Unlock powerful use of picture books for deeper thinking
Picture books are often seen as tools for younger children, but their vivid storytelling and rich illustrations make them powerful resources for learners of all ages. This resource is designed to help educators harness that potential, using picture books to spark meaningful discussion and critical thinking around themes such as identity, belonging, culture and community.
By encouraging open-ended interpretation and critical thinking, it supports inclusive literacy development and deeper classroom discussion.
Why picture books?
The visual and narrative depth of picture books invites open-ended interpretation, encouraging children to explore ideas without the pressure of finding a single “right” answer. This approach fosters confidence, autonomy and inclusion, especially for learners who may struggle with traditional literacy activities.
This flexible resource provides ideas and prompts that can be used by teachers across all year groups - providng a framework for questions that allows you to decide on the questions and depth of discussion that you feel is appropriate for your own class.
To help you get started, we've included a selected list of picture books for different age ranges, including:
- ages 3 to 5 (early years)
- ages 5 to 7 (KS1/P1-3)
- ages 7 to 11 (KS2/P4-7)
- ages 11 to 14 (KS3/S1-3)
- ages 14 to 18 (KS4-5/S4-6)