Books EVERY Preschooler Should Enjoy

Once a week, I find myself standing in front of many large open bins sifting through the alphabetized picture books at my local library. While the choices seem endless, many of the books crammed between the dusty shelves are not worth my time. As I have mentioned before, NOT ALL BOOKS ARE CREATED EQUAL!

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When selecting chapter books to read aloud, I always scrutinize the CONTENT and the LITERARY MERIT. Why should it be any different with picture books? In fact, as these simple stories are the first introduction my children ever have to the loveliness of the written word, I am MORE critical of what I bring home to share with them. I want them to be captivated by books. Only a well-written story with beautiful illustrations and thoroughly-developed characters will do.

After several years teaching preschool and kindergarten and many more years snuggling in a rocking chair with my own little ones, I have compiled a list of my personal favorites. A collection of wonderful classics and new treasures. Many are award-winners, but some are just undiscovered titles hidden among the masses. This is by no means an exhaustive list, just my most-loved choices. I continue to add to it each year as I come across new gems.

A Treasury of Curious George by H.A. Rey
Anatole by Eve Titus
Ask Mr. Bear by Marjorie Flack
Baby Farm Animals by Garth Williams
Bedtime for Frances by Russell Hoban
Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Eric Carle (series)
Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
Charlie Needs a Cloak by Tomie dePaola
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin (series)
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Danny and the Dinosaur by Sid Hoff
Duck in the Truck by Jez Alborough
Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Ruth Krauss
Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion
Henry and Mudge: The First Book by Cynthia Rylant (series)
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie  by Laura Numeroff (series)
Imogene's Antlers by David Small
Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? by Nancy White Carlstrom
Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton
Little Bear by Else H. Minarik (series)
Little Toot by Hardie Gramatky
Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag
Moose Tracks! by Karma Wilson
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall 
Peter's Chair by Ezra Jack Keats
Quick As a Cricket by Audrey Wood
Sammy the Seal by Syd Hoff
Sheep in a Jeep by Jez Alborugh
Smudge by Clare Turlay Newberry
Summertime in the Big Woods by Garth Williams (series)
Swimmy by Leo Lionni
The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
The Mitten by Jan Brett
The Napping House by Audrey Wood
The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Whistle For Willie by Ezra Jack Keats
White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt

Most of these authors have written MANY other well-worth-reading books.  As is the case with most chapter books, when you find a picture book that you really enjoy, check out the other books in the series or by the same writer.

For more thoughts on books for kids:

• Great Read Alouds for Lower to Mid Elementary
• 13 Books to Read Aloud in 2013
• Summer Read Aloud Goals
• Top 10 American History Read Alouds (with a bonus list of 10 Historical Readers) 
• Why I Choose a Living Literature Approach to Learning
• Hidden Benefits of Reading Aloud to Your Kids

For more great book suggestions, be sure to head to iHomeschool Network and check out the Massive Guide to Homeschool Reading Lists!