Our teacher graduation book signing tradition

Our children have been gifted with incredible teachers at every level of education. From infant daycare, to Montessori preschool, to public elementary school, we have found wise, talented teachers happy to partner with us in educating our kids. Each has shaped their lives in ways that are already visible, but whose full impact we might not know for years. Grateful, grateful, grateful.

Naturally, I wanted to find a way to keep these teachers close over the years, and that’s how we found our way to the graduation book tradition. You’re probably already familiar with it – parents choose a picture book and ask their children’s teachers to write a note in it each year, kind of like a yearbook. As a words gal, I love the idea of capturing memories and hopes for the future from these dear ones. June’s book now has several years of notes penned inside, and Shep’s has been broken in by his beloved preschool director. They’re both already on the short list of items I’d save in a fire.

While this tradition isn’t a new idea, it’s become a beloved one in our family, and so I thought I’d share a bit about it today!

How to organize a teacher picture book signing tradition

Though this tradition requires a bit of sustained effort over many years (your child’s entire K-12 education!), it’s really an easy lift: once you’ve chosen a book (see below!), you simply have to produce it at the right time each year for the teacher to sign – and, perhaps more challenging, keep it safe all the months in between. (We keep ours in our children’s memory boxes.)

Here’s the email I send to our kids’ teachers in late May:

Hi [teacher name]!

I hope you’re enjoying these last few days with your students! I will be sending in a picture book soon that I’m hoping you (and [assistant’s name], if she’d like!) would be willing to sign for our girl! I’m sure you’re very familiar with the tradition, but the idea is that you’d both choose any page and write her an encouraging note (no need to return it the same day – anytime before the end of the year!). We’ll then pass the book on to her teachers next year and beyond. (We do plan to let her read it along the way instead of waiting until graduation!)

She has enjoyed being with you both so, so much this year, and I know it will mean the world! Thank you in advance!!

Emily

Once receiving confirmation, I tuck the book in her backpack inside a manilla envelope. We keep it close until the end of the school year, then let the kids read the notes at our end-of-school-year/beginning-of-summer celebration. (I know some parents keep the tradition a secret until senior year, but I think it’s meaningful to be buoyed by these special teacher’s words along the way!)

14 Great Graduation Book Ideas

When looking for a graduation picture book, the key is to combine a meaningful message with illustrations that leave enough white space for writing notes. This is surprisingly tricky to find! Here are the two books we’ve used for our older kids, and a few others that are worth a look:

— The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be by Joanna Gaines | This is June’s book! I wouldn’t say it’s the absolute best story, but it’s sweet, the illustrations are lovely, and it has plenty of room for writing.

— What Do You Do With an Idea? by Kobi Yamada | Shep’s book! The black-and-white illustrations work wonderfully for adding colorfully-penned notes, and the message is timeless.

— Miss Rumphius | In terms of messaging, this would be my hands-down choice – but alas, I didn’t think it had enough room for notes. Worth considering, though!

— Oh the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss | A classic! The sales of this one must be bananas in May.

— A World Wonder by Laura Wifler | Though I haven’t chosen a book yet for Annie, this is on my short list! We love this story of a girl with big dreams on a journey to discover what makes life truly meaningful.

— Journey by Aaron Becker | This is a visually-stunning wordless picture book – perfect for adding your own words of wisdom over the years!

— The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Martin | This seems to be a very popular option for graduation book gifts. I don’t care for her illustration style as much as some of these others, but this is a great pick with plenty of white space on the page.

— All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon | This simple, profound Caldecott Honor book follows a circle of family and friends over the course of a day. The breathy, windswept illustrations leave plenty of margin for notes!

— Because by Mo Williams | We have and love this picture book about the chain reaction one decision can make, which begins and ends (and begins?) with a life-changing musical performance. Check it out in person, though – the (beautiful!) illustrations take up a lot of the space on each page.

— The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson | The vibrant illustrations in this one are a marvel, but I don’t know that they leave quite enough room on the page for notes! Either way, the message is lovely and this is a book my kids enjoyed reading.

— Wherever You Go by Pat Zietlow Miller | This one seems a bit calculated to be an alternative to the almost-trite Oh the Places You’ll Go, but I think it succeeds! The verse is easy, the illustrations are whimsical and packed with detail, and it has plenty of “off you go into the world!” verve.

— The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein | Sob. This unforgettable story of love and empathy is a timeless pick. Shel’s spare, black-and-white illustrations leave plenty of room for colorful penned notes.

— Why Not? by Kobi Yamada | Honestly, this one seems designed to be used as a graduation book rather than as an actual picture book for preschoolers, so let’s give it its moment! :) The beautiful illustrations and encouraging text are an invitation to embrace big possibilities.

— The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth | “When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do?” These questions are asked and answered in this picture book based on a fable by Leo Tolstoy. Simple and direct text paired with whimsical watercolors make for a satisfying package.

I’d love to hear: does your family do the graduation book tradition? If so, what books do you use? I’d love to hear!

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