Booklists for Teachers

Best Booklists for Teachers

Finding good booklists for teachers used to be so difficult. If only Goodreads had been available when I first started teaching, it would have made it so much easier to find good books for the classroom. There have never been a lack of books. Unfortunately, it has often been tough to find the right books for the right students, classes or lessons. Now its easy with the plentiful classroom booklists on Goodreads. In this article, I’ll suggest some great teacher booklists as well as how to find teacher booklists on Goodreads.

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Read-Aloud Booklists by Grade Level

holiday read aloud books infographic

One way to find classroom booklists is by grade level. I will provide you with a few examples to get started, then you’re free to browse lists on your own.

To browse Goodreads booklists, click on the “Browse” pull-down menu at the top of the Goodreads web page. The fifth option down is ‘Lists.’ Click on this and you will be taken to a page with some suggested book lists. Type in whatever topic you are interested in, and you will be given a series of booklists from which to choose. Select whichever one meets your needs. You can also find Books by Age and Grade Level here on PurdyBooks.com

Booklists for Middle school students

This is not just booklists for sixth grade students, but those are the examples I’ll provide just to give you an idea of how you can choose the best books for students of any grade level. You can find a series of educational and recreational booklists for every grade level. Once you find a list that looks suitable for the grade you teach, take a look at the average rating for each book and the overall score. These are probably the two most important factors for figuring which books to purchase as classroom sets. Also consider your students’ interests and reading levels. 

Some other list you can find on our website include author booklists, classic book lists & lists of animal books.

halloween books infographic

Specialty Booklists for the Classroom

books adapted from Charles Dickens writing

If you are looking for themed booklists to match particular classroom topics, you’ll find some good topical booklists below. The specialty book lists below work well for thematic reading units in language arts or reading classes, but you can just as easily discover the best reading lists for science classes, social studies classes or elective classroom reading lists. Here some great reading booklists to help bring older classical literature to life by introducing modern day versions of classical books.

You may also want to consider themed units for holidays and other special occasions throughout the year. Below are some holiday themed booklists including Halloween themed booklists, Christmas themed booklists and more.

Joke Books for the Classroom

Whether you teach remedial reading, developmental reading or Language Arts, your classroom library should definitely include a wide selection of joke books. Students of all ages appreciate quality joke books not only for the laughs they provide, but also as a fun reading experience that can be a nice break from their typical fiction and non-fiction literary selections. Here are some links to get you started building a classroom library of joke books that will be suitable for all ages, year-round:

Lists of Joke Books for Classroom Library

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GMGR brings together parents, teachers, librarians, writers and readers, who all love middle grade books. If you've ever wished for your very own magic wardrobe, wanted a ride through Wonka's chocolate factory, or dreamed of running like the wind with Maniac McGee, join the party! Group Rules: Respect. Tolerance. Good vibes. Support. Poignant, sparkling, and witty conversations about middle grade books. Authors: We have a couple of dedicated (and quite active!) threads for writers. Please limit remarks promoting your own books to the Author's Corner and Offers area. Like any other party, if you only talk about yourself, you'll be left standing alone at the punch bowl. (This is said with all due respect and affection of a fellow writer...) If a member feels that someone is violating the spirit and guidelines of the group, please contact the moderators directly.

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