Grades
K - 12
Our Favorite Books With Memorable Teacher Characters
These classic stories about teachers shine a light on the long-lasting impact a great educator can have on their students.
Our Favorite Books With Memorable Teacher Characters
The value and power of an effective teacher is immeasurable. Studies show that students will reap the benefit of an impactful teacher long after they’ve left school, because not only do the best educators instill a passion for learning, they’re also role models that offer emotional support and encouragement.
From Ms. Frizzle to Professor Albus Dumbledore, this list features all of our favorite teacher characters from beloved books who continue to inspire generations of kids.
Introduce students to Ms. Frizzle, the most eccentric teacher in children’s literature. Bringing a unique approach to science, students will love following along the educational adventures led by Ms. Frizzle and her magic bus. For instance, in The Magic School Bus at the Waterworks, Ms. Frizzle drives the magical school bus into a cloud where the children shrink to the size of water droplets and follow the course of water through the city's waterworks system.
Meanwhile, olders readers will delight in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, where they'll meet Professor Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Students will embark on an epic journey as Harry navigates his first year at Hogwarts and uncovers a great destiny that's been waiting for him. With the help of his professors and friends, can Harry survive the encounter?
Shop our favorite books featuring unforgettable teacher characters below! You can find all books and activities at The Teacher Store.
It's the first day of kindergarten and Miss Bindergarten is hard at work getting the classroom ready for her twenty-six new students.
On days when it feels like your students just don't appreciate your good nature, this classic story of tricky Miss Nelson and her cantankerous substitute Miss Viola Swamp is a breath of fresh air—and a reminder that there is hope for your little troublemakers!
Lilly loves everything about school, especially her cool teacher, Mr. Slinger. But when Lilly brings her purple plastic purse and its treasures to school and can't wait until sharing time, Mr. Slinger confiscates her prized possessions. Lilly's fury leads to revenge and then to remorse and she sets out to make amends.
It's the first day of school, and Ruby is new. When her classmate Angela wears a red bow in her hair, Ruby comes back from lunch wearing a red bow, too. When Angela wears a flowered dress, suddenly Ruby's wearing one, too. Fortunately, Ruby's teacher knows a better way to help Ruby fit in, by showing how much fun it is to be herself.
At a time when girls in China weren't encouraged to pursue an education, little Ruby's teacher nurtures her talent and curiosity, helping set her on the path to become one of the first women to attend university.
With a magical touch for field trips and a flair for wild dresses, Ms. Frizzle makes science learning fun for her class and yours.
In this inspiring true story, Mr. Falker shows how a little recognition and encouragement helps young Trisha overcome her reading disability, setting her on the path to become beloved author Patricia Polacco.
A perfect companion to Polacco's classic Thank You, Mr. Falker, The Art of Miss Chew, and Mr. Wayne's Masterpiece, this book celebrates teachers who encourage excellence and make impossible dreams come true.
In this story set in the post-Civil War era, Mizz Howard shows Lizzie and her peers the importance of education, and is a powerful role model, particularly to Lizzie, who is excited to have a teacher with brown skin, just like her.
Mrs. Granger may seem to be the antagonist in this funny story about the power of words, but we know teachers can easily relate to her sly teaching methods that help her students think outside of the box.
Full of sympathetic characters, wildly imaginative situations, and countless exciting details, the first installment in the series assembles an unforgettable magical world and sets the stage for many high-stakes adventures to come.
Mr. Browne’s thought-provoking precepts that encourage kindness and empathy among his fifth-graders make life a little better for Auggie as he enters mainstream school for the first time, and stand as a source of inspiration for many teachers.
In this classic, Matilda is in dire need of a teacher who recognizes her talents—someone like the kind Miss Honey. And in many classrooms today, there are students just like Matilda who are yearning for attention, and teachers just like you who are willing to give it them.
A strong, wonderful teacher in class, even when faced with discrimination at work, Mary Logan carefully teaches her children the values that make dignity and success possible in the face of severe racism.
As twelve-year-old Nick struggles with challenges of family, love, and soccer, Mr. MacDonald a.k.a. “The Mac” is a great source of inspiration, always there with the perfect book recommendation to help Nick discover the power of words and the determination to succeed.
Miss Delgado tells Ivy she has a gift for music and encourages her, even giving her the solo for a class performance in a radio show.
