A preschool teacher once told me that reading the same children’s books over and over again was really important to help little ones grasp meaning and learn to read. She did follow that up with saying that if you’ve read the same book five times in a row, it was okay to move on to another book.

FIVE TIMES IN A ROW?!

Even if I absolutely LOVE a book, there is no way I have the patience to read it five times in a row. But I do get excited any time my daughter pulls one of the books below off the shelf for bedtime.

Our Favorite Children’s Books

The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

A fun story about a clever mouse using a made-up beast to keep from getting eaten in the forest.

Corduroy by Don Freeman

A classic that has withstood the test of time. “I like you the way you are,” she said, ”but you’ll be more comfortable with your shoulder strap fastened.” That’s how I want my daughter to treat others! Accept them for who they are, but look for ways to be kind.

The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen

I love making up voices for all the characters in this book. I don’t know why they end up sounding like a bad impression of a New York cabby. The book is a great excuse to smoooch, smoooooch, and smooooooooooch your kiddo!

Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle

They way this book is written causes me to read it like I’m calling a square dance. And the animals in this book demonstrate that just like a square dance, things are always easier with people to help you out!

Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

Moms can easily relate to the llama drama that baby llama displays at bedtime!

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld

My engineering heart is pretty proud that my four-year old daughter can identify cranes, cement mixers, dump trucks, bulldozers, and excavators, thanks to this book. Bonus points for putting her in the right frame of mind to go to sleep, too!

Sleep Like a Tiger by Mary Logue

Speaking of getting in the right frame of mind to sleep, this book is a beautifully illustrated tale of a girl who wasn’t tired enough to sleep.

Chowder, Children Make Terrible Pets and Mr. Tiger Goes Wild By Peter Brown

I appreciate the different perspective Peter Brown takes in all of his books – a very smart bulldog who’d rather read the newspaper than fetch it, a bear who wants to keep a boy she found as a pet, and a tiger who has decided to abandon the clothing his society demands. I’m sure the rest of his books are just as quirky, but we haven’t read them yet. Going to add them to my library list right now!

Iggy Peck, Architect; Rosie Revere, Engineer; Ada Twist, Scientist; and Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty

Miss Lila Greer has the most talented bunch in Grade Two! Iggy Peck, Rosie Revere, Ada Twist, and Sofia Valdez all overcome fear, failure, and doubt to accomplish amazing things. They are all great books to encourage perseverance.

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

This book is told from the perspective of different colors in a crayon box. Each color writes a letter to the little boy that uses them explaining their plight. Not only is it fun to read if you like using silly voices, it also encourages kids to think about how others may be feeling.

There’s a Lion in my Cornflakes by Michelle Robinson

Two brothers collect cereal coupons to get a real live lion! Only the cereal company ran out, and the boys didn’t love the substitution that was sent instead. A fun read with illustrations adding to the humor.

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin

A cautionary tale illustrating what happens if you mix dragons with spice.

Goodnight, Numbers by Danica McKellar

A sweet little book that shows how numbers are all around us. I want my daughter to grow up confident with numbers and mathematics. The more we incorporate them into every day life, the better!

Penguinaut! By Marcie Colleen

Orville is a small penguin who wants to stand out in his own way. It’s another fun story that encourages perseverance and cheering each other on.

What children’s books do you love to read?

children's books