Books for Preschoolers |
Parents can encourage reading in many ways, and experts agree that choosing good books is an essential first step. The booklists below are comprised of popular picks — both classics and recent titles — for your preschooler. The next time you're at the library, ask your librarian for other suggestions.
New Books: Winter 2007
African-American Heritage
Hispanic American Heritage
American Indian Heritage
Wordless Books
Bilingual Books
New Books: Spring 2008
Baby Brains and RoboMom
by Simon James
Baby Brains, the smartest baby in the universe, puts his genius to work building RoboMom, who can cook, clean, and do the laundry. The new invention is a smashing success...until RoboMom takes on a few too many duties, and the family gets more help than they bargained for!
Bear’s Picture
by Daniel Pinkwater
A bear wants to paint a picture, and so he does; however, two fine, proper gentlemen don't think that it is a very fine picture at all. But just because they don't see what the bear sees doesn't make it a bad picture, right? Daniel Pinkwater turns art (and art critics) upside down in this classic tale.
De colores: Bright with Colors
by David Diaz
De colores, "bright with colors," is sung all over the Spanish-speaking world. People joyfully grab hands, sway, and sing the words that celebrate the beauty of spring and the strength of love. Caldecott Medal–winner, David Diaz, illustrates this bilingual folksong in vibrant color.
Minji’s Salon
by Eun-hee Choung
While Minji's mother visits her local salon, Minji creates a world of beauty all her own. An ode to the power of children's imaginations (and their parents' patience), Minji's Salon reminds readers that creativity and play are worldwide phenomena. Also available in Spanish: El salón de Minji.
New Books: Winter 2007
Pest Fest
by Julia Durango
Come one! Come all! Be our guest at the fest where the test is to find which pest is the best—or at least a better pest.
Purplicious
by Elizabeth Kann
Pinkalicious loves the color pink, but all the girls at school like black. They tease her, saying that pink stinks and pink is for babies. But Pinkalicious doesn’t think so…that is, until her friends stop playing with her. Now Pinkalicious has a case of the blues. But could she ever turn her back on her favorite color?
Those Shoes
by Maribeth Boelts
All Jeremy wants is a pair of those shoes, the ones everyone at school seems to be wearing. When his old shoes fall apart at school and the guidance counselor gives him a hand-me-down pair, the boy is more determined than ever to have those shoes, even a thrift-shop pair that is much too small.
When Randolph Turned Rotten
by Charise Mericle Harper
Most of the time, Randolph is very, very nice. But when his friend Ivy gets invited to a really great sleepover birthday party and he doesn’t, Randolph feels a little left out, and sad, and mad. And then he goes a little crazy! Will he ever turn back to the nice friend he once was?
New Books: Spring/Summer 2007
Bad Dog, Marley!
by John Grogan
Mommy, Daddy, Cassie and Baby Louie welcome the puppy Marley to the Grogan family. Marley grows and grows... and grows. His eagerness and energy grow with him, getting him into trouble in a great big way.
Because ...
by Mikhail Baryshnikov
Young narrator: "I love my grandma. Really, I do. But she always embarrasses me. Whenever anyone asks her why she does such crazy things, she just says: Because. I think Granma has a secret."
Bee Frog
by Martin Waddell
Bee Frog is not a frog—she's a dragon! A not-nice, very fierce dragon! But Mom and Dad Frog are too busy to notice. Is it possible that a scary dragon like her could get lonely?
Mars Needs Moms
by Berkeley Breathed
Milo doesn't get it: What's the big deal about moms? They're just slave-driving, broccoli bullies. Yet they are worshipped the galaxy over because here come Martians and they're after Milo's mom.
African-American Heritage
Brothers of the Knight
by Debbie Allen
Reverend Knight can't understand why his 12 sons' sneakers are torn to threads each and every morning, and the boys aren't talking.
I Love My Hair
by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
Keyana doesn't feel lucky to have such a head of hair, but Mama tells her she is because she can wear it any way she chooses.
Lily Brown's Paintings
by Angela Johnson
When Lily Brown paints, her world starts to change: Trees wear hats and drink tea, people walk upside down, and apples sing all the way home from the store.
Yo, Jo
by Rachel Isadora
Whether it's Wassup? or Yo!, Jo's got a greeting for everyone — until Grandpa arrives and only classic words will do: I love you.
Hispanic-American Heritage
Chato and the Party Animals
by Gary Soto
Chato, the coolest cat in the barrio, loves to party. So when he learns that Novio Boy has never had a birthday party, Chato throws him a surprise pachanga.
I Love Saturdays y Domingos
by Alma Flor Ada
On Saturdays, a girl visits her European-American grandparents and on Sundays, los domingos, she visits her abuelito y abuelita who are Mexican-American.
Lupe Vargas and Her Super Best Friend / Lupe Vargas y su super major amiga
by Amy Costales
Lupe and Maritza are super best friends. When they're together, they can be anything they want. When they're apart, life just isn't as fun.
No Dogs Allowed!
by Sonia Manzano
When Iris, her family and the neighbors take a trip to Enchanted Lake, everyone brings what they think is needed, but the family dog turns out to present a problem.
American Indian Heritage
The First Strawberries
by Joseph Bruchac
Captivating re-telling of a Cherokee legend that explains how strawberries came to be.
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses
by Paul Goble
Simple words and brilliant paintings that sweep and stampede across the page tell the story of a Native American girl's love of horses.
The Star People: A Lakota Story
by S.D. Nelson
In this mystical story of remembrance and tradition, Sister Girl and her brother, Young Wolf, wander far from their village and face great danger.
The Sun's Daughter
by Pat Sherman
How a tiny pewee bird saves the Sun's daughter, Maize, and keeps people from starving is eloquently told in this tale.
Wordless Books
Anno's Counting Book
by Mitsumasa Anno
A stimulating adventure of the imagination into the world of numbers and counting.
The Flower Man
by Mark Ludy
This beautiful, wordless story told visually from beginning to end features a small, meek man who transforms a small town through simple moral principles.
The Gray Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher
by Molly Bang
The Grey Lady loves strawberries. But so does the Strawberry Snatcher, and unfortunately for the Grey Lady he is not far away and getting closer all the time.
The Red Book
by Barbara Lehman
The Red Book crosses oceans and continents to deliver one girl into a new world of possibility, where a friend she's never met is waiting.
Bilingual Books
Cloud Boy / Niño nube
by Rhode Montijo
Once upon a time there was a lonely little cloud that found a way not to be so lonely. This beautiful, moving picture book uses endearing images and poetic text to convey the importance of belonging and sharing.
Jerónimo Botas y sus extrañas mascotas / Hieronymus Betts and His Unusual Pets
by M. P. Robertson
Hieronymus Betts certainly has some very unusual pets—all of them are gruesome and disgusting!
My Name is * Me llamo Gabriela
by Monica Brown
Gabriela Mistral loved words and sounds and stories. Born in Chile, she would grow up to become the first Nobel Prize-winning Latina woman.
Uncle Nacho’s Hat / El sombrero del tío Nacho
by Harriet Rohmer
A bilingual folk tale from Nicaragua about a well-meaning man who can't figure out how to make changes in his life until his niece, Ambrosia, show him how.
Source for book descriptions: publisher
