Both Neal and Miller advocated the use of children’s picture books in the classroom, specifically the English classroom. Like these two teachers, Dr. Dean introduced me to the power of picture books in the secondary education. Dr. Dean uses them as model texts for good sentences and as springboards for ideas and other writing. I think they are a wonderful resource. Because they employ an economy of language, the sentences in picture books are well-written but concise. They serve as excellent models for good writing. I am willing to use picture books in my classroom. However, most of them are too expensive. They range from $10 to $20 dollars. Like everything I’ll buy as a teacher, I’ll have to find them at a discount price or beg for someone else to pay for them.
The one thing that you can think about is that picture books can be bought one at a time, a few every year. And if you open your students to the possibilities of Scholastic Book Clubs, you will rack up points to order free books with. Also parents are good sources for books--many times you can send a wish list out at the beginning of the year and ask parents if they would like to donate a book. Buy or make inexpensive book plates and put their name on the book: Donated by the _____ family. Very effective!
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