Every good teacher loves having his/her ‘go to’ books that they use to teach specific reading skills, like main idea. Teaching reading through mentor texts is one of the best ways to show students strong and concrete examples of the skills. Using mentor texts is definitely needed!
I have gathered some of my favorite main idea mentor texts. I think you’ll find these wonderful assets to your classroom collection! Let’s take a look and find a new main idea picture book for you to use!
(This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that Amazon sends me a little pocket change, at no cost to you, if you purchase through on of these links. This helps keep my site running and funds giveaways for you!)
Main Idea Mentor Texts: Fiction
The Recess Queen: Students will make wonderful connections to this adorable story about a new girl who befriends the recess bully! With a very clear sequencing of events, students will be able to analyze the text to identify the main idea and many supporting details of the story! This story is also great for reviewing problem and solution!
Spoon: This mentor text has an absolutely wonderful message for readers of all ages! Spoon, the main character, doesn’t feel like he is good enough and begins to doubt how wonderful he is. He becomes envious of the other characters: fork, knife, and chopsticks. He thinks that their life is much better than his. The lesson that he learns is a perfect reminder that each of us holds something special inside and that we are all unique!
Students will have no trouble finding the main idea in this story. This is also a perfect text to help students understand the difference between Main Idea and theme! Definitely a must have for any classroom library!
A Bike Like Sergio’s: Another beautiful story, A Bike Like Sergio’s is a story of two young friends – one who’s family is financially able to afford special gifts and the other who is barely able to afford all of the groceries that they need for the week. When the main character, who is envious of his friend Sergio’s bike, finds money on the ground that someone drops, he dreams of using the money to buy himself a bike for his birthday. But what he actually does will touch you right on your heart!
This wonderful story is perfect for students to identify the main idea of a text and add many supporting details. Students will be able to make strong connections to the story and relate to many of the characters as well. A must have for every classroom!
Main Idea Mentor Texts: Nonfiction
Here to There and Me to You: Bridges come in many different forms and displays and all encompass a single goal: to bring people together! Never have I found a nonfiction book that gives quite the loving message as this one! While students will quickly find the main idea of this story to having something to be about bridges, they will also find that this wonderful texts has some underlying themes hidden as well!
Bee Dance: This very purposeful story teaches us so much more about bees than we ever thought we could know! Bee Dance is a wonderful text that teaches students the meaning behind the special ways that bees communicate – by dancing! What are the dance moves for and how do bees interpret them? Finding the main idea of this text will be simple! This is a perfect text to use to introduce main idea and nonfiction together!
Who Has These Feet?: Who knew that feet were so special? Animal feet have adapted to the animal’s surroundings and in this beautifully illustrated book, students can see how and why each animal highlighted in the text has the feet that they do! The main idea of this text is very clear and is a great one to help identify many supporting details! This is my ‘go to’ book for intervention students as well!
I hope you found a new Main Idea Mentor Text (or two) for your classroom library! If you’re looking for a super f un and easy activity to help teach Main Idea, then you’ll want to try out Brown Bag Main Idea!
Want to save these? Pin the image below!
