books · mentor texts · touchstone texts

Read Alouds That Support the Writing Curriculum, IRA Books, & Touchstone Texts

Stacey Shubitz

I’ve been working on updating the list of books I’ve read to my kids this year since I think it’s good to keep a list, of sorts. I have the book covers photocopied and hanging from the clotheslines in my classroom, but there’s no substitute for a good list. Here’s a preview of what “the list” looks like on my wiki:

Persuasive Writing

• Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin

• I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff

• Earrings by Judith Viorst

Literary Essay

• The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson

• “Slower Than The Rest” by Cynthia Rylant

• “My Side of the Story” by Adam Bagdasarian

• Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed

• The Wednesday Surprise by Eve Bunting

• A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Willaims

• Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

• The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch

• The Meanest Thing to Say (Little Bill Series) by Bill Cosby

• Uncle Peter’s Amazing Chinese Wedding by Lenore Look

Picture Book/Short Fiction Unit of Study

· Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel

· Grandmama’s Pride by Becky Birtha

· Jamaica’s Find by Juanita Havill

· Mia’s Story by Michael Foreman

· Mutt Dog by Stephen Michael King

· Not Norman: A Goldfish Story by Kelly Bennett

· Edwina: The Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems

· Hop Jump by Ellen Stohl Walsh

· A Frog Thing by Eric Drachman

For the semi-complete list, click here. Please note: My Memoir Touchstone Texts and Poetry Study Tests are completely missing from this list as it stands now. Once I add them, I will post this link again.

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Published by Stacey Shubitz

Stacey Shubitz is a K-6 literacy consultant and former elementary teacher. She is the author of CRAFT MOVES and other professional books on writing workshop. Her forthcoming book, MAKE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WORK FOR YOUR CHILD WITH DISABILITIES (Guilford Press, 2026), empowers parents to navigate the special education system.

3 thoughts on “Read Alouds That Support the Writing Curriculum, IRA Books, & Touchstone Texts”

  3. I really like how the color copies are available for all students to see. I find that students need a concrete example, like a book cover/picture, to remind them of the important parts or author’s craft from mentor texts. This is my goal my for next year! Did you make the color copies in your district or did you go to a store like Office Max? I will have to copy mine at an outside source.

    I think your blog is a great resource! I read it often. Thanks for sharing!

    Like

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