Looking for the best November picture books for kids? You’re in the right place! These read-alouds highlight gratitude, family, diversity, kindness, and of course, turkey humor!
Below you’ll find 11 books to share with your students this month, covering holidays and themes like Thanksgiving, Veterans Day, Diwali, Election Day, pumpkins, and fall.
I’ve also included ideas for simple, hands-on activities to make each story meaningful.
You can use your own materials for the activities, but if you want ready-to-go plans, all activities shown here can be found in my November Read-Alouds pack, which is filled with comprehension and writing activities to keep your students engaged all month.
Be sure to grab the November Book Trackers so your students can follow along as you read this month!
*You can click on most titles below to purchase the books via Amazon or visit my book list HERE. These are affiliate links, which means I earn a small percentage if you purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. I always only recommend resources I love!
Of course, you can also check your library for these titles instead of buying and sometimes you can find read-alouds on Youtube!
Binny’s Diwali by Thrity Umrigar
Such a great story for teaching students about Diwali while also telling a story about a girl overcoming nerves to share about her culture.
Activity Ideas:
- Have students design their own rangoli patterns! You can do this with chalk outside, or give them a blank circle and have them work from the middle out.
- Students can also complete this one-pager with some facts and fun activities to go with Diwali.
- Activities shown below are from my November Read-Alouds pack.
Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard
I just love this book so much! Maybe I’m biased because it reminds me of times spent as a child cooking with my mom and family, making tradition Puerto Rican dishes, but I think it’s relatable to many cultures. It’s a great read-aloud for sharing about different cultures, as well as for sensory writing!
Activity Ideas:
- Sensory writing: have students write adjectives that describe the sounds, smells, taste of Fry Bread, etc. *BONUS- do this using your own class recipe!
- Vocabulary– this book has rich vocabulary, great for discussion!
Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio
When Grace learns there has never been a female president, she decides to run for class president! Great book for Election Day!
Activity ideas:
- Have kids predict who will win before reading the story, or have kids vote for their pick!
- Hold a mini class election for a party, mascot, or favorite book!
Turkey Trouble by Kevin Noble Maillard
I’m pretty sure this is my favorite turkey book! 😆 Poor Turkey tries different disguises to avoid being eaten for Thanksgiving! Prefect for a turkey in disguise project!
Activity ideas:
- Act it out! This is a great story for sequencing, retelling, and acting out! I love using my Turkey Trouble pack for this because kids get to act it out with pieces right onto the built-in background (see image below).
- Of course, this book calls for a turkey in disguise project! Have kids decorate a turkey to disguise it. 🙂
Veterans: Heroes in our Neighborhood by Valerie Pfundsten
A wonderful way to honor Veterans Day, this book helps kids understand the everyday heroes around them!
Activity ideas:
- Make thank-you cards for local veterans! Ask families if they have any veterans that would like to come in to share about their branch of the military and have kids celebrate them with special cards and pictures!
What Does it Mean to be Kind? by Rona DiOrio
This book needs no intro, but it is a good reminder that acts of kindness don’t have to be big! In fact, some of the best ones are small ones that show thoughtfulness. 💗
Activity ideas:
- Kindness challenge! This always boosts classroom behavior, even if for a short while! LOL Encourage kids to show acts of kindness throughout the day and celebrate them when “caught” being kind.
Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson
I love Karma Wilson books and this one doesn’t disappoint! It’s a great November read-aloud about friendship and gratitude, perfect for the Thanksgiving season.
Activity ideas:
- Draw and label what they’d bring to a feast
- “I’m thankful for…” list
- Sequence and retell! I love stories with clear beginning, middle, and ends for my students and this book is perfect for identifying story elements.
Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet
Many kids watch the Macys Thanksgiving Day parade on TV and they love learning about the origins of it!
Activity ideas:
- Design a balloon float! Let kids use creativity to design and create their own! BONUS: Have a Thanksgiving parade in your classroom or school!
- This book is perfect for discussing problems and solutions because of the many problems Tony Sarg faced with the floats! Discuss with kids, sharing the importance of never giving up!
Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White
Ever ate something so much that you hated it? 🤣 That’s what happened with Rebecca in this book! She hates pumpkins, but one day, a pumpkin falls off a truck and smashes into bits in her backyard. Imagine her surprise when the seeds grow into tons of pumpkins!
However, it turns into a wonderful opportunity to join the community!
Activity ideas:
- Discuss cause and effect and the pumpkin life cycle!
- Character changes- Rebecca feels differently about the pumpkins by the end of the book. This makes for a great discussion on character development.
Feast for 10 by Cathryn Falwell
Family + teamwork + gratitude + math = a win in my book! Incorporate some math in your read-alouds this month by counting as this family gets ready for a Thanksgiving feast.
Activity ideas:
- Make mini counting books! Have kids draw 1, 2, 3… of what they would have for a feast.
- Make connections! Many kids may relate to prepping for a feast.
- Math! Have fun with count & color. You can hide food pictures in your classroom for students to find or use a ‘find & color’ activity like the one shown below.
The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming
Kids will love the silliness that ensues when Squirrel thinks someone is stealing leaves (they’re really just falling from the tree!).
Activity ideas:
- Have kids predict who the leaf thief is.
- Story elements: this one’s a great one for identifying story elements!
- Fall Crafts! Have students make leaf rubbings, or build a leaf craft as shown below.
You can’t go wrong with any of these read-aloud picks in November, but did your favorite make this list? Comment below and let us know so we can enjoy it, too!
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