The idea of offering a book list always causes me to hesitate. Book lists are so subjective. Something we really loved may not connect with your children and vice versa.
But I remember desperately searching for worthy books for my children. With that memory lingering, I will humbly offer this list of favorites my children, preschool or younger, enjoyed, along with a few newer finds for my young grandchildren. Some of these books are, unfortunately, out of print.
Beatrix Potter
The World of Peter Rabbit Collection
Tasha Tudor
A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson, Illustrated by Tasha Tudor
A is for Annabelle
And It Was So—Words from the Scripture
A Time to Keep
Robert McCloskey
Blueberries for Sal
Make Way for Ducklings
One Morning in Maine
Audrey Wood, Illustrated by Don Wood
Piggies
The Napping House
Eric Carle
The Very Busy Spider
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
The Very Lonely Firefly
The Very Quiet Cricket
Today is Monday
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr.
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin, Jr.
Mem Fox
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
Time for Bed
James Herriot
Smudge, the Little Lost Lamb
Treasury for Children (includes the story of Smudge which is also sold separately)
Gyo Fujikawa
Oh, What a Busy Day!
Our Best Friends
Dr. Seuss
Green Eggs and Ham
Horton Hears a Who!
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
The Sneetches and Other Stories
Laura Ingalls Wilder
My First Little House Books Adapted from the Little House Books, Illustrated by Renee Graef
A House Is a House for Me by Mary Ann Hoberman, Illustrated by Betty Fraser
All the Places to Love by Patricia MacLachlan, Illustrated by Mike Wimmer
Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
Caps for Sale by Esphry Slobodkina
Carl’s Afternoon in the Park by Alexandra Day
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Fancy Nancy by Jane O’Connor (Series of books)
Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
Honeybee’s Busy Day by Richard Fowler
Imogene’s Antlers by David Small
Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino, Illustrated by Steven Kellogg
McDuff and the Baby by Rosemary Wells, Illustrated by Susan Jeffers
Millions of Cats by Wanda Ga’g
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, Illustrated by John Schoenherr
Psalm 23 Illustrated by Richard Jesse Watson
Saint George and the Dragon Retold by Margaret Hodges, Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper
The Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall
There’s a Duck in My Closet! by John Trent, Ph.D, Illustrated by Judy Love
The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wiese
The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell, Illustrated by Jim Harris
The Ugly Duckling (Now you can read…) Adapted by Lucy Kincaid, Illustrated by Gillian Embleton
What do you do with a kangaroo? Written and Illustrated by Mercer Mayer
I must stop with these. I’m sure there were more, but this list is a really good start. The point is to read aloud to your young children every day!
P.S. I think we waited until first or second grade to enjoy Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne.
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