{"id":1379,"date":"2018-01-05T00:37:00","date_gmt":"2018-01-05T00:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carolfranksrandall.com\/?p=1379"},"modified":"2025-10-29T14:29:32","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T14:29:32","slug":"picture-books-and-the-development-of-pro-social-skills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carolfranksrandall.com\/?p=1379","title":{"rendered":"Picture books and the development of pro-social skills"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As mentioned in the About<\/a><\/strong> section of this website, I have been a picture book collector for quite some time. I have always been mesmerized by the way the artwork helps illustrate the subtle and nuanced themes in these books. I believe that as the oral reader, I can help children decipher the explicit and implicit themes presented in a way that is satisfying and empowering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn\u2019t until the latter part of my career and in my role as the initiator of \u201cNana\u2019s Read Alouds\u201d when caring for grandchildren, that I really began to focus on the potential of thinking about using picture books to develop and enhance pro-social skills. This is not a revolutionary concept \u2013 many others have made the connection between empathy (Allyn, 2010<\/strong>)<\/a>, (Allyn  2018<\/strong>)<\/a> and reading picture books. Others have looked at specific skills like sportsmanship (Sarah Jordan, 2017<\/strong>) to illuminate this connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My goal in writing this post is to remind educational practitioners and parents that specific books can be selected with pro-social skills in mind. Have you ever heard teachers say things like, \u201cI\u2019ve been teaching for 10 years and I\u2019ve never had a class like this one. They are at each other\u2019s throats all day long,\u201d or \u201cI have a group of girls in my class that continue to exclude and verbally terrorize their classmates,\u201d or \u201cThis group of boys really knows how to push each other\u2019s buttons \u2013 they are taunting experts. I wish they paid as much attention to their writing assignments as they do to tormenting each other\u2026\u2026\u2026\u201d and on and on. These sentiments can also be applied to parents raising children \u2013 comments like \u201cWhy do they both feel they always have to win or be first? It drives me crazy\u2026.\u201d are certainly commonplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every elementary classroom should have a time during the course of the week when children are read to aloud. A recent study entitled The Rise of the Read-Aloud<\/em>, which is the first installment of the Scholastic Kids and Family Reading Report indicates that parents are reading to their children more than has previously been documented (Allyn, 2019<\/strong><\/a>). Educators need to follow suit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How are books selected? What I am suggesting is that teachers and parents be discerning when selecting books to read aloud and think about the themes imparted in a particular book. Whenever practical, try to align book selections with social skills that you believe need strengthening. I am not trying to suggest that every book read be chosen with this idea in mind. I am a believer that children need to select books to be read to them as well. What I am proposing though, is that as informed educators\/parents we be strategic about book selection and think about what lessons can be learned both from words and illustrations by our students\/children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Playground Heroes<\/a><\/em>, Jamal and Me<\/a><\/em> and Talking Buddies<\/a><\/em> are certainly examples of picture books that teach pro-social skills, but there are many others. Below are my favorites, but it is certainly not an exhaustive list:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n