Favorite Books for Preschoolers

Oh, preschoolers are fun. They've got OPINIONS and FACTS (about dinosaurs and firetrucks and Disney characters) and THINGS TO TELL YOU. They can handle more complicated storylines, where the action doesn't all happen on the page or in the words. Stories can be more nuanced, the jokes less obvious. But still, they're young, so attention spans are short. We don't need paragraphs of text - 3 or 4 sentences a page, max. But their eyes can find more details in illustrations and so the stories are even more fun to share with a child sitting next to you on the couch.

Here are some of my favorites (and there are A LOT of them, so I'll probably be continuously adding to this. Check back - I'll put my newest additions at the top!):

TRUMAN by Jean Reidy and Lucy Ruth Cummins

Oh, how I love this delightful little tortoise, who cares about his friend so much he makes the perilous trek from his aquarium to (almost) the front door when Sarah one day leaves the house and takes a bus... somewhere. We know she's going to school, but Truman, her bestie, does not, so he decides he must go after her. What a test of bravery and friendship. The text is sweet and warm, and the illustrations perfectly capture Truman's resolve throughout an uncertain situation.

THANK YOU, OMU by Oge Mora

I shared this once of a "love"-themed storytime as an example of a way someone showed others loves. As I think about it, I also shared Truman. Omu is making herself a tasty red stew for supper, but she keeps get interrupted by people who smell the delicious treat from the street and knock on her door asking for a taste. Of course, Omu generously shares, but when it comes time for her to eat, there's nothing left. Those that she fed throughout the day, though, grateful for her kindness, show up at her door with food and thanks. It's easy to see why Mora's cut paper illustrations won a Caldecott honor - they add to the cozy feeling of kindness floating through the air.

PETE THE CAT: I LOVE MY WHITE SHOES by Eric Litwin and James Dean

Fun fact: I love this book so much that I have a Pete the Cat tattoo. No, really. When it was first released it was a magical book in storytime, and remains so, despite the fact that Pete is now ubiquitous in children's media. Back when there was only this Pete, the book held attention like few I'd found before. The fact that it could be sung, plus the repeated phrases "goodness no!" and "oh no!", and the way it made preschoolers feel successful because they could predict what was going to happen, was the perfect picture book combination. I don't LOVE that it ends by telling us what the "moral" is, because kids don't need to be hit over the head with that, but still, this book is a big winner.

I GOT THE RHYTHM by Connie Schofield-Morrison and Frank Morrison

I often share this book in storytime as an example of how to grow phonological awareness - the ability to hear all the small sounds that make up a word. This skill goes a long way toward being able to decode words later on, so reading books with a beat before a child learns to read can certainly help. A little girl walks to the park with her parent, bopping along to a beat she can hear and feel. She stomps, snaps, and even sniffs. The lively illustrations complement the bouncy story.

THE BOY WITH FLOWERS IN HIS HAIR by Jarvis

When I first read this book, I was amazed at how much Jarvis's story could pack an emotional punch without being at all moralizing, manipulative or didactic. David's friend describes why everyone likes David, the boy with flowers in his hair. They are best friends, and this is most evident when David's flowers start to wither and dry. David's friend wants to support him, so he constructs paper flowers to put into David's hair. Others join in, until David's head is the same riot of color it was before the flowers disappeared. Slowly but surely, though, with the support of his best friend, David's flowers begin to grow back on their own. This is a sweet, impactful story about sadness and how the kindness of the people who love us can lift us up in our most challenging times. I want to hug this story.

YOU MATTER by Christian Robinson

I adore Christian Robinson's cut-paper illustrations. How he manages to convey such light and expression with such simple materials is mind-boggling to me. In this uplifting story, we explore the connectedness of our world, and how we all fit into it - and matter. Big and small, we matter.

MOO! by David LaRochelle and Mike Wohnoutka

This silly title is an absolute work of genius, and SO MUCH FUN to read in storytime. There's only one word (almost) in the book - moo. Through that one word, we follow Cow as they, uh, steal? comandeer? the Farmer's car and take a joyride. The way cow is feeling throughout is evident based on the size of the text, how it moves over the page, punctuation, and, of course, cow's facial expressions. Wait until you get to the page where Cow has to explain what happened to a very annoyed... well, spoilers. One of the best thing about this book, though, is that after you've read it a few times, your child can "read" it to you!

NO MORE SEÑORA MIMI by Meg Medina and Brittany Chiccese

A girl is excited that her abuela is coming to live with her - she won't have to go to Señora Mimís house before and after school. But then she realizes how much she will miss Señora Mimí. This is a sweet celebration of non-traditional caregivers and the positive impact they can have on our lives. Brittany Chiccese's warm illustrations are like a big hug.

THE MAN WHO DIDN'T LIKE ANIMALS by Deborah Underwood and LeUyen Pham

This is billed as the story of Old MacDonald before he became the farmer of in the famed song, and it is EXACTLY that. The main character starts ostensibly doesn't like animals, but when one after another they enter his home and stay (and after he half-heartedly tries to get them to leave) he discovers he actually likes having them around. But filling your apartment home with animals is sure to anger your neighbors, so the man has to send them away. Until a solution occurs to him. I'll bet you can guess what happens next... LeUyen Pham is another of my favorite illustrators; I love her cartoon-like, expressive, energetic style.

GRANDMA'S PURSE by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Grandma comes to visit her granddaughter and together they discover the magic that is... Grandma's purse! Filled with treasures and stories, Grandma's purse holds many delights for her granddaughter to discover. This is perfect gift for a child to share with their grandmother.

LITTLE OWL LOST by Chris Haughton

Honestly, you can't go wrong with any of Chris Haughton's books - his funny, sweet texts and vibrant, blocky illustrations are always a treat. But this title is my favorite for preschoolers. A little owl falls out of the next, and a squirrel offers to help them find their mommy. Little owl describes different aspects of their mommy, like their big eyes, and squirrel finds just the animal with that characteristic - but NOT owl's mommy. Don't worry, though - the story has a happy ending.

BUILT TO LAST by Minh Le and Dan Santat

The latest (as of this writing) by this dynamic duo tells the story of two boys and their friendship, via the metaphor of their construction of a block tower. Just like their tower, a friendship might have unstable moments and come crashing down from time-to-time, but a true friendship can always be rebuilt. To last.

MEL FELL by Corey R. Tabor

Mel, a bird, takes a leap and falls from their nest. As they drop, they pass all manner of creatures who offer to help. But Mel trusts the process. What's especially fun is that this book can be flipped on its side to follow Mel's trajectory down to the ground (and subsequently, back up!).

BIG by Vashti Harrison

At what point does being called "big" become a pejorative? In this unflinching but accessible story, a girl is praised for being "SO BIG!" as she grows from a baby to a toddler. But as she becomes a prescooler and early elementary child, being called "SO BIG" takes on a whole new meaning. The girl at first feels crushed by the weight of the words used to describe her, but ultimately pushes back and loves herself as she is - BIG. For children who may not feel like the world wants them the way they are, this is a BIG winner.

OUTSIDE IN by Deborah Underwood and Cindy Derby.

This is a gorgeous book with soft illustrations and reminds us that nature touches us in many ways, both outside and inside our homes. It's a warm hug in a book. It's simply gorgeous.

DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS by Mo Willems

This is a classic for a reason. When it first came out (yes, I'm old enough to remember) there weren't many interactive books for preschoolers. This is truly unique in that it puts kids in the driver's seat (see what I did there?). Kids have so little agency over their lives, but they're trying to assert themselves and their opinions (that's why you get so many "NO!"s). This book gives them the opportunity to be in charge, finally, and say NO to the Pigeon's begging. Willems' simple line drawings convey so much emotion and energy. All the Pigeon books are great, but this, the first one, remains my favorite.

BITSY BAT, SCHOOL STAR by Kaz Windness

I'm not picking this book because Kaz is a friend (*humble brag*). I'm picking it because it truly is a wonderful representation of the challenges an autistic child might face when starting school, and how they can thrive with some simple accomodations and a classroom/teacher/fellow students who recognize and celebrate everyone's unique gifts. Bitsy, a young autistic bat, is excited to begin school. But her first day goes wrong when she's told (by another student) that she's doing everything wrong. But the way Bitsy does things work for her neurodiverse brain, so when she tries to change to fit in, she naturally has a meltdown. She doesn't want to return to school, but, with the help of her father and her teacher, finds a way to show that her differences, and, in fact, EVERYONE'S differences, are what make us special. Kaz is herself autistic so comes from an authentic perspective.

THE PLANT RESCUER by Matthew Rivera

Manny comes from a long line of gardeners. His father has filled his family's apartment with beautiful plants, and Manny wants to participate as well. So his father buys him his own plant to care for. At first, Manny does a great job, but, as time goes on, he neglects his plant and it starts to wither. Manny doesn't want to disappoint his father, but everything he does to revive his plant fails - until Manny does what any good student would do, and goes to the library. Armed with information, he brings his platnt back to life and in fact helps it to flourish, and he and his father are able to share cuttings with the neighbors until their whole apartment complex is filled with green. I love the soft greens of the illustrations which makes the book seem as lush as a garden. Manny is portrayed in a realistic way - a child who wants to impress their parent but also behaves just as a child would when forgetting about their plant.

THE FASTEST TORTOISE IN TOWN by Howard Calvert and Karen Obuhanych

First of all, the tortoise in this story is named Barbara Hendricks. BARBARA HENDRICKS. We are given no explanation why. Barbara has been encouraged by her best friend and owner, Lorraine, to enter a road race. A tortoise? In a race? Barbara is not sure it's a good idea, but Lorraine encourages her and helps her train. On race day, Lorraine reminds her that all she needs to do is try her best, and that's exactly what Barbara does - to surprising results. This is a sweet story about how you never know what you might be able to accomplish until you try - especially if you have the support of special friends.

DRESS UP DAY by Blanca Gomez

A girl is out sick from school and so misses dress-up day, so she decides to wear her bunny costume the next day. But when she gets to school, she doubts her choice. Fortunately, a new friend helps her build her confidence and embrace who she is. Bonus: the illustrations of a bunch of kids in costumes is quite delightful.