11 Books that every Grade School Classroom should have to read aloud to children…

Recently I was asked again what books I recommend for a school age. They asked me for a detailed list of books hmmm What follows is the 11 anthologies that I would suggest for classroom use – These books are not just for teacher or students. I will return to a picture book selection next week. – These are all amazing collections of stories form around the world that every teacher should have at there fingertips.

1. Spinning Tales, Weaving Hope: Stories, Storytelling, and Activities for Peace, Justice and the Environment [Paperback] Ed Brody (Editor), Jay Goldspinner (Editor), Katie Green (Editor), Rona Leventhal (Editor), Holly Near (Foreword)
2. Stories in My Pocket: Tales Kids Can Tell [Paperback] Martha Hamilton (Author), Mitch Weiss (Author), Annie Campbell (Illustrator)
3. Three-Minute Tales [Hardcover] Margaret MacDonald (Author)
4. Five Minute Tales: More Stories to Read and Tell When Time is Short [Hardcover] Margaret Read MacDonald (Author)
5. Mountain Jack Tales [Paperback] E Haley Gail (Author)
6. Aesop’s Fables (Stories for Young Children) [Hardcover] Anna Milbourne (Author), Gillian Doherty (Editor), Linda Edwards (Illustrator)
7. The McElderry Book of Aesop’s Fables [Hardcover] Michael Morpurgo (Author), Emma Chichester Clark (Illustrator)
8. D’aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths [Hardcover] Ingri d’Aulaire (Author), Edgar Parin d’Aulaire (Author)
9. Peace Tales [Paperback] Margaret MacDonald (Author)
10. Wonder Tales from Around the World (World Storytelling) [Paperback], Heather Forest (Author), David Boston (Illustrator)
11. In The Beginning: Creation Stories From Around The World (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) Virginia Hamilton (Author), Barry Moser (Illustrator)

Each of these books contains a world of stories and information – many of them easily accessible to the students in the older grades. I will follow this list with a list of children’s picture books that I have found useful in working with young tellers in school settings.