Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs (MITM)
Mind in the Making is a wonderful book for parents. It is organized around helping parents to develop seven super important life skills. The list below are books that parents can read to their children, based on their age, and on which of the seven skills you want to focus on.
You can think of reading and especially visits to the library an every day SNACCMS activity. By thinking of it this way, you can help foster in your child a life-long love of learning.
MITM Recommended books for kids, categorized by Essential Skill and Age
By Dr. Darlene Clemons, with permission from Ellen Galinsky
Key Skill #1: Focus and Self Control
Ages 0 – 2:
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Elmo Says
Goodnight Moon
Noisy Nora
Ages 3 – 5:
The Carrot Seed
Whistle for Willie
A Chair for My Mother
Ages 6 – 8:
The Art Lesson
The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza
The Best Seat in Second Grade
Wilma Unlimited
Ages 9 – 12:
A Crooked Kind of Perfect
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key
Key Skill #2: Perspective Taking
Ages 0 – 2:
Polar Bear. Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?
Five Little Ducks
Whoever You Are
Ages 3 – 5:
Are You Ready to Play Outside?
Corduroy
Fish is Fish
Ages 6 – 8:
Actual Size
Freedom Summer
Button Up!: Wrinkled Rhymes
Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal
Ages 9 – 12:
Whipping Boy
Wonder
Key Skill #3: Promoting Communicating
Ages 0 – 2:
Moo, Baa, La La La!
Baby! Talk!
Penguin
Bark, George
Ages 3 – 5:
The Cow Went OINK
The Lion and the Mouse
Not Norman
Dear Mr. Blueberry
Ages 6 – 8:
Martin’s Big Words
The Storyteller’s Candle
Emma’s Poem; The Voice of the Statue of Liberty
At the Beach
Ages 9 – 12:
No Talking
Liar & Spy
Key Skill #4: Making Connections
Ages 0 – 2:
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
It Looked Like Spilt Milk
Not a Box
Ages 3 – 5:
Caps for Sale
Harold and the Purple Crayon
Alphabet City
Same, Same but Different
Ages 6 – 8:
I Am Different! Can You Find Me?
On the Same Day in March: A Tour of the World’s Weather
The Pot That Juan Built
What Do You Do With A Tail Like This?
Ages 9 – 12:
Lowji Discovers America
When You Reach Me
Key Skill #5: Critical Thinking
Ages 0 – 2:
Blue Hat! Green Hat!
The Runaway Bunny
Where’s My Teddy?
Ages 3 – 5:
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Are You My Mother?
Seven Blind Mice
What Can You Do With A Paleta?
Ages 6 – 8:
Grace for President
Nate the Great
Ages 9 – 12:
Edgar Allan’s Official
Crime Investigation Notebook
Hana’s Suitcase
Key Skill #6: Taking on Challenges
Ages 0 – 2:
My Truck is Stuck
Llama Llama Red Pajama
Ages 3 – 5:
Owen
The Little Engine That Could
Brontorina
Ages 6 – 8:
Knuffle Bunny
Horton Hears a Who!
The Empty Pot
Jungle Dancer
Ages 9 – 12:
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Stone Fox
Key Skill #7: Self-Directed, Engaged Learning
Ages 0 – 2:
Head to Toe
Where’s Spot?
I Can Do It Too!
Ages 3 – 5:
My Five Senses
The Snowy Day
Press Here
Miss Rumphius
Ages 6 – 8:
Lemonade in Winter
Dinosaurs Before Dark
Mr. George Baker
Home At Last
Ages 9 – 12:
Rickshaw Girl
The View From Saturday