Read Across America is the United States’ largest celebration of reading. A great way to celebrate is to share quality literature like the Read Across America books listed below. This Read Across America book list is not only a list of read aloud books for Read Across America, but you can use it any time of the school year. They are inclusive stories that highlight interesting characters, settings, and storylines. Check out the full list of Read Across America books below!
This post highlights the following books:
6 Read Across America Books
Below are 6 quality Read Across America books. Your elementary students are going to love these books for Read Across America!
1. Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
In Jabari Jumps, Jabari is at the pool with his father and sister. He has just finished swimming lessons and passed his swim test. Today is the day he will jump off the diving board for the first time and he is really excited. However, when he gets in line to climb the ladder, Jabari starts to feel nervous. He lets other kids go before him, takes a rest, remembers to do his stretches, and even decides tomorrow is a better day for jumping.
Thankfully, his father is there to help. He explains that it is okay to be a little scared and explains it helps to take a deep breath and tell yourself you’re ready. Jabari starts to climb up the tall ladder once more and steps out onto the diving board. After a deep breath, he leaps into the air and falls down into the water. Everyone is happy when he emerges from the water and Jabari is ready to jump again.
Check out these Jabari Jump activities!
2. Mixed: A Colorful Story by Arree Chung
At first, there were only three colors: red, blue and yellow in the book Mixed. The reds were the loudest, the yellows were the brightest, and blues were the coolest. They all got along until the reds started to say they were the best. This made everyone upset and the three colors started fighting. It was decided that each color would live in different parts of the city.
One day Blue and Yellow become friends. Blue liked how happy he felt with Yellow and the Yellow like how calm Blue made him feel. The two colors mixed, everything started to change. At first the other colors were not happy, they didn’t think colors should mix. Yellow and Blue made an all new color together, green. Everyone was amazed by green and started mixing as well. Soon, there was a brand new city full of new colors.
Check out these Mixed: A Colorful Story activities!
3. Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian And Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Aldamuy Denise
Planting Stories is a biographical picture book about Pura Belpre, who was the first Puerto Rican Librarian in New York City. When she started working the library, she realized that there weren’t any of the stories and folktales that she was familiar with in Puerto Rico. She decides to share her stories during story hour and through puppet shows, and eventually publishes a book.
Pura travels across the country and from classroom to classroom planting her story seeds and educating about her homeland. When she returns to the library, she sees that her story seeds have bloomed and everyone is telling her stories. Students will love learning about Pura and how she shared her stories with children everywhere.
Check out these Planting Stories activities!
4. Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Khan
Big Red Lollipop is told from the point of view of Rubina. Rubina receives her first invitation to a birthday party. She is overjoyed to go home and tell her family about it. However, she is met with disappointment when Ami tells her that, in order for her to go to the birthday party, she has to bring her little sister, Sana.
Rubina brings Sana to the birthday party and has a miserable time. They both get goodie bags from the party that have a big red lollipop in them. Sana eats hers right away, and Rubina hides hers away for the next day. When Rubina wakes up the next morning, she is furious when she discovers that Sana has eaten her lollipop!
Eventually, Sana gets invited to a birthday party. She becomes devastated when Ami tells her she has to bring their littler sister Maryam. Instead of letting Sana be miserable at the party, Rubina tells Ami to not make Sana bring Maryam. Sana gets to have fun at the birthday party, and brings home a big green lollipop for Rubina.
Check out these Big Red Lollipop activities!
5. We are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
in We are Water Protectors, a girl and her people live in a village. They are water protectors, and they honor and appreciate everything water has done for them. It is the first medicine, it nourishes all life, and it is sacred. When a black snake threatens her people’s land, the girl rallies her village to stand against the threat.
Check out these We are Water Protectors activities!
6. Freedom Soup by Tami Charles
Freedom Soup is a story about a family’s special New Year’s tradition. It is a cold and snowy day, but inside Ti Gran’s kitchen, it is warm and busy. Today, Belle is excited for her Ti Gran to teach her how to make traditional Haitian Freedom Soup for New Year’s Day. As they prepare the ingredients and add them to the big pot, Ti Gran tells Belle why it is called Freedom Soup and what it means to their people.
Long ago, the people of Haiti were enslaved and forced to work for their masters. Part of their work was making Freedom Soup, which they were never allowed to eat. When the Haitians rebelled and won their freedom, they were finally able to make and eat Freedom Soup since they were now free. Every New Year’s Day, Haitians make and eat Freedom Soup to remind themselves of their fight for freedom.
Check out these Freedom Soup activities!
Or Get All of the Activity Packets for 600+ Picture Books!
Starts with a Story is a collection of hundreds of book companions based on high quality children’s literature that support you in delivering highly-engaging interactive read alouds with follow up activities. Each book companion includes:
- reading comprehension questions with sample student responses
- 30 writing prompts targeting 10 different types of writing
- SEL lesson ideas based on character and events from each story
- printable student activities
- editable teaching slides with book-based clipart
- and more.
Learn how to get unlimited access to all 600+ book companion packets below!
Get All of the Read Across America Activities
Below are some other popular Read Across America activities you might be interested in.
One Last Thing Before You Go… Grab this Free Reading Resource!
If you want to get more book ideas to read aloud to your elementary students, then grab this reading freebie for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classroom teachers. It includes:
- seasonal read aloud books lists for teachers
- printable reading logs to track students’ reading
- monthly reading challenges to motivate students to read more
It will have you covered for the entire school year, as well as the summer months! Grab this free elementary reading packet now!
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