Good Reads
My Book and Me by Linda Sue Park
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Browsing a children’s bookstore on a date with my husband this summer (yes, my patient husband peruses bookstores with me on dates!), I came across My Book and Me on display. I was immediately drawn to the cover illustration and the expression of joy on the girl’s face. The illustrations are colorful and expressive throughout, but it is the sentimental connection the text makes with the reader that really made me fall in love with this newly published book. Adults with fond memories of reading as a child and children who ask you to read their favorite book “again and again” will feel understood in Linda Sue Park’s latest achievement. Soft illustrations, feel good connections, and the rhythm of the text will have children shouting, “Read it again!” Check it out!
The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland
Somehow it took me traveling to Canada this summer to find this treasure! It’s not new, (published in 2014), but it is new to me and I’m so grateful I came across the Australian author, Nick Bland. His characters are adorable and his story themes are so creative! The Very Cranky Bear’s rhythm, rhyme, and humor will bring lots of laughter to a preschool audience. This is a book that is definitely meant to be read-aloud. I can’t wait to introduce it into one my story times this fall!
I love A Seed Grows for teaching the life cycle of a sunflower seed. The simple text is paired with bright and colorful illustrations. The sequential story presents the early science concept of plant life and plant vocabulary in a direct and accessible way for toddlers and preschoolers. This is a must have for any teacher’s plant unit!
The simple joys of a rainy day are celebrated in this sweet book. Worm Weather will inspire you and your children to enjoy a simple adventure in the rain. The short, rhyming text filled with onomatopoeia is fun to read aloud. After repeated readings, invite your children to guess the matching rhyming words as you read out loud. Enjoy this lively book!
Muncha, Muncha, Muncha! Everything about this book is adorable: the illustrations, the storyline, the clever bunnies, and even grouchy Mr. McGreely. Children will laugh out loud as the bunnies persistently outsmart Mr. McGreely as he tries to save his garden. This book is perfect for practicing predictions and problem-solving for elementary students. Muncha, Muncha, Muncha is great fun for all ages!
This winter board book has remained a favorite of mine since it was first gifted to my daughter 9 years ago. There are plenty of concepts covered: colors, winter clothing, and choices. I love the repeated phrases that can be either read or sung. Even young children can quickly learn the text and “read” along! Readers will delight in the surprise response at the end of the text, along with the child’s adorable expressions throughout.
The simple text of this book touches on animal behaviors and adaptations for the winter with beautiful, up-close photographs of animals in nature. Nature sounds and descriptive language make this book a winner!
I saw this book while browsing a children’s book store and fell in love with the adorable concept right away! Marcelo Verdad’s book is clever, imaginative, and presents a fresh take on the theme of friendship. Children will love being audience to the antics Teddy gets involved in while the boy sleeps. I can’t wait to read this at storytime this Fall!
Besides being a great read-aloud, the beautiful illustrations are soft and detailed, which adds much richness to the story.
I was immediately drawn to squirrel, the narrarator’s, voice in this book. Squirrel has so much personality, which pairs well with his silent sidekick, bear. An unlikely friendship duo, the thrill of discovering ice cream, and squirrel’s dramatic narration make this children’s book magic!
This is my new favorite board book, with bright and colorful illustrations. Young children love guessing the animals from color and descriptive clues. The audience is pulled in with anticipation as each animal is revealed. It works great as both a color concept book and as a guessing game.
This picture book is based on the true story of the first African-American woman in space, Dr. Mae Jemison. The story emphasizes the importance of believing in your dreams. Young ones will hear the message that anything is possible if you work hard and believe in yourself. This book could lead to great conversations and writing activities post-reading.
I began reading the “She Persisted” books with my daughter when she was around 5 or 6 years old. I appreciate the various types of strong female role models that are introduced. The histories are brief enough for young kids to comprehend. The illustrations provide solidifying visuals for the text that often introduces complex new concepts for young minds. The books led to great questions, which led to great conversations. Now, at age 8 the books are still of high interest to my daughter and the questions and conversations are deeper. Highly recommend both of these for your home collection!
This historical story of a young girl who breaks barriers and becomes the first Chinese American woman to fly for the U.S. military will give you and your school aged children many themes to digest together: racism, sexism, war, death, bravery, passion, and following your dreams. There is so much history in this one truly inspiring story!
With February being Black History/African-American History Month, it’s a great opportunity to look at the books on our shelves and in our classrooms and ensure that we have books that show Black representation and celebrate Black heritage. I recently discovered this gem of a board book which was awarded a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Children’s Literacy Work. It is a beautiful read-aloud for all young children with poetic language that celebrates our own uniqueness.
This sweet story of friendship is both heart-warming and clever. Children can connect to the emotional theme of loving an inanimate object like a stuffie, a blankie, a snowman, a carved pumpkin, or in this story’s case, a pinecone. I love to read this book around Valentine’s Day to 3-5 year olds in celebration of love and friendship.
This beautifully illustrated story by Jan Brett brings a new spin to the traditional tale of The Three Bears. Brett's version takes place in the Artic with polar animals, a little girl named Aloo-ki, and a beautifully detailed igloo as the setting. You can enjoy this book for multiple readings as there are numerous side-story details told through illustrations in the margins. A perfect winter read-aloud!
This book has all elements preschoolers love: a predictable pattern, surprising illustrations, and rhythmic language. Children can relate to the simple joy of building a snowman and imagining it as real. This book is a great fit for working on counting and numbers, but also enjoyed purely as a snowy winter day read.
This book has proved itself as a winner: I once read it to a class of preschoolers and when I finished they all shouted out, "Read it again!" This humorous story with a surprise ending keeps the children engaged to the end. Just like the kids, I could read this one again and again!
This oversized board book is an enjoyable read for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers! Children enjoy looking for the hidden Teddy Bear on each page and relate to the feeling of misplacing a beloved toy and the joy of reconnecting. Afterwards, you can extend the story: Play "hide the Teddy." Hide a stuffed bear in various places and your child can "seek" like the boy in the story.
This well-loved pop-up book delights readers with a variety of animals the wide-mouthed frog encounters on his way. Children love the pop-out surprise ending!
Perfect for fall, this fiction book tells the humorous mystery of the "leaf thief" while also teaching early science concepts.
My favorite book find of the summer is I Am Okay to Feel by Karamo Brown. This book was gifted to me this summer and I knew it had to be on this list for parents and educators of preschool aged children. Early childhood educators know, nurturing emotional intelligence is important for children’s development. Brown’s book serves as both a beautiful portrayal of a father-son relationship, while also a guide for how to scaffold a conversation with your child to help him/her express feelings in a healthy way. In this book, Brown provides both the language for caregivers and the positive messaging for children that intertwine to create a special read-aloud adult-child connection.