March is a great time to discuss and explore Tom Percival books because that’s when his birthday is, but really you can do this any time of the year. This post shares Tom Percival Books that you can use for this purpose. All of the picture books on this list lend themselves to this topic really well. Take a peek below to learn more about these Tom Percival Books!
5 Tom Percival Books
Below is a list of some of our favorite Tom Percival books to share with elementary students. Check them out!
1. Perfectly Norman by Tom Percival
The story Perfectly Norman is about a young boy named Norman. Norman had always felt perfectly normal, until one day when he grows his wings. Norman loves his wings and he loves flying! However, when it is time to go dinner, he decides that he needs to hide his wings from everyone so that they think he is still normal.
Hiding his wings makes Norman feel miserable. He misses out on all of his favorite activities, and is hot and uncomfortable. Finally, he decides to take off his coat and reveal his wings. This inspires other children to take off their coats and reveal that they have wings too! Norman is never happier than when he is flying around with the other children. He learns the lesson that being normal isn’t important, he just needs to be perfectly Norman.
Check out these Perfectly Norman teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
2. Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival
Ruby was an ordinary, happy girl until one day she found a worry. It started out very small, but grew bigger and bigger over time. The worry followed Ruby everywhere she went and she thought it might never go away. Rudy stopped enjoying the things she used to love.
Ruby was in the park one day when she noticed a boy sitting alone. He looked sad. The boy looked like how she felt and Ruby realized that other people have worries too. Ruby sat down with the boy and asked him what was on his mind. As he started talking, Ruby noticed his worry began to shrink. She started to talk to the boy about her worry and it got so small it was barely there. While Ruby still gets a worry from time to time, she now knows how to take care of it: by talking to someone!
Check out these Ruby Finds a Worry teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
3. Ravi’s Roar by Tom Percival
The story Ravi’s Roar is about a boy named Ravi who is the smallest and youngest in his family. Normally being small doesn’t bother Ravi, until one day when his family goes to the park.
They race to the train to go to the park and he is last so he has to be squished in a seat with his dad and dog. Then when they are at the park he can’t find anyone when they play hide and seek, can’t reach the monkey bars or jump between the logs, and is unable to go down the big slide. Ravi gets really really angry and his dad says they should go get ice cream.
Ravi is last in line for the ice cream and there isn’t any left. He gets so angry that he turns into a tiger. When he is a tiger he can roar and growl at anyone and get what he wants. Soon Ravi realizes no one wants to play with him or be around him. He apologizes and his family forgives him and he never turns into a tiger again.
Check out these Ravi’s Roar teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
4. Meesha Makes Friends by Tom Percival
Meesha loves to make things. She can make pictures out of sounds and numbers. But there is one thing that Meesha cannot make- friends. She does not know what to do or to say with other children. Sometimes, she does the wrong thing in thinking that it is the correct way to play.
Eventually, she problem solves by making her own friends out of materials and fabric. One day, a little boy sees her making these dolls. He wants to make his friends, too! When they create a town together, he encourages Meesha to show it to another group of children. Join Meesha on her journey of friendship, problem solving, and navigating social skills!
Check out these Meesha Makes Friends teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
5. Tilda Tries Again by Tom Percival
The story, Tilda Tries Again, is about a girl named Tilda who thinks her world is just the way she likes it. She has her books, her friends, and her toys. Everything is just the way she likes it.
Then one day, Tilda wakes up to discover her world has turned upside down. Her world is literally topsy turvy and the things she used to love doing are too difficult for her now. She decides to give up and do nothing.
Then Tilda sees a ladybird flipped on its back and watches it try and try again to right itself. It breaks free and flies away and Tilda realizes she can keep trying too.
Tilda starts doing the things she likes again and even goes to see her friends. She has learned the importance of coping and realizes she can get through anything as long as she keeps trying.
Check out these Tilda Tries Again teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
Grab the Free Reading Resources!
In closing, we hope you found this list of Tom Percival 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!
