My Favorite Books to Read, Sing, and Tell
Compiled by W. Nikola-Lisa, Author/Educator/Storyteller
www.nikolabooks.com
Shaw, Charles. It Looked Like Spilt Milk. New York: HarperCollins, 1947.
A book about the possibilities of cloud shapes; use a scarf as a prop to “read” this story.
Asch, Frank. Bread and Honey. New York: Parents Magazine Press, 1981.
Tell this story using a dry erase board and marker, embellish as you see fit.
Nikola-Lisa, W. Can You Top That? New York: Lee & Low, 2000.
Friends fantasize about their pet animals; use as a writing model for individual or class storybook.
Lobel, Arnold. The Book of Pigericks. New York: Harper Trophy, 1988.
Use a pig nose and cap to get that “just right pig look” to read this popular book of limericks.
Bates, Katharine Lee. America the Beautiful. NY: Alladin, 2002.
Sing this one to your students, slowly, enjoying the panorama of national parks and monuments.
Nikola-Lisa, W. America: My Land, Your Land, Our Land. NY: Lee & Low, 1997.
A sparse text, more a meditation than anything else; follow up with discussion about America.
Guthrie, Woody. This Land Is Your Land. Boston: Little, Brown, 1998.
The music is provided, so sing this one with your students as a follow up to the America book.
Neubecker, Robert. Wow! America! NY: Hyperion, 2006.
A really cool book with fresh, invigorating illustrations; good adjunct to books above.
Wiles, Deborah. Freedom Summer. NY: Atheneum, 2001.
A poignant story about racial prejudice in America during civil rights era.
Mochizuki, Ken. Heroes. New York: Lee & Low, 1995.
A compelling story about racial prejudice involving Asian Americans.
Nikola-Lisa, W. America: A Book of Opposites. New York: Lee & Low, 2001.
A dual language board book version of America: My Land, Your Land, Our Land.
Adorff, Arnold. black is brown is tan. New York: HarperCollins, 2001.
Still timely, and exceedingly well written, about a bi-racial family’s experirence.
Collier, Bryan. Uptown. New York: Henry Holt, 2000.
A colorful and rhythmic tribute to life in contemporary Harlem.
Williams, Vera B. More More More Said the Baby. New York: Mulberry, 1996.
A uniquely organized and illustrated book with a wonderfully rhythmic text.
Bonne, Rose. I Know an Old Lady. New York: Rand McNally, 1961.
A traditional story that still entertains children of all backgrounds.
Nikola-Lisa, W. Bein’ With You This Way. New York: Lee & Low, 1997.
An ode to diversity with a focus on children playing outdoors in a city park.
Charlip, Remy. Fortunately. New York: Parents' Magazine Press, 1964.
Reinforces the call-and-response format storytellers use frequently.
Raschka, Chris. Yo! Yes! New York: New York: Scholastic, 1993.
A tightly written book about two kids becoming friends; lends itself to a whole group reading.
hooks, bell. Skin Again. New York: Hyperion/Jump at the Sun, 2004.
A poetic introduction to racial tolerance and diversity, wonderfully crafted.
Lester, Julius. Let’s Talk About Race. New York: HarperCollins, 2005.
A prose story introducing older kids to the idea of racial equality and diversity.\
Shange, Ntozake. ellington was not a street. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004.
One of this poet’s best picture book texts about the African American experience.
Rappaport, Doreen. Martin’s Big Words. New York: Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, 2001.
An excellent introduction to the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life.
Nikola-Lisa, W. How We Are Smart. New York: Lee & Low, 2006.
Using the theory of multiple intelligences, this book profiles twelve unique individuals.
Burleigh, Robert. Langston’s Train Ride. New York: Orchard, 2004.
An imaginative and compelling story about Langston Hughes and his writing interests.
Yoo, Paula. Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds. New York: Lee & Low, 2006.
A picture book biography of Sammy Lee, Olympic diver and medical doctor.
Chin-Lee, Cynthia. Amelia to Zora: New York: Charlesbridge, 2006.
Biographical profiles twenty-six women who helped change the world
Raschka, Chris. Charlie Parker played be bop. New York: Orchard Paperbacks, 1997.
An inventive, swinging tribute to the jazz great; a wonderful read-aloud.
Nikola-Lisa, W. Night Is Coming. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1991.
A poetic evocation of night coming to Dutch Pennsylvania farm country.
Nikola-Lisa, W. Storm. New York: Atheneum, 1993.
The sound and fury of a storm disrupts a farm family and its chores.
Nikola-Lisa, W. Till Year’s Good End. New York: Atheneum, 1997.
The labors of the months are explored poetically in this medieval story.
Nikola-Lisa, W. The Year with Grandma Moses. New York: Henry Holt, 2001.
The art and life of artist Grandma Moses are the focus of this book.
Nikola-Lisa, W. Summer Sun Risin’. New York: Lee & Low, 2002.
A father and son spend time together throughout the course of a summer day.
Merriam, Eve. Train on the Tracks. New York: Henry Holt, 1992.
A light-hearted, rhythmic train song for young children.
Aylesworth, Jim. One Crow: A Counting Rhyme. New York: HarperCollins, 1988.
Summer and winter are explored in rhyme and image in this counting book.
Gershwin & Heyward. Summertime. New York: Aladdin, 2002.
Straight from Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess,” makes a great sing-aloud.
Crews, Donald. Freight Train. New York: Greenwillow, 1978.
Donald Crew’s train book adapted to song and the sound of a harmonica.
Nikola-Lisa, W. My Teacher Can Teach...Anyone! New York: Lee & Low, 2004.
A career book, an alphabet book, a book about diversity—lots to explore here.
Winters, Kay. My Teacher for President. New York: Dutton, 2006.
A tongue-in-cheek look at a teacher who just could be the next president.
Wegman, William. What Do You Want to Do? New York: Hyperion, 1999.
Wegman’s famous dogs teach us about different careers.
Nikola-Lisa, W. Shake Dem Halloween Bones. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997.
Pure vaudeville in this rollicking Halloween book punctuated with fairytale characters.
Edens, Cooper. Little Red Riding Hood. San Diego: Green Tiger Press, 1989.
This traditional story told with three socks: black, red, and striped.
Barner, Bob. Dem Bones. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1996.
An excellent introduction to the skeletal system using the “Dem Bones” song.
Simon, Seymour. Bones: Our Skeletal System. New York: William Morrow, 1998.
Classic Seymour Simon: the skeletal system up close and in full color.
Turkle, Brinton. Deep in the Forest. New York: Dutton, 1976.
In this fractured fairytale, Goldilocks tells her side of the story.