PIcture Book 10 for 10: An Adventure in Fourth Grade

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I have to admit I have stalked the Picture Book 10 for 10 series since the beginning. I always look forward to August 10th and have used the event to find some of the best picture books I use today! I finally decided to take the plunge this year (even though I’m a day late) and pick my favorite 10 books I use in my classroom. Plus, maybe this will get me back to updating this blog!

Fourth grade is a year about diving deep into character, language, and starting to create yourself into who you want to be (and accepting others for who they are). Some of these books are wonderfully lighthearted, while others require extensive background knowledge and profound discussions. 

Books for character study:

I always start my unit on character study with The Three Questions by Jon Muth. We use the three questions as a starting off point to look deeply into characters and their motivations. Plus, it helps us think about our interactions with others! 

Tsunami by Kimiko Kajikawa is a great book about sacrifice. It pairs beautifully with The Three Questions as students predict the actions and motivations of Ojiisan, the main character. In addition to an amazing story, the illustrations are brilliant.

Pete & Pickles by Berkeley Breathed is a brilliant example of a dynamic character. It all starts with an unexpected (and at first unwelcome) friendship between two very different characters and comes to an end in a dramatic and selfless fashion. It is one of my favorite and I can barely get through the ending without crying!

Star of Fear, Star of Hope Jo Hoestlandt is a powerful story about friendship, the power of words, regret, and hope. The story, set in northern France in 1942, recounts the events of a young girl as she fails to understand the persecution her best friend is facing as the Nazis occupy their city. I use this book to take extensively about the events leading up the the Holocaust. 

Rose Blanche by Christophe Gallaz is another favorite, but for entirely different reasons. It is a story of a young girl in Germany during Wold War II that embodies courage, sacrifice and doing what is right. The book requires a lot of discussion and careful examination of the pictures. The ending lends itself to a amazing conversation as the students struggle to figure out what happened. This is a powerful book indeed!

Books for language exploration:

Mystery at the Club Sandwich by Doug Cushman is the gem I use to introduce the elements of mystery, the genre of film noir and of course figurative language. The book is full of idioms and puns. While some of the sayings require explanation, there usually a student in the room can explain the reference. 

The Big Orange Splot by Daniel Pinkwater falls into this category for its use of idioms and similes, however it also belongs in the next category of creativity and individuality. The main character holds steadfast in who he is and helps others find their passions too! This is one of my first read alouds of the school year as we begin to create our classroom culture. 

Books for embracing Individuality:

The Numberlys by William Joyce is a new book I just stumbled upon. At first it seems like a simple number and alphabet book (I actually bought it for my nephew for his birthday), however on a more careful read through I think I may try it this year in my class. I will touch on the idea of orderly societies (and the laws that are put in place to oppress others), employing your power of choice to do something that is against the grain, persistence, and the power of language and words. I see ties to The Big Orange Splot with this one. 

Honestly, this list wouldn’t be complete without at least one Patricia Polacco book!  The Junkyard Wonders is one of my favorites for embracing differences and celebrating what makes each of us unique. 

My final selection is a short story that keeps my class laughing for days - I mean like pain in our sides, tears running down our cheeks laughter! "In the Shower with Andy" from Just Annoying! by Andy Griffiths is the story of a young boy in Australia that decides to seal up his standup shower and fill it with water. The kids relate to the relationship between the siblings and recognize that maybe not ALL of our dreams are worth pursuing (or at least we need to put some thought into the risks). This is one of the stories that the kids ask me to reread on the last day of school!

There you have it, my favorite 10. I already have a list of 6 or 7 books on my Amazon cart ready for ordering after sifting through everyone else’s lists. Thanks goodness for Prime! Until next August...