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Skill-Building Book Tips

Turn storytime into skill-building time.

These free, downloadable resources offer tips for building children’s life skills based on classic and diverse children’s books.

With content customized to each book, Book Tips help boost science-driven learning, fun and engagement between children and adults. These resources are available in English and Spanish and designed for three age groups, infants and toddlers, preschoolers and school-age.

Educators can also access Book Tips through a partnership with First Book, a nonprofit social enterprise that provides books and educational materials for educators serving children in need.

Books & Tips that Promote Life Skills

Communicating

Baby Talk

Infant / Toddler
A boy and his mother go to the beach where she teaches him how to draw Chinese words in the sand by showing him how the words look like pictures of what they represent. A charming portrayal of the connections between written words and their meanings. Demonstrates diversity/inclusion.
Download English
Download Spanish

Focus & Self-Control

Whistle for Willie

Preschool
Many children will recognize the star of this beloved book—it’s Peter from The Snowy Day! Here, he models both patience and practice as he teaches himself to whistle so that he can summon his dog. Demonstrates diversity/inclusion. Available in Spanish.
Download English
Download Spanish

Critical Thinking

What Can You Do with a Paleta?

Preschool
What Can You Do With a Paleta? is the fanciful story of all of the things you can do with an icy-cold pop made from all natural ingredients: paint your tongue and scare your brother, make new friends or use it to cool off. And “you can lick it and slurp it and… gobble it all down.” A wonderful story of a Mexican tradition. Demonstrates diversity/inclusion. Available in a bilingual edition.
Download English
Download Spanish

Perspective Taking

The Whipping Boy

School Age
Jemmy, an orphan boy was snatched from the streets and kept in the castle to be the “whipping boy,” punished whenever Prince Brat (as he was known) did anything wrong, which was very often. One night, Prince Brat commanded Jemmy to run away with him because he was bored. Many adventures ensue where the boys learn that to survive, they have to trust each other. Available in Spanish
Download English
Download Spanish

Making Connections

What Do You Do WIth A Tail Like This?

School Age
What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? is an interactive book exploring the amazing things animals can do with their ears, eyes, mouths, noses and tails.
Download English
Download Spanish

Self-Directed, Engaged Learning

Dinosaurs Before Dark

School Age
When In the first book of the popular Magic Tree House series, siblings Jack and Annie discover a book that can take them to other places and times—in this case, to the time of the dinosaurs—where they learn about science and history through their adventures. Available in Spanish.
Download English
Download Spanish

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