Using the Picture Book Thank You, Mr. Falker to Understand Struggling Readers

Using picture books in teacher education courses allows instructors to set theory in context, create a visual representation of it, and make theory come alive. The benefit of picture books does not stop at the college door, because when students graduate and have classrooms of their own they can use the stories and pictures to remember and apply theories in their classrooms. Teachers who understand theory develop new ways of thinking and possess better problem‐solving skills, and are better prepared to assist struggling adolescent readers who need cognitive, social, and emotional support. In this article, Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco is used to demonstrate the power of picture books when professors use them in their classrooms and when teachers, in turn, use them in theirs. Ideas for sparking discussion in the college classroom are provided, along with nonthreatening activities that teachers of adolescents can use. Activities are designed to enliven domains of knowledge like history, current affairs, and writing and to enhance social and emotional skills. The ideas presented can build resilience in struggling readers and empathy and moral reasoning in their peers. Ten additional picture books are presented as extensions and enrichment of ideas.