Here is a list of suggested books you could use to get started. We have chosen several themes and grouped books, to help you work with children on making deeper, thematic connections

These are outstanding trade books chosen for us by the Cooperative Children's Book Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The list includes engaging titles that meet a range of reading and listening abilities. You may also print the complete list with suggested books for all strategies: Reading to Understand: Children's Books to Use with Comprehension Strategies. Then find multimedia, online resources about these books and authors using the Into the Book List at TeachingBooks.net.

Children's Books to Help You Teach the Making Connections Strategy

Theme: Family

Ada, Alma Flor. I Love Saturdays y domingos. Illustrated by Elivia Savadier. Atheneum, 2002. 32 pages

Hamanaka, Sheila. Grandparents Song. HarperCollins, 2003. 32 pages

Jenkins, Emily. Five Creatures. Illustrated by Tomek Bogacki. Scholastic, 2001. 32 pages

Kuklin, Susan. Families. Hyperion, 2005. 40 pages

Little, Jean. Emma's Yucky Brother. Illustrated by Jennifer Plecas. (An I Can Read Book) HarperCollins, 2001. 64 pages

Nye, Naomi. Sitti's Secrets. Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. Four Winds Press, 1994. 32 pages

Theme: School

Ajmera, Maya and John D. Ivanko. Back to School. Charlesbridge, 2001. 32 pages

Creech, Sharon. A Fine, Fine School. Illustrated by Harry Bliss. HarperCollins, 2001. 32 pages

Choi, Yansook. The Name Jar. Alfred A. Knopf, 2001. 32 pages

Edwards, Michelle. Pa Lia's First Day. (A Jackson Friends Book) Harcourt, 1999. 50 pages

Moss, Peggy. Say Something. Illustrated by Lea Lyon. Tilbury House, 2004. 32 pages

Paterson, Katherine. Marvin One Too Many. Illustrated by Jane Clark Brown. (An I Can Read Book) HarperCollins, 2001. 48 pages

Theme: Friendship

Grimes, Nikki. Danitra Brown Leaves Town. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. HarperCollins, 2002. 32 pages

English, Karen. A Hot Day on Abbott Avenue. Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe. Clarion, 2004. 32 pages

Kasza, Keiko. The Rat and the Tiger. Putnam, 1993. 32 pages

Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Solo Girl. Illustrated by Nneka Bennett. Hyperion, 1997. 51 pages

Rogers, Fred. Extraordinary Friends. Photographs by Jim Judkis. Putnam, 1999. 32 pages

Zolotow, Charlotte. My Friend John. Illustrated by Amanda Harvey. Random House, 2000. 32 pages

Compiled by Megan Schliesman
Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison

For another list of books for strategy instruction and practice, see Strategies that Work.