50 Must-Read Books For Preschoolers

I have a few careers on my “If I could be anything” list. One is a librarian (and the other is a CIA agent). I love the way a library smells, I love the way actual books smell – you know the ones with real paper pages, not just images on the screen of a tablet. My children and I make multiple trips to the library or bookstore every week – sometimes heading back for our favorites or other times looking for something new to peak our interest. Fostering the love of reading in your children doesn’t mean having to wait until they can actually read the words themselves. Here are 50 must read books to enjoy with your preschoolers.

50 Must-Read Books for Preschoolers

1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Eric Carle – You couldn’t go wrong with any of the books Eric Carle has graced us with, but this book is a must-have for every home library.
2. Grumpy Gloria – Anna Dewdney – Perfect book to chase the bad mood of a child (or adult) away.
3. The Boy Who Wouldn’t Share – Mike Reiss – Edward learns to share with Claire. Books on sharing are always a win when it comes to kids. Enough said.
4. Chopsticks – Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Scott Magoon – This is a book you won’t mind having to read over and over and over and over again. Just enough wit, rhymes and cute illustrations to please everyone.
5. Dear Zoo – Rod Campbell – I have yet to meet a child who doesn’t love a lift-the-flap book, add in some animals and this makes a perfect gift for your preschooler.
6. Flip-O-Saurus by Sara Ball – A must read for every child fascinated with dinosaurs.
7. Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal – Spoon feels like he’s a not-so-special utensil, but that’s not true at all!
8. Yes Day! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal – What if your parents said, “yes” to every request you had for one whole day? Well, a kid can dream, can’t he?
9. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault  – You can’t go wrong with a great alphabet rhyming book and this one has been a classic for many years.
10. Where’s Spot by Eric Hill – An adorable lift-the-flap book with a classic character – the cute little dog Spot.
11. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst – A great lesson from a classic storybook, that even the worst days aren’t actually all that bad.
12. Llama, Llama: Time to Share by Anna Dewdney – All of the Llama, Llama books are worth a read, but I like to include quite a few books on learning how to share in our story time rotation just for good measure.
13. Tony Baloney: School Rules by Pam Munoz Ryan – Another giggle-inducer and a fabulous book to read aloud to your young children.
14. Shiver Me Letters by June Sobel – Not just any ABC’s book, this is the alphabet with pirates!
15. What Are You So Grumpy About? by Tom Lichtenheld – When I read this book to my children, they all point to my 6-year-old who can be a bit … moody at times, but by the end of the book she is laughing uncontrollably (like the rest of us).
16. The Colors of Us by Karen Katz – This book does a brilliant job of expressing how beautiful we all are due to our individuality.
17. Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold – Boy meets fly… and the rest is history and a very funny book.
18. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak – A wildly popular book (I couldn’t resist…) Max’s adventures are a classic for children and parents alike.
19. Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell  – Clifford is not just any dog, he’s a giant dog and together with his owner Emily Elizabeth they help teach readers what it means to be a good friend
20. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judy Barrett – A silly book about a town with some unusual weather patterns (I wish meals would rain down from the sky where I live because it would save me so much time in the kitchen).
21. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans – The charming tale of a Parisian schoolgirl, whom I secretly wanted to be when I was younger.
22. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss  – Aside from being a funny book, this is a must for parents with picky eaters at home.
23. The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton – Our copy of this is worn and tattered (the sign of a well-loved book) after many a night reading it before bed.
24. Go Dog. Go! by P.D. Eastman – I can recite this book from the memories of hearing it so often as a child. A classic for every family.
25. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? By Jane Yolen  – Another perfect story to work in to your family’s bedtime routine.

Books 26-50


About fourformom
Natalie Lubrano has written 47 posts in this blog.
Natalie Lubrano is a 35-year-old mother of four children that are slowly trying to take over her house. They are ages 11, 9 and twins age 7. Follow her on Twitter: @natlubrano. Read more of her writing at natalielubrano.com
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