IB - PYP and MYP Book Lists

Book Recommendations aligned with the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB-PYP) transdisciplinary themes, approaches to learning, 
learner profile attributes, and Middle Years Programme (MYP) Skill Clusters
While many books touch in some way on these skills, themes, and attributes, books are only listed here if they are strong representations of the IB element. Please see Themed Book Lists, and Book Lists by Topic for other specific categories.

Please click each title for an individual book summary and review, with a list of topics and themes, awards, and related book recommendations.

PYP Trans-disciplinary Theme Book Recommendations

Who We Are
An exploration of the nature of self; of our beliefs and values;
of personal, physical, mental, and spiritual health;
human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures;
and what it means to be human
Echo
The First Rule of Punk
Fish in a Tree
One Half from the East
Piecing Me Together
Restart
A Single Shard
The Sweetest Sound
The War That Saved My Life

Where We Are in Place and Time
An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations, and migrations of mankind; relationships between the
inter-connectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives
A Long Walk to Water
Maus
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Orphaned (Ape Quartet #4)
Sing Down the Moon
Tasting the Sky
The Underground Abductor

How We Express Ourselves
An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend, and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic

Awkward
The First Rule of Punk
Garvey's Choice
A Gift of Magic
A Time to Dance

Sharing the Planet
An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolutions

City of Ember
The Courage Test
A Million Shades of Gray
The One and Only Ivan
Outrun the Moon
Rescued
Wishtree

How We Organize Ourselves
An inquiry into the
inter-connectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment

Among the Hidden
Boys Without Names
Breaking Stalin's Nose
The Homework Strike
The Limit
No Talking

Threads
Uglies
Ungifted
The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy

How the World Works
An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and the environment

Bomb
Zoey and Sassafras
Hatchet
The Neptune Project
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes

Approaches to Learning Book Lists

Self-Management Skills:
Organization, Reflection, Managing State of Mind and Actions
(MYP - Organization)
Finding Perfect
Lights, Camera, Disaster
Sahara Special

Social Skills:
working effectively with others
(MYP - Affective; Collaboration)
Because of Mr. Terupt
Chasing Vermeer
The Great Wall of Lucy Lu
The Lemonade War

Thinking Skills:
creative thinking, critical thinking, and transferring thinking to multiple contexts
(MYP - critical and creative thinking; transfer)
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree
The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl
The Mysterious Benedict Society
The Potato Chip Puzzles
Vincent Shadow, Toy Inventor
The Westing Game

Communication Skills:
Exchanging thoughts and information effectively through interactions; effective reading, writing, and language use
Dear Mr. Henshaw - letters
Finding Perfect - poetry slam
Front Desk - writer; revising in second language
The Gossip File - communicating needs and feelings
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus - blogger
Locomotion - poet
Love That Dog - poet
No Talking - a pledge not to speak
Out of My Mind - girl with speech challenges uses computer to speak
Rules - a character creates communication board cards and social rules
Sahara Special - writer
Speechless - speech

Research Skills:
Information Literacy and Media Literacy
(MYP - Information and Media Literacy)
Extras - social media
The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl - using statistics from real data

Learner Profile Attributes Book List

Thinker
(MYP - Critical Thinking)
Colin Fischer
The Giver
The Great Shelby Holmes
Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree
The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl
The Mysterious Benedict Society
 

PYP Attitudes Book List

Creativity
MYP - Creative Thinking
Pippi Longstocking
Vincent Shadow, Toy Inventor

Curiosity
Pippi Longstocking

Enthusiasm
Free Thaddeus
Harriet the Invincible: Hamster Princess

Books with Characters Who Take Action
in Service of a Cause or for Others

Animal Welfare
The One and Only Ivan (gorilla in captivity)
The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl (shelter dogs)
Rescue: The Dog Whisperer (abused dog)
Rescued (orangutan in captivity)

Child Labor
Threads

Community

Anne of Avonlea - neighborhood improvement
Front Desk - fair working conditions and treatment; help for neighbors in need
Hope Was Here - taking on corrupt business leaders
Stef Soto, Taco Queen - civic ordinance regarding food trucks

Disaster Relief
Chasing Secrets - Medical Treatment; San Francisco Plague/Quarantine Rescue
Ninth Ward - after Hurricane Katrina
Outrun the Moon - food for San Francisco earthquake victims
Salt to the Sea - nurse to WWII refugees

Environmental
Policy
Same Sun Here

Laws, Rules, Policies

Racism; Religious Intolerance
The Bicycle Spy - French Resistance to Nazis in WWII
Incommunicado - Intolerance of Japanese Americans in WWII
Number the Stars - Nazis in Denmark
The Underground Abductor - Harriet Tubman, The Underground Railroad
The Witch of Blackbird Pond - Accusations of witchcraft against a Quaker woman

School Policies
After Ever After - standardized testing for grade promotion
Anger is a Gift - metal detectors and armed officers in school
Ban This Book - challenges to middle school library books
The Homework Strike - homework
Losers Take All - sports team requirement
Nothing But the Truth - silence/humming of National Anthem (non-constructive action)

Other
In the Shadow of the Sun - sharing information about conditions in North Korea