Reading to Understand:
Children's Books to Use with
Comprehension Strategies
Compiled by Megan Schliesman© 2005 Cooperative Children's Book Center
This bibliography was developed for the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board (ECB) for their Into the Book reading comprehension project. It maps selected children’s books to each of the eight comprehension strategies outlined in the project:
• Using prior knowledge: Readers use what they already know (or think they know) before, during and after reading to clarify their understanding (or misunderstanding) of the text.
• Making connections: Readers relate the text to personal experiences, to information from other texts, and to information about the world to enhance understanding of self, text and life. (The books have been organized into three categories to suggest thematic text-to-text connections, although several lend themselves to use in multiple categories.)
• Questioning: Readers ask questions about the text, and about the author and/or illustrator’s intentions, seeking information to clarify and extend their thinking before, during and after reading.
• Visualizing: Readers create images in their mind that reflect or represent the ideas in the text to enhance understanding.
• Inferring: Readers think about and search the text and art, and sometimes use personal knowledge, to construct meaning beyond what is literally stated.
• Summarizing: Readers identify key elements and condense important information into their own words during and after reading to solidify meaning.
• Evaluating: Readers explain their responses to or understandings of a text based on stated criteria (e.g, Would you want a friend to read this? Why or why not?)
• Synthesizing: Readers create original insights, perspectives and understandings by reflecting on the text, and by merging elements from the text with their own way of understanding information and the world around them.
A final category, Using Strategies Together, suggests longer or more complex texts that demand readers to integrate various comprehension strategies.
The goal in creating this bibliography was to identify 12-15 titles for each strategy. But most books here will lend themselves to application across the strategies. The focus in choosing books was to find engaging titles that would meet a range of reading and listening abilities, and that would reflect the diversity of classrooms, communities and the world today. The book selections for every strategy include picture book stories and nonfiction for early elementary-age children. Some strategy sections also include poetry, wordless books, and/or chapter books.
For more information about ECB’s Into the Book project, go to http://www.ecb.org/reading/
This bibliography was created in consultation with Marta Bechtol and Pegge Garties of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
Click on underlined book titles to see the CCBC review of the book, and/or the cover image.
Using Prior Knowledge
Andrews-Gobel, Nancy. The Pot That Juan Built. Illustrated by David Diaz. Lee & Low, 2002. Ages 6 - 10
Arnosky, Jim. All About Rattlesnakes. Scholastic, 1997. 28 pages. Ages 4 - 8
Brenner, Barbara . Thinking About Ants. Illustrated by Carol Schwartz. Mondo, 1997. Ages 2 - 5
Florian, Douglas. Bow Wow Meow Meow: It's Rhyming Cats and Dogs. Harcourt, 2003. Ages 4 - 11
Gibbons, Gail. My Basketball Book. HarperCollins, 2000. Ages 3 - 8
Gibbons, Gail. My Football Book. HarperCollins, 2000. Ages 3 - 8
Hartman, Bob. The Wolf Who Cried Boy. Illustrated by Tim Raglin. Putnam, 2002. Ages 4 - 8
Hausherr, Rosmarie. What Instrument Is This?. Scholastic, 1992. Ages 4 - 8
Jenkins, Steve and Robin Page . What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?. Houghton Mifflin, 2003. 32 pages. Ages 3 - 6
Prelutsky, selector, Jack. The Beauty of the Beast: Poems from the Animal Kingdom. Illustrated by Meilo So. Alfred A. Knopf, 1997. Ages 3 - 11
Ross, Alice and Kent Ross . The Copper Lady. Illustrated by Leslie Bowman. Carolrhoda, 1997. Ages 6 - 9
Takabayashi, Mari. I Live in Tokyo. Houghton Mifflin, 2001. 32 pages. Ages 5 - 9
Trivizas, Eugene. The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig. Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 1993. 32 pages. 5 - 8
Waldman, Neil. The Snowflake: A Water Cycle Story. Millbrook, 2003. 32 pages. Ages 4 - 8Making Connections: Family
Hamanaka, Sheila. Grandparents Song. HarperCollins, 2003. Age 7 and older
Jenkins, Emily. Five Creatures. Illustrated by Tomek Bogacki. Frances Foster Books/Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2001. Ages 3 - 6
Kuklin, Susan. Families. Hyperion, 2005. 36 pages. Ages 7-11
Little, Jean. Emma's Yucky Brother. Illustrated by Jennifer Plecas. HarperCollins, 2001. Ages 5 - 7
Nye, Naomi Shihab. Sitti's Secrets. Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. Four Winds Press, 1994. Ages 6 - 10Making Connections: School
Ajmera, Maya and John D. Ivanko . Back to School. Charlesbridge, 2001. 32 pages.
Choi, Yansook. The Name Jar. Alfred A. Knopf, 2001. 32 pages. Ages 4 - 6
Creech, Sharon. A Fine, Fine School. Illustrated by Harry Bliss. HarperCollins, 2001. 32 pages. Ages 4 - 8
Edwards, Michelle. Pa Lia's First Day (A Jackson Friends Book). Harcourt, 1999. 50 pages. Ages 5 - 8
Moss, Peggy. Say Something. Illustrated by Lea Lyon. Tilbury House, 2004. 32 pages. Ages 5 - 10
Paterson, Katherine. Marvin One Too Many. Illustrated by Jane Clark Brown. HarperCollins, 2001. 48 pages. Ages 4 - 7Making Connections: Friendship
English, Karen. Hot Day on Abbott Avenue. Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe. Clarion, 2004. 32 pages. Ages 5 - 9
Grimes, Nikki. Danitra Brown Leaves Town. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Amistad/HarperCollins, 2002. Ages 5 - 8
Kasza, Keiko. The Rat and the Tiger. Putnam, 1993.
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Solo Girl. Illustrated by Nneka Bennett. Hyperion, 1997. Ages 6 - 8
Rogers, Fred. Extraordinary Friends. Photographed by Jim Judkis. Putnam, 1999. 32 pages. Ages 3 - 7
Zolotow, Charlotte. My Friend John. Illustrated by Amanda Harvey. Random House, 2000. 32 pages. Ages 2 - 4Questioning
Browne, Anthony. Into the Forest. Candlewick Press, 2004. 28 pages. Ages 6 - 10
Davies, Nicola. Big Blue Whale. Illustrated by Nick Maland. U.S. edition: Candlewick Press, 1997. Ages 3 - 7
Erdrich, Louise. Grandmother's Pigeon. Illustrated by Jim LaMarche. Hyperion, 1996. 32 pages. Ages 6 - 11
Geisert, Arthur. River Town. Houghton Mifflin, 1999. 32 pages. Ages 7 - 10
Gillette, J. Lynett. Dinosaur Ghosts: The Mystery of Coelophysis. Illustrated by Douglas Henderson. Dial, 1997. Ages 5 - 11
Griffith, Helen V. . Grandaddy and Janetta Together: The Three Stories in One Book. Illustrated by James Stevenson. Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, 2001. Ages 7 - 9
Hearne, Betsy. Who's in the Hall? A Mystery in Four Chapters. Illustrated by Christy Hale. Greenwillow, 2000. 32 pages. Ages 6 - 9
Lehman, Barbara. The Red Book. Houghton Mifflin, 2004. 32 pages. Ages 5 - 10
Macaulay, David. Shortcut. Houghton Mifflin, 1995. 32 pages. Ages 4 - 10
Reiser, Lynn. Two Mice in Three Fables. Greenwillow, 1995. 32 pages. Ages 3 - 6
Wiesner, David. The Three Pigs. Clarion, 2001. Age 7 and older
Woodson, Jacqueline. The Other Side. Putnam, 2001. Ages 5 - 8Visualizing
Alarcon, Francisco X. Iguanas in the Snow and Other Winter Poems/Iguanas en la nieve y otros poemas de invierno. Illustrated by Maya Christinia Gonzalez. Children's Book Press, 2001. Ages 5 - 9
Banks, Kate. And If the Moon Could Talk. Illustrated by Georg Hallensleben. U.S. edition: Frances Foster /FSG, 1998. Ages 3 - 6
Davies, Nicola. One Tiny Turtle. Illustrated by Jane Chapman. Candlewick Press, 2002. 32 pages. Ages 3 - 7
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Weather: Poems for All Seasons. Illustrated by Melanie Hall. HarperCollins, 1994. 64 pages. Ages 4 - 8
Karas, G. Brian. Atlantic. Putnam, 2002. 32 pages. Ages 6 - 10
Medearis, Angela Shelf. Our People. Illustrated by Michael Bryant. Atheneum, 1994. 32 pages. Ages 4 - 8
Miller, Sara Swan. Three Stories You Can Read to Your Cat. Illustrated by True Kelley. Houghton Mifflin, 1997. Ages 5 - 7
Perkins, Lynne Rae. Snow Music. Greenwillow, 2003. Ages 4 - 8
Schaefer, Lola M.. What's Up? What's Down?. Illustrated by Barbara Bash. Greenwillow, 2002. 32 pages. Ages 3 - 7
Schertle, Alice. Down the Road. Illustrated by E. B. Lewis. Browndeer Press, 1995. 40 pages. Ages 4 - 7
Stock, Catherine. Gugu's House. Clarion, 2001. Ages 5 - 8
Updike, John. A Child's Calendar. Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. New edition: Holiday House, 1999. Ages 5 - 11
Wetterer, Margaret K. and Charles M. Wetterer . The Snow Walker. Illustrated by Mary O'Keefe Young. Carolrhoda, 1996. 48 pages. Ages 7 - 10Inferring
Baker, Jeannie. Window. Greenwillow, 1991. Age 9 and older
Banks, Kate. Howie Bowles, Secret Agent. Illustrated by Issac Millman. Frances Foster Books/Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1999. 89 pages. Ages 7 - 9
Esbensen, Barbara Juster. Swing Around the Sun: Poems. Illustrated by Cheng-Khee Chee, Janice Lee Porter, Mary GrandPrJ, and Stephen Gammell. Carolrhoda, 2003. Ages 5 - 10
Kasza, Keiko. My Lucky Day. Putnam, 2003. 32 pages. Ages 3-7
McKissack, Patricia C. . Ma Dear's Aprons. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. An Anne Schwartz Book/Atheneum, 1997. Ages 4 - 7
Minshull, Evelyn. Eaglet's World. Illustrated by Andrea Gabriel. Albert A. Whitman, 2002. 32 pages. Ages 5 - 8
Morales, Yuyi. Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book. Chronicle, 2003. Ages 4 - 7
Palotta, Jerry. The Skull Alphabet Book. Illustrated by Ralph Masiello. Charlesbridge, 2002. 32 pages. Ages 7 - 10
Pattison, Darcy. The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman. Illustrated by Joe Cepeda. Harcourt, 2003. 32 pages. Ages 5 - 10
Prelutsky, Jack. If Not for the Cat. Illustrated by Ted Rand. Greenwillow / HarperCollins, 2004. 40 pages. Ages 4 - 10
Scamell, Ragnhild. Buster's Echo. Illustrated by Genevieve Webster. HarperCollins, 1993. 24 pages. Ages 2 - 4
Simont, Marc and based on a true story by Reiki Sassa . The Stray Dog. HarperCollins, 2001. Ages 2 - 5
Wiesner, David. Tuesday. Clarion, 1991. Ages 3 - 8
Young, Ed. Seven Blind Mice. Philomel, 1992.Summarizing
Bang, Molly. Common Ground: The Water, Earth and Air We Share. Blue Sky/Scholastic, 1997. Ages 5 - 8
Blake, Robert. Togo. Philomel, 2002. Ages 5 - 9
Cooper, Elisha. Ice Cream. Greenwillow, 2002. 40 pages. Ages 6 - 10
Fleming, Candace. Boxes for Katje. Illustrated by Stacey Dressen-McQueen. Melanie Kroupa Books / Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2003. Ages 6 - 9
Fleming, Denise. Buster. Henry Holt, 2003. Ages 4 - 7
Goldin, Augusta. Ducks Don't Get Wet. Illustrated by Helen K. Davie. Revised edition: HarperCollins, 1999. Ages 3 - 7
Haas, Jessie. Runaway Radish. Illustrated by Margot Apple. Greenwillow, 2001. 56 pages. Ages 5 - 8
Harjo, Joy. The Good Luck Cat. Illustrated by Paul Lee. Harcourt, 2000. Ages 4 - 7
Markle, Sandra. Creepy, Crawly Baby Bugs. Walker, 1996. 32 pages. Ages 4 - 8
Muth, Jon J. and Based on a story by Leo Tolstoy . The Three Questions. Scholastic Press, 2002. Ages 6 - 10
Rylant, Cynthia. Mr. Putter and Tabby Stir the Soup. Illustrated by Arthur Howard. Harcourt, 2003. 48 pages. Ages 5 - 7
Winter, Jeanette. My Name Is Georgia: A Portrait. Silver Whistle/Harcourt Brace, 1998. Ages 5 - 8Evaluating
Aliki, . Ah Music!. HarperCollins, 2003. 48 pages.
Creech, Sharon. Love That Dog: A Novel. Joanna Cotler Books/HarperCollins, 2001. Ages 8 - 12
DePaola, Tomie. 26 Fairmount Avenue. Putnam, 1999. 56 pages. Ages 7 - 9
Foreman, Michael. Wonder Goal!. U.S. edition: Farrar Strous Giroux, 2003. Ages 8 - 12
Frame, Jeron Ashford. Yesterday I Had the Blues. Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. Tricycle Press, 2003. 32 pages. Ages 5 - 10
Herrera, Juan Felipe. Grandma and Me at the Flea/Los Meros Meros Remateros. Illustrated by Anita DeLucio-Brock. Children's Book Press, 2002. Ages 7 - 10
Hopkinson, Deborah. Fannie in the Kitchen: The Whole Story from Soup to Nuts of How Fannie Farmer Invented Recipes with Precise Measurements . Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. Anne Schwartz / Atheneum, 2001. Ages 7 - 10
Jones, Bill T. and Susan Kuklin . Dance. Photographed by Susan Kuklin. Hyperion, 1998. 32 pages. Ages 3-9
Livingstone, Star. Harley. Illustrated by Molly Bang. SeaStar, 2001. 64 pages. Ages 5 - 7
Pringle, Laurence. Sharks! Strange and Wonderful. Illustrated by Meryl Henderson. Boyds Mills Press, 2001. Ages 4 - 8
Sayre, April Pulley. Dig, Wait, Listen: A Desert Toad's Tale. Illustrated by Barbara Bash. Greenwillow, 2001. 32 pages. Ages 4 - 8
Stevenson, James. The Castaway. Greenwillow, 2002. 32 pages. Ages 5 - 9
U'Ren, Andrea. Mary Smith. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2003. 32 pages. Ages 4 - 8
Weitzman, Jacqueline Preiss. You Can't Take a Balloon Into the Metropolitan Museum. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. Dial, 1998. Ages 3 - 8Synthesizing
Casanova, Mary. The Hunter: A Chinese Folktale. Illustrated by Ed Young. Atheneum, 2000. 32 pages. Ages 5 - 9
Diakité, Baba Wagué . The Magic Gourd. Scholastic Press, 2003. 32 pages. Ages 4 - 7
Falwell, Cathryn. David's Drawings. Lee & Low, 2001. Ages 4 - 7
hooks, bell. skin again. Illustrated by Chris Raschka. Hyperion, 2004. 32 pages. Ages 5 - 10
Jimenez, Francisco. La Mariposa. Illustrated by Simon Silva. Houghton Mifflin, 1998. 40 pages.
Martin, Jacqueline Briggs. The Water Gift and the Pig of the Pig. Illustrated by Linda S. Wingerter. Houghton Mifflin, 2003. Ages 5 - 8
McDonald, Megan. Judy Moody Saves the World. Illustrated by Peter Reynolds. Candlewick Press, 2002. 144 pages. Ages 6 - 9
Muth, Jon J.. Stone Soup. Scholastic Press, 2003. Ages 5 - 8
Ormerod, Jan. Who's Whose?. U.S. edition: Greenwillow, 1998. Ages 3 - 7
Paterson, Katherine. The Smallest Cow in the World. Illustrated by Jane Clark Brown. HarperCollins, 1991.
Raschka, Chris. John Coltrane's Giant Steps. Atheneum, 2002. Ages 6 - 10
Reiser, Lynn. The Surprise Family. Greenwillow, 1994.
Rumford, James. Calabash Cat and His Amazing Journey. Houghton Mifflin, 2003. Ages 4 - 8
Wong, Janet S.. Apple Pie 4th of July. Illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine. Harcourt, 2002. 32 pages. Ages 6 - 9Using the Strategies Together
Ada, Alma Flor. My Name Is Maria Isabel. Atheneum, 1993. Ages 8 - 10
Ahlberg, Alan. The Cat Who Got Carried Away. Illustrated by Catherine McEwan. Candlewick Press, 2003. 79 pages. Ages 7 - 9
Arnold, Caroline. Birds: Nature's Magnificent Flying Machines. Illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. Charlesbridge, 2003. 32 pages. Ages 7 - 11
Bechtold, Lisze. Buster, the Very Shy Dog. Houghton Mifflin, 1999. 48 pages. Ages 4 - 7
Browne, Anthony. Voices in the Park. DK, 1998. 32 pages. Ages 7 - 10
Cole, Joanna. The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses. Illustrated by Bruce Degen. Scholastic Press, 1999. 48 pages. Ages 6 - 9
French, Vivian. T. Rex. Illustrated by Allison Bartlett. Candlewick Press, 2004. 32 pages. Ages 2 - 5
Gerstein, Mordicai. What Charlie Heard. Frances Foster Books / Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2002. Ages 6 - 10
Lester, Julius. John Henry. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. Dial, 1994. Ages 4 - 12
Look, Lenore. Ruby Lu, Brave and True. Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. An Anne Schwartz Book / Atheneum, 2004. 105 pages. Ages 5 - 9
Macaulay, David. Black and White. Houghton Mifflin, 1990. 32 pages.
Sis, Peter. The Three Golden Keys. Doubleday, 1994. 56 pages. Ages 5 and older
Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Indian Shoes. HarperCollins, 2002. Ages 6 - 9
Sobol, Richard. Adelina's Whales. Dutton, 2003. 32 pages. Ages 7 - 10
Williams, Vera B. . Scooter. Greenwillow, 1993. Ages 4 - 11
This list may be reproduced and distributed by educational and/or nonprofit organizations so long as credit is given to the Cooperative Children's Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
