What Are Your Favorite Children’s Books?

When my daughters were very young it was The Zoo book, and Goodnight moon. My 3 year old now loves any of the Charlie and Lola, Piggy and Gerald, and Max and Ruby books. My 6 year old is getting into Chapter books but still likes picture books like Pumpkin Soup, and Fancy Nancy. My 7.5 year old like Princess in Black Chapter books, Ronald Dahl and Magic Tree House. I LOVED Nancy Drew but my daughters just aren’t into them yet.

We are getting into Dan Gutman’s Weird School series (Miss Daisy Is Crazy, Mr. Cooper Is Super, etc), which is perfect for my 7 year old. It’s funny, well paced, a bit more directed toward boys which is good for my son. The narrator-protagonist is A.J., and African American boy who doesn’t always dig learning but can’t help but get into it owing to his teachers’ zany antics. In terms of kid humor, it is just a bit irreverent and silly, to the delight of my reader, who actually goes back to re-read some pages he finds hilarious. My 4-year-old daughter is entertained by it, too, and there are good drawings, which is good for an early chapter book reader. We’ve done some of Magic Treehouse series (makes a good audio book).

For chapter books, we have LOVED the Toys Go Out series (about a stuffed buffalo, a stingray and a red ball named Plastic)- such complex wonderful characters & relationships. Also the Olga da Polga books about a guinea pig, by the author of Paddington. Oh, and Gooseberry Park books- a squirrel, a chocolate lab & a hermit crab named Gwendolyn.

http://mamanushka.com/drummer-girl-muslim-childrens-literature-ramadan-story-book-review/

I reviewed this lovely new book called ‘Drummer Girl’ and even the author herself saw it and told me she teared up reading the review. its a gorgeous book! Go for it!

These are ‘old’ but still lovely: The Boxcar Children (a series of many with good values, great kids, and always they do the right thing and have an amazing attitude), and Mrs. Piggle Wiggle (she’s a bit magic and always illustrates with words and humor how to behave…loved them as a kid and just as much reading them to my almost 6 year old). I think Toby would love them both. We also loved The Mother West Wind Books…also old and now out of print but you can find them used on Amazon: the animals have personalities, lives, and there is an environmental component even thought they were mostly written in the 1920’s…my mom read them and then I did and now my daughter). All of these are gender neutral and….as I pediatrician I also approve! We adore knuffle bunny, Rosie Revere, and lately: Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls…highly recommend for boys and girls and parents!!!

Chike and the River by Chinua Achebe.

We love Ish by Peter Reynolds – really is wonderful for any kiddos that have perfectionist tendencies and who need a gentle reminder that there are better things than “getting it right”. Ripe for discussion!

Hey, this was very interesting post, got me wondering about my favorite books. As a little I loved Beatrix Potter’s The tales of Peter Rabbit- book and actually I watched the series of it. Then Anne of Green Gables which came from my mother and P.L. Travers Mary Poppins is also sweet! Nice post, thank you for sharing this with us!?

Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch
Harvey Potter’s Balloon Farm
The Day I Became a Bird

My husband and I take turns reading aloud chapter books to our children (10, 8, 6, & 4) at night after they are in bed. We pick the books for a variety reasons. Sometimes is a book they would all enjoy, like The Little House on the Prairie series, the Wind in the Willows, or Treasure Island. Another book might be chosen because its a book they may not read on their own, like the Anne of Green Gables series or fairy tale retelling for the boys and Hatchet for our daughter. Since we have three boy I don’t want them to believe that what some people term “girl” books excludes them from enjoying it or vice-versa for my daughter. My oldest son loved Anne of Green Gables just as much as his sister. Occasionally, we (my husband and I) chose a book just because we want to read it. My husband has read them the entire Lord of the Ring Trilogy and for the last year has been reading them Moby Dick on and off. They don’t always understand it, but the two older kids do stop my husband to ask him questions frequently so we know they are gaining comprehension and the two younger children fall asleep very quickly on the days he reads that book. We have been doing this as part of our bedtime routine for over 8 years and it is everyone’s favorite part of bedtime. The two oldest, both avid readers, still love to be read too, and the younger ones are tricked into thinking their older siblings go to bed at the same time as them, since they generally fall asleep during the story they don’t know that the two oldest get to stay up a little bit later.

Our older son, who is around Toby’s age, LOVES The Magic Treehouse series and the Moomin books! The Moomins are very popular in Scandinavia, but not so much here! My librarian-in-another-life husband has found them and they love reading them together.

There’s a collection of early chapter books here -https://www.wherethebooksare.com/blog-1/chapter-books – that’s not by me but I’ve read them all and they’re brilliant for little kids. My faves are Henrietta and Fizz.
And for picture books I loved when my children were little and still love as an adult – Let The Celebrations Begin (it’s poignant for adults and intriguing for kids) and Stellaluna (great for kids who are trying new things).

The Runaway Bunny! I still have my childhood copy ;)

Rotraut Susanne Berner’s spring/summer/autumn/winter/night books. These are German, but there is no text – I highly recommend them! We got the first 9 years ago, when my eldest was 1 year old, but we still get them out sometimes and find new details and storylines after all these years!

My Toby is 6 and is loving Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven series, which I’m excited to rediscover having loved them at his age too. Such good clean kids adventures with just the right amount of excitement and suspense.
Both my 6 & 4 year old love Richard Scarry’s crazy drawings & daft stories, endless spotting opportunities. Good for journeys.

I Love You Stinky Face is the sweetest book to read to a little boy and Rude Cakes is silly and has a sweet lesson about using good manners.

I’m a kindergarten teacher packing up my classroom, and in the process, making my list of my all time favorites. I’ll add these to your list tomorrow!

i second junie b. jones. my 5yo can’t read yet, but she LOVES hearing me read them out loud, and they are hysterical! for child and parent alike.

We’ve been reading “Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing” written by his sister Kay & illustrated by Robert Neubecker (“Wow! Ocean!” & Wow! City!”}. My 5 year old has been obsessed with this book for a week. I had no idea how generous Keith Haring was with his time & art. I have always been a fan & am so excited that my son shares my love of this artist. We even looked up footage on youtube of interviews of Haring in the 80’s. Next up “Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat”.