We’ve all read books whose plot or main character stay with us for a long time. With kids, books can be a great and subtle way to illustrate personality traits we may want to engender. 

Collections of books with similar themes (sometimes called “text sets”) give teachers and parents a way to focus on a theme but do so in such a way that you’re not beating your kid over the head with the same message over and over again. Years ago I wrote about a text set on persistence whose message of perseverance and persistence we still refer to around our house. (“Sometimes you gotta Tillie it…”) using Tillie and the Wall as our reference. 

A really great resource called the Mind in the Making Book Collection recently became available. Mind in the Making partnered with First Book to create a book collection that combines children’s books with tips for building Mind in the Making’s Seven Essential Life Skills, including Focus and Self Control, Making Connections, Critical Thinking and Taking on Challenges. For each book, users will find an age group recommendation and a tip sheet for using the book with your child. The book suggestions make great additions to any home or classroom library!

About the Author

Joanne Meier has more than 20 years of experience in the field of education, including serving on the faculty at the University of Virginia for six years where she trained reading specialists and future classroom teachers. Dr. Meier was Reading Rockets’ research-to-practice consultant from 2002 to 2014, where she wrote the Page by Page blog — sharing best practices in supporting young readers at home and in the classroom.

Publication Date
November 20, 2013

Related Topics

Children’s Books, Common Core Standards, Comprehension, Content Area Literacy, Libraries, Curriculum and Instruction
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