Mentor Text Monday: Inferences

I know, I know!  It is Tuesday, and I really should be doing this on Monday, but I am a day late.  But, better late than never, right?!  I am linking up with my friend Emily from The Reading Tutor/OG for Mentor Monday.

I was so excited when she said that she was going to be focusing on making inferences this week because it is one of my FAVORITE skills to teach!  Most people dread it, but I LOVE it!  I love to make my students think beyond the literal and "read between the lines".

One of the texts I love to use when beginning any unit on making inferences is a favorite picture book:  Tuesday by David Wiesner.

The students have to look at the pictures in the book to figure out what is going on.  Using wordless picture books to help students make inferences is a perfect way to introduce the concept, even to the youngest readers.  In the book Tuesday, frogs fly around on lily pads throughout the city.  Students have to think about what is happening in the book.  It is always fun to listen to the ideas the students have for what is happening in the book.

We then talk about what they did to make those inferences and create a simple chart to help them remember what it takes to make inferences.  This is an example of a super simple one, but as the students go up in grades, we add to them.

This book is perfect to use with any grade level because even emergent readers can "read" the pictures and tell the story.

Another great picture book series that is perfect for younger students are the Carl the dog books.  My son "read" these to me when he was really young.  These were the first books he read, and he loved that he could "read" them.  He was always spot on with the stories and really focused on the feelings, something that a some books don't tell the reader.  Kids will enjoy this fun Carl book at this time of the year.  There are a few words, but the main story is crafted by the reader.  How cool is that?!

What books do you use to help students make inferences?