1st Grade Book List
Fairy tales, folk tales, and picture books aligned with each Sabbat. First grade is the year of fairy tales!
Unit 1: Lammas (First Harvest)
- The Little Red Hen by Various
Classic tale of work and reward
- The Giant Turnip by Aleksei Tolstoy
Teamwork and harvest
- Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall
Year of farm life
- Bread Comes to Life by George Levenson
From wheat to bread
- The Bee Tree by Patricia Polacco
Sweetness of learning
Unit 2: Mabon (Fall Equinox)
- Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert
Autumn leaves adventure
- The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall
Apple tree through seasons
- Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson
Understanding autumn changes
- Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert
Life of a maple tree
- Squirrel's Fall Search by Anita Loughrey
Preparing for winter
Unit 3: Samhain (Ancestors)
- The Memory String by Eve Bunting
Honoring family memories
- Grandfather Twilight by Barbara Berger
Gentle bedtime magic
- The Old Woman Who Named Things by Cynthia Rylant
Love and loss
- Badger's Parting Gifts by Susan Varley
Remembering loved ones
- Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola
Italian witch tale
Unit 4: Yule (Winter Solstice)
- The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper
Solstice celebration
- The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren
Swedish winter guardian
- The Mitten by Jan Brett
Animals sharing warmth
- Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
Wonder in nature
- The Snow Child by Freya Littledale
Russian winter tale
Unit 5: Imbolc (Brigid)
- Brigid's Cloak by Bryce Milligan
Irish tale of generosity
- The Story of Saint Brigid by Various
Brigid traditions
- Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Winter night adventure
- The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Joy in winter
- When Will It Be Spring? by Catherine Walters
Waiting for warmth
Unit 6: Ostara (Spring Equinox)
- Rechenka's Eggs by Patricia Polacco
Magic eggs and kindness
- The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
Unconditional love
- Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
Making the world beautiful
- Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
Growing a garden
- The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Classic spring tale
Unit 7: Beltane (May Day)
- The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde
Spring returns with love
- Flower Fairies by Cicely Mary Barker
Nature spirits
- The Bee Tree by Patricia Polacco
Community and sweetness
- Jack and the Beanstalk by Various
Classic fairy tale
- The Enormous Turnip by Aleksei Tolstoy
Working together
Unit 8: Litha (Midsummer)
- A Midsummer Night's Dream by Retold for children
Fairy magic
- The Sun Egg by Elsa Beskow
Waldorf classic
- In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming
Summer creatures
- Fireflies! by Julie Brinckloe
Summer night magic
- The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer
Nature and imagination
📖 Essential Fairy Tale Collections
First grade centers on fairy tales. These collections are used throughout the year:
- Grimm's Fairy Tales by Brothers Grimm
Essential collection
- The Complete Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen
Classic tales
- East of the Sun, West of the Moon by Various
Norse fairy tales
- Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs
Irish and Scottish tales
- Russian Fairy Tales by Alexander Afanasyev
Baba Yaga and more
📚 Library Tips
- • Request fairy tale collections - Libraries often have multiple versions
- • Audiobooks - Jim Weiss recordings are excellent for fairy tales
- • Interlibrary loan - Find rare Waldorf favorites
- • Used bookstores - Build your fairy tale library affordably