A fun theme for August when students are returning back to school is “All About Me.” By implementing an All About Me theme into your lesson plans, you create opportunities for you to learn about your students, your students to learn about their classmates, and for students to experience some insight into their own likes and dislikes. For this month’s Book Nook, each book discusses a topic that may apply to your learners- body parts, activities, owning pets, etc.

These books are appropriate for students Pre-K through second grade. The great thing about this book list is that It is easy to create story boxes for each title. Although there are many, many All About Me books, it can be tricky to find books that accessible or simple to make accessible for learners with visual impairments.

You can present your theme as All About Me and focus on a book each week or choose a book for the month. Either way, your students are sure to love these stories! Below the All About me theme is divided into three concepts: Body Parts, Likes and Dislikes, Pet Ownership. Scroll through this list to find ideas to stock your bookshelf, make a few story boxes, and choose your book(s) for the month.

Body Parts:

• Little Hands Love In this board book, hands explore a variety of different textures such as leaves. Create a story box with each texture and allow students to explore. The pages are textured as well for easy exploration.
• Little Feet Love This board book is similar to Little Hands Love, but with feet. The pages are textured. Pair this story with a box full of textures, such as grass, for hands and feet to explore.
• Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb This book is a classic. Pick up a few drums to tap while reading this story. Purchase a set of toy rings to place on students fingers as they drum. A fun way to teach students to discriminate between fingers and thumbs.
• Go Away, Big Green Monster There are many concepts you can teach with this story. The first half of the book adds a part to the monster’s face- two big yellow eyes, until all of the facial features are present. Then the reader tells each feature to “Go Away”. Use a switch for students to repeat the phrase. Pair this story with the hand puppet, or as a flannel board. The simple pictures are bright, high contrast.
• From Head to Toe In this classic story by Eric Carle, animals move their bodies and ask the reader “Can you do it?” Students learn about movement, and learn various ways their bodies move with and without support. Although the pictures are a bit abstract, the pages of free of excess clutter. One animal is highlighted per page. This book is great to act out movements with the animals on each page.

Likes/Dislikes

• Sometimes I like to Curl Up in a Ball Join a little wombat as he explores what he likes to do, based on how he is feeling. The pictures are bright and colorful, but do add a layer of complexity. Wombat moves in many different ways such as making himself small and jumping. There are several story box items you can add as you move with Wombat throughout the book.
• Elephant Cannot Dance Elephant and Piggie stories often have elements of social stories woven throughout. In Elephants Cannot Dance, elephant learns what he is capable of.
• Likes and Dislikes In this story, two sisters explain what they like and don’t like from the perspective of their five senses.

Pet Ownership:

• How Much is that Doggie in the Window? Iza Trapani retold a classic song that lends nicely to using real items to support students’ learning. In this book, a little boy wants to purchase a puppy but doesn’t have enough money. The little boy tries to earn money and many obstacles set him back. The character displays persistence and kindness as he tries to problem solve.
• The Pigeon Wants a Puppy This book is another great story by Mo Willems. The much beloved Pigeon explains all about how much he wants a puppy and he has a chance to decide if he actually wants one.
• Can I be your Dog? In this story, Arfy looks for a new home. During his search, various people take him in and then decide they can’t keep him. Each page describes why their home isn’t the best for Arfy. Great book for students in Early Elementary grades.
• I Found a Kitty This is another story by Troy Cummings. Arfy looks for a home for the kitten he found. Similar to Can I be your Dog, in I Found a Kitty, various people take the kitten for a day and explain why their home isn’t the best for the kitten.

Happy Reading!