3 Book Talk Recommendations

November is Family Literacy Month

It’s Family Literacy Month, an ideal time to encourage students to read and discuss books with their families. To support your classroom efforts, this book talk provides recommendations for elementary, middle, and high school students, highlighting stories that foster family connection, discussions, and a love for reading. These book recommendations can be shared with students’ families or incorporated into your lessons to create meaningful conversations about reading at home.

See what our Region 13 RLA Specialist had to say about this month’s top three picks, followed by a list of this month’s recommendations.

“You’ve got to check out Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen! It’s such a sweet, feel-good book that really shows how a classroom can become like a second family. The message is all about kindness, inclusion, and looking out for each other, which makes it perfect for your students to understand how important it is to treat everyone with care. The illustrations are super cute too, and it’s one of those books that really helps create a warm, positive vibe in the classroom. It’s a great go-to if you’re wanting to build community with your students!“?–?Gabrielle Sweetland-Garza, Elementary Education Specialist

“This beautiful picture book by Alice Lee and Frank Murphy is a celebration of the incredible variety and uniqueness of families today. With its warm, inclusive illustrations, children will see families that look like theirs and others that are different, each filled with love, support, and connection.

Perfect for storytime, this book is an engaging way to spark discussions about the different ways families are made and the values that bind us together. It’s an inspiring reminder that family comes in many forms and that love is the common thread. Whether your family is big, small, blended, or chosen, A Family Like Ours embraces the message that every family is valuable and deserves celebration.” – Kristeena Reiser, Elementary Education Specialist

“In these six stories, set in six distinct worlds, you’ll meet a boy and his robot nanny traveling the globe in search of the world’s tastiest treat, a child mechanical prodigy who invents the freshest dessert ever, and an evil ice cream truck driver who strikes fear in the heart of every kid in town. ” –?Kelley Weigand, Secondary Education Specialist

Children’s Books

Elementary Book Talk Recommendations

For younger readers, choose books for elementary students with relatable characters and engaging illustrations that invite family conversations. Here are some excellent book talk recommendations to get your students excited about sharing books with their families.

1. Our Table by Peter H. Reynolds
2. A Family Is a Family Is a Family (Who We Are) by Sara O’Leary
3. In This Family by Shelly Anand Fred Stays
4. Fred Stays With We by Nancy Coffeit
5. A Family Like Ours by Frank Murphy
6. The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
7. Ohana Means Family by Ilima Loomis and Kenard Pak
8. Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis

Middle School Books

Secondary Book Talk Recommendations

Middle school students often crave deeper themes and characters they can relate to. Books for teens that dive deeper and tackle important topics provide opportunities for families to discuss important issues and connect through shared experiences.

1. Forever This Summer by Leslie Youngblook
2. Merci Suarez Can’t Dance by Meg Medina
3. Ghost by Jason Reynolds
4. Zoe in Wonderland by Brenda Woods
5. The Ice Cream Machine by Adam Rubin

Young Adult Books

High School Book Talk Recommendations

For high school students, good books for young adults delve into complex themes and real-world issues, offering opportunities for family book talks that spark thoughtful discussions.

1. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
2. Bluefish by Pat Schmatz
3. Holes by Louis Sachar
4. The Book Thief by Louis Sachar
5. Rana Joon and the One & Only Now by Shideh Etaat

Book Talk Ideas for RLA Teachers

Teacher Planner Suggestions

Encourage your students’ families to join in on Family Literacy Month by providing resources and strategies to support reading at home.

Book talks are traditionally conducted in a classroom setting for students; however, book talks can be performed outside a school setting and with a variety of age groups as well.

Here are some tips to help:

1. Create a Family Book Talk Guide: Provide students with discussion questions and prompts to help them have meaningful conversations with their families about the book.
2. Recommend a Book Talk Schedule: Encourage students to choose one evening a week for “book talk” time where they can read, discuss, and connect with family.
3. Offer Family Book Talk Extra Credit: Invite students and their families to share reflections on a common book read during the month, fostering a reading community.

Supporting Family Literacy Month with these book recommendations can help you engage students and their families, promoting a culture of reading that extends beyond the classroom. Happy reading, and enjoy the connections that this special month can bring!

Meet Our Amazing Team

Kristeena Reiser

RLA Elementary Education Specialist [email protected]

Gabrielle Sweetland-Garza

RLA Elementary Education Specialist [email protected]

Kelley Weigand

RLA Secondary Education Specialist [email protected]

Becky Schneider

Program Manager Content Services & TX Reading Academies [email protected]

Joe Green

Coordinator of Content Services [email protected]

For more information on reading language arts visit our website or blog for related articles. Book Talk is an ongoing series we will release every month. We’d love to hear your feedback, comments, or suggestions!