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10 Picture Books for Visualizing While Reading in 2024

A highly effective way to teach visualizing to elementary students is to read aloud a picture book that lends itself to teaching this reading strategy. Reading aloud a picture book facilitates a learning experience where you can model how to use visualizing to better understand the text and engage students in their learning by asking related questions. Below is a list of 10 picture books for teaching visualizing. Check out the full list, as well as the teaching resources that go with them!

10 Picture Books for Visualizing

Below are 10 picture books for teaching visualizing to elementary students.

1. Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld

Cloudette was a small cloud, much smaller than the other clouds. She enjoyed some of the advantages of being small, like fitting in tight places and always finding a spot at the fireworks. However, at times Cloudette wished she was big and important. Readers will join Cloudette as she watches rainbows, thunder, waterfalls, and snow.  One day, she helps a small puddle gather water to help frogs survive. This paints quite a special image for readers! Check out these Cloudette activities!

Cloudette book cover and activityThe Gruffalo book cover
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2. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson

In this story is a small mouse who goes for a walk through the forest. During his walk, the mouse runs into several larger animals that want to make a meal of him. The clever mouse tricks each animal by saying he is off to have lunch with a gruffalo, a made up creature that scares each animal off. While reading, students can visualize the gruffalo and compare their ideas prior to reading and after reading the text. Check out these The Gruffalo activities!

3. Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee 

This story is about the thrilling experience of riding a roller coaster for the very first time.  The descriptive language and vivid Illustrations in the story will make you feel like you are riding the roller coaster for the first time, too! This is what makes Roller Coaster such a great story to practice the reading skill of visualizing. Check out these Roller Coaster activities!

Rollercoaster writing paperCaps for Sale book cover
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4. Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

 This classic book tells the story of a small town peddler who sells caps. However, this peddler is not like other peddlers. He walks around town selling his caps stacked on his head. One day, after sleeping under a tree, he wakes up to find that his caps are missing! He looks around only to look up into the tree, that’s where a group of monkeys are wearing his caps! He gets angry and stomps his feet, and the monkeys copy him! Finally, feeling frustrated the peddler throws his cap on the ground. The monkeys do the same! He is able to collect his caps and walk back into town. Throughout the story, students can visualize monkeys taking hats, stomping around, and throwing the caps. Check out these Caps for Sale activities!

5. Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho 

The narrator of this story has eyes that kiss at the corners. They are the color of warm tea and crinkle into crescent moons. Her eyes are different than other people she knows, and this beautifully written story uses descriptive language to help readers visualize her qualities. Comparing to the stars, readers will enjoy the visualizations they make, as well as the one the illustrator shares! Check out these Eyes that Kiss in the Corners activities!

Eyes That Kiss in the Corners book coverHarold and the Purple Crayon book cover
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6. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson 

One night, Harold decided he would go for a walk into the moonlight. However, there wasn’t a moon to give off light, so Harold drew one. He set off on his walk drawing his setting as he went. Students will love following Harold on his evening adventure and watching the different illustrations he makes! Here, students can visualize by adding details to what Harold draws, or even share what their setting would look like on their own adventure. Check out these Harold and the Purple Crayon activities!

7. Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Peña

Milo and his sister are both experiencing a lot of emotions and feel like shook-up sodas as they travel on the subway. In order to manage his feelings, Milo begins to draw pictures of the lives he imagines the different people on the subway live. Students will love to watch his ideas come to life and visualize their own ideas of how people live. Check out these Milo Imagines the World activities!

Milo Imagines the World book coverThe Relatives Came book cover and activity
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8. The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant

When relatives travel a long way to get to Virginia, everyone is very excited to see each other. There is lots of hugging, laughing, and smiling. The relatives stay for many weeks and their family welcomes them into their home, and when summer ends, it is time for the relatives to go. Students will enjoy this story about what happens when relatives visit, and they can practice visualizing as they picture gardening and playing music. Check out these The Relatives Came activities!

9. The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

One day, a young girl and her dog decide to build the most magnificent thing. They get started building, and when they finish they discover it is not magnificent. The girl and dog start making many changes to their creation, trying to make it exactly what she imagined, and eventually smashes it. While on a walk to cool down, the girl discovers the different parts of her creation and realizes there are parts of each she likes. She gets back to work and eventually creates exactly what she imagined. Students can relate to the young girl not making exactly what she visualized. Discuss with students how resilience and a growth mindset can change this! Check out these The Most Magnificent Thing activities!

The Most Magnificent Thing book and activityThe Hello Goodbye Window book cover
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10. The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster 

A little girl reminisces about her visits to ger Nanna and Poppy’s house, where there is a big front window. When it is time to go home, she always makes sure to look in the window and wave goodbye. The main character shares all of her special memories from time spent at her grandparents house. When she grows up, she hopes to have a house with a window just like theirs. While reading, students can visualize the house, the stars, and playing outside in their yard. Check out these The Hello, Goodbye Window activities!

printable picture book comprehension activities

In closing, we hope you found this list of picture books for visualizing helpful! If you did, then you may also be interested in these posts:

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