BLOGS > AUGUST 4, 2021
BY JILLIAN HEISE
One of the most valuable parts about #classroombookaday daily picture book read-alouds is that they give educators a chance, every single day, to share stories that can build community and help develop relationships with their students. I always start the school year with a focus on titles that will link with routines we are starting to develop and also ones that create a strong base to start building relationships. This year in particular, during a global pandemic with which we had an abrupt end to in-person instruction during the spring and missed those last few months of closure in the ways we are normally used to, there will be a unique need to dive deeper into relationship building to kick off those first weeks of the new school year and reassure nervous students. Being out of predictable routines, having uncertainty about what’s to come, and meeting new teachers through a computer screen or blocked by a mask and/or shield will all be factors in hindering a bit of the usual way teachers might connect with students to start building relationships and how the classroom community is developed with their peers. Whether starting the school year virtually, or in person in masks with physical distancing, neither will be a setting that feels as welcoming as school typically does.
With all of that in mind, I wanted to focus this September’s list on picture books that will provide a base to start building those relationships, virtually or in person. I intentionally chose picture books that focus on friendships, fitting in or being welcomed into a group, connecting with others, strong emotions (grief, sadness or anger), the power of names and culture, and those that share nervousness about meeting new classmates. I wanted to choose books that can show the love and respect we have for the young people in our charge and have a focus on showing the inclusiveness of the classroom environment and that the teacher is welcoming of all – whether they have the same background or not.
I hope that you will find the space to keep #classroombookaday going with your community this year. I hope that these titles will bring you comfort and inspiration for the work we have ahead during this ongoing global pandemic to keep kids and relationships at the heart of our classrooms, no matter the worry, fear or despair that may also be present. And I hope that you give yourself the time and space to develop these new relationships through picture book stories and choosing to highlight those that represent all kids to help achieve that goal.
Jillian Heise, NBCT and MLIS, is currently a K-5 Library Media Teacher 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.
Read all Jillian Heise #classroombookaday articles on Follettcontent.com.
Watch webinar recording presented by Jillian Heise, Building Community: #classroombookaday Read-Alouds.
Celebrate holidays with 12 seasonal titles!
October 13, 2025
Motivate students to read with these seasonally themed books from Capstone Publishing! Spark their interest with books focusing on holidays they know and love and give them the chance to discover new ones they’ve never heard of.Three lucky educators will receive these...
Read more
Pippa Park Books Come to Life in New Video Series!
September 19, 2025
Middle graders aren’t reading for pleasure like they used to, and educators, booksellers, and families want a solution to get them excited about reading and sharing stories with their peers again. One part of such a solution is to meet...
Read more
Preview exciting fall 2025 eGalleys from Capstone!
September 15, 2025
We’ve partnered with Capstone and NetGalley* to provide digital access to 15 upcoming nonfiction and fiction titles releasing January 1, 2026. You’ll want to take advantage of this early access so you can then preorder the titles you love on...
Read more
Why the Food Group Series Continues to Take the Cake
September 15, 2025
From The Bad Seed to The Smart Cookie, Jory John and Pete Oswald’s Food Group series has become a staple in classrooms and libraries across the country. With its clever characters, laugh-out-loud humor, heartfelt lessons, and captivating illustrations, the series has helped educators...
Read more
Fall Into Reading with Orca Book Publishers
September 15, 2025
Keep students reading all year long by sprucing up your classroom’s library with these top titles from Orca!All the Things We FoundBy Joanne LevyAudience: Upper ElementaryIn this story about loss, protagonist Ruthie finds herself in a park where she meets an...
Read more
What We're Reading - September 2025 Edition
August 13, 2025
Welcome to another installment of What We’re Reading, a space where we share the titles we’re currently devouring – especially the ones that transport us to magical worlds filled with mythical creatures and daring adventures.This month, we’re diving into Impossible...
Read more