Hi teacher friends!
If you have been here before, you might know by now that I am extremely passionate about making sure that kids in special education with severe and profound needs have all the tools that they need to be successful in the classroom.
As I always say-“All means all.”
Every student, regardless of their unique challenges or abilities, deserves access to education. They deserve the opportunity to thrive, learn and grow in both academic and life skills.
Want to know one way that I give my students who are non-speaking or use a communication device the opportunity to participate in reading and discussing a book with their non-disabled peers?
That would be through AAC book companions!
Let’s dive in and I’ll tell you all about them…
What is AAC?
AAC stands for augmentative and alternative communication. This is HUGE in my special education classroom. It basically means that we might have to use symbols, pictures and/or words that are essential to that specific student so that they can participate in what the rest of the class is learning and doing.
This gives all students a chance for improved communication, independence, inclusivity and the education they deserve. Overall it’s a win-win!
And guess what?
You can adapt anything using AAC.
In this post, I’m going to explain how to use book companions for students who need augmentative and alternative communication so that they can participate in reading and comprehending the books that their class is reading.
In addition, I use AAC Communication Books with certain students in my special ed room and I teach Core Words to my students that use AAC as well.
GRAB THE FREE CORE WORD PLANNING GUIDE HERE!
AAC Book Companions for Special Education for the Entire Year!
The book companions below will let you use at least one book companion per month so that you are set for the entire school year for planning! I have listed Core Word Ideas and a brief summary of each for you to check out as well!
The great thing about book companions is that you can use them during whole group or small group sessions.
We love using book companions in our self-contained classroom for severe needs and hope you enjoy them too!
All of the book companions below have core vocabulary listed and many come with comprehension questions to ask students from the book.
All of them have visual supports and many even have ideas for story props to use along with the book companion packets.
We love using book companions in our self-contained classroom for severe needs and hope you enjoy them too!
Book Companions for January
The Mitten
In The Mitten, by Jan Brett, A young boy loses his white mitten in the snow. One by one, woodland animals crawl inside to stay warm.
Core Words: In, Out, Up, On, More, Go in, Come out
More Fun Ideas: Fill a large white mitten or white bin with fake snow or white sensory filler. Hide small plastic animals inside
The Snowy Day Book Companion
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats is a classic picture book depicting the adventures of a young boy named Peter exploring the wonders of a snowy day in the city.
Core Words: Snow, Day, Cold, Hot, Wet, Dry, Up, Down, In, Out, Walk, Play, Fall, Look, Find
More Fun Ideas: Create a sensory bin with fake snow or cotton balls, make snowflake crafts, have a hot cocoa party, go on a nature walk to observe snow if possible.
Sneezy the Snowman Book Companion
Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright tells the story of a snowman who keeps melting because he’s too cold until some kids find a way to help him.
Core Words: Snowman, Cold, Hot, Melt, Freeze, Warm, Cool, Help, Fix, Build, Play, Laugh, Happy, Sad, Change
Fun Idea: Make a snowman snack out of marshmallows and pretzels
Snowmen at Night Book Companion
Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner imagines what snowmen do when people are asleep, with whimsical illustrations and playful rhymes.
Core Words: Snowmen, Night, Play, Dance, Walk, Talk, Hide, Seek, Fun, Quiet, Loud, See, Look, Find, Discover
Fun Idea: Have a “snowman at night” themed pajama party when you read this one!
Book Companions for February
A Loud Winter’s Nap
In A Loud Winter’s Nap, by Katy Hudson, Tortoise is very excited about hibernating for the winter. He cannot wait to sleep through the cold months and wake up to spring.
Core Words: I want to sleep, Stop it, Too loud
Fun ideas to try: The title of the book is all about noise waking Tortoise up. Build a loud and quiet sorting activity around this theme.
Substitute Groundhog
In Substitute Groundhog, by Pat Miller, Groundhog gets sick right before Groundhog Day and cannot do his important job of predicting the weather. He must find a substitute to take his place.
Core words: same, different, come, again, want
Fun ideas to try: Take the class outside or use a flashlight and a white sheet or wall indoors. Let students explore shadows just like Groundhog does in the story.
Duck for President
In Duck for President, Duck becomes tired of doing farm chores and decides he wants to be in charge. He starts by running against Farmer Brown in a farm election.
Core Words: change, better, ready, turn, win, lose, tired
Fun Idea: Turn your classroom into a polling place! Create a simple class election where students vote on something meaningful to them. Keep it enjoyable and relaxed.
Love Monster
Love Monster by Rachel Bright is about a monster who lives in Cuteville, where everyone is cute and fluffy, and he’s a slightly hairy, googly-eyed monster who feels like he doesn’t fit in. He sets off to find someone who will love him just the way he is.
Core Words: sad, happy, love, like, want
Fun ideas to try: Monster hide-and-seek: Hide small monster toys or pictures around the room. Model “go,” “look,” “find,” “here,” and “not here” while you search.
Book Companions for March
Bear Wants More
Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson follows Bear waking up from his long winter sleep with a very empty tummy, and his forest friends help him munch his way through spring.
Core Words: want, more, eat, go, get, look, help, wake up
Fun Ideas to try: Feed the bear: Make a bear from a box or tissue box with a mouth cut out. Kids feed him pretend food.
Dragons Love Tacos
Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin follows dragons who love tacos. There’s just one problem: dragons can’t handle spicy salsa.
Core Words: like, love, want, more, eat, make
Fun Ideas to try: Fire breathing fun: Blow red and orange tissue paper or pom-poms across the table like dragon fire. Use “go,” “stop,” “big” and “little.”
Goodbye Winter Hello Spring
Goodbye Winter Hello Spring by Kenard Park is a gentle, beautifully illustrated story about noticing the changes all around us.
Core Words: hello, goodbye, hi, bye
Fun Ideas to try: Take a walk outside or around the school. Say “hello” to things you see and “goodbye” as you pass them, just like the child in the book.
How To Catch A Leprechaun
How to Catch a Leprechaun by Adam Wallace follows a group of kids who build clever traps to catch a sneaky leprechaun on St. Patrick’s Day.
Core Words: catch, look, find, go, run, make, put, get
Fun Ideas to try: Build a trap. Make leprechaun traps from boxes, tape, paper and gold coins.
Book Companions for April
The Good Egg
The Good Egg by Jory John is about an egg who works very hard to be good all the time, helping and fixing things for the other eggs in his carton, who aren’t always so well behaved. All that pressure starts to make him crack, so he takes a break to slow down and care for himself.
Core Words: happy, sad, mad, tired, good, bad, okay
Fun ideas to try: Egg decorating. Decorate paper or plastic eggs with faces showing different feelings.
Too Many Carrots
Too Many Carrots by Katy Hudson is about Rabbit, who loves carrots so much that he collects more and more until there’s no room left in his burrow.
Core Words: want, more, too many, all, some, enough
Fun idea to try: Use a box as Rabbit’s burrow. Kids add toy carrots with “put,” “in,” “more” and “full,” and say “too many” when it overflows.
Spring Is Here
Spring Is Here by Will Hillenbrand follows Mole, who wakes up and can’t wait to share the first day of spring with his friend Bear. But Bear is still sound asleep.
Core Words: wake up, sleep, go, look, see, try, help, open
Fun Ideas for this Book: Create a spring sensory bin. Fill a bin with dirt, flowers and toy bugs.
Worm Weather
Worm Weather by Jean Taft is a bouncy, rhyming story about kids who head outside on a rainy day in their raincoats and boots.
Core Words: go, splash, jump, look, see, wiggle, play, stop
Fun Ideas: Create a puddle jumping sensory station , lay blue paper puddles on the floor. Students jump in and out using “jump,” “in,” “out,” “again” and “more.”
Book Companions for May
Shark Lady
Shark Lady by Jess Keating tells the true story of Eugenie Clark, a girl who fell in love with sharks while visiting an aquarium. Even though many people told her girls couldn’t be scientists, she followed her dream.
Core Words: look, see, swim, go, learn, find, like, want
Fun Ideas: Create a shark sensory bin. Fill a bin with water or blue water beads and toy sharks and fish. Model “in,” “out,” “swim,” “find” and “more.”
Mother Bear
Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins is about Bruce, a grumpy bear who doesn’t like much besides eating eggs. When he brings home some goose eggs to cook, they hatch into goslings who decide Bruce is their mother.
Core Words: mad, happy, sad, like, don’t like, love
Fun ideas to try: Follow the leader: One student is Bruce and the rest are goslings. Practice “go,” “stop,” “follow,” “me” and “come.”
Lola Plants a Garden
Lola Plants a Garden by Anna McQuinn follows Lola, who falls in love with a book of garden poems and decides to grow her own flower garden.
Core Words: plant, put, dig, water, grow, wait, look, help
Fun ideas to try: Plant seeds in cups with soil. Kids follow along with “dig,” “put in,” “water,” “more” and “all done.”
The Very Impatient Caterpillar
The Very Impatient Caterpillar by Ross Burach follows a caterpillar who hears that everyone is turning into a butterfly and can’t wait to become one too.
Core Words: wait, go, eat, fly, grow, look, stop
Fun ideas to try: Create a patience practice jar. Fill a clear jar with water and glitter or sand, and shake it up. Students watch and wait as everything slowly settles to the bottom, just like the caterpillar waiting to change.
Book Companions for June
Jabari Jumps
Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall follows Jabari, who has finished his swimming lessons and is sure he’s ready to jump off the diving board. But when he climbs up and looks down, he feels nervous and finds lots of reasons to wait.
Core Words: jump, go, climb, wait, try, swim, look
Fun ideas to try: Create splash art. Drip blue and white paint onto paper, then blow it around with straws to make a pool splash. Add a cutout of Jabari jumping in for a fun finishing touch.
A Letter From Your Teacher
A Letter From Your Teacher by Shannon Olsen is written as a warm letter from a teacher to her new students on the first day of school. She tells them what the year will be like, that mistakes are part of learning, and how they’ll grow and work together as a class.
Core Words: hi, hello, welcome, thank you, please
Fun ideas to try: Create a class promise. Work together to make a list of ways to be kind and help each other. Have everyone add their handprint or name to show they agree.
Smiley Shark
Smiley Shark by Ruth Galloway follows a friendly shark who loves to smile and wants to play with the other fish in the sea. But every time he flashes his big toothy grin, the fish get scared and swim away
Core Words: swim, play, go, help, bite, come, stop
Fun ideas to try: Swim like a shark. Move around the room like sharks and fish, swimming fast and slow. When someone yells “Smiley’s coming!” everyone freezes in place.
Last Day Blues
Last Day Blues by Julie Danneberg is a funny end-of-year story starring Mrs. Hartwell’s class from First Day Jitters. As summer gets close, the kids worry that their teacher will be sad and lonely without them.
Core Words: happy, sad, excited, miss, love
Fun ideas to try: Create a summer bucket list. Make a list of fun things to do over the summer. Students can draw or choose pictures to add to their own bucket.
Book Companions for July
And Then Comes Summer
And Then Comes Summer by Tom Brenner celebrates all the simple joys of the season with a fun “when this happens, then comes that” pattern.
Core Words: play, go, run, eat, drink, swim, look, make
Fun ideas to try: Create a lemonade stand. Set up a pretend or real lemonade stand in the classroom. Students take turns making, pouring and “selling” lemonade to friends.
Hair Love
Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry tells the story of Zuri, a girl whose curly, kinky hair is full of surprises. On a very special day, her daddy steps up to help her style it
Core words: help, try, make, look, brush, wash, comb
Fun ideas to try: Have kids look in a mirror and say something kind about themselves. Talk about how everyone is beautiful in their own way.
The Gruffalo
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson follows a clever little mouse taking a walk through the deep, dark wood. When a fox, an owl and a snake each try to invite him home for dinner, the mouse scares them off by describing a terrible made-up creature called the Gruffalo.
Core words: walk, go, eat, run, look, see, meet
Fun idea to try: Build a Gruffalo. Give kids paper body parts like orange eyes, purple prickles and terrible teeth. They put together their own Gruffalo while you read the descriptions from the story.
Edward the Emu
Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles is about an emu at the zoo who is tired of being an emu and decides to try being something else.
Core words: swim, sleep, go, try, look, like, play
Fun idea to try: Animal movement game. Call out an animal from the story and have kids move like it. Swim like a seal, roar like a lion, slither like a snake and strut like an emu.
Book Companions for August
All Are Welcome Book Companion
All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold celebrates diversity and inclusivity in a school setting, emphasizing the importance of acceptance and belonging for all students. This one is perfect to start off the beginning of the year in your special education classroom!
Core Words: Welcome, All, Different, Same, Friend, Learn, Play, Share, Belong, Accept, Understand, Kind, Respect, Include, Celebrate
Fun Ideas: Organize a “welcome party” for new students or visitors to your classroom; create a classroom “welcome mural” where students can contribute drawings or messages representing diversity.
Rainbow Fish
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister is about the most beautiful fish in the ocean, whose shiny, sparkly scales make him proud but leave him without any friends.
Core words: share, give, swim, play, help, want
Fun idea to try: Share a scale. Give each child a shiny foil scale. Kids practice sharing by giving their scale to a friend and saying something kind.
Book Companions for October
Stellaluna Book Companion
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon tells the story of a young fruit bat named Stellaluna who is separated from her mother and raised by a family of birds, learning to embrace her differences and discover where she truly belongs.
Core Words: Stellaluna, Bat, Bird, Different, Same, Family, Friend, Love, Accept, Understand, Explore, Learn, Grow, Fly, Belong
Fun Ideas: Create a “bat cave” reading corner in your classroom, have a “fruit bat feast” snack time where students try different types of fruit, organize a “migration maze” activity where students navigate through a maze like bats flying.
Book Companions for November
Turkey Trouble Book Companion
Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano follows the humorous attempts of a turkey to disguise himself as various farm animals to avoid becoming Thanksgiving dinner.
Core Words: Turkey, Trouble, Disguise, Hide, Help, Friend, Farm, Animal, Eat, Save, Plan, Trick, Funny, Surprise, Laugh
Fun Ideas: Have a “disguise party” where students dress up in costumes or create their own disguises, make turkey-themed crafts or snacks, organize a “save the turkey” scavenger hunt where students search for hidden turkey pictures.
Turkey Claus Book Companion
Turkey Claus by Wendi Silvano continues the adventures of Turkey as he tries to save Christmas by convincing Santa Claus to let him help deliver presents.
Core Words: Turkey, Claus, Santa, Christmas, Help, Save, Deliver, Present, Friend, Plan, Magic, Believe, Fly, Wish, Surprise
Fun Ideas: Create a “Turkey Claus” mailbox for students to send their Christmas wishes to.
Balloons Over Broadway
Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet is based on the true story of Tony Sarg, a puppeteer who came up with the idea for the helium balloons that are used in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Core Words: Look, go, make, up, down, try, more
Fun Ideas: Create your own Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Balloons using foil!
Book Companions for December
Bear Snores On Book Companion
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson is a cute little tale about a hibernating bear who sleeps through a gathering of his forest friends in his den.
Core Words: Bear, Snores, On, Friends, Quiet, Warm, Cold, Happy, Sad, Surprise, Share, Food, Sleep, Wake up
Fun Ideas to Incorporate: Create a sensory bin with materials representing the forest setting, act out the story using puppets or costumes, make bear-themed snacks like honey treats.
Bear Stays Up for Christmas Book Companion
Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson follows Bear and his friends as they prepare for Christmas and try to keep Bear awake to celebrate with them.
Core Words: Bear, Christmas, Stay, Up, Friend, Celebrate, Prepare, Give, Share, Help, Joy, Surprise, Gift, Decorate, Merry
Fun Ideas: Have a “Christmas pajama party” where students wear their pajamas to school, create a “bear’s den” cozy reading corner with Christmas-themed books, organize a “secret Santa” gift exchange among students.
Pig the Elf Book Companion
Pig the Elf by Aaron Blabey features Pig the Pug as he tries to take over Christmas as an elf but learns the true meaning of the holiday along the way.
Core Words: Pig, Elf, Christmas, Naughty, Nice, Help, Learn, Share, Give, Friend, Decorate, Joy, Surprise, Laugh, Cheer
Fun Ideas for This Book: Have an “elf workshop” where students make Christmas crafts or cards, create a “Pig the Elf” puppet show, organize a “holiday sing-along” where students perform Christmas songs for parents or other classmates at school.
Book Companions for Complex Communication Needs
These AAC book companions not only offer alternative communication by targeting core words essential for communication, but they also foster engagement, comprehension and social interaction.
By using familiar stories as a springboard for learning, students are empowered to express themselves, make connections and explore the world around them.
Whether it’s through interactive activities, sensory experiences, or imaginative play, book companions provide a rich and inclusive learning environment where every student can thrive and participate in reading.