Top 10 Toddler to Preschooler Series

Top 10 Toddler to Preschooler Series

Favorite Books (Part 3 of 4)

Belinda @ Kids Matter

“The more you read the more things you will know. The more that you learn the more places you'll go.”  - Dr. Seuss, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!"

Open a book and go exploring with your child. Take your child to places money can’t buy, on adventures one can only imagine, and through time at your leisure. If eyes are the window to our souls then books are the window to our imaginations. The Literacy Company states, “Out-of-school reading habits of students has shown that even 15 minutes a day of independent reading can expose students to more than a million words of text in a year.” Exposure to words is a step to greater achievement in life. Read to your child, read with your child, and share happy experiences found only in a good book. Visit your local library and allow your child to pick out a book while you bring your childhood classics to the literacy party. Bring the book to life with great enthusiasm. Add character voices and sound effects to increase excitement. The book is just the foundation from which to build your imaginary world. Don’t be limited by the words on the page, but instead, use the essence of the emotions of the writer to create a reality within the covers of the book. Enjoy your imaginary world and the wonderful time spent reading to your child.

Who doesn’t love Dr. Seuss and his whimsical enthusiasm in bringing characters like Cat in the Hat to life? One can’t help but smile just looking at that green ham.  If you are a grandparent, you have spent years reading that story many times to many children. It’s just a classic fun story loved by millions.

Eric Carle not only writes this wonderful story, but also illustrates, animates, and provides insight into the life of a caterpillar. Children are always fascinated with caterpillars and butterflies and when they learn one becomes the other the search is on. 

Karen Katz beautifully combines affection with counting and winding down a child for bed time. Hugs, kisses, and some serious sleep is nature’s cure for the cranky child. The book is handsomely illustrated.

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt is illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, and charmingly written by Michael Rosen. The book is a delightful comedic drama of a family going on a bear hunt.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs was written and illustrated by Ron and Judith Barrett. The couple provides a hilarious look at a town called Chewandswallow where the weather is constantly raining some type of food.

Written by Ruth Krauss and cleverly illustrated by her husband Crockett Johnson. It details the life of an egg until one day POOF, it’s a bird and its whole life changes. Suddenly everything it couldn’t do as an egg it can now do as a bird.

Written by Judith Viorst and illustrated by Ray Cruz, this book is an inside look at how bad days can sometimes be to us and yes, to everyone.  

This epic tale was written and illustrated by Leslie Patricelli. With fantastic illustrations the reader is captivated from page one. The book teaches the difference between things that are yummy and things that are yucky.

The Purple Crayon gives a very simplistic view of a very complicated and thought invoking process. If you could take a crayon and color yourself anything, what would it really be?

Shel Silverstein takes us on a journey deep into the heart of love and friendship. The Giving Tree is an exceptional story. The illustrations are minimal yet add to the depth of the piece. This book is an opportunity for those lost in life to find a way back. The tree represents a very special person and the sincerity of love.