strategies on which the success of education in Finland is based.
Walker gives a lot of practical advice on how to deal with burnout, ensure class changes, and present material.
Flexible Mind Carol Dweck
Carol Dweck is an American psychologist and motivation researcher, the author of the famous scientific monograph "The Flexible Mind", which received the title of book of the year from the International Federation of Education.
Dweck has spent 20 years researching the relationship between learning abilities and thinking habits. She came to an important discovery in the field of psychology: belief in one's own fixed innate talents hinders the development of a person, and confidence in success as a result of hard work, on the contrary, contributes to great achievements. The main idea of the book is that thinking can be made more flexible. You will learn how to change the settings not only for yourself, but also for other people. Suitable for everyone, especially teachers.
Child Emotional Intelligence by Joan Decler, John Gottman
One of the best American family psychologists, John Gottman, in collaboration with Joan Decler, wrote a brilliant popular science book on the psychology of children's emotions.
The authors talk about how a child's emotional intelligence develops, what educational methods help to strengthen or destroy it, how to understand children's feelings and what language to talk about them. The book was written by scientists. Each statement is supported by references to studies and scientific facts. It will be useful for teachers to test their learning style and emotional awareness with the help of special tests.
The Art of Explaining, Lee LeFever
Lee LeFever is the chief specialist of an American company for creating educational videos, who knows how to talk in an accessible language about the technologies of Google, Microsoft, Intel, Ford Motors.
His book The Art of Explaining became a bestseller worldwide.
It turns out that talking about complex things in such a way that a person without training can understand is not a talent, but a skill that can be developed. Any explanation is based on certain principles, which are accompanied by examples and illustrations in the book. The author teaches you to plan your story, successfully pack the material and present it correctly. The book will help teachers answer difficult questions of students.
Freedom to learn. School game, Peter Gray
A popular book about playful learning by American psychologist Peter Gray. It is devoted to the shortcomings of the school system of education and the virtues of the most important activity in which human development takes place - free play.
Gray did a great job of research. In the book, he touches on the subject of the biological foundations of education, talks in detail about the history of education since ancient times, analyzes the modern school and describes the existing alternatives.
The main idea is that learning should take place through the game, only then it will be interesting and useful for the child. Gray does not make specific recommendations, but encourages reflection.
The Cool Teacher: How to Deal with Difficult Students, Difficult Parents, and Enjoy the Job by Nina Jackson
Nina Jackson is a British teacher, special education specialist and international education consultant. Her book "Class Teacher" is a collection of answers to the most exciting and difficult questions of teachers.
In an informal and humorous manner, Jackson writes about everything that a teacher encounters in his work. She does not give strict instructions, but argues, shares her experience, suggests. Her book will help you figure out how to interact with introverted students, make lessons fun, and talk to parents. This is the perfect reference book for elementary teachers.
How to Talk to Children to Learn by Elaine Mazlish, Adele Faber
Elaine Mazlish and Adele Faber are educational psychologists and authors of the acclaimed bestseller How to Talk So Kids Will Listen, How to Listen So Kids Will Talk, which has sold millions of copies.
Their new book is about learning.
To illustrate their thoughts and advice, the authors have chosen a non-standard art form. The story is told from the perspective of a young teacher who faces various problems and solves them with the help of books, tips from colleagues and her own intuition. Mazlisch and Faber talk about helping the child, encouraging interaction, cultivating self-discipline. The text is very concise, and memos, checklists and lists of abstracts will help teachers in their work.
"Love for Pedagogy", Evgeny Krasheninnikov
Evgeny Krasheninnikov is a Russian psychologist and educator, Doctor of Psychology, author of teaching aids for working with children and many articles published in major educational magazines and newspapers. “Love for Pedagogy” is a collection of his works written from 1984 to 2016.
In his essays, feuilletons and notes, Krasheninnikov discusses and expresses his opinion on various topics: the Unified State Examination, school psychologists, innovations in education, assessment systems.
“Pedagogical poem. Full version”, Anton Makarenko
The legendary work of the brilliant Soviet teacher Anton Makarenko, which had a huge impact on the educational science of the 20th century. The book was written in 1935 on the advice of Maxim Gorky, who also became the first editor of Poem.
Makarenko described his experience of running a colony for juvenile offenders, in which he successfully applied his own approaches to education and training: socially useful work, general management, principles of trust, uniform requirements for students and teachers. The book is written in an artistic form - with bright characters and a fascinating plot. "Pedagogical Poem" is a must-have item on any list of literature for teachers.
Practical Pedagogy. ABC NO”, Natasha Zitser, Dima Zitser
Natasha and Dima Zitzer are Russian teachers, founders of the Institute of Non-Formal Education.
They consider pedagogy to be creativity, adhere to a humanistic direction and oppose the traditional system of education. They outlined their views and ideas for changes in the book “Practical Pedagogy. ABC NO.
Here about the principles of the humanistic approach and the personal factor in pedagogy. The authors not only reject the outdated, but also offer new informal methods that they have tested in practice. The book is written in the form of a dictionary, which is not obligatory for sequential reading and is convenient for finding a topic of interest.
“Like a diary. Teacher's stories”, Marina Aromshtam
Teacher and writer Marina Aromshtam worked as an elementary school teacher for 19 years and won the title of "Teacher of the Year" in 1997. In addition to teaching aids and pedagogical textbooks, she writes wonderful works of art on the topic of teaching and raising children. One of her most unusual books is a collection of short essays “Like a diary.
Teacher's stories.
Aromshtam writes about how she studied at a pedagogical university and worked at a school. He recalls funny cases from practice and offers original ideas for elementary school teachers. The book is written in the form of a diary and immediately immerses the reader in a creative atmosphere.
"Correction of mistakes", Yuri Polyakov
One of the early works of the contemporary writer Yuri Polyakov. He graduated from a pedagogical university and taught at a school for some time. He outlined this experience in the form of a fictional story "Working on Errors".
The story is told on behalf of teacher Petrushov, who faces typical school problems: difficult behavior of students, conflicts with parents, intrigues of colleagues. The author touches on many complex topics related to teaching. Every teacher will find in it something important for themselves.
“Leave me to the children… Pedagogical notes”, Janusz Korczak
Janusz Korczak is a great Polish teacher and writer, one of the most important figures in world pedagogy.
Korczak promoted the principle of love for the child, sought the right of children to respect and argued that education should be based on the fact that all children are different.
Korczak published more than 20 pedagogical books, but his ideas and his personality are most fully manifested in a diary written in the ghetto before his death. When the Germans occupied Poland during World War II, he ran an orphanage in Warsaw. In 1942, Korczak was sent to the gas chamber with two hundred children from his orphanage, refusing to be offered freedom. “Leave me to the children…” is a powerful work that evokes strong emotions and is remembered for a long time.
“Learning as an adventure. How to make lessons interesting and fun, Dave Burges
Dave Burges is an American high school history teacher who has a knack for presenting his lessons as entertainment and educational shows. His book Learning as an Adventure will help teachers become more courageous, inventive and motivated in their work.
Burges proposes making learning fun and gives specific advice on how to do it. His techniques make students fully immersed in what is happening in the classroom and eagerly await the next lesson. The book contains many fresh ideas that will be useful to both young and more experienced teachers.
“A foster child came to the class”, Lyudmila Petranovskaya
Lyudmila Petranovskaya is a psychologist and publicist, the author of the famous manual for parents "Secret Support". For many years she has been dealing with adoption issues and writing books on the subject. One of them, entitled "A foster child came to the class," is intended for teachers.
Foster children experience difficulties with adaptation not only in the family, but also at school. Petranovskaya, based on many real examples, tells teachers about possible problems, reveals their causes and suggests solutions. The book teaches to treat the child with empathy and understand his emotions, despite difficult behavior.
This is one of the best Russian practical manuals for working with foster children.
Top 10 books on military art, military history and weapons
The art of war. With comments and explanations
Annotation
The ancient Chinese treatise "The Art of War", written over two thousand years ago by the great military leader and strategist Sun Tzu, is still rich food for the minds of thinkers. This is a classic guide to strategy for dealing with conflicts of all levels, from military action to political debate and psychological rivalry. Being the first of all treatises on the art of war, it, despite its antiquity, was used by many great people. This book is not only a new translation of the ancient text, but also contains detailed comments for a better understanding of the content of the treatise. The book will be of interest to anyone interested in military history, strategy and tactics of military art.
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More about the bookThe Science of Victory
Annotation
Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov is one of the most outstanding Russian commanders, an indomitable innovator and reformer of military strategy and tactics. He possessed heroic qualities, extensive knowledge, was one of the most educated people of his time. The campaigns and battles of Suvorov are still considered the pinnacle of military art, because the generalissimo was never defeated. Along with the brilliant work of military thought, The Science of Victory, the book includes an autobiography, personal correspondence between Suvorov and his daughter, as well as memoirs of contemporaries about his great compatriot and fragments of research.
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More about the bookIndirect strategy
Annotation
The book of the eminent English military historian Sir Basil Liddell Hart is the last chapter of the unwritten textbook of European military science, the result of four millennia of the development of the art of war.
"The geometry of war", "war through the eyes of a chess player", "strategy as an exact science" - these are just some of the characteristics of this extraordinary study. The depth of analysis, encyclopedic coverage, simplicity and accessibility of presentation make the "Strategy of Indirect Actions" indispensable for true lovers of military history.
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More about the bookMikhail Kutuzov: victory strategy
Annotation
Field Marshal M.I. Kutuzov is widely known not only in Russia, but also outside the country. Having started his military career at the age of 19, he was devoted to the Fatherland until the end of his days, more than once defeating the enemy on the battlefields. Back in 1786, Mikhail Illarionovich created a prescription for battalion commanders, where he outlined in detail the basics of the infantry and chasseur services.
Kutuzov actively applied all military theory in actions, which allowed him to defeat the invincible army of Napoleon. The publication includes a treatise on the infantry and chasseur service - a brilliant example of the commander's work, as well as the most striking excerpt from the book by F.M. Sinelnikov "Life, military and political deeds of Field Marshal Prince M.I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov-Smolensky", dedicated to the war of 1812.
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More about the bookAbout the war
Annotation
During the last two rather turbulent militarily recent centuries, the surname "Clausewitz" has long since migrated to the category of almost common nouns, and this, probably, best of all sums up his scientific activity. The works of Clausewitz are almost a unique attempt to create a dry military-historical, rational and devoid of political mythology (as far as possible) review based on relevant and politicized material saturated with personal experience.
"On War" is undoubtedly a brilliant piece of current affairs analysis, (almost) devoid of the magic of names and slogans, written without the typical errors and prejudice of an eyewitness. The reader is presented with selected chapters from the work "On War", accompanied by a preface and exhaustive comments.
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More about the bookWeapon. Illustrated guide
Abstract
This illustrated guide takes the reader on a journey through the formidable world of weapons. Here are samples of small arms, from the first revolvers and Mausers to the best heavy machine gun in Russia - "Kord-12.7". The encyclopedic publication contains a description of the main models of pistols and revolvers, submachine guns, rifles, as well as machine guns and machine guns, including the history of the creation of each sample and its performance characteristics.
