Picture Book Brain

Picture book lesson plans and activities for busy teachers

  • Picture Book Brain
  • Home
  • About/Contact
    • Contact
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • JOIN
  • Log In
  • Themed Book Lists
  • Games

25 New and Notable February Read Alouds You Must Read

October 31, 2021

Looking for the best February read alouds for the classroom? These picture books for read alouds in February for elementary students are engaging for primary and upper elementary kids. Books with lesson plans and activities linked. Picture books about various topics such as Black History Month, Valentines Day, Presidents Day and more for your kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth or fifth grade students. Your students will delight in these classic and brand new books!

If you’re a member of the Picture Book Brain Trust Community, you already have access to EVERY lesson plan and activity for these books! Just click on the Lesson Plans button in the menu!

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

February is Black History Month, and more and more picture books about Black History Month are being published each year. These are some of my favorites, but I have a more comprehensive list of the best Black History Month children’s books here.

Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport

Martin's Big Words
Find me on Amazon!

Martin Luther King, Jr., was one of the most influential and gifted speakers of all time. Doreen Rappaport uses quotes from some of his most beloved speeches to tell the story of his life and his work in a simple, direct way. Bryan Collier’s stunning collage art combines remarkable watercolor paintings with vibrant patterns and textures. A timeline and a lsit of additional books and web sites help make this a standout biography of Dr. King. Definitely one of my favorite read aloud books for 3rd grade to talk about MLK and activism.

Get the lesson plan and activities for Martin’s Big Words HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

You can try a free lesson and activities for Martin’s Big Words by signing up here:

So Tall Within by Gary Schmidt

So Tall Within
Find me on Amazon!

Sojourner Truth was born into slavery but possessed a mind and a vision that knew no bounds. So Tall Within traces her life from her painful childhood through her remarkable emancipation to her incredible leadership in the movement for rights for both women and African Americans. Her story is told with lyricism and pathos by Gary D. Schmidt, one of the most celebrated writers for children in the twenty-first century, and brought to life by award winning and fine artist Daniel Minter. This combination of talent is just right for introducing this legendary figure to a new generation of children.

Get the lesson plan and activities for So Tall Within HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million
Looking for the best February read alouds for the classroom? These picture books for read alouds in February for elementary students are engaging for primary and upper elementary kids. Books with lesson plans and activities linked. Picture books about various topics such as Black History Month, Valentines Day, Presidents Day and more for your kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth or fifth grade students. Your students will delight in these classic and brand new books!
PIN ME!

The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander

The Undefeated
Find me on Amazon!

Originally performed for ESPN’s The Undefeated, this poem is a love letter to black life in the United States. It highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world’s greatest heroes. The text is also peppered with references to the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and others, offering deeper insights into the accomplishments of the past, while bringing stark attention to the endurance and spirit of those surviving and thriving in the present. Robust back matter at the end provides valuable historical context and additional detail for those wishing to learn more. An excellent story for any time but also for Juneteenth or Black History Month!

Get the lesson plan and activities for The Undefeated HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine

Henry's Freedom Box
Find me on Amazon!

Henry Brown doesn’t know how old he is. Nobody keeps records of slaves’ birthdays. All the time he dreams about freedom, but that dream seems farther away than ever when he is torn from his family and put to work in a warehouse. Henry grows up and marries, but he is again devastated when his family is sold at the slave market. Then one day, as he lifts a crate at the warehouse, he knows exactly what he must do: He will mail himself to the North. After an arduous journey in the crate, Henry finally has a birthday — his first day of freedom.

Get the lesson plan and activities for Henry’s Freedom Box HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

Box: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom by Carole Boston

BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom
Find me on Amazon!

Henry Brown “entered the world a slave.” He was put to work as a child and passed down from one generation to the next — as property. When he was an adult, his wife and children were sold away from him out of spite. Henry Brown watched as his family left bound in chains, headed to the deeper South. What more could be taken from him? But then hope — and help — came in the form of the Underground Railroad. Escape!

Get the lesson plan and activities for Box HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

Overground Railroad by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Overground Railroad
Find me on Amazon!

A window into a child’s experience of the Great Migration from the award-winning creators of Before She Was Harriet and Finding Langston.

Climbing aboard the New York bound Silver Meteor train, Ruth Ellen embarks upon a journey toward a new life up North– one she can’t begin to imagine. Stop by stop, the perceptive young narrator tells her journey in poems, leaving behind the cotton fields and distant Blue Ridge mountains.

Each leg of the trip brings new revelations as scenes out the window of folks working in fields give way to the Delaware River, the curtain that separates the colored car is removed, and glimpses of the freedom and opportunity the family hopes to find come into view. As they travel, Ruth Ellen reads from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, reflecting on how her journey mirrors her own– until finally the train arrives at its last stop, New York’s Penn Station, and the family heads out into a night filled with bright lights, glimmering stars, and new possiblity.

Get the lesson plan and activities for Overground Railroad HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

Unspeakable by Carole Boston Weatherford

Unspeakable
Find me on Amazon!

Celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrator Floyd Cooper provide a powerful look at the Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation’s history. The book traces the history of African Americans in Tulsa’s Greenwood district and chronicles the devastation that occurred in 1921 when a white mob attacked the Black community.

News of what happened was largely suppressed, and no official investigation occurred for seventy-five years. This picture book sensitively introduces young readers to this tragedy and concludes with a call for a better future.

Get the lesson plan and activities for Unspeakable HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

Above the Rim by Jen Bryant

Above the Rim
Find me on Amazon!

Hall-of-famer Elgin Baylor was one of basketball’s all-time-greatest players—an innovative athlete, team player, and quiet force for change. One of the first professional African-American players, he inspired others on and off the court. But when traveling for away games, many hotels and restaurants turned Elgin away because he was black. One night, Elgin had enough and staged a one-man protest that captured the attention of the press, the public, and the NBA.

Get the lesson plan and activities for Above the Rim HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

Rosa by Nikki Giovanni

Rosa
Find me on Amazon!

Fifty years after her refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, city bus, Mrs. Rosa Parks is still one of the most important figures in the American civil rights movement. This tribute to Mrs. Parks is a celebration of her courageous action and the events that followed.

Get the lesson plan and activities for Rosa HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

Freedom in Congo Square by Carol Boston Weatherford

Freedom in Congo Square
Find me on Amazon!

As slaves relentlessly toiled in an unjust system in 19th century Louisiana, they all counted down the days until Sunday, when at least for half a day they were briefly able to congregate in Congo Square in New Orleans. Here they were free to set up an open market, sing, dance, and play music. They were free to forget their cares, their struggles, and their oppression. This story chronicles slaves’ duties each day, from chopping logs on Mondays to baking bread on Wednesdays to plucking hens on Saturday, and builds to the freedom of Sundays and the special experience of an afternoon spent in Congo Square.

Get the lesson plan and activities for Freedom in Congo Square HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

Counting on Katherine by Helaine Becker

Counting on Katherine
Find me on Amazon!

You’ve likely heard of the historic Apollo 13 moon landing. But do you know about the mathematical genius who made sure that Apollo 13 returned safely home? As a child, Katherine Johnson loved to count. She counted the steps on the road, the number of dishes and spoons she washed in the kitchen sink, everything! Boundless, curious, and excited by calculations, young Katherine longed to know as much as she could about math, about the universe.

Get the lesson plan and activities for Counting on Katherine HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

Hidden Figures
Find me on Amazon!

Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden were good at math…really good. They participated in some of NASA’s greatest successes, like providing the calculations for America’s first journeys into space. And they did so during a time when being black and a woman limited what they could do. But they worked hard. They persisted. And they used their genius minds to change the world.

Get the lesson plan and activities for Hidden Figures HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

The Oldest Student by Rita Lorraine Hubbard

The Oldest Student
Find me on Amazon!

Imagine learning to read at the age of 116! Discover the true story of Mary Walker, the nation’s oldest student who did just that, in this picture book from a Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator and a rising star author.

In 1848, Mary Walker was born into slavery. At age 15, she was freed, and by age 20, she was married and had her first child. By age 68, she had worked numerous jobs, including cooking, cleaning, babysitting, and selling sandwiches to raise money for her church. At 114, she was the last remaining member of her family. And at 116, she learned to read. From Rita Lorraine Hubbard and rising star Oge More comes the inspirational story of Mary Walker, a woman whose long life spanned from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement, and who–with perseverance and dedication–proved that you’re never too old to learn. With how Day 100 normally falls some time around Febrary, this is one of my favorite February read alouds kindergarten and 1st grade kids love!

Get the lesson plan and activities for The Oldest Student HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver by Gene Barretta

The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver
Find me on Amazon!

When George Washington Carver was just a young child, he had a secret: a garden of his own.

Here, he rolled dirt between his fingers to check if plants needed more rain or sun. He protected roots through harsh winters, so plants could be reborn in the spring. He trimmed flowers, spread soil, studied life cycles. And it was in this very place that George’s love of nature sprouted into something so much more—his future. One of the great Black scientists!

Get the lesson plan and activities for The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

VALENTINE’S DAY

February is also Valentine’s Day celebrations! These are some of my favorites, but you can check out the full list of the best Valentine’s Day read alouds here.

Zombie in Love by Kelly DiPucchio

Find me on Amazon!

Mortimer is looking for love. And he’s looking everywhere! He’s worked out at the gym (if only his arm wouldn’t keep falling off). He also tried ballroom dancing lessons (but the ladies found him to be a bit stiff). He’s even been on stalemate.com. How’s a guy supposed to find a ghoul? When it seems all hope has died, could the girl of Mortimer’s dreams be just one horrifying shriek away?

Get the lesson plan and activities for Zombie in Love HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

Zombie in Love 2+1 by Kelly DiPucchio

Find me on Amazon!

Happily married zombie couple Mortimer and Mildred are thrilled to be new parents. But having a baby isn’t what they expected. Sonny hardly ever cries. His teeth are coming in instead of falling out. And worst of all, he’s awake all day and sleeps through the night.

Mortimer and Mildred are dead tired, and very worried. Will their precious baby boy ever behave like a good little monster?

Get the lesson plan and activities for Zombie in Love 2+1 HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

A Crankenstein Valentine by Samantha Berger

A Crankenstein Valentine
Find me on Amazon!

Cheesy cards, allergy-inducing bouquets, and heart-shaped everything? YECHHHH! It’s enough to turn anyone into a monster! An ordinary kid becomes Crankenstein on the most lovey-dovey, yuckiest day of the year: Valentine’s Day. Can Crankenstein find a way to turn his sour day sweet? Can a monster find a little love in his heart?

Lesson Plan and Activities
Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

Love Monster by Rachel Bright

Love Monster
Find me on Amazon!

Mortimer is looking for love. And he’s looking everywhere! He’s worked out at the gym (if only his arm wouldn’t keep falling off). He also tried ballroom dancing lessons (but the ladies found him to be a bit stiff). He’s even been on stalemate.com. How’s a guy supposed to find a ghoul? When it seems all hope has died, could the girl of Mortimer’s dreams be just one horrifying shriek away?

Lesson Plan and Activities
Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

I Am Love by Susan Verde

I Am Love
Find me on Amazon!

Love means showing kindness, living with gratitude, and taking care of our minds and bodies. Letting our hearts lead the way can help move us closer to a better world.

From the bestselling team that created I Am Yoga, I Am Peace, I Am Human, and I Am One comes a celebration of love in all its forms. Grounded in mindfulness and wellness, I Am Love asks readers to look inward when they feel afraid, angry, hurt, or sad. When a storm is brewing inside us and the skies grow dark, the transformative power of love lets the light back in.

Lesson Plan and Activities
Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

PRESIDENT’S DAY

President’s Day is also in February. There are some awesome books abuot presidents that aren’t your old-fashioned books that focus only on George Washington or Abraham Lincoln.

The Next President by Kate Messner

The Next President
Find me on Amazon!

Who will be the NEXT president? Could it be you? When George Washington became the first president of the United States, there were nine future presidents already alive in America, doing things like practicing law or studying medicine. When JFK became the thirty-fifth president, there were 10 future presidents already alive in America, doing things like hosting TV shows and learning the saxophone.

And right now—today!—there are at least 10 future presidents alive in America. They could be playing basketball, like Barack Obama, or helping in the garden, like Dwight D. Eisenhower. They could be solving math problems or reading books. They could be making art—or already making change.

Get the lesson plan and activities for The Next President HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

President Taft Is Stuck In The Bath by Mac Barnett

President Taft is Stuck in the Bath
Find me on Amazon!

George Washington crossed the Delaware in the dead of night. Abraham Lincoln saved the Union. And President William Howard Taft, a man of great stature . . . well, he got stuck in a bathtub. Now how did he get unstuck? One of the funniest picture books for Presidents Day!

Lesson Plan and Activities
Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty

Sofia Valdez Future Prez
Find me on Amazon!

Every morning, Abuelo walks Sofia to school . . . until one day, when Abuelo hurts his ankle at a local landfill and he can no longer do so. Sofia (aka Sofi) misses her Abuelo and wonders what she can do about the dangerous Mount Trashmore. Then she gets an idea—the town can turn the slimy mess into a park! She brainstorms and plans and finally works up the courage to go to City Hall—only to be told by a clerk that she can’t build a park because she’s just a kid! Sofia is down but not out, and she sets out to prove what one kid can do.

Get the lesson plan and activities for Sofia Valdez Future Prez HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

Miss Paul and the President by Dean Robbins

Find me on Amazon!

When Alice Paul was a child, she saw her father go off to vote while her mother had to stay home. But why should that be? So Alice studied the Constitution and knew that the laws needed to change. But who would change them? She would! In her signature purple hat, Alice organized parades and wrote letters and protested outside the White House. She even met with President Woodrow Wilson, who told her there were more important issues to worry about than women voting. But nothing was more important to Alice. So she kept at it, and soon President Wilson was persuaded. One of the great books for Women’s History as well!

Lesson Plan and Activities
Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

George Washington’s Teeth by Deborah Chandra

George Washington's Teeth
Find me on Amazon!

In this reverentially funny tale from Deborah Chandra written in verse and based on Washington’s letters, diaries, and other historical records, readers will find out what really happened as they follow the trail of lost teeth to complete tooflessness.

From battling toothaches while fighting the British, to having rotten teeth removed by his dentists, the Father of His Country suffered all his life with tooth problems. Yet, contrary to popular belief, he never had a set of wooden teeth. Starting at the age of twenty-four, George Washington lost on average a tooth a year, and by the time he was elected president, he had only two left! Also a great book for Presidents Day!

Lesson Plan and Activities
Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

Grace For President by Kelly DiPucchio

Grace for President
Find me on Amazon!

“Where are the girls?” When Grace’s teacher reveals that the United States has never had a female president, Grace decides to be the first. And she immediately starts off her political career as a candidate the school’s mock election. But soon, she realizes that she has entered a tough race. Her popular opponent claims to be the “best man for the job”–and seems to have captured all the male votes–while Grace concentrates on being the best person. In this timely story, author Kelly DiPucchio not only gives readers a fun introduction to the American electoral system, but also teaches them the value of hard work, courage, and independent thought–and offers an inspiring example of how to choose our leaders.

Get the lesson plan and activities for Grace for President HERE

Check Prices on Amazon
Check Prices on Books-A-Million

Best February Read Alouds

What are some of your favorite February read alouds? Are there any must read February read alouds that I left out? Let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it!

Remember: You can try a free lesson and activities for Martin’s Big Words by signing up here:

Looking for the best February read alouds for the classroom? These picture books for read alouds in February for elementary students are engaging for primary and upper elementary kids. Books with lesson plans and activities linked. Picture books about various topics such as Black History Month, Valentines Day, Presidents Day and more for your kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth or fifth grade students. Your students will delight in these classic and brand new books!
PIN ME!
signature
«
»

Filed Under: Black History Month, Mentor Texts, Picture Books, Presidents Day, Read Alouds Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search

Categories

Themed Book Lists button
Join a Free Training

Copyright © 2023 · Website Design By Jumping Jax Designs
There may be affiliate links on this page
Terms · Privacy