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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

Focus & Self-Control

Noisy Nora

Infant / Toddler
What’s a mouse to do when her father and mother spend all their time with her older sister and baby brother? Make lots of noise—that’s Nora’s solution! Hushed by her parents and scolded by her sister, Nora runs away. and all is far too quiet until her joyful return.
Download English
Download Spanish

Taking on Challenges

Llama Llama Red Pajama

Infant / Toddler
Anna Dewdney’s adorable llama toddler and mother face bedtime worries and separation anxiety in this well-loved picture book. Told in rhyme, this story offers the reassurance that a loved one is “always near … even when she’s not right here." Available in Spanish.
Download English
Download Spanish

Making Connections

Same, Same But Different

Preschool
Elliot from the United States and Kailash from India become pen pals and explore their similarities and differences through imaginative drawings and letters to each other. Demonstrates diversity/inclusion.
Download English
Download Spanish

Focus & Self-Control

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key

School Age
In this prize-winning book, Joey Pigza is the wonderfully compelling roller-coaster story of a child dealing with being hyperactive amid a lot of other difficult circumstances, from “dud meds” to an abusive grandmother and a father who disappears. He makes bad choices, like swallowing his house key, and ends up in a special education program. Determined to make better choices, and inspired by great teachers, better medical care and a loving mother, he turns things around. Demonstrates diversity/inclusion.
Download English
Download Spanish

Making Connections

The Pot That Juan Built

School Age
The Pot that Juan Built is a beautiful biography of a Mexican artist who rediscovers the ancient processes for making pottery used by the long-vanished Casas Grandes Indians in Northern Mexico. Demonstrates diversity/inclusion. Available in Spanish.
Download English
Download Spanish

Self-Directed, Engaged Learning

Home at Last

School Age
Ana Patino’s family moved to the United States from Mexico when she was eight and her twin brothers were babies. Papa goes to work at a canning factory and Ana goes to school, where she is one of two non-English speaking students. Her mother runs into problems because she does not speak English. Ana suggests her mother could learn English, but her mother says it’s impossible, until she finally agrees to try. Demonstrates diversity/inclusion. Available in Spanish.
Download English
Download Spanish

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