A First Grade Classroom Library

Miss J at had a post about classroom libraries and asked about favorite first grade books and where teachers get their books. I though I would share my ideas.

I have a HUGE collection of books for all elementary grades – because I have taught most of them! I get books through library sales (especially when they have the dollar a bag sale), garage sales, snagging books that teachers purge at the end of the year, and through Scholastic Sales. I don’t know about others, but we seem to have a huge table piled with all the teacher cast offs every year. I pick up as many books as I can. I have built most of my leveled library that way. Scholastic still has great deals, but a few years ago, I would buy several 6-packs of books with every order. Oh, I forgot, second hand stores are great too. In my area, most books at Goodwill are 99 cents. When I was building my collection, I would spend about $20 a month on second handbooks.

Now, what are the must haves for first grade? That is tough! It seems like my classes have different interests every year. This year has been a big dinosaur and bug year. A few years ago, it was machines and rocks. My kids LOVE the typical characters.

My favorite authors:

Patricia Polacco, Kevin Henkes, Gail Gibbons, Leo Lionni, Ellen Stoll Walsh, Mo Williams (a new favorite this year!), Ezra Jack Keats (did an impromptu author study this year), Donald Crews

And then there is my newest favorite!!! Can I get away with reading these in 3rd next year???

With the CORE curriculum and the direction of standardized testing, I have been adding non-fiction to my library and the kids are eating it up! Any books on animals are great for first graders! Fairytales are always popular too.

It is funny, but some of the most popular books are books that I read with my grandmother when I was a kid. She was a kindergarten teacher and always had the best books! The kids are always engrossed when I read these books and, though they would love to have them in their reading boxes, these go on my own reading shelf.

What are you favorite first grade books?