Best Elementary Education Books of 2025

Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom is a concise and practical guide for K-2 teachers who want to integrate effective reading strategies from both the Science of Reading and Balanced Literacy perspectives. Written by Dr. Jan Burkins and Kari Yates, the book offers evidence-based instructions and sample activities for every shift that helps educators understand common misconceptions and adjust their thinking around instructional practices. This book is a must-read for teachers who want to make sound decisions anchored in research and keep students at the forefront of reading instruction.

Shifting the Balance, 3-5: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Upper Elementary Classroom is a must-read for teachers in grades 3-5 who want to incorporate best practices for reading instruction. The authors, Jan Burkins, Kari Yates, and Katie Cunningham, introduce six shifts that challenge common practices in the classroom and offer easy-to-implement routines based on solid scientific research. The book is grounded in the commitment to bridge the gap between research and classroom instruction while keeping students at the forefront. The authors' refreshing approach makes this book accessible and practical, making it an essential addition to any teacher's toolkit.

The Writing Rope by Joan Sedita is a groundbreaking book that provides a comprehensive and evidence-based approach to teaching writing for Grades 4-8. The book is aligned with IDA's Structured Literacy approach and is based on the latest research. It introduces a framework called the Writing Rope that weaves multiple skills and strategies into five fundamentals of a comprehensive writing curriculum. The book includes dozens of templates, handouts, and other resources for teachers to design and deliver explicit, high-quality writing instruction. Overall, The Writing Rope is an invaluable planning guide that helps teachers apply the science of reading to the skill of writing and helps students master a critically important aspect of literacy.

This book, titled "Speech to Print: Language Essentials for Teachers" by Louisa Cook Moats, is a must-have for K-12 educators who need a comprehensive understanding of language structure and function to deliver successful structured literacy instruction. The third edition is fully updated with ten years of new research, case studies, and activities, making it an ideal resource for both preservice courses and in-service professional development sessions. The chapters cover a range of topics from the history of the English language to syntax instruction and how meaning is conveyed through language. The book also includes new and expanded practical content and faculty support materials. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for teachers seeking to improve their language and reading instruction skills.

This revised and expanded book offers a detailed framework for K-3 teachers to provide effective literacy instruction tailored to each student's needs. The authors provide a roadmap for implementing differentiated small-group instruction over multiweek cycles with reproducible lesson plans, instructional activities, assessment forms, and other tools. The book includes guidance for designing instruction and grouping students, making it a one-stop resource. The approach has been fine-tuned based on field testing, new research findings, and current standards and response-to-intervention frameworks. This practical book is a 'must-have' for teachers, interventionists, and literacy coaches.

The Daily Word Ladders: Grades 4-6 is an engaging and reproducible word building game that helps children enhance their reading, vocabulary, spelling, and phonics skills independently. The book contains 100 word study lessons that challenge kids to read clues on each rung, change and rearrange letters to create words until they reach the top. The author, Dr. Timothy V. Rasinski, a professor of education, has published over 100 articles and 10 books on reading education. This book is an excellent resource for elementary educators and parents who want to help their children climb to new heights in reading and writing.

Cultivating Genius by Dr. Gholdy E. Muhammad presents an equity framework for literacy education that is grounded in history and restores excellence. The Historically Responsive Literacy framework helps educators teach identity development, skill development, intellectual development, and criticality to all students, especially those who have been marginalized. The author provides practical approaches, sample lesson plans, and text sets to cultivate students' genius and teachers' abilities. This book is recommended for language arts teachers and leaders who want to create a culturally and historically responsive classroom.

The 180 Days of Reading: Grade 2 is a comprehensive daily reading workbook that is ideal for classroom and home use. This book is designed to help students master challenging concepts, improve their reading comprehension and phonics skills, and provide regular practice through quick diagnostic-based activities. The book includes both fiction and nonfiction passages, data-driven assessment tips, and a Digital Resource CD with assessment analysis and electronic versions of the daily practice activities. The author, Christine Dugan, M.A.Ed., is a former elementary school teacher and online curriculum product developer with years of experience. Overall, this book is a valuable resource for teachers looking to help their students improve their reading skills.

The First Six Weeks of School is a comprehensive guidebook for K-6 teachers, written by teachers, that provides practical teaching tips and effective teacher language examples. It covers all the essential aspects of the early weeks of school, including planning a great first day, ensuring every part of the day flows smoothly, teaching positive discipline, presenting engaging academics, and fostering community. This book is an essential tool for both novice and experienced teachers who wish to create caring, stimulating, and safe learning environments. The book is unique in its research-based approach that's associated with greater teacher effectiveness, higher student achievement, and improved school climate.

"Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction" is an essential guide for educators who want to enhance their students' vocabulary and reading comprehension. The book provides practical advice on selecting words for instruction, introducing their meanings, and creating engaging learning activities. The new edition reflects the latest advances in research-based vocabulary instruction and covers topics such as assessment, content-area vocabulary, and differentiating instruction for struggling readers and English language learners. The authors, Isabel L. Beck, Margaret G. McKeown, and Linda Kucan, are experienced educators who provide numerous examples of robust instruction in action. This book is a must-read for any teacher looking to improve their students' vocabulary skills."