Over the years, we have read hundreds of wonderful picture books. The ones I find myself recommending to other parents the most are the ones that my own children requested the most often. When they repeatedly pick the same book off our shelves, I know we have a winner.
In no particular order, these are books that kept us coming back for more smiles, laughs, discussions and snuggles. Interests will vary across families and children, but this list contains read-alouds your kids will surely love. Even my fourth grader still joins us on the couch for these fun picture books.
1. Lion Lessons by Jon Agee
Find out what it takes to become a lion in seven hilarious steps. Some of the steps include roaring, choosing your meal, and pouncing. We love to act out all of the steps on our way to number seven. The last step may surprise you and is the most important of all!
2. Land Shark by Beth Ferry
An amusing story of one very creative and determined kid who only wants one thing for his birthday… A pet shark. Initially, he is disappointed with the gift he gets instead, but with a little time and a whole lot of imagination, he learns to love his new best friend.
3. The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen
When the circus ship sinks, the animals are abandoned by the circus boss and shipwrecked on a nearby island. Find out how the villagers react to an animal invasion!
4. Edwina, The Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems
Reginald is a logical child who knows, without a doubt, that dinosaurs are extinct. He goes to great lengths to convince his class and the rest of the town, including Edwina, who just so happens to be a dinosaur. Will anyone listen to him?
5. It’s Mine! by Leo Lionni
This book introduces us to three frogs who seem to fight over everything and share nothing. That is, until they lose everything they thought belonged to them, revealing what matters most of all.
We stumbled upon this book during a season of life where “it’s mine” was a phrase commonly exchanged between my own children. We often revisited the story for a gentle reminder.
6. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
A mouse, all alone in the deep dark wood, scares off the predators he encounters by telling them about his monstrous friend. Discover what happens when he confronts the scariest predator of all.
If you love books that rhyme and flow, you will love reading The Gruffalo!
7. Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein
Even when Papa repeatedly asks Chicken not to interrupt during story-time, Chicken just can’t help himself.
Sound like any child you know? Chicken definitely reminds me of my own kids!
8. Have You Filled a Bucket Today by Carol McCloud
A reminder of the importance of kindness, this book gives an important lesson in human connection and lasting happiness. This self-help book for kids is unique from the other books chosen for this list but worth reading with the whole family.
9. Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
What happens when the neighborhood lion discovers the local library? First, he falls in love with story time, and then, he learns that the library has rules! The rules seem easy enough to follow, until an unexpected situation leads the lion to break every rule… For a good reason.
10. Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
Getting teased about your name in school is never fun… Kids with long or unique names will resonate with this story. In fact, Chrysanthemum can teach us all to love and appreciate our names a little more.
More Read-Alouds Your Kids Will Love
These are just a handful of favorites from our home library. Stay tuned for a list of our favorite STEM themed picture books to read-aloud together! In the meantime, try out some of these ideas to make reading more fun for your kids.
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