April is a wonderful month as the weather changes into a beautiful spring (hopefully!). Check out these read-aloud books for April to celebrate different national holidays throughout the month.
I also share all these books on video! check out the read aloud books for april on my youtube channel:
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April reading books out loud
April 3rd: find a rainbow day
Who doesn’t like rainbows? to find a rainbow day, I have two different picture books to share with you!
share your rainbow is a wonderful book that provides hope for our future. When the pandemic hit in March 2020, 18 artists came together to create this story. is inspired by children across the country who displayed rainbows in their windows. each illustration represents the everyday things we look forward to when the pandemic is over.
Pride: The Story of Harvey’s Milk and the Rainbow Flag chronicles the life of the gay pride flag. It begins with social activist Harvey Milk in 1978 and progresses to the role of the flag in the world today. A story of love, hope, equality and pride!
April 4th – day of the school librarian
See Also: The 18 Best Books on Storytelling (to Read in 2022)
We should all celebrate school librarians! Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpre is an inspiring story! This illustrated biography is about New York City’s first Puerto Rican librarian. it also includes informative material and suggests further reading.
author anika aldamuy denise is a wonderful author!
April 7: mobile reservation day & April 8 – zoo lovers day
crazy about books! It’s the perfect story for mobile book day and zoo lovers day! When a librarian drives her mobile library to the zoo by mistake, things get a little silly. In true librarian fashion, she manages to find the perfect book for each animal. a fun book your students will love!
April 15 – titanic commemoration day
the bravest man in the world is another powerful story from patricia polacco. tells the story of wallace hartley, the musician who played with his band to calm the passengers of the titanic while the ship was sinking. he really expresses the power of music and the impact he can have.
April 17 – haiku day
dogku is my favorite book written in a haiku poem. a stray dog stands on the back step of a family’s home. they welcome him for the day. the dog then tells us about his day, from his point of view, all in haiku! Will he be able to stay with his new family at the end of the book?
After reading dogku, make your own haiku book with your class! students write haiku poems about their day in the classroom.
April 21 – kindergarten day
Celebrate this day with the king of kindergarten! This story, a collaboration between Derrick Barnes and Vanessa Brantley-Newton, tells the story of a boy who is nervous about starting kindergarten. However, he decides that he is going to be the king of the kindergarten! he is up for the challenge of new experiences and new friends.
April 25 – guide dog day
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rescue & Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship is the true story of Jessica and her service dog Ella Rescue. the rescue is concerned that he is not a good service dog. He then meets Jessica and together they figure out how to work together. Based on a real-life relationship, this is a heartwarming story of love and teamwork.
April 25 – penguin day
and tango ago three is another true story. this one is about two male penguins at the central park zoo. together they want to have their own family. With the help of the zookeeper, you have the chance to welcome your very own baby penguin!
April 29 – International Dance Day
Giraffes Can’t Dance is one of my favorite books and it’s perfect for International Dance Day! Gerald the giraffe wants to dance, but it’s hard for him. With a few words of encouragement from an unexpected friend, she learns to dance to her own tune. An inspiring, yet fun book!
April 30 – day of the poem in your pocket
April is National Poetry Month! the last day of the month is poem in your pocket day. kwame alexander’s out of wonder celebrates poets through the use of poetry. a wonderful book to read aloud to your class!
What are some of your favorite books to read aloud in April? share in the comments below!
since april is poetry month, check out this post on illustrated poetry books and this post on poetry books for upper elementary students.
Do you want to save these book ideas for later? just pin the image below!
See Also: KING NORTH | johnking