When it comes to teaching story elements, choosing the right read aloud books can make all the difference in the classroom. These story elements books will provide clear samples of character, setting, and events in a way that’s easy for students to understand and enjoy. Whether you’re looking to introduce these concepts to your kindergarteners or reinforce them with your third graders, finding strong read alouds is key!
Here is a collection of affiliate links to Amazon that I think would help your students while learning about each of the different aspects of story elements! PLUS there is a FREEBIE included at the bottom of this blog post to help you track these books.
Strong Books for Setting
- Canoe Days by Gary Paulsen
- The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer
- Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
- Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco
- The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
- Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
- Hey, Al by Arthur Yorinks
- The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson
Strong Books For Characters
- Jamaica’s Find by Juanita Havill
- Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
- Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco
- The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
- Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun by Maria Dismondy
- White Socks Only by Evelyn Coleman
- Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon
- Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
Story Elements Books for Event and Plot
- Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems
- The Sandwich Swap by Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah
- Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
- If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff
- Islandborn by Junot Diaz
- Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival
- Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine
- The Hungry Coat by Demi
- Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola
Great Mentor Texts for Problem and Solution
In 2nd grade, character response to a challenge is introduced. Many teachers teach this as problem and solution. Here are a few strong story elements books that touch on this reading skill.
- Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber
- The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
- Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
- Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
- Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion
- Jamaica’s Find by Juanita Havill
- Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
Now Time for That Story Elements Freebie!
Download this free story elements chart to track each book’s story elements you read during a given month.
Want Ready-Made Story Elements Units to Go With Your Story Elements Books?
Each unit listed below comes with lesson plans, graphic organizers, passages, assessment, and other hands-on activities! These are the perfect pairing for your story elements books.
