Healthy New Year - Read with your Child!

[Tina Allen | Liddle Kidz]

First 5 California sent out a list this morning of recommended reading for children under 5 years of age. I thought you may find it interesting, so I have pasted it below. I always find taking the time to sit and read with a child is so inspiring, for both of us!

Recommended Reading for Children Ages 5 and Under

Type of Book: ABC and counting books
Features: Fun and colorful illustrations of the alphabet and numbers
Example Title:Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert

Type of Book: Wordless picture books
Features: A story told through pictures and few or no words
Example Title:Good Dog, Carl by Alexandra Day

Type of Book: Concept books
Features: Pictures or photos of familiar objects or ideas such as colors, shapes, opposites, or sizes
Example Title:Color Dance by Ann Jonas

Type of Book: Pattern books
Features: Repeating text and predictable plots that let children join in
Example Title:Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle

Type of Book: Information books
Features: Realistic pictures or photographs that introduce facts about a specific topic
Example Title:Bugsby Nancy Winslow Parker and Joan Richards Wright

Type of Book: Traditional rhymes and stories
Features: Nursery rhymes, fairy tales, fables, and folktales from various cultures
Example Title:The Little Red Hen by Byron Barton

Type of Book: Picture books
Features: Words and pictures that tell a story about realistic or imaginary characters and events
Example Title: Abuela by Arthur Dorros, illustrated by Elisa Kleven

Type of Book: Poetry
Features: One or several illustrated poems for young children
Example Title:Honey, I Love by Eloise Greenfield, illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist

Type of Book: Easy-to-read books
Features: Limited vocabulary, rhyme, and repetition for beginning readers
Example Title:The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss

[ErinLeeCMT]

This is a wonderful list of books for young children. Thank you for sharing the info. One of my favorite books has always been "The Hungry, Hungry Caterpillar"

[ozmama]

I love going to amblesideonline.org for quality book lists as well. Below is their 'Year 0' suggested list (meaning prior to 6yo).

Winnie the Pooh series by AA Milne and Ernest H. Shepard

Beatrix Potter series

The Little House by Virginia Burton

The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack

The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper

Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey

Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey

Ferdinand by Munro Leaf

Ox-Cart Man by Barbara Cooney

Stone Soup and other folk tale retellings by Marcia Brown

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

The Story of Little Babaji by Helen Bannerman

Brer Rabbit books by Joel Chandler Harris

Poems and Prayers for the Very Young by Martha Alexander

A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson

A good collection including classic stories and folktales such as The Little Red Hen, The Gingerbread Man, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Billy Goats Gruff.

A good collection of Aesop's Fables, such as the one illustrated by Milo Winter

A nice Mother Goose collection, such as The Real Mother Goose illustrated by Blanche Fisher Wright Mama Goose, a collection by Edelen Wille, or versions such as those by Rojankovsky, Marguerite De Angeli or Tasha Tudor

Illustrated classic poetry such as Poems for Young Children compiled by Caroline Royds

A good collection of classic children's poetry such as The Oxford Book of Children's Verse edited by Peter Opie

Their list goes on into advisory favorites and honorable mentions, but this is a great starting point for building a fantastic reading library and enjoying snuggly storytimes.

Thanks for starting the thread!

[lynda]

Wonderful lists of books to read with children. My favorite book has always been Charlotte's Web.