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The Day the Crayons Quit is an engaging picture book about the day the crayons had a conflict so they quit. The colorful illustrations and fun characters bring the story to life. By using picture book extension activities children can explore their own feelings and how to manage conflicts in their own lives.

The Day the Crayons Quit Crafts and Activities includes discussion questions, crafts and hands-on activities.

The Elephant and Piggie book series are a favorite of kids for good reason. Piggie and Elephant are hilarious and fun. They get themselves into situations that children find both funny and relatable. Situations like having a hard time sharing. We use the book Should I Share My Ice Cream? (An Elephant and Piggie Book) to help children learn about sharing. Get ready for giggles and be prepared to share your ice cream!

We really enjoyed creating our own fun learning game about shapes and sharing with a free printable Elephant and Sharing Shapes Activity.

One by Kathryn Othoshi is an award winning book that teaches tolerance and acceptance. As budding young readers learn about numbers, counting, and primary and secondary colors, they also learn about accepting each other's differences and how it sometimes just takes one voice to make everyone count. Children learn that the importance of speaking up, to make a big difference. Standing up to bullies can be difficult but it makes all the difference in the world.

PICTURE BOOK COMPANION ACTIVITIES FOR ONE BY KATHRYN OTOSHI

Two by Kathryn Otoshi follows the popular books Zero and One with the theme of friendship. I think that most of us can to relate to the complicated feelings experienced when your best friend finds a new friend, leaving you to feel like a third wheel. This book helps children work out those feelings and find a resolution. We had fun making number puppets with different expressions and acting out the story.

TWO BY KATHRYN OTOSHI – PICTURE BOOK FRIENDSHIP ACTIVITIES

Winter Candle by Jeron Ashford & illustrated by Stacey Schuett presents a beautiful message that transcends the holiday season. Winter Candle is a touching book that explores traditions, holidays, diversity and sharing. One candle makes a journey through the neighbor’s homes sharing light and beauty with them all, in many different ways.

This is a wonderful holiday book that celebrates winter holidays and community.

Writing Prompts and Hands-On Book Extension Activities for Winter Candle

The Pea Patch Jig is a romping good time full of mischief and fun. The main character, Baby Mouse gets into one predicament after another. Children revel in the humorous adventures of this small, brave mouse. Explore gardening, bravery and more while reading this fun book by Thacher Hurd.

The Pea Patch Jig Picture Book Activities Lesson Plan includes discussion questions, hands-on activities, and free printable activity pages.

Lola Goes to School by Marcia Goldman is the perfect book to help children get comfortable with going to school. Lola is a little dog with big hopes. At first she is scared about going to school but she soon learns that going to school and making new friends is a whole lot of fun. Children will fall in love with this adorable dog.

THE FULL CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR LOLA GOES TO SCHOOL  Includes Writing Prompts, Activities, Discussion Questions, and Free Printable Activity Pages.

Lola Goes to the Doctor by Marcia Goldman is another book in the Lola, the Therapy Dog Book Seris. Children will identify with Lola as she nervously waits to be called into the doctor's office. Lola feels a little bit brave when the doctor looks into her ears, a little braver when he examines her teeth, and bravest of all when she gets a shot.

Printable Activity Pages, Discussion Questions and Hands-On Book Extension Activities for Lola Goes to the Doctor

Lovely is a deceptively simple book that highlights how we all have special qualities. Big, small, curly, straight, loud, quiet, smooth, wrinkly. Lovely explores a world of differences that all add up to the same thing: we are all lovely! Kids fall in love with the vibrant, happy illustrations and will ask to read this book again and again.

WE MADE A CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR LOVELY BY JESS HONG THAT IS PACKED WITH ACTIVITIES THAT CELEBRATE SELF-ACCEPTANCE AND DIVERSITY.

Join Splat and the Cool School Trip as his class goes to the zoo. Splat the Cat is so excited when Mrs. Wimpydimple announces that the class will be going to the zoo. While everyone calls out his or her favorite animal—Elephant! Giraffe! Monkey!— Splat only wants to see the penguins. But when the smallest animal makes the biggest splash and shuts down the penguin exhibit, Splat goes home disappointed and alone . . . or does he?

Extend the fun of reading picture books with Splat and the Cool School Trip Lessons and Activities.

In a Village by the Sea is lyrically written by Muon Van and richly illustrated by April Chu. Set in a fishing village in Viet nam it is a perfect book for teaching about diverse cultures and lifestyles through rich pictures and words, moving from the wide world to the snugness of home and back out again.

We were so inspired that we created a lesson plan full of amazing picture book activities for In a Village by the Sea.

Shel Silverstein is one of our favorite authors so we chose to create A Giraffe and a Half Rhyming Kit based on the book A Giraffe and a Half. The book is full of engaging rhymes and silly pictures. Kids love the humorous poems and silly illustrations. This book is a fun introdution to poetry for kids.

Enjoy our free printable A Giraffe and a Half Rhyming Kit.

Don't Turn the Page by Rachelle Burk is a bedtime book that parents won't mind reading again and again. “Like most children, Sami puts off going to bed for as long as possible. But reading a story about Little Bear’s bedtime ritual inspires Sammy, just as the young reader will be inspired by this soothing story and clever book-within-a-book concept.”

Don’t Turn the Page! Picture Book Craft Activity

The book Busy Busy! by Lucy Scott perfectly captures that enduring energy and creativity parents of toddlers know so well. Jump into the life of a toddler has meals are prepared, cities are built and messes are made. One can get exhausted just reading about the adventurous day of a toddler.

BUSY BUSY! BOOK EXTENSION ACTIVITIES FOR BUSY TODDLERS

• Amazing Grace: Vocabulary, discussion questions and book activities.
• Learn to Read with Arthur: activity sheets and online activities.
• Caps for Sale: Five days of activities for this book by Esphyr Slobodkina.
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: Teaching Ideas, Lesson Plans, Printables, Activities.
• Click, Clack, Moo: Learning About Word Families Lesson Plans and Resources.
• The Cloud Book: Teaching Plan.
• The Day of the Dinosaur: A lesson plan about dinosaurs.
• Dr. Seuss Activities: Activities for 15 Dr. Seuss books, including The Foot Book, Dr. Seuss’ ABC, If I Ran the Zoo, The Lorax, and more!
• Good Night Moon: Book companion activities
• The Grouchy Ladybug: Lesson Plan - Learn about size with this tiny insect!
• Harold and the Purple Crayon: Lesson Plan
• Johnny Appleseed by Reeve Lindbergh Discussion Guide. Teach students about Johnny Appleseed.
• Make Way for the Ducklings: A primary-grade art activity for this classic book.
• The Mitten: Preschool and kindergarten activities.
• Pancakes, Pancakes!: A primary-grade lesson plan for this book by Eric Carle.
• The Polar Express: A teacher's guide for this Christmas book by Chris Van Allsburg.
• Q is for Duck: An Alphabet Guessing Game: A lesson plan for "struggling readers" using this book.
• Sheep in a Jeep: A primary-grade lesson plan for this book by Nancy Shaw.
• Stellaluna: Lesson plans and teaching resources for this book by Janell Cannon.
• There is a Nightmare in My Closet!: An art lesson plan for first grade using this book by Mercer Mayer.
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar: A lesson plan from Scholastic for this book by Eric Carle. 
• Where the Wild Things Are: A lesson plan for grades K-2 for this book by Maurice Sendak.