BLOGS  >  JUNE 3, 2023

#ClassroomBookADay Resources


#ClassroomBookADay Themes

Started by Jillian Heise during the 2014-15 school year, #ClassroomBookADay was inspired by Donalyn Miller's (@donalynbooks) #bookaday challenge. With a goal to read aloud a picture book every day of the school year with her seventh and eighth grade students, 180 complete texts were shared that helped grow classroom community and reading engagement. After sharing it at #nErDcampMI that summer, other teachers wanted to try it. It was coined #ClassroomBookADay so there would be a hashtag specifically about these daily picture book read-alouds. Five years later, thousands of educators across the country are using #ClassroomBookADay to positively affect student learning in schools, classrooms, and libraries. Join in by learning more from Jillian Heise and commit to taking the challenge this school year!

Jillian helps you with your #ClassroomBookADay commitment by sharing picture book recommendations and a reflection below.

  1. Kindness
  2. Read with Pride
  3. Oceans/Seas
  4. Black Joy & Excellence
  5. Celebrating the Arts: Music & Dance 
  6. Making Everyone Feel Welcome Part 2 - Refugee Stories
  7. Making Everyone Feel Welcome Part 1 - Immigrant Stories
  8. Tales with a Twist
  9. Picture Books About Names 
  10. Celebrations Around the World
  11. Nature and the Environment: Earth Day Read-Alouds
  12. Food: Make Your Read-Alouds a Feast for the Senses
  13. Reading Aloud With Wordless Picture Books
  14. Books About Families: Rethinking How We Define Family
  15. Shocking Reveals and Unexpected Plot Twists: Read-Alouds With Surprise Endings
  16. Voting and Elections: Election Year Read-Alouds
  17. Grief, Loss and Remembrance: Turning to Books in Times of Grief
  18. Building Community: Relationship Building at the Start of the School Year
  19. You Do You: What Message Will You Leave Your Students With This Year?
  20. Social and Emotional Support: Support Social and Emotional Learning with #ClassroomBookADay
  21. Global Perspectives: #ClassroomBookADay for a New Perspective
  22. People Who Made a Difference: Dive Deeper with Picture Book Biographies
  23. Perseverance
  24. Spotlight on Nonfiction
  25. Native Nations: Honoring Voices of Native Nations
  26. Friendship: Can't We All Be Friends? #ClassroomBookADay
  27. Building Community: #ClassroomBookADay
  28. Getting Ready to Read: Picture Books to Get You Started with #ClassroomBookADay

 

#ClassroomBookADay Book Lists

Add Jillian Heise's recommended #ClassroomBookADay books to your classroom library by visiting Titlewave #ClassroomBookADay Lists.

 


About Jillian Heise

 

Jillian Heise, NBCT and MLIS, is currently an elementary Library Media Specialist in southeastern Wisconsin. She previously taught Grades 7 and 8 ELA in the Milwaukee area for 11 years. Jillian is the founder of #ClassroomBookADay and dedicated to supporting all student identities and lived experiences through access to inclusive literature. She brings her literacy expertise and knowledge of kidlit to her role as Chair of the USRA Children's Literature Committee. You can find Jillian online at Heise Reads & Recommends and @heisereads.

Recent Blog Entries

Graphic Novels Your Students Will Love from Annick Press

May 21, 2026

The intricately crafted worlds and dynamic characters of graphic novels capture the imagination of students of all ages, no matter where they are in their literary journey. These worlds foster deeper cultural understanding while the narratives hone critical thinking skills crucial to...
Read more

Best-Selling SEL Professional Development from Norton Books in Education

May 19, 2026

Cutting-edge research continues to confirm that teaching students social and emotional skills provides enduring behavioral and learning benefits for academic and lifelong success. These hands-on professional development titles from Norton provide school leaders and classroom teachers in Grades K-12 with SEL tools and strategies grounded...
Read more

The Adult Title Fulfillment Gap in Public Libraries – and What It Means for Collection Development

May 18, 2026

For decades, a major player in the public library space was one of the most relied-upon sources for adult print titles.When that leading library book vendor exited the public library distribution market, it created a gap that collections professionals are...
Read more

Long hold queues for new releases? Here's how libraries are solving it.

May 11, 2026

It’s one of the most visible measures of patron satisfaction in a public library: the holds list. When a highly anticipated adult title is released and dozens – sometimes hundreds – of patrons are waiting for a handful of copies,...
Read more

What's a street date program for public libraries, and why does it matter?

May 4, 2026

If you manage adult collections at a public library, you already know the pressure that builds before a highly anticipated book comes out. Holds lists grow long. Patrons ask at the desk. And when release day finally arrives, the copies...
Read more

Follett Content is Back as an Approved Vendor for NYC School Libraries

March 23, 2026

New York City (NYC) school libraries operate at scale and benefit from partners who do the same. Follett Content is once again an approved vendor (#ECO004000), offering support that simplifies ordering while maintaining consistency, including:Local, on-site support with experience assisting school...
Read more

More Blog Entries