The Living Library

Our Best Library Where Every Book’s A Curriculum. Best Read Alouds, Teacher Guides, & Activities.

A curated archive of picture books, graphic novels, easy readers, middle grade, and real stories — each with a ready-to-use teacher's guide, discussion questions, and classroom activities. The library where every book's a curriculum.

Explore the Books Pace-Write-Read

KidLit Librarian mascot alligator among library bookshelves

K–12

Grade Range

Learning Units

429+

Curated Books

429

Teacher Guides

429

Lessons

1267

Activities

The Stacks

The Library where Every Book's a Curriculum. Browse the shelves by call number, by category, by author. Enjoy!

K-2

Teacher's Guide

Books connect us to ideas, adventures, and one another. Finding a book that fits our interests—and helping someone else find theirs—makes reading a shared joy.

P ALL THE BOOKS

Picture Book·K-2·Imagination & Creativity

All the Books

Hayley Rocco

K-2

Teacher's Guide

Finding a book that connects with our interests can help us discover the joy of reading. Readers have different tastes, and listening to one another helps us recommend stories that feel just right.

P ALL THE BOOKS

Picture Book·K-2·Imagination & Creativity

A Book for Everyone

Hayley Rocco

PreK-2

Teacher's Guide

Our classroom is a shared space where we follow kind rules to ensure everyone learns and grows safely.

P ALL WELCOME

Picture Book·PreK-2·Acceptance & Belonging

Welcome to Our Classroom!

Alexandra Penfold

PreK-2

Teacher's Guide

Every child brings unique gifts to the classroom, and our diversity makes our school community stronger.

P ALL WELCOME

Picture Book·PreK-2·Acceptance & Belonging

All Are Welcome

Alexandra Penfold

PreK-2

Teacher's Guide

All feelings are okay, and we can use healthy strategies to navigate them when they feel too big.

P ALL WELCOME

Picture Book·PreK-2·Acceptance & Belonging

Big Feelings

Alexandra Penfold

PreK-2

Teacher's Guide

We build strong communities by helping our neighbors and taking care of the places we share.

P ALL WELCOME

Picture Book·PreK-2·Acceptance & Belonging

All Are Neighbors

Alexandra Penfold

Cover of Pencil and Eraser : Lost and Frown!

K-5

Teacher's Guide

Characters can experience the same problem differently, and those differences can shape both humor and problem-solving. Writers control how readers experience a story through words, illustrations, pauses, and page turns.

P ALVARADO

Picture Book·K-5

Pencil and Eraser : Lost and Frown!

Jenny Alvarado

PreK-2

Teacher's Guide

Dogs give us loyalty, comfort, and joy — and the everyday heroes in our lives deserve to be celebrated.

P ASHMAN

Picture Book·PreK-2·Friendship & Kindness

Wonder Dogs!

Linda Ashman

From the Librarian's Desk

A few favorites, each with a downloadable teacher's guide.

K-4

Teacher's Guide

Nature is all around us — even in the city — and we can find wonder in the wild places near home.

Real Story·K-4·Nature & Environment

Whales in the City

Nancy F. Castaldo

1-3

Teacher's Guide

Friendship grows when we celebrate each other's differences and let imagination lead the way.

Graphic Novel·1-3·Friendship & Imagination

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea

Ben Clanton

K-3

Teacher's Guide

Sometimes the best medicine is a friend, and service comes in many forms — including four paws.

Real Story·K-3·Service & Compassion

Mogie: The Heart of the House

Kathi Appelt

Cover of Fantastic Frog and the Amazing Tad Lad

1-4

Teacher's Guide

True heroes come in all sizes — and the best heroes lift each other up.

Graphic Novel·1-4·Teamwork & Confidence

Fantastic Frog and the Amazing Tad Lad

Brandon Reese

K-2

Teacher's Guide

The thrill of the race isn't just about winning — it's about the friends you race with.

Picture Book·K-2·Friendship & Determination

Wally Mammoth: The Sled Race

Corey R. Tabor

K-3

Teacher's Guide

Every meal we eat connects us to the people who grow our food.

Real Story·K-3·Community & Gratitude

Thank a Farmer

Maria Gianferrari

Cover of Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair

K-3

Teacher's Guide

Colors tell stories — Mary Blair showed the world that art can be bold, bright, and full of magic.

Picture Book·K-3·Creativity & Courage

Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair

Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville

Cover of The Bad Seed Goes to the Library

K-2

Teacher's Guide

The library is a place where everyone belongs — even a Bad Seed.

Easy Reader·K-2·Reading & Belonging

The Bad Seed Goes to the Library

Jory John

View the Complete Catalog

Curated by Theme

Featured Collections

Thematic book stacks to help you find the right read-aloud fast — each hand-picked for classroom impact.

Bravery & Courage

Stories of bold hearts, big leaps, and everyday acts of courage.

The Trouble with Heroes

Jabari Jumps

Browse all Bravery & Courage

Graphic Novel Favorites

Visual storytelling that hooks reluctant readers and rewards voracious ones.

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea

Fantastic Frog and the Amazing Tad Lad

Drama

Sisters

Ghosts

Browse all Graphic Novel Favorites

Friendship & Kindness

Big-hearted tales about empathy, belonging, and the friends who shape us.

Drama

Don't Leave!

Leonardo, the Terrible Monster

Be Kind

Wheetle: A Little Wagon with a Big Heart

Browse all Friendship & Kindness

A fountain pen resting on a handwritten manuscript page

The Mastery Manual

Pace-Write-Read

The Trifecta of Pacing

A writer's handbook of 38 craft tools covering plot, pacing, and prosody — every technique you need to pace your story with power and purpose. Read the first 6 tools free.

Open the Manual