Are you looking for some Donut children’s books to use in your classroom that include literacy extension ideas? This list may be just what you are looking for!
Donuts are such a wonderful theme and are filled with some exciting literacy experiences to explore. You may have had the opportunity to read some of these Donut books already, but hopefully some will be a new adventure for you and your kids. Whether you like or dislike Donuts, try these engaging books and some of the extension activities suggested.
1. If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff
If you give a dog a donut, he’ll ask for some apple juice to go with it. When you give him the juice, he’ll drink it all up. Then, before you can say, Woof! Dog is off on a backyard adventure!
A snack of donuts and juice inspires this dog to head outside with his favorite friend to pick apples. Apple-tossing reminds him of baseball-throwing, home runs turn into treasure hunts, and as one thing leads to another, he gets thirsty for juice and hungry for donuts!
Fans of the book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, will love this joyful addition! This book is a great introduction to the series of books, with its rhythmic text and circular tale. It is perfect for beginning readers and story time. Sure to inspire giggles and requests to read it again for years to come.
Literacy Extensions:
- Donuts Word Bank
- “Donuts” Student Counting Booklet
- Decorate Donuts Art Project
- Donuts Build a Word Game
2. Donuts the Hole Story by David W. Miles
In this hilarious ode to the treat with a hole, bright photographic illustrations bring donuts to life like never before! With donut cops, donut pirates, maple bar lumberjacks, and coffee jacuzzies! This story is a delicious romp through a world filled with everyone’s favorite fat-fried friends.
The reader follows the activities of donuts in a donut shop after the shop has closed. There are many characters, each a donut shop favorite. From iced donuts to glazed, powdered to sprinkled, they all enjoy their time out of the display case.
Literacy Extensions:
- “My Favorite Donut” Classroom Book
- “Donuts Senses” Student Booklet
- Venn Diagram Comparing Donuts vs Muffins
- Donuts Build a Two Addend Number Sentence
3. Curious George the Donut Delivery by H.A. Rey
In this storybook based on the Curious George TV show, George learns about tens and ones. George adds the number zero while counting by tens when he orders too many donuts!
George is headed to the donut shop, and this little monkey is hungry! When George adds a few extra zeroes to his donut order he’s in for more treats than he bargained for!
Literacy Extensions:
- Classroom Book: “To Make Donuts”
- Student Booklet: “Donuts Counting”
- Donuts Numbers, Number Words & Ten Frames
- My Donuts Story: Student Worksheets
4. Daisy the Donut Fairy by Tim Bugbird
Daisy the Doughnut Fairy and her mermaid fairy friends spend their days making tasty donuts. There isn’t much else for them to do, and eventually find they’ve made so many that there’s no room left in their tower!
The fairies try to find new uses for the donuts with disastrous results. All seems lost, but when the Pancake Pirates’ ship hits a rock, a most unusual chain of events unfolds, leading to exciting adventure and unexpected friendship!
With fun illustrations and a great story, this book will have children and adults alike laughing!
Literacy Extensions:
- Donuts Literature List
- Donuts Story Parts: Student Worksheet
- Donuts Roll It! Read It! Short Vowels
- Paper Plate Donuts Art Project
5. Donuts With Dad by Tina Brooks
Brittney, Malik, and Chase cannot wait to celebrate Donuts with Dad’s day at school. Kayla is not as excited as her friends.
She has a secret that she doesn’t want her friends to find out about. She just wants to stay home, but her mom finds a way to make donuts with her dad special after all.
Literacy Extensions:
- “My Favorite Donut” Classroom Book
- Donuts Story Sequencing Student Worksheet
- Donuts Art Project
- Donuts Number & Ten Frames
6. The Jelly Donut Difference by Maria Dismondy
The sweetness of making new friends―and making treats to welcome new neighbors―are central themes in this wonderful picture book on how the smallest kindness can make a jelly donut difference.
After their new neighbor shares the story of growing up in Poland, sibling rivalry is repurposed into sibling teamwork, and Leah and Dexter work with Dad to make paczkis, the jelly-filled treat from Poland the twins deliver later that day.
With illustrations that will make you crave your own paczkis, this story carries a message of sibling rivalry, the power of community, and inclusion.
Literacy Extensions:
- Donuts Word Bank
- Donuts Literature Retelling Organizer Student Page
- Donuts Make a Short Vowel Word Game
- Donuts Roll & Cover Math Games
7. The Donut Thief by V Moua
Sammy can’t wait to eat the donut on the kitchen table. But there is one big problem, someone has already taken it. Will we find out who the donut thief is? Read along and help Sammy solve the case of the missing donut!
This read aloud kids’ book is an easy to read for young children. It is a book that any child will love, especially at bedtime. This book is suitable for parents to read to their children. Grandparents will definitely enjoy reading this book to their grandchildren.
Literacy Extensions:
- “Donuts Senses” Student Booklet
- Donuts Make a Short Vowel Word
- Donuts Sight Word Games
- Donuts Build 2 Addend Addition Number Sentences
8. The Littlest Donut by Charley Randazzo
This beautifully written and illustrated story teaches young children the essential acts of kindness, generosity, and paying it forward.
When the littlest donut loses her sprinkles, she wonders if she still has what it takes to become the big donut she dreams of being.
In this heartwarming tale about generosity and paying it forward, see if the littlest donut can triumph with help from the kindness of others
Literacy Extensions:
- “To Make Donuts” Classroom Book
- Donuts Letter & Sound Match Game
- Donuts Build a Word
- Donuts Numbers & Ten Frames Math Game
Finally, there are so many Donut children’s books you can choose from. From fiction to nonfiction, the list of Donut books is endless. Remember to pick the books that best fit the needs of your students or children and support your learning activities. Happy Reading!
Find some more literacy and extension activities in my store, The Teaching Scene by Maureen.
To read more blog topics check out my blog, “A Guide to Using Literature-Based Units of Study.”
