I’ve been reading books aloud to my kids for 15 years straight. In that time, we’ve checked out approximately a million library books and added approximately half a million books to our home collection.
I LOVE well-written children’s books and I’ve often given books as gifts.
Why give kids books?
- Imagine a friend gives you a gift certificate for two spa pedicures — one for her and one for you — so that the two of you can visit the spa together. Not only do you receive a treat, but you also receive the even better treat of time with your friend. That’s what books are. Treats to be shared.
- Cultivating a love of books in kids is crucial. Reading adds richness and learning and enjoyment to life. Plus, our kids are the readers and writers of the next generation!
- Books are durable and can be enjoyed again and again for years. Sibling after sibling. Child after grandchild.
- No kid needs another video game, Barbie, or Lego set. Also, I don’t recommend the Wubble Bubble ball.
Over the years, many books have come and gone that my kids liked. But the books I’ve included in the list below are a much rarer thing. These are the books that both my kids and I have thoroughly enjoyed. These are the books I don’t mind pulling down and reading for the thousandth time. And that, friends, is a high bar.
Best for Babies:
Sandra Boynton writes my favorite board books. They’re funny, bright, and the drawings are adorable.
I’m also a fan of Karen Katz’s books. They’re great because they engage kids or parents or both.
Here’s a look inside Counting Kisses….
When you reach the above page, for example, you’d read it aloud and then press eight squishy kisses on chubby, yummy knees while your baby or toddler giggles.
Best for Girls:
My daughter and I love Fancy Nancy. She’s an expressive, dramatic, creative girl caught in a plain, normal family.
Plus, the artwork is delicious. In the below scene, Nancy is finally able to dress her family up ‘fancy’…
Best for Boys:
The Dinosaur series of books by Jane Yolen all begin with depictions of dinosaurs exhibiting terrible behavior. Then they go on to assure kids that’s not how dinosaurs really act and show the dinosaurs behaving well.
Richard Scarry wrote books from the 1950’s through the early 90’s. I fondly remember reading his books when I was a child. We have a handful of his books on our family shelf, but Cars and Trucks and Things That Go is our definite favorite because a tiny critter named Goldbug is hiding somewhere on every page. All three of my kids, my son and my daughters, have loved trying to beat mommy or daddy by spotting Goldbug first.
Um… Goldbug’s tiny. I added a red arrow so you’d have a prayer of seeing him in the below photo.
Still can’t see him? Here he is:
Best Classics:
Ever heard of Dr. Seuss? There’s a reason you have. It’s because he’s awesome. His rhymes dance off your tongue and are a delight to read. His stories brim with humor and heart. Green Eggs and Ham and the above two are my personal top 3 Seuss books.
Best Books about Character:
Jeff Brumbeau’s The Quiltmaker’s Gift features a king who owns everything in the world and is unhappy — until he starts to give his treasures away one by one.
Cookies was recommended to me by a friend. I adored it so much that I went on to buy Sugar Cookies and Christmas Cookies. The author, Amy Krause Rosenthal, explains character traits by using cookies. For example, “Trustworthy means, If you ask me to hold your cookie until you come back, when you come back, I will still be holding your cookie.”
Best Tearjerkers:
I’m not much of a crier. But these three books are guaranteed to make me cry. Someday and Love You Forever both deal with a mother’s love for her child and the bittersweet passage of time. I boo-hoo-ed through the end of Charlotte’s Web because it spun (pun intended) such a beautiful picture of friendship.
Best Overall:
My favorite children’s book author is the amazing Kevin Henkes. I highly recommend any of his “mice” books. They’re real and heartwarming and funny and they’re garnished with the most charming of illustrations.
Are you familiar with any of the books I’ve mentioned? Do you have a favorite children’s book?
Becky Wade
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Great post, Becky! It brought back so many memories of being read to as a child, then reading my favorite books to my kids. You mentioned a few I haven’t heard about, so I’m off to buy them for my future grandchildren. Thanks!
Thanks, Lynn! I have such clear memories of my mom reading aloud to me. Here I am, all these years later, still a book lover.
I love this list! Many of these books are new to me. My favorite children’s book author is Robert McCloskey with One Morning in Maine, Blueberries for Sal, and Make Way for the Ducklings. It makes me smile just typing the titles. : )
I know! There’s something about wonderful books for children that bring joy and smiles. I had a ball writing this post.
I also love the Little Critter books by Mercer Mayer – full of irony for the adults, but cute and funny for kids too, and books by Jan Brett, like Trouble With Trolls and The Mitten, which have gorgeous illustrations.
I agree! The Little Critter books are delightful. I like how the kids in those stories often start off with great intentions and then, well… reality strikes in funny ways. 🙂
The Mitten by Jan Brett is on our shelf and the artwork is spectacular. It feels so Russian, in keeping with the snowy Russian setting, which I love.
Lots of familiar books there! A couple of my favorites are Bunny Bungalow by Cynthia Rylant and Scaredy Mouse by Alan MacDonald.
Any suggestions for a series for a 2nd grade girl (who reads well above her grade level)? Maybe it’s time to introduce her to Laura Ingalls Wilder. She likes the Cam Jansen books and is reading some very old books – the Happy Hollisters (think Brady Bunch meets Nancy Drew).
I’m not familiar with Bunny Bungalow or Scaredy Mouse. Thanks for the recommendations, Carolyn! I always enjoy checking out new books.
Has your daughter read the Judy Moody books? Or the books from her brother Stink’s POV? Both series are by Megan McDonald and my older daughter and I enjoyed those when she was your daughter’s age. 🙂
Thanks for the suggestion. We’ll try some Judy Moody!
Great list of books couldn’t agree more with Fancy Nancy, love her! My favorite board books are The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle and The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss. Another tearjerker (imagine a grown adult trying to hold back tears while reading the book to 5th graders, every year!) The Memory Box. It is about a boy and his grandpa who is loosing his memory.
Ah, yes! I know The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Foot Book well. So good.
I’m not familiar with The Memory Box. Thanks for the suggestion!
I love Charlotte’s web,I’ll love you forever ,little House books and Little Women
The Little House books were my favorites when I was young! I was also crazy about the TV series.
I absolutely adore Kevin Henkes!! Great list 🙂
Me, too! Isn’t he incredible?!!!!
Great list! I really like how well loved these books look. A couple of my favorite children’s picture books are Tough Boris by Mem Fox and Smile If You’re Human by Neal Layton.
Thanks for sharing your favorites! I’m loving this because my daughter and I will have fun trying out new-to-us stories.
And yes, these books definitely look well-loved. I took them off our shelf to photograph them so some are stained, some of the board books were gnawed on by babies, some of the spines are wearing out. These are the Velveteen Rabbits of the Wade house!
The “Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein. Great book for all ages!
Yes! The Giving Tree was popular when I was a child, with good reason. My daughter likes poetry and she has a whole book of Silverstein’s funny poems and illustrations. It’s great!
Great list. My granddaughters loved the Gerald & Piggy books when they were younger. Went through Fancy Nancy and loved Ivy & Bean. We still check out the newest Gerald & Piggy books when we stop at the library.
I’m definitely going to have to check out Gerald & Piggy! Thanks, Carol. 🙂
This is a great post. It not only gave me gift ideas, but I purchase children’s books for our church library and we include classics and character trait books along with our inspirational titles. Plus I read a lot of children’s books; if I ever wrote a series of books, they would be for children. Thank you.
My son loves the dinosaur books. He thinks they are hilarious, and then days later he’s always telling us how the dinosaur is not supposed to behave. Win! I need to order some Fancy Nancy for my daughter. I think she would enjoy them.