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Welcome! The grade levels and ages listed here are estimates, simply meant to guide you. You know your kids and students best—every reader grows at their own pace. Many books are wonderfully universal and work well across multiple age groups, and some titles remain a perfect fit for readers who may still be developing their skills, especially with a bit of guidance or support. And remember: nonfiction picture books can be powerful tools at any age—even in high school—as supplements, mentor texts, or just great stories worth encountering. Thank you for sharing books with young people, embracing beautifully diverse stories, and keeping the magic of reading alive.

Feel free to use and share any of the educator materials provided here—just kindly credit Room 228, and please note that none of our resources are permitted for resale. Read away!

Educator Guide for Sara Weiss’ The Totally Awesome World of Caitlin Clark

Sara Weiss’ middle grade biography The Totally Awesome World of Caitlin Clark dives deep into Clark’s basketball journey and the history of the WNBA with high-action photographs and historical and factual blurbs. Weis doesn’t shy away from sometimes overlooked topics, including the challenges in women’s sports and the role race plays in sports, the media, and society. Whether you’re a basketball fanatic or you’ve never set foot on a court, this book and educator guide offer something for all. Readers will be celebrating hard work and the magic of a childhood dream! The educator guide has young people exploring elements of nonfiction texts, setting goals, and connecting the exciting world of basketball to the wonderful world of math.

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Educator Guide for Dear Black Boy written by Martellus Bennett and reimagined by MR. TOMONOSHi!

Dear Black Boy is fitting for every classroom community wishing to build camaraderie amongst classmates and a culture of setting and reaching goals. The author’s dream is freedom for all. The journey may look different for everyone, but hard work is the one thing we all have in common. Dear Black Boy is a beautifully illustrated picture book and highly relevant for both younger and upper elementary students. Educators can adapt the questions, activities, and standards to match their students’ ages and abilities.

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Educator Guide for Heather Murphy Capps’ The Rule of Three

Wyatt Cash has a three-part plan. Play travel ball in middle school. Letter on the high school varsity team. Play college ball at a Division One school. Step One: Make it through tryouts and earn a spot on the Tornadoes, where he faces intentional and unintentional snubs from peers and adults alike. There’s only one problem: Wyatt inherited a genetic trait from his dad that makes keeping his cool difficult. The more he learns about the past, the more Wyatt begins to question the rules he’s always followed to fit in. Will Wyatt be able to keep his stone cold facade and his personal dreams from going up in smoke? This educator’s guide creates opportunities for students to learn more about the historical events and injustices highlighted in The Rule of Three. The discussion questions and activities allow for text-to-self and text-to-real-world connections, making inferences, and practicing critical thinking skills.

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Picture Book Educator Guide | Building a Beak by Becca McMurdie

In the wild, Grecia the toucan loved to soar from branch to branch and sing for all the creatures of the rainforest. Until, one night, loud voices echoed through the trees, sticks and rocks flew, and Grecia fell from her favorite avocado tree, tragically breaking her beak. While witnessing Grecia’s determined spirit, readers will learn how this single plucky toucan became a symbol for the international wildlife protection movement and inspired real change in anti-animal cruelty law, saving countless animals from harm. Perfect for the young activist, engineer, or animal lover, Grecia’s triumphant true story will resonate with readers of all ages, showing how determination and teamwork can make an impact and create lasting change.

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Educator Guide for Kimberly Brubaker Bradley’s Middle Grade Novel The Night War

As seen in this middle grade novel, set at the border between freedom and fear in World War II France, teachers and students faced difficult choices in 1942 as Germany advanced their occupation of Europe through France; today, students and teachers face their own choices. This novel and this guide bring many important issues to the forefront and will help to facilitate essential discussions of themes, academic exploration, analysis of how history is constantly evolving, and text-to-self connections that encourage deeper understanding of characters, literature, students’ worlds, and themselves.

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