One of my favorite ways to teach personification is using picture books. This post shares popular personification picture books that elementary teachers often use as read alouds. All of the children’s books on this list lend themselves to this topic really well. Take a peek below to learn more about these personification picture books for kids!
5 Personification Picture Books
Below is a list of some of our favorite picture books for teaching personification at the elementary level. Check them out below!
1. Chopsticks by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Chopsticks by Amy Krouse Rosenthal is about how Chopsticks have always been best friends and they do everything together. That’s how it has always been, in fact their friends can’t even think of a time they weren’t together. When they were practicing new culinary tricks there was an accident, and Chopstick snapped. The doctor told him he would need to stay off his leg for a while. After first, the two remained side by side as always. After some time though, he told his friend to venture off on his own and tell him all about the experience. At first, Chopstick was apprehensive. He had no idea what he could do on his own, however with encouragement from his friend, Chopstick went out into the world. He learned that there were many things he could do alone, and tried doing new activities.
When Chopstick was healed, the two reunited and were stronger than ever. They learned many new things they enjoyed doing together, like painting, playing music and drawing.
Check out these Chopsticks lessons and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging interactive read aloud lessons!
2. Linus The Little Yellow Pencil by Scott Magoon
Linus The Little Yellow Pencil by Scott Magoon is about a pencil named Linus who loves to draw. He decides to enter into an art contest, and had his eye on the grand prize. Ernie, Linus’s eraser, does not think that any of the drawings Linus is creating are good enough to win them the prize.
Ernie continuously criticizes Linus’s drawings and causes Linus to want to quit being an artist. Linus has an encounter with Smudge, and Smudge convinces him to keep drawing. Linus and Ernie go on to draw beautiful pictures together.
Students will learn about growth mindset and positive-self talk as they hear the story of how a pencil learned to believe in himself.
Check out these Linus The Little Yellow Pencil lessons and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging interactive read aloud lessons!
3. Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal is about how Spoon was feeling sad and not like himself one day. His mother asked what was wrong and he explained he felt like his friends were all better off than he was. Each of his friends, Fork, Knife and Chopsticks, could do something that he could not. For example, Knife can spread things, Fork can go anywhere and Chopsticks are exotic. Little did Spoon know, his friends were jealous of him. They admired his ability to be silly and easygoing.
At bedtime, Spoon’s mother reminded him how lucky he is. She told him about all the things he gets to do that his friends cannot. Spoon gets to dive headfirst into ice cream and relax in tea. After speaking with his mother, Spoon feels better and starts feeling really good about himself.
Check out these Spoon lessons and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging interactive read aloud lessons!
4. Spork by Kyo Maclear
Spork by Kyo Maclear is about how Spork was different from all of the other cutlery in his kitchen. He was part fork and park spoon. It was very unusual for cutlery to be mixed like Spork was, and people did not seem to understand what he was. Spork felt lonely and was never placed at the table like spoons and forks were. He felt like if you could just pick one thing to be, things would be easier. He decided to wear a round hat but the forks thought he was too round. Next, Spork tried a crown but the spoons thought he was too pointy.
One day, the “messy eater” arrived and made a mess of the kitchen despite the spoons and forks efforts. Spork realized the messy easter needed something that could scoop and poke, something flexible and easy to hold. When Spork presented himself to the baby, he realized he had finally found his place at the table.
Check out these Spork lessons and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging interactive read aloud lessons!
5. Straw by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Straw by Amy Krouse Rosenthal is about how Straw had a thirst for being first. Straw wanted to be the first to do everything, and whenever he was drinking something, he needed to be the first to finish. One day, Straw runs into a big problem with doing this quickly. He gets a big brain freeze when trying to drink a frozen drink too quickly.
One of Straw’s glassmates teaches him the importance of slowing down and smelling the milkshake. Straw learns how to be mindful and and pay attention to all the great things happening around him. He learns that being first is not what is the most important.
Check out these Straw lessons and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging interactive read aloud lessons!
Grab the Free Reading Resources!
In closing, we hope you found this list of personification picture books helpful! They are part of our Starts With a Story collection. If you want to get more book ideas to read aloud to your elementary students, then grab this reading freebie. It includes read aloud books lists, reading logs, and reading challenges for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classroom teachers. It will have you covered for the entire school year, as well as the summer months! Grab this free elementary reading packet now!
