What Makes a Good Preschool Book?
All Through the Day
Castillo, Lauren Nana in the City
40 pp. Clarion 2014. ISBN 978-0-544-10443-3
dePaola, Tomie Look and Be Grateful
32 pp. Holiday 2015. ISBN 978-0-8234-3443-5
Fleming, Candace Bulldozer’s Big Day
32 pp. Atheneum 2015. ISBN 978-1-4814-0097-8
Ebook ISBN 978-1-4814-0098-5
Golan, Avirama Little Naomi, Little Chick
Illustrated by Raaya Karas.
40 pp. Eerdmans 2013. ISBN 978-0-8028-5427-8
Henkes, Kevin Waiting
32 pp. Greenwillow 2015. ISBN 978-0-06-236843-0
Library binding ISBN 978-0-06-236844-7
Kanevsky, Polly Here Is the Baby
Illustrated by Taeeun Yoo.
40 pp. Random/Schwartz & Wade 2014. ISBN 978-0-375-86731-6
Library binding ISBN 978-0-375-96731-3
Ebook ISBN 978-0-375-98785-4
Portis, Antoinette Wait
32 pp. Roaring Brook/Porter 2015. ISBN 978-1-59643-921-4
ABCs and 123s
Browne, Anthony One Gorilla: A Counting Book
32 pp. Candlewick 2013. ISBN 978-0-7636-6352-0
Carter, David A. B Is for Box: The Happy Little Yellow Box
16 pp. Little Simon 2014. ISBN 978-1-4814-0295-8
Cousins, Lucy Count with Maisy, Cheep, Cheep, Cheep!
32 pp. Candlewick 2015. ISBN 978-0-7636-7643-8
Fisher, Valorie I Can Do It Myself
40 pp. Random/Schwartz & Wade 2014. ISBN 978-0-449-81593-9
Gehl, Laura One Big Pair of Underwear
Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld.
40 pp. Simon/Beach Lane 2014. ISBN 978-1-4424-5336-4
Ebook ISBN 978-1-4424-5338-8
Lobel, Anita Playful Pigs from A to Z
40 pp. Knopf 2015. ISBN 978-0-553-50832-1
Library binding ISBN 978-0-553-50833-8
Ebook ISBN 978-0-553-50834-5
Martin, Bill, Jr Ten Little Caterpillars
Illustrated by Lois Ehlert.
40 pp. Simon/Beach Lane 2011. ISBN 978-1-4424-3385-4
Ohmura, Tomoko The Long, Long Line
40 pp. Owlkids 2013. ISBN 978-1-926973-92-0
Families
Atinuke Double Trouble for Anna Hibiscus!
Illustrated by Lauren Tobia.
32 pp. Kane/Miller 2015. ISBN 978-1-61067-367-9
Blackall, Sophie The Baby Tree
40 pp. Penguin/Paulsen (Penguin Young Readers Group) 2014. ISBN 978-0-399-25718-6
Child, Lauren The New Small Person
32 pp. Candlewick 2015. ISBN 978-0-7636-7810-4
Dominguez, Angela Santiago Stays
32 pp. Abrams/Abrams Appleseed 2013. ISBN 978-1-4197-0821-3
Dyckman, Ame Wolfie the Bunny
Illustrated by Zachariah OHora.
32 pp. Little 2015. ISBN 978-0-316-22614-1
Shannon, George One Family
Illustrated by Blanca Gómez.
32 pp. Farrar/Foster 2015. ISBN 978-0-374-30003-6
Shea, Bob Dinosaur vs. Mommy
32 pp. Disney/Hyperion 2015. ISBN 978-1-4231-6086-1
Wells, Rosemary Use Your Words, Sophie!
24 pp. Viking 2015. ISBN 978-0-670-01663-1
Yum, Hyewon The Twins’ Little Sister
40 pp. Farrar/Foster 2014. ISBN 978-0-374-37973-5
Bedtime
Choldenko, Gennifer Putting the Monkeys to Bed
Illustrated by Jack E. Davis.
32 pp. Putnam 2015. ISBN 978-0-399-24623-4
Ebbeler, Jeffrey Click!
32 pp. Holiday 2015. ISBN 978-0-8234-3295-0
Farrell, Darren Thank You, Octopus
40 pp. Dial 2014. ISBN 978-0-8037-3438-8
Fox, Mem Baby Bedtime
Illustrated by Emma Quay.
32 pp. Simon/Beach Lane 2014. ISBN 978-1-4814-2097-6
Ebook ISBN 978-1-4814-2098-3
Ray, Mary Lyn Go to Sleep, Little Farm
Illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal.
40 pp. Houghton 2014. ISBN 978-0-544-15014-0
Sakai, Komako Hannah’s Night
Translated by Cathy Hirano.
32 pp. Gecko 2014. ISBN 978-1-877579-54-7
Saltzberg, Barney Chengdu Could Not, Would Not Fall Asleep
48 pp. Disney/Hyperion 2014. ISBN 978-1-4231-6721-1
Shaw, Nancy Sheep Go to Sleep
Illustrated by Margot Apple.
32 pp. Houghton 2015. ISBN 978-0-544-30989-0
Zoboli, Giovanna The Big Book of Slumber
Illustrated by Simona Mulazzani.
32 pp. Eerdmans 2014. ISBN 978-0-8028-5439-1
These titles were featured in the December 2015 issue of What Makes a Good…?
The post Books mentioned in the December 2015 issue of What Makes a Good…? appeared first on The Horn Book.
Castillo, Lauren Nana in the City
40 pp. Clarion 2014. ISBN 978-0-544-10443-3
Visiting Nana in the city, the unnamed child narrator is initially unreceptive to the appeal. “The city is busy…loud…[and] filled with scary things.” Nana promises to show her young visitor that “the city is wonderful — bustling, booming, and extraordinary,” and their tour the following day does just that. The simple, meaningful text is well served by richly detailed watercolors conveying a bustling city.
Subjects: Preschool; City and town life; Family—Grandmothers; Emotions—Courage
dePaola, Tomie Look and Be Grateful
32 pp. Holiday 2015. ISBN 978-0-8234-3443-5
DePaola’s rouse from sleep is a gentle one, asking readers to “open your eyes, and look.” The text remains quiet, moving from its opening imploration to a suggested response: “Be grateful, for everything you see.” The brief handwritten text on peachy-beige paper is accompanied by the simplest of images: a child, a flower or two, one of the artist’s signature doves.
Subjects: Preschool; Emotions—Gratitude
Fleming, Candace Bulldozer’s Big Day
32 pp. Atheneum 2015. ISBN 978-1-4814-0097-8 Ebook ISBN 978-1-4814-0098-5
Illustrated by Eric Rohmann. On his “big day,” Bulldozer can’t wait to invite his friends to his party: “Guess what today is!” The other construction vehicles appear too preoccupied with work to guess. “No friends. No party,” sniffs Bulldozer. Of course, there is a party; everyone’s secretly been constructing a giant birthday cake. Engaging text will keep story-hour audiences invested; block-print illustrations feature trucks with loads of personality.
Subjects: Preschool; Birthdays; Parties; Vehicles—Trucks; Construction
Golan, Avirama Little Naomi, Little Chick
40 pp. Eerdmans 2013. ISBN 978-0-8028-5427-8
Illustrated by Raaya Karas. This clever book tells two stories, one about a preschooler named Naomi, the other about a little chick. Left-hand pages describe Naomi’s day, with tidy spot art at the bottom of the pages illustrating the activities. Meanwhile, on right-hand pages, Little Chick’s day on the farm unfolds in expansive, comical illustrations. Several visual elements gracefully unite these two worlds of play.
Subjects: Preschool; Animal babies; Schools—Preschools; Animals—Chickens; Animals—Domestic animals; Books in translation
Henkes, Kevin Waiting
32 pp. Greenwillow 2015. ISBN 978-0-06-236843-0 Library binding ISBN 978-0-06-236844-7
Waiting is a huge part of every child’s life, and Henkes uses a light touch to address the topic. Five toys, outlined in brown and filled in with muted colors, wait on a windowsill. Time passes slowly through seasons; small changes in body positions and eyes show a range of emotions. A straightforward text sets up predictable patterns with small surprises, while the design is varied to create momentum.
Subjects: Preschool; Toys; Behavior—Patience
Kanevsky, Polly Here Is the Baby
40 pp. Random/Schwartz & Wade 2014. ISBN 978-0-375-86731-6 Library binding ISBN 978-0-375-96731-3 Ebook ISBN 978-0-375-98785-4
Illustrated by Taeeun Yoo. Readers follow a baby’s full day in a city neighborhood from wake-up (“Here is the baby. And a bright morning sun”) to bedtime, complete with a library outing (“Here is the lady. She reads to the children”), stroller nap, and playground time, all supervised by a low-key dad. The text’s “here is” pattern is reassuring and concrete. The mixed-media illustrations are steeped in cozy imagery.
Subjects: Preschool; Babies; Family
Portis, Antoinette Wait
32 pp. Roaring Brook/Porter 2015. ISBN 978-1-59643-921-4
A mother rushes her toddler through busy city streets. He stalls to look at everything they encounter. This tension plays out over several spreads illustrating the same refrain: “Hurry!” / “Wait.” As their train’s doors begin closing, he insists on one last pause — for a brilliant rainbow. “Yes. / Wait.” Predictive details in the accessible illustrations add richness to this story about appreciating simple pleasures.
Subjects: Preschool; City and town life; Family—Mother and child
From the December 2015 issue of What Makes a Good…?
The post Recommended Preschool Books: All Through the Day appeared first on The Horn Book.
These are two just wonderful new series for preschoolers!
SmartyCatOne of the most frequent questions preschoolers ask - 'But Why?" and the answers are here (for some of them) in the SmartyCat series. this is glorious. Wonderfully written text explaining what is happening and lusciously illustrated full colour pictures - and all in an easy format for the young hands to hold. And at the end of each of the SmartyCat books there is a joke and an activity related to the topic of the book. These little books are educational, fun and wonderfully created.
SmartyCat: Frogs Louise Park & Jeannette Rowe (ABC Books)
And the question from SmartyCat for this book is: Where do frogs come from? and the answer is provided by Buddy beaver one of SmartyCat's friends from SmartyTown. There is a simple explanation for preschoolers of the lifecycle of a frog. And that final page activity - making Frog in a pond.
SmartyCat: Butterflies Louise Park & Jeannette Rowe (ABC Books)
And the question from SmartyCat for this book is: Where do butterflies come from? and the answer is provided by Mooey the cow. There is a simple explanation for preschoolers of the lifecycle of a butterfly. And that final page activity - making a clothes peg butterfly.
Little MatesWith slightly more text comes the Little Mates series - a series of 26 small books, again perfect for little hands, that introduces the alphabet. Each title is also themed with a question asked of the reader at the end (Are you amazing too? Are you Bouncy too?) that will stimulate further chatting. The text is filled with alliteration and the illustrations are lovely.
Little Mates: Amazing Amelia Susannah McFarlane & Lachlan Creagh (Scholastic)
Amelia is the most athletic ant on the ant hill but when she has an accident it is up to all her ant friends to give her a helping hand.
Thank you! Reading is Fundamental As part of Share a Story ~ Shape a Future, Reading is Fundamental is donating
two full sets of its Multicultural book collection for our It Takes a Village giveaways! There are 50 books in each set. Wow! Thank you! muchas gracias, merci beaucoup, danka shen ... there aren't enough ways to say thank you!
You can read the
complete list of titles here (pdf), or you can watch the slideshow here. We'll also keep a widget with the slideshow over on the right-hand side during the event.
Our theme for Share a Story 2010 is "It takes a village," and we wanted our giveaways toc benefit as many communities and readers as possible. Given the budget crunches schools and libraries are facing, it seems only logical that they be the beneficiaries of these collections. The Giveaway is tied to our Writing on Reading initiative, and here is how it will work.
1. Select one of the Writing on Reading questions.
2. Put together your thoughts and post them on your blog.
3. Come back to the daily Writing on Reading post and add your link to Inlinkz box AND add a comment with the name of the school or public library you would like to see receive the books.
Each day, RIF staff will be reading your posts and will select their favorite posts.They will pick three from Monday and Tuesday and three from Wednesday and Thursday. We'll announce the first three here on Wednesday and the next three Friday morning.
On Friday morning (12 March 2010)I will have a ballot with the six finalists and open the voting. We will use a Survey Monkey poll to collect votes of the "fan favorite" of the six. The voting will remain open until 12:00 noon, (EST) on Saturday, 13 March 2010. The two bloggers/writers with the most votes will be the winners. The winners will be announced on Monday, 15 March 2010 on the Share a Story blog.
Here is the fine print:
1. There is only one entry per person. RIF staff will select only one post per blogger. If you are a finalist from the Monday/Tuesday posts, additional posts on Wednesday/Thursday will not be considered for the contest.
2. Guest or ghost posts will not be eligible; neither will be additional posts published by the same author on more than one blog.
3. Communities in the United States are eligible. There is no international shipping.
In our house, we're still eating the Christmas cookies, so buying sweet confections for Valentines Day just doesn't really make sense. So that got me thinking ... what are some books that say "I Love You" and have sweet confections, too? Honestly, is there anything sweeter than cuddling together and sharing a book? Even adults do it ... think Richard Gere and Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman
.
For toddlers, preschoolers, and chocolate-loving Moms, one of the sweetest books is Lilly's Chocolate Heart
by Kevin Henkes. It's almost bedtime on Valentines, and Lilly wants to find the perfect place to save her last treat before she goes to bed. This is a story about how we decide to save the things we cherish (at least for a little while).
Love, Splat
written and illustrated by Rob Scotton. Splat is a beloved cat in our house (and we're dog people!). Splat the Cat has saved his most special Valentine for someone in his class he really likes ... Kitten. But every time he gets near her, she pokes him and pulls his tail. He's confused. She doesn't seem to like him.When his classmate Spike gives Kitten the biggest Valentine ever, Splat thinks he's lost his chance for good.
Welcome to the Picture Book and Easy Readers list. By the time you get to the bottom of it, you'll see why it has taken so long to get this post published. [Betsy, if you're reading ... I cannot fathom all the work you are putting into the Top 100 Picture Books list. W.O.W!!]
As I mentioned yesterday picture books can be for all ages. What you think as “too babyish” may be the perfect comfort choice or a wonderful memory for your child. I won't repeat all of the notes, but I do want to include the link to Worldcat for people who want to see if these books are at their local library.
Children’s Picture Books – Fiction
10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle (recommended by
Valerie Baartz); see also:
The Grouchy Ladybug (recommended by
MotherReader);
The Very Hungry Caterpillar,
From Head to Toe (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
Abe Lincoln Crosses A Creek written by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by John Hendrix (recommended by
Boni Ashburn)
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible No Good, Very Bad Day written by Judith Viorst, illustrated by Ray Cruz (recommended by Bantering Blonde, Aliceson)
Aunt Lulu by Daniel Manus Pinkwater (“covered” in Jules’ Post at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast)
Baby Danced the Polka by Karen Beaumont, see also: Who Ate All the Cookie Dough?, I Ain't Gonna Paint No More (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
Bats at the Library by Brian Lies (“covered” in Jules’ Post at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast)
Bear Snores On written by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman; see also: Moose Tracks!, Bear's New Friend (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
The Berenstein Bears and the Spooky Old Tree by Stan and Jan Berenstain (recommended by Bantering Blonde, Jennifer, and Dan)
Blue Goose by Nancy Tafuri, see also: Have You Seen My Ducking?, Five Little Chicks (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians written by Carla Morris, illustrated by Brad Sneed (“covered” in Jules’ Post at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast)
Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban (recommended by MotherReader)
Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum written by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Laura Huliska Beith (recommended by Boni Ashburn)
Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina(recommended by Christine on a MotherReader post and on a Donalyn Miller post; also recommended by Elsie)
Chanticleer and the Fox written by Geoffrey Chaucer, illustrated by Barbara Cooney (recommended by Christine)
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom written by Bill Martin, Jr., illustrated by Lois Elhart (recommended by MotherReader)
Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo written by Kevin Lewis, illustrated by Daniel Kirk; see also: Tugga-Tugga Tugboat, My Truck Is Stuck (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
Clancy the Courageous Cow by Lachie Hume (recommended by MotherReader)
Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type written by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsy Lewin; see also: Wiggle (recommended by Valerie Baartz); Duck for President (recommended by Rasco from RIF); Giggle, Giggle, Quack (recommended by Terry Doherty)
Digger Dan written by Patricia Lynn, illustrated by Si Frankel (recommended by Dan)
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems (recommended by MotherReader here and here) [See Knuffle Bunny and more Mo Willems below]
The Dragons are Singing Tonight written by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Peter Sis (recommended by Pippi) see also: The New Kid on the Block and Something Big Has Been Here
Duck and Goose by Tad Hills (recommended by Susan)
Duck for President written by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsy Lewin (recommended by Rasco from RIF); see also Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type recommended by Valerie Baartz) and Giggle, Giggle, Quack (recommended by Terry Doherty)
A Frog In The Bog written by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Joan Rankin (recommended by Boni Ashburn)
From Head to Toe by Eric Carle (recommended by Valerie Baartz); see also: The Grouchy Ladybug (recommended by MotherReader); The Very Hungry Caterpillar, 10 Little Rubber Ducks (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
Giggle, Giggle, Quack written by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsy Lewin (recommended by Terry Doherty)
Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett, see also: The Mitten, The Hat (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
Goin’ Someplace Special written by Patricia C. McKissack, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney (“covered” in Jules’ Post at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast)
A Good Day by Kevin Henkes, see also: Old Bear, Chrysanthemum (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
The Good Knight series by (recommended by Shady Lady)
Good Masters, Sweet Ladies written by Laura Amy Schlitz, illustrated by Robert Byrd (Recommended by Christine)
Goodnight Moon written by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd (Steven at Book Dads on a MotherReader post)
The Grouchy Ladybug, by Eric Carle (recommended by MotherReader); see also: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, From Head to Toe (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
Guess How Much I Love You, by Sam McBratney (recommended by MotherReader)
Hairy MacLary series by Lynley Dodd
Henny-Penny by Jane Wattenberg (recommended by Boni Ashburn)
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen, see also: How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
How to Heal a Broken Wing, by Bob Graham (recommended by MotherReader here and here)
Hush, Little Dragon written by Boni Ashburn, illustrated by Kelly Murphy (recommended by Pippi)
I Ain't Gonna Paint No More written by Karen Beaumont, illustrated by David Catrow (recommended by Boni Ashburn and Valerie Baartz); see also: Who Ate All the Cookie Dough? Baby Danced the Polka (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff, see also: If You Give a Pig a Pancake, If You Give a Cat a Cupcake (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
In A Blue Room written by Jim Averbeck, illustrated by Tricia Tusa (recommended by Boni Ashburn)
The Indian in the Cupboard written by Lynn Reid Banks, illustrated by Brock Cole (recommended by Aliceson)
Jake Johnson: The Story Of A Mule by Tres Seymour (recommended by Boni Ashburn)
Jamberry by Bruce Degan (recommended by Shady Lady)
King, by Dick Bruna (recommended by MotherReader)
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems; see also: Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity; The Pigeon Finds a Hotdog (recommended by Valerie Baartz and MotherReader)
The Librarian from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler (“covered” in Jules’ Post at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast)
The Library written by Sarah Stewart, illustrated by David Small (“covered” in Jules’ Post at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast)
Library Lion written by Michelle Knudsen, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (“covered” in Jules’ Post at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast)
Library Mouse: A Friend’s Tale by Daniel Kirk (“covered” in Jules’ Post at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast)
Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes (recommended by Christine)
The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper (recommended by Dan)
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood; see also: The Napping House; Silly Sally; Quick as a Cricket (recommended by Valerie Baartz, Susan)
Little Quack written by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Derek Anderson; see also: Little Quack's Hide and Seek, Little Quack's Bedtime (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
The Magic Hat by Mem Fox (recommended by Susan); see also: Where Is the Green Sheep?, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes; Where the Giant Sleeps (recommended by Paper Tigers)
Mind Your Manners B.B. Wolf written by Judy Sierra, illustrated by J. Otto Seibold (“covered” in Jules’ Post at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast)
The Monster At The End Of This Book written by Jon Stone, illustrated by Michael Smollin (recommended by MotherReader)
The Moose with Loose Poops by Dr. Charlotte Cowen [recommended by Becky and Liz (on a MotherReader post)]
The Napping House written by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood; see also: Silly Sally; The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear; Quick as a Cricket (recommended by Valerie Baartz, Susan)
The New Kid on the Block by Jack Prelutsky; see also: The Dragons are Singing Tonight and Something Big Has Been Here(recommended by Pippi)
On the Day You Were Born, by Debra Frasier (recommended by MotherReader)
One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads written by Johnny Valentine, illustrated by Melody Serecky (recommended by Book Dads)
Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett, see also: Wolves (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
Panorama: A Foldout Book
, by Fani Marceau (recommended by Mombian)
The Perfect Nest written by Catherine Friend, illustrated by John Manders (recommended by Boni Ashburn)
Piggie Pie! written by Margie Palatini, illustrated by Howard Fine (recommended by Boni Ashburn here and here)
Please Bury Me in the Library written by J. Patrick Lewis, illustrated by Kyle M. Stone (“covered” in Jules’ Post at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast)
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg, see also: Jumanji (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
Quick as a Cricket written by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood; see also: Silly Sally; The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear; The Napping House (recommended by Valerie Baartz, Susan)
The Red Tree by Shaun Tan (recommended by Candace Ryan on a MotherReader post)
The Relatives Came (written by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Stephen Gammell recommended by Susan)
The Recess Queen written by Alexis O’Neill, illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith (recommended by Susan)
The Seven Chinese Brothers written by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Mou-Sien Tseng (recommended by Elsie)
Silly Sally written by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood; see also: The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear; The Napping House; Quick as a Cricket (recommended by Valerie Baartz, Susan)
Snip Snap What's That? written by Mara Bergman, illustrated by Nick Maland (recommended by Boni Ashburn)
Stella Louella’s Runaway Book by Lisa Campbell Ernst (“covered” in Jules’ Post at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast)
The Story about Ping by Marjorie Flack (recommended by the Book Chook)
The Stupids Die written by Harry G. Allard, Jr., illustrated by James Marshall (recommended by Book Dads)
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble written and illustrated by William Steig (recommended by Bantering Blonde)
Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs by Alan Katz (recommended by Pippi)
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox (recommended by Valerie Baartz, the Book Chook); see also: Where the Giant Sleeps (recommended by Paper Tigers); The Magic Hat (recommended by Susan); Where Is the Green Sheep? (recommended by Valerie Baartz, the Book Chook)
That Rabbit Belongs To Emily Brown written by Cressida Cowell, illustrated by Neal Layton (recommended by Boni Ashburn)
Pigs in the Mud in the Middle of the Rud by Lynn Plourde (recommended by Susan)
Titch by Pat Hutchins, see also: Ten Red Apples, Bumpety Bump (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, see also: 10 Little Rubber Ducks, From Head to Toe (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
A Visitor for Bear written by Bonnie Becker, illustrated by Katie MacDonald Denton (recommended by Jen Robinson)
Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert, see also: Snowballs, Color Zoo, Planting a Rainbow (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
Walter the Farting Dog written by William Kotzwinkle, illustrated by Audrey Colman (recommended by Book Dads)
Weslandia written by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (recommended by Donalyn Miller)
Where the Giant Sleeps written by Mem Fox, illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky (recommended by Paper Tigers); see also: The Magic Hat (recommended by Susan); Where Is the Green Sheep?, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes (recommended by Valerie Baartz, the Book Chook)
Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (recommended by Bantering Blonde, the Book Chook, Susan, Jan)
Where's My Teddy? by Jez Alborough, see also: Duck in the Truck(recommended by Valerie Baartz)
Who Ate All the Cookie Dough? by Karen Beaumont, see also: Baby Danced the Polka, I Ain't Gonna Paint No More (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
Wild About Books written by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Marc Brown (recommended by The Reading Tub)
Wings of Desire by Wim Wenders (film) (recommended by John E Simpson @Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast)
Wolves by Emily Gravett, see also: Orange Pear Apple Bear (recommended by Valerie Baartz)
Yo! Yes? by Chris Raschka (recommended by Eva Mitnick on a MotherReader post)
Children’s Picture Books – Nonfiction
Eggs by Marilyn Singer (recommended by Janelle at
Brimful Curiosities on
Mary Lee’s post)
How Big Is It? by Ben Hillman (recommended by
Mary Lee Hahn)
It's Disgusting and We Ate It! True Food Facts from Around the World and Throughout History by James Solheim and Eric Brace (recommended by
Donalyn Miller)
One World, Many Religions by Mary Pope Osborne (recommended by
Mary Lee Hahn)
The Snow Show with Chef Kelvin by Carolyn Fisher (recommended by
Mary Lee Hahn)
Sports Star: "Mean" Joe Greene by S.H. Burchard (recommended by Bantering Blonde)
Talkin About Bessie by Nikki Grimes (recommended by Mary Lee Hahn)
Water hole (24 Hours) by Zahavit Shalev (DK) (recommended by Mary Lee Hahn)
Why? by Lila Prap (recommended by Mary Lee Hahn)
A Wonderful Day for Up (recommended by Dan) [could not find]
The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Junior Edition by David Borgenicht and Robin Epstein (recommended by Mary Lee Hahn)
Richard Wright and the Library Card by William Miller and Gregory Christie (covered in Jules’ Post at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast)
Easy Readers (early, emergent, and transitional)
If you’re looking for a book, you’ve got a wonderfully comprehensive list right here … it crosses age groups and genres and will help you with every stage of your child’s reading development. Other than pulling together the list with nice neat categories, and correcting a title or two, these are exactly as offered by bloggers and their visitors during Share a Story-Shape a Future. We had so many recommendations, I’ve actually had to split them into multiple posts.
Each Day, I will include links to the previous list each day so that on Day 4, you’ll have a link to everything in one post. I have also created a PDF version of the whole kit-and-kaboodle (Thursday)
Here are a few notes:
- Click through the “recommended by” links. They often have more context and tell you why someone loved the book.
- I included all of the library-related books Jules included in her post at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.
- I only added only one book to this entire collection: Wild About Books by Judy Sierra.
- I did not add additional titles by authors whom I know are prolific children’s writers. So no, we do not have every Karen Katz or Mo Willems book. However, if we had multiple books by one author, they are listed alphabetically and also with a “see also” to help you find them all.
- Because reading (not buying books) is what matters, I’m have included a link to Worldcat so you can locate these books in your local library.
- Some of the books came with links to a bookseller. Some did not. If the former, we used their link, I just added author/illustrator data. If the latter, we added a link with a Reading Tub affiliate. If it’s a series, I didn’t add a link. Our affiliate income is small, but it covers things like hosting services. Any income generated through Reading Tub-related purchases will be rolled into Share a Story-Shape a Future 2010.
- If you’re looking for e-books, audiobooks, podcasts, webcasts, and book trailers, then you’ll want to bookmark Elizbeth Dulemba’s Resource List.
Last but not least … Toddlers and Preschoolers are a distinct audience. They like “playing” with books as much (or more than) stories, and their attention spans are shorter. Most of the titles in this group are board books, designed for this audience. Picture books, though, can be for all ages. What you think as “too babyish” may be the perfect comfort choice or a wonderful memory for your child. On with the show …
Books for Adults
Toddler & Preschool Books - Fiction
Animal Crackers: Nursery Rhymes by Jane Dyer, see also:
Animal Crackers Bedtime (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
Baa Choo written by Sarah Weeks, illustrated by Jane Manning (recommended by
Cathy Miller)
Baby's World Board Book Series: Babies, Baby Animals, Bath Time (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
Brown Bear, Brown Bear What So You See? by Bill Martin, Jr., see also:
Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear? (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault (recommended by
Valerie Baartz and
Donalyn Miller)
Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo written by Kevin Lewis, illustrated by Daniel Kirk; see also:
Tugga-Tugga Tugboat,
My Truck Is Stuck (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
Counting Kisses by Karen Katz, see also:
Mommy Hugs,
Ten Tiny Babies (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton, see also:
Moo, Baa, La La La! (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
Finger Rhymes by Marc Brown, see also:
Hand Rhymes,
Play Rhymes (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
Hiding by Shirley Hughes, see also:
Bouncing,
Helping (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
I Went Walking by Sue Williams, see also:
Let's Go Visiting (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
I'm Mighty by Kate and Jim McMullan, see also:
I Stink,
I'm Bad,
I'm Dirty (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
The Itsy Bitsy Spider by Iza Trapani, see also:
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,
Mary Had a Little Lamb (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton (recommended by
Donalyn Miller)
Lunch by Denise Fleming, see also:
In the Tall, Tall Grass;
In the Small, Small Pond;
The Cow Who Clucked;
Barnyard Banter (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
Maisy Takes a Bath by Lucy Cousins, see also:
Maisy Dresses Up,
Maisy's Train (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
My Very First Mother Goose by Rosemary Wells, see also:
Max's Bath,
Max's Bedtime (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
Nicky 1, 2, 3 by Cathryn Falwell, see also:
Where's Nicky? (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
Peekaboo Morning by Rachel Isadora, see also:
Uh-Oh!,
Peekaboo Bedtime (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf (recommended by
Donalyn Miller)
Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs by Alan Katz (recommended by
Pippi)
Ten Little Ladybugs by Melanie Gerth (recommended by
Get Off the Ground)
Usborne That's Not My Series:
That's Not My Truck,
That's Not My Fairy,
That's Not My Dinosaur (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
Tomie de Paola's Little Mother Goose by Tomie de Paola (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen (recommended by
Brimful Curiosities)
Where Is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox, see also:
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes (recommended by
Valerie Baartz, the
Book Chook);
The Magic Hat (recommended by Susan);
Where the Giant Sleeps (recommended by
Paper Tigers)
Toddler & Preschool Books - Nonfiction
Bright Baby Series: Colors, Trucks, First Words (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
My Car by Byron Barton, see also:
Trains;
Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs;
Machines at Work (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
My First Board Book Series:
My First Truck Board Book,
My First Farm Board Book,
My First Colors Board Book (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
Freight Train by Donald Crews, see also:
School Bus (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
Touch and Feel Series: Farm, Dinosaur, Fire Engine, Home, Bathtime (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
White on Black by Tana Hoban, see also:
Black on White,
Black & White (recommended by
Valerie Baartz)
As a result of the baby boomlet of the late 1980s, we saw subsequent picture book publishing grow, not just in sheer numbers of new titles but in the expansion of the traditionally preschool genre’s reach into books intended for older children and even adults. In this edition of What Makes a Good…? we go back to basics and back to preschoolers, starting things off with 
I'm curious . . . can the schools be little private schools or must the recipients be large and/or public?