School was torture for Patricia as she struggled to make sense of letters and numbers. It’s the beautiful true story of its author, Patricia Polacco. I’m sure my kids would not enjoy me reading this book to them because it makes me cry every time. The book will definitely provide opportunities for deep conversations. She was angry that her friend left her birthday party early, only to discover the next day that her friend’s family was rounded-up and arrested in a Nazi raid. Told from an old woman’s perspective, Helen regrets her last interaction with her childhood best friend. This is a powerful, yet gentle book about the Holocaust. Star of Fear, Star of Hope, by Jo Hoestlandt Kids will love how justice is served in this engaging story. But Bibot soon discovers that when he eats a fig in the evening and wakes up the next day, his dreams from the night before do come true! Marcel has great plans for the second fig, but someone else gets to it first. When a patient pays him with two figs “that will make your dreams come true,” he angrily sends her away without pain medication. Monsieur Bibot is a cold-hearted dentist who cares only for himself. As a boy he hopped more than two miles each way to school – on one foot! Years later, he cycled 400 miles around Ghana – spreading the message that disability does not mean inability, and that people with disabilities are entitled to the same rights as other citizens. In a country where people with disabilities are expected to become beggars, Emmanuel reached for his dreams. This is the true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, who was born in Ghana, West Africa, with one deformed leg. HIGHLY recommended.Įmmanuel’s Dream, by Laurie Anna Thompson & Sean Qualls But with the help of her inspiring teacher and her brilliant classmates, Trish learns that she and her classmates are true wonders. This is a story from Polacco’s own childhood, in which she is placed in the “junkyard” classroom because she is not a strong reader. Her books are long but engaging, and they often address difficult topics. Patricia Polacco is a go-to author for strong picture books for kids in the intermediate grades. The Junkyard Wonders, by Patricia Polacco

If you’d like, grab a printable book list here. When available, I’ve included the guided reading level for each book.

But here’s one thing they all have in common: they’re excellent for promoting discussion and building comprehension. Some have simple vocabulary, and some use more complex language. Some of the texts are long, and some are short. Today I’m sharing 15 strong picture books that you can use in your third, fourth, or fifth grade classroom many of them would certainly work in primary classrooms, as well. In fact, I wrote a post all about how using picture books to build comprehension in the intermediate grades – you can read it here. You bet! Many teachers find strong picture books to use as interactive read alouds – and you can, too.

Dreams come true knockknock chart