5 Best Kept Secret Back to School Read Alouds

There are a ton of great read alouds to start off the school year that teaches valuable lessons and themes to children across grade levels from empathy, kindness, compassion, friendship, social skills, and more. Read alouds never get old for any age, grade level or classroom. Students, as well as adults, enjoy hearing their favorite books over and over again as they read for different purposes and from different perspectives.

But it wasn’t until Scholastic sent me a FREE book, did I discover these best kept secret read alouds. It was a picture book exclusively dedicated to teachers written by Madonna. Yes, you read correctly…Madonna, the singer, performer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, controversial sex symbol…Madonna! I was a little skeptical at first but I must say that surprisingly these picture books are fantastic. They are wonderfully written, full of valuable content, rich in detail and language, they teach important lessons to children (and adults) and are so beautifully illustrated. These book gems were quickly added to my back to school read aloud list and have been my top favorites since.

Here’s a description of each picture book and the powerful message/theme each one will deliver to your students at any grade level.

The English Roses

The English Roses is Madonna’s first picture book. It is an inspiring story about the importance of compassion and the rewards of friendship. It teaches children not to judge others by what they look like or what their life seems like, but rather by the beauty within.

This review says it all: This morality tale is nothing new under the sun, but it is cleverly told, with many teaspoonfuls of good humor. Jeffrey Fulvimari’s illustrations are no less than stunning–filling every page with vivacious black ink lines and gorgeous watercolor reminiscent of 1960s fashion sketches. Children will enjoy this “don’t hate me because I’m beautiful” story that celebrates friendship as much as it teaches compassion. –Karin Snelson

Mr. Peabody’s Apples

Mr. Peabody’s Apples is Madonna’s 2nd picture book. Madonna “dedicates Mr. Peabody’s Apples to teachers everywhere.” This is the freebie I received from Scholastic many years ago and it is one of my favorite must read back to school books ever.

“Mr. Peabody’s Apples takes place in 1949 in Happville, USA. Mr. Peabody is the beloved elementary school teacher and baseball coach, who one day finds himself ostracized when rumors spread through the small town. Mr. Peabody silences the gossip with an unforgettable and poignant lesson about how we must choose our words carefully to avoid causing harm to others. It also illustrates symbolically how difficult it is to “fix” the harm our words does to one’s reputation. Truly a powerful message!

Yakov and The Seven Thieves

Yakov and The Seven Thieves is Madonna’s 3rd picture book. Yakov, the kindly cobbler, and his wife, Olga, are heartbroken because their son, Mikhail, is very ill. They seek advice from a wise old man, who enlists the help of seven thieves and proves that miracles can occur if we do good deeds. This is truly a beautiful story about all types of people coming together to pray for miracles. Another powerful message to children and beautifully illustrated.

The Adventures of ABDI

The Adventures of Abdi is Madonna’s 4th picture book. It explores the short but fulfilled journey of Abdi and Eli. Abdi is a young child that has been “raised” by Eli, and Abdi has admired him greatly since he was a toddler. Many people worldwide consider Eli the greatest jeweler in the world; therefore, many travel thousands of miles for their purchases and services. After Eli is ordered by the king to make the most precious necklace for the queen within an unusually short period of time, his philosophy becomes very crucial: “everything that happens is for the best.”

Lotsa De Casha

Lotsa de Casha is Madonna’s 5th picture book. It sends the message that money can’t buy love and being the wealthiest person in the world doesn’t guarantee happiness. Lotsa de Casha is the richest, and most miserable, man in the world. No matter how colossal his castles, how fast his horses, nor how big his sandwiches, he remains a gloomy old sourpuss, until he embarks on a fantastic adventure that leads him to the discovery of life’s greatest treasure. You’ll have to read this to find out what the secret to happiness truly is. This is a great read for children and adults. Each page has a fact about true happiness really is.

Want them ALL? Get the box set! It’s worth it! This is a must have to start off your school year right!

So teachers change up her back to school read alouds with these 5 books. Both you and your students will love them, from the rich content to the beautiful illustrations. You’ll be pleasantly surprised! These books will be a great addition not only to your back to school plans but will also be a valuable addition to your class library. Check out other books written by Madonna at Amazon.

What are your favorite back to school read alouds?

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Happy Reading!!!

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