Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, by Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault
Animal Alphabet (Sesame Street)
All Aboard ABC, by Doug Magee and Robert Newman
Animal Alphabet (Sesame Street)
All Aboard ABC, by Doug Magee and Robert Newman
Animal books:
Animal Faces, take 2
Little Gorilla, by Ruth Bornstein
Life-Size Zoo, by Kristin Earhart and Toyofumi Fukuda
Actual Size, by Steve Jenkins
Animal Faces by Kyoko Toda and Akira Satohi
Animal Alphabet (Sesame Street)
There Are Cats in This Book, by Viviane Schwarz
There Are No Cats in This Book, by Viviane Schwarz
The Mitten, retold by Alvin Tresselt
the Llama Llama series, by Anna Dewdney
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin
Art-related books:
Norman the Doorman, by Don Freeman
The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, by Eric Carle
Mouse Paint, by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Painting with Picasso, by Julie Merberg and Suzanne Bober
My First ABC
Museum Shapes
Can You Find It?
I Love to Draw!, by Jennifer Lipsey
Bad behavior is entertaining:
The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss
No Jumping on the Bed! by Tedd Arnold
Birthday books:
Little Gorilla, by Ruth Bornstein
Books about school:
Officer Buckle and Gloria, by Peggy Rathman
Ruby the Copycat, by Peggy Rathman
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, by Kevin Henkes
Books for grumpy, tired toddlers:
Books it's fun to read aloud with funny accents:
Mr. Gumpy's Outing, by John Burningham
The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too! by Mo Willems
The Queen of France, by Tim Wadham
The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too! by Mo Willems
The Queen of France, by Tim Wadham
Books it's fun to read aloud because of rhythm and rhyme:
The Piggy in the Puddle, by Charlotte Pomerantz (illustrated by James Marshall)
The Pelican Chorus, by Edward Lear
Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb, by Al Perkins
Charlie Parker Played Be Bop, by Chris Raschka
Zin! Zin! A Violin, by Lloyd Moss
Hippos Go Berserk!, by Sandra Boynton
Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss
The Pelican Chorus, by Edward Lear
Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb, by Al Perkins
Charlie Parker Played Be Bop, by Chris Raschka
Zin! Zin! A Violin, by Lloyd Moss
Hippos Go Berserk!, by Sandra Boynton
Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss
Books with holes in them:
Peek-a-Boo! by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle
Fish Eyes: A Book You Can Count On, by Lois Ehlert
Pat the Bunny, by Dorothy Kunhardt
Peek-a-Who? by Nina Laden
The Hole Book by Peter Newell
Books with racially diverse/mostly non-white characters:
Books with songs in them:
Wait Till the Moon is Full, by Margaret Wise Brown
Getting to Know You!: Rogers and Hammerstein Favorites, ill. Rosemary Wells
The Gingerbread Girl, by Lisa Campbell Ernst
Little Fur Family, by Margaret Wise Brown (ill. Garth Williams)
Getting to Know You!: Rogers and Hammerstein Favorites, ill. Rosemary Wells
The Gingerbread Girl, by Lisa Campbell Ernst
Little Fur Family, by Margaret Wise Brown (ill. Garth Williams)
Childhood perception books:
Classic (and lovely strange):
Concept books:
Food for Thought, by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers
Quick as a Cricket, by Audrey and Don Wood
Olivia's Opposites, by Ian Falconer
Too Big, by Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire
Quick as a Cricket, by Audrey and Don Wood
Olivia's Opposites, by Ian Falconer
Too Big, by Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire
I Love Colors, by Margaret Miller
Blue Hat, Green Hat, by Sandra Boynton
The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, by Eric Carle
Mouse Paint, by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., ill. Eric Carle
Blue Hat, Green Hat, by Sandra Boynton
The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, by Eric Carle
Mouse Paint, by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., ill. Eric Carle
Cookbooks/Books with recipes in them:
Counting books:
Hippos Go Berserk!, by Sandra Boynton
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle
Fish Eyes: A Book You Can Count On, by Lois Ehlert
Ten Minutes Till Bedtime, by Peggy Rathman
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle
Fish Eyes: A Book You Can Count On, by Lois Ehlert
Ten Minutes Till Bedtime, by Peggy Rathman
on Death:
Dinosaur books:
Dinosaurs: Sounds of the Wild, by Maurice Pledger
Right Where You Are Now, by Lisa Montierth, ill. Ashley Burke
Right Where You Are Now, by Lisa Montierth, ill. Ashley Burke
Emotion books (identifying and dealing with strong emotions):
Expanding the notion of Princess:
Fairy Tales and Folk Tales:
Snow White, by Trina Schart Hyman
The Story of Little Babaji, by Fred Marcellino
Sam and the Tigers: A New Telling of Little Black Sambo, by Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney
The Mitten, retold by Alvin Tresselt
The Gingerbread Girl, by Lisa Campbell Ernst
The Winter's Tale, retold by Bruce Coville
The Story of Little Babaji, by Fred Marcellino
Sam and the Tigers: A New Telling of Little Black Sambo, by Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney
The Mitten, retold by Alvin Tresselt
The Gingerbread Girl, by Lisa Campbell Ernst
The Winter's Tale, retold by Bruce Coville
Family focused books:
Alfie Gives a Hand (not quite family, more birthday party gone bad)
Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey
The Relatives Came! by Cynthia Rylant
The Big Concrete Lorry, by Shirley Hughes
Anna Hibiscus' Song, by Atinuke
Little Fur Family, by Margaret Wise Brown (ill. Garth Williams)
Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey
The Relatives Came! by Cynthia Rylant
The Big Concrete Lorry, by Shirley Hughes
Anna Hibiscus' Song, by Atinuke
Little Fur Family, by Margaret Wise Brown (ill. Garth Williams)
Friendship and communication:
The Lion and the Little Red Bird by Elisa Kleven
Chester's Way, by Kevin Henkes
A House in the Woods, by Inga Moore
Chester's Way, by Kevin Henkes
A House in the Woods, by Inga Moore
Friendship and its pitfalls:
Dodsworth in London, by Tim Egan
The Elephant and Piggie books, by Mo Willems
The George and Martha books, by James Marshall
Chester's Way, by Kevin Henkes
Friendship through adversity:
A Sick Day for Amos McGee, by Philip Stead
Frog and Toad are Friends, by Arnold Lobel
Pigs Make Me Sneeze!, by Mo Willems
The Sniffles for Bear, by Bonny Becker
The Elephant and Piggie books, by Mo Willems
The George and Martha books, by James Marshall
Chester's Way, by Kevin Henkes
Friendship through adversity:
A Sick Day for Amos McGee, by Philip Stead
Frog and Toad are Friends, by Arnold Lobel
Pigs Make Me Sneeze!, by Mo Willems
The Sniffles for Bear, by Bonny Becker
Gay-themed books:
Girls (spunky, independent, dog-owning):
Mirette on the High Wire, by Emily Arnold McCully (no dog in this one)
Goodnight books:
Close Your Eyes, by Kate Banks
Time for Bed, by Mem Fox
Go the Fuck to Sleep, by Adam Mansbach (really for adults, of course)
Niccolini's Song, by Chuck Wilcoxen
Time for Bed, by Mem Fox
Go the Fuck to Sleep, by Adam Mansbach (really for adults, of course)
Niccolini's Song, by Chuck Wilcoxen
Historical fiction:
Freedom Summer, by Deborah Wiles
Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride, by Pam Munoz Ryan, ill. Brian Selznick
Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride, by Pam Munoz Ryan, ill. Brian Selznick
Holiday Books:
Pilgrim Cat, by Carol Antoinette Peacock (Thanksgiving)
The Christmas Story (Metropolitan Museum)
The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes, by DuBose Heyward (Easter)
It's Tot Shabbat!, by Naomi Danis
The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes, by DuBose Heyward (Easter)
It's Tot Shabbat!, by Naomi Danis
Humor:
When You Were Small, by Sara O'Leary
The Stupids Die, by Harry G. Allard and James Marshall
Diary of a Wombat, by Jackie French
The Stupids Die, by Harry G. Allard and James Marshall
Diary of a Wombat, by Jackie French
Hospital/Injury stories (see Sickness, too):
Imaginative play:
The Queen of France, by Tim Wadham
Even Firefighters Hug Their Moms, by Christine Maclean
Roxaboxen, by Alice McLerran
Lift-the-flap books:
Open the Barn Door
There Are Cats in This Book, by Viviane Schwarz
There Are No Cats in This Book, by Viviane Schwarz
Sesame Street Ready for School
Maisy's Amazing Big Book of Words, by Lucy Cousins
Usborne Flip Flap Airport
Losing a Tooth:
One Morning in Maine, by Robert McCloskey
No Fighting, No Biting, by Else Holmelund Minarik (really an early reader book)
Magic:
Mice who like to use human things:
Norman the Doorman, by Don Freeman
The Tale of Two Bad Mice, by Beatrix Potter
Moon books:
Mother-related books:
Wait Till the Moon is Full, by Margaret Wise Brown
possibly creepy mother-related books:
The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
Love You Forever, by Robert Munsch
The Runaway Bunny, by Margaret Wise Brown
possibly creepy mother-related books:
The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
Love You Forever, by Robert Munsch
The Runaway Bunny, by Margaret Wise Brown
Music:
Zin! Zin! A Violin! by Lloyd Moss
The Philharmonic Gets Dressed, by Karla Kuskin
Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, ill. by Peter Malone
Tubby the Tuba, by Paul Tripp
New baby books:
How to Be a Baby...By Me, the Big Sister, by Sally Lloyd-Jones and Sue Heap
Waiting for Gregory, by Kimberly Willis Holt
Waiting for Gregory, by Kimberly Willis Holt
Non-fiction/Fact-based books:
Find the Constellations, Second Edition, by H. A. Rey
Diary of a Wombat, by Jackie French
My Baby Blue Jays, by John Berendt
Right Where You Are Now, by Lisa Montierth, ill. Ashley Burke
Diary of a Wombat, by Jackie French
My Baby Blue Jays, by John Berendt
Right Where You Are Now, by Lisa Montierth, ill. Ashley Burke
On Love:
Opposites:
Picky eaters:
Place-specific books:
Adele and Simon, by Barbara McClintock (Paris)
Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey (Boston)
Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey
One Morning in Maine, by Robert McCloskey
Time of Wonder, by Robert McCloskey
Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey (Boston)
Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey
One Morning in Maine, by Robert McCloskey
Time of Wonder, by Robert McCloskey
Poetry/Poetic books:
The Pelican Chorus, by Edward Lear
Every Man Heart Lay Down, by Lorenz Graham
Politics/possible political messages:
Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride, by Pam Munoz Ryan, ill. Brian Selznick
President Obama Paper Dolls, by Tom Tierney
Duck for President, by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin
Benny the Bulldozer, by Edith Thacher Hurd and Clement Hurd
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel, by Virginia Lee Burton
Every Man Heart Lay Down, by Lorenz Graham
Politics/possible political messages:
Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride, by Pam Munoz Ryan, ill. Brian Selznick
President Obama Paper Dolls, by Tom Tierney
Duck for President, by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin
Benny the Bulldozer, by Edith Thacher Hurd and Clement Hurd
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel, by Virginia Lee Burton
Quirky and out of print:
Pass the Celery, Ellery!
Mother Mother I Feel Sick Send for the Doctor Quick Quick Quick, by Remy Charlip and Burton Supree
Meal One, by Ivor Cutler, ill. by Helen Oxenbury
Repetitive books (for better and for worse):
The If You Give... series, by Laura Numeroff, ill. Felicia Bond
The Little Critter series, by Mercer Mayer
Mother Mother I Feel Sick Send for the Doctor Quick Quick Quick, by Remy Charlip and Burton Supree
Meal One, by Ivor Cutler, ill. by Helen Oxenbury
Repetitive books (for better and for worse):
The If You Give... series, by Laura Numeroff, ill. Felicia Bond
The Little Critter series, by Mercer Mayer
Rhyming books:
The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss
The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson, ill. Axel Scheffler
The Snail and the Whale, by Julia Donaldson, ill. Axel Scheffler
The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss
The Llama Llama series, by Anna Dewdney
Self-aware books (books that acknowledge their own book-ness):
There Are Cats in This Book, by Viviane Schwarz
There Are No Cats in This Book, by Viviane Schwarz
Press Here, by Herve Tullet
We Are in a Book! (Elephant and Piggie), by Mo Willems
The Monster at the End of This Book (Sesame Street)
School books:
Chrysanthemum, by Kevin Henkes
Ruby the Copycat, by Peggy Rathmann
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, by Kevin Henkes
Officer Buckle and Gloria, by Peggy Rathmann
Timothy Goes to School, by Rosemary Wells
Henry in Love, by Peter McCarty
The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson, ill. Axel Scheffler
The Snail and the Whale, by Julia Donaldson, ill. Axel Scheffler
The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss
The Llama Llama series, by Anna Dewdney
Self-aware books (books that acknowledge their own book-ness):
There Are Cats in This Book, by Viviane Schwarz
There Are No Cats in This Book, by Viviane Schwarz
Press Here, by Herve Tullet
We Are in a Book! (Elephant and Piggie), by Mo Willems
The Monster at the End of This Book (Sesame Street)
School books:
Chrysanthemum, by Kevin Henkes
Ruby the Copycat, by Peggy Rathmann
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, by Kevin Henkes
Officer Buckle and Gloria, by Peggy Rathmann
Timothy Goes to School, by Rosemary Wells
Henry in Love, by Peter McCarty
Sibling relationship books:
Sickness:
The Sniffles for Bear, by Bonnie Becker
Pigs Make Me Sneeze! by Mo Willems
A Sick Day for Amos McGee, by Philip Stead
Tell Me a Mitzi ("Mitzi Sneezes" story), by Lore Segal
Mother Mother I Feel Sick Send for the Doctor Quick Quick Quick, by Remy Charlip and Burton Supree
Social Messages:
Strange/creepy illustrations:
Wolves in the Walls, by Neil Gaiman, ill. by Dave McKean
The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, by Neil Gaiman, ill. by Dave McKean
Crazy Hair, by Neil Gaiman, ill. by Dave McKean
Summer books:
Mermaids on Parade, by Melanie Hope Greenberg
Summertime, by Dubose and Dorothy Heyward
Mama, Is It Summer Yet? by Nikki McClure
We're Going on a Bear Hunt, by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury
Wave, by Suzy Lee
Belly Button Book, by Sandra Boynton
How Will We Get to the Beach? by Brigitte Luciani
The Big Alfie Out of Doors Storybook, by Shirley Hughes
Tall Tales:
Train/Truck/Heavy Equipment books:
What Do People Do All Day? by Richard Scarry
Time Train, by Paul Fleischman
Subway, by Cristoph Niemann
All Aboard ABC, by Doug Magee and Robert Newman
You Can Name 100 Trucks
Crossing, by Philip Booth
Niccolini's Song, by Chuck Wilcoxen
Benny the Bulldozer, by Edith Thacher Hurd and Clement Hurd
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel, by Virginia Lee Burton (take 2)
Time Train, by Paul Fleischman
Subway, by Cristoph Niemann
All Aboard ABC, by Doug Magee and Robert Newman
You Can Name 100 Trucks
Crossing, by Philip Booth
Niccolini's Song, by Chuck Wilcoxen
Benny the Bulldozer, by Edith Thacher Hurd and Clement Hurd
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel, by Virginia Lee Burton (take 2)
on War:
on Weather:
Hurricane, by David Weisner
Time of Wonder, by Robert McCloskey
The Magic Schoolbus Inside a Hurricane, by Joanna Cole
Wordless or spare of text books:
