Book List: Imagination, Problem Solving, and Perseverance!

Hi All!

I hope this post finds you well! In order to support you as you teach students to use their imagination and problem solving skills to persevere through difficulties, I have made a list of my favorite books on the topic. Some texts are great for science and engineering connections, some address self-regulation and having big feelings. But they are all aimed at helping students stick with it!

If you have any titles to add to this list, let me know in the comments below!

And as always, for your convenience, click the book image to go straight to the book's Amazon listing.

“Beekle”, Dan Santat

Gorgeous illustrations show the journey of one yet-to-be-imagined friend and his eventual union with a child’s imagination. While many stories about friendship center on peers, this story tells the often forgotten or dismissed relationship a child may have with their own imagination. Rip with feelings, I come back to this book again and again to support empathetic classroom discussions.

“Not a Box”, “Not a Stick” series, Antoinette Portis

Amongst the near constant tendency to entertain children with screens and toys, these books remind us all that the best entertainment we could ever have is our own imagination. A simple box serves as a rocket ship, and a stick as a paintbrush. I love to use this story to inspire students to use classroom materials in new and creative ways.

“The Dot”, Peter H. Reynolds

Making mistakes, trying things out, and inspiring others- all around great lessons! Packed into this simple story, a young girl is encouraged by her teacher to let go of her perfectionism in the pursuit of creativity. This is a beautiful story with a poignant message, for both student and adult alike.

“What do you do with an idea?” and “What do you do with a problem?”, Kobi Yamada

In these beautifully illustrated narratives, Yamada helps the reader nurture ideas and face problems. At first, I thought that these books would be a bit too abstract for my young readers. But alas, never underestimate the experience of a child who is learning from everything around them! These stories have helped me coach students through difficult or overwhelming situations and persevere in order to achieve success.

“Click Clack Moo, Cows that Type”, Doreen Cronin

In this hilarious example of persuasive writing, the cows on Farmer Brown’s farm go on strike until they get electric blankets to keep them warm. I use this book to teach writing styles, like persuasion and opinion, but also to teach problem solving strategies in a humorous way.

“Dragons Love Tacos”, Adam Rubin

This book is hilarious. And layered just under that humor, there is a gentle message of kindness and fixing mistakes. Since it’s time on the Bestseller’s list, students have fallen in love with this silly story, and often quote parts verbatim after only a few reads. But any time a story shows characters solving problems, it is worth returning to many times.

“Those Darn Squirrels!”, Adam Rubin

I was originally introduced to this book at a science training where we were digging into texts that could lead to STEM-related activities. Since then, I have read this book with an engineering context, as well as an emphasis on friendship, kindness, and including others. Rubin, author of “Dragons Love Tacos”, comes back with another funny-yet-meaningful story about Old Man Fookwire and his battle with the neighborhood squirrels. As the two sides battle back and forth, students see characters persevering, trying new things, and eventually finding a solution that serves everyone.

“Iggy Peck, Architect”, “Rosie Revere, Engineer” and “Ada Twist, Scientist”, Andrea Beaty

From Beaty’s popular STEM series, Ada, Rosie and Iggy all reveal the power of exploration, creativity and persistence, even in the face of defeat. The whimsical illustrations and the song-like cadence of the rhyming text make this series an easy favorite in any classroom.

“The Digger and the Flower”, Joseph Kuefler

I may have teared up the first time I read this story, but since my only witnesses were 26 five-year-olds to whom I give snack, I don’t think anyone with tell on me. This is a lovely story about environmentalism, friendship, and stewardship. Here in my home state of Washington, we talk a great deal about the environment and our responsibility as inhabitants here, so this story tends to lead to discussions about how we can care for the environment around us.

“The Day the Crayons Quit”, Drew Daywalt

You will never look at a box of crayons the same way after you read this story. Similar to how Toy Story changed the way we considered our relationship with toys, this story reveals how the crayons Duncan uses everyday feel. Pleading with him in persuasive letters, the crayons lay out their concerns and requests moving forward. Not only is this book truly funny, it is a great tool for teaching persuasive and opinion writing, as well as problem solving strategies.

“The Carrot Seed”, Ruth Krauss

Originally written in 1945, this simple story emphasizes the power of patience, diligence, and hope. In addition to its moral lessons, this book is also a great tool for comparing and contrasting. Because of its original publishing date, the illustrations and style are different from many of the stories students encounter today. I also teach this alongside any garden, planting, and life cycle units as it keeps students engaged even when they cannot see progress happening.

“The Paperboy”, Dav Pilkey

Having a paper route is about as foreign of a concept to my students as a newspaper itself, but I teach this book regardless because it shows something that many children do not experience- doing something on their own. In this book, a young boy rises with his dog while it is still dark outside and completes his paper route throughout the neighborhood. When I read this story, I talk about the idea of doing independent work, being responsible to others, and sometimes having to do things when we would much rather stay asleep in bed. When so much of children’s time is structured and supervised, it is refreshing to see a child succeeding on their own.

“After the Fall”, Dan Santat

Santat, author of “Beekle”, delivers another poignant story about perseverance, determination, and facing our fears. We all know what happened to Humpty Dumpty, but in this book, we learn what happens “after the fall”, and in the process are inspired to try again, even if we fell before. My students often talk about their own experiences learning to ride a bike or swing along the monkey bars, taking a literal approach to the idea of falling and getting back up. When students make connections between the text and their own experience, you know they are engaged!

“Ish”, Peter H. Reynolds

Help students say good-bye to perfectionism with this story about creativity and originality. Especially for students who have yet to experience experimentation, this is a lovely story encouraging students to try something, even if it isn’t exactly “right”, but instead is right-”ish”.

“I Wanna Iguana”, Karen Kaufman Orloff

Persuasive writing at its best, I love reading this book to students to teach them about making strong arguments for what they believe. Alex wants an iguana, and Mom has some pretty reasonable concerns. Back and forth, they discuss the prospect of getting an iguana and come to a mutual agreement. Full of humor and rationality, this is a story that I’ve seen many students connect with.

“She Persisted”, Chelsea Clinton

Oh, yes she did! In this collection of biographies of women who contributed substantially to their fields, Clinton elevates both women, and anyone who sees an opportunity to make the word a better place. When teaching this book, I always frame the person with some historical context, and then have a follow-up conversation about why what this person did is important today. Some figures shown are current out changing the world, and some have paved the way, but each woman featured with worthy of discussion.

“Ron's Big Mission”, Rose Blue

A boy sets out to go to the library to check out books about space. But because it is 1959 and the boy is African-American, the story is not just about the library. In this story about race, segregation, and (in)equity, students encounter many brave characters whose individual acts show courage in the face of societal biases.

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