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49. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Now the fun can begin! This rhyming, brightly illustrated book is the perfect way to practice the alphabet and to introduce young children to kindergarten. Since it was first published in , Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel has delighted generations of children. Mike and his trusty steam shovel, Mary Anne, dig deep canals for boats to travel through, cut mountain passes for trains, and hollow out cellars for city skyscrapers — the very symbol of industrial America.

But with progress come new machines, and soon the inseparable duo are out of work. Mike believes that Mary Anne can dig as much in a day as one hundred men can dig in a week, and the two have one last chance to prove it and save Mary Anne from the scrap heap. What happens next in the small town of Popperville is a testament to their friendship, and to old-fashioned hard work and ingenuity.

One night, after thinking it over for some time, Harold decided to go for a walk in the moonlight. Armed only with an oversized purple crayon, young Harold draws himself a landscape full of beauty and excitement. But this is no hare-brained, impulsive flight of fantasy. Cherubic, round-headed Harold conducts his adventure with the utmost prudence, letting his imagination run free, but keeping his wits about him all the while.


  1. Top 10 Children’s Books: Trying Out New (Bad) Behavior?
  2. ;
  3. Poinciana (Song Of The Tree) (Accordion).
  4. Beachcombing.
  5. Vinde, amor ardente (Portuguese Edition).

He takes the necessary purple-crayon precautions: In an old, vine-covered house in Paris live 12 little girls. They wear wide-brimmed hats and matching yellow outfits, and walk in two perfect rows. Madeline is the smallest girl, and the most daring. But one night she wakes up in pain and Madame Clavel, the mistress of the house, can hear Madeline crying all the way from her own bedroom.

Madame Clavel calls the doctor, and in no time, Madeline is rushed to the hospital to have her appendix removed. Everyone at the house misses Madeline, and Madame Clavel decides to take the 11 girls to visit their little friend in the hospital. They take her flowers and find Madeline in her hospital bed happily surrounded by the gifts of toys and candies she has received from well-wishers. Ludwig Bemelmans was awarded the Caldecott Medal for his classic story, the first in his highly-acclaimed and beloved Madeline book series. His verse is simple and fun and a pleasure to read. His illustrations, featuring famous Parisian landmarks like the Opera and the Place Vendome, are as charming and lively as the 12 little girls, including the precocious Madeline, at the heart of his story.

The quintessential cautionary tale, Peter Rabbit warns naughty children about the grave consequences of misbehaving. Rabbit beseeches her four furry children not to go into Mr. He quickly gets in over his head, when he is spotted by farmer McGregor himself. One earns bread and milk and blackberries for supper, while the obstinate folly of the other warrants medicine and an early bedtime. When a bus driver takes a break from his route, a very unlikely volunteer springs up to take his place-a pigeon!

As he pleads, wheedles, and begs his way through the book, children will love being able to answer back and decide his fate. Many children may wonder what it would be like to strike out on their own, but seldom imagine it as beautifully as the little bunny in this classic tale. This picture book edition of the beautiful fable is perfect for even the smallest listener.

If Peter could only learn to whistle, then his dog, Willie would hear him and come running. But nothing Peter does seems to help. He tries spinning around and around but it only makes him dizzy. He draws a long line with colored chalk; he walks along a crack in the sidewalk. Beautifully and boldly illustrated by Eric Carle The Very Hungry Caterpillar , this classic picture book is easy on the ears, with its rhymes and repetition.

The first collaboration of Bill Martin Jr.

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Now the publisher honors this picture book classic with an anniversary edition that includes an audio CD containing the full text, plus commentary by Martin and Carle. The illustrations show a rickety, old bus moving an assortment of quirky passengers through a village. Traditional musical notation and lyrics are included.

With enchanting illustrations they create books that are natural bridges between music and reading. Now this classic touch-and-feel invites you to pet the bunny. First published in , the book remains a must-read favorite. Her two-man cast is inspired: Daddy, a well-upholstered man with thinning hair and patience, is every bit as funny in his contortions and expressions as his stubborn offspring with a similarly underdeveloped pate. This Caldecott Medal-winning classic picture book depicts the wonder and delight a child can find when snow blankets his world, making snowballs one of which he brings home in his pocket!

No book has captured the magic and sense of possibility of the first snowfall better than The Snowy Day. The captivating photos will enchant babies, and parents will be charmed by the cute expressions the book elicits from their own babe.

50. What Pet Should I Get? by Dr. Seuss

Babies are fascinated by other babies and will love to hold these small sturdy books in their hands and gaze at the candid and appealing photographs of all kinds of baby faces. Each book in the series focuses on a different activity, and explores concepts babies and toddlers can grasp. They contain 10 pages of large, vibrant color portraits with distinctive black backgrounds, and a simple rhyming text appropriate for the youngest children. Their durable glossy finish and rounded corners make them safe for handling by infants and toddlers. These are ideal first read-aloud books, and their small convenient size is just right for taking along.

A sweet, tear-provoking story of the evolving relationship between a boy and his mother. Do not attempt to read without tissues close at hand. A young mother holds her newborn son and looks at him lovingly. An extraordinarily different story by Robert Munsch is a gentle affirmation of the love a parent feels for their child — forever. In this Caldecott Medal-winning book, black-and-white illustrations capture the struggle of Kitten who, upon viewing her first full moon, mistakes it for a bowl of milk and embarks on a quest to reach it. Although the milk in the sky eludes her, the story ends happily when Kitten returns home from her adventures to find an actual bowl of milk waiting for her.

The nationally bestselling picture book about a kitten, the moon, and a bowl of milk,is written by the celebrated author and illustrator Kevin Henkes, was awarded a Caldecott Medal. This classic tale follows a baby bird on a quest to find his mother after falling from his nest. This wonderful book tells a very simple story for children who have just started to read.

Back in , Theodor Geisel responded to an article in Life magazine that lamented the use of boring reading primers in schools. Irrepressible fun for any time of day, Good Night, Gorilla is a gem of a picture book from an award-winning author and illustrator. Little ones will enjoy looking for the yellow and orange caterpillar on each page and counting the insects as they listen to the simple, rhyming text. A series of animals arrive—under flaps to be uncovered by the reader—and are discovered to be not quite right too heavy, too scary, too naughty , until at long last, the perfect pet appears.

The artwork has been updated for a spiffy new look, but the charming story line remains unchanged: A child writes a letter to the zoo, requesting a pet. The zoo sends back a parade of animals, all of them unsuitable for one reason or another. Each colorful spread depicts a container a basket, a crate, a cage, etc. A perennial family favorite. Meet Gossie, a small yellow gosling who loves to wear bright red boots—every day. She looks everywhere for them: Preschoolers will enjoy helping Gossie find her red boots and delight in where Gossie finally finds them.

Told in an engaging musical rhythm, the book introduces readers to multiracial and multi-generational stories about three toddlers Little Bird is Asian-American, Little Pumpkin is African-American and Little Guy is white and their caregivers. The lilting text and joyous, vibrant illustrations successfully impart the message that love is universal. A Caldecott Honor Book.

From beneath the tickles, kisses, and unfettered affection showered on them by grownups, the children in the book cry out for more more more! Quirky watercolor drawings and colorful text feature multi-ethnic families, and young readers will rejoice in seeing the center of all the attention: Join in the fun! The rhyming text and adorable photographs in this colorful board book offer a close-up view of penguins dashing, splashing, jumping, bumping, and going about their busy penguin lives.

A young bunny and his dad sweetly try to one-up each other with how big their love for the other is in this sweet tale, illustrated with gorgeous watercolors. Kids will enjoy the repetition and rhyming, and parents will totally relate to the exhausted mama monkey. Her expressive pencil and watercolor illustrations capture both the glee and the pratfalls of those misbehaving monkeys. A sure-fire hit at story hour, this rhythmic romp is a counting lesson, too, as the five bouncy bed-jumpers bump their heads and get hauled off to the doctor one by one.

In this timeless classic, Willy Wonka, a crazy chocolatier, opens his chocolate factory doors for the first time to five lucky children who have randomly purchased the coveted chocolate bars containing the golden ticket. Besides a lifetime supply of chocolate, the children get a chance to tour the mysterious factory with their guide, Willy Wonka.

This is a perennial classic that continues to be enjoyed by readers, young and old. Lush paintings by Georg Hallensleben And If the Moon Could Talk capture the off-kilter world of dreams and the beauty of the natural world, as the scenes shift back and forth between reality and fantasy. To a small child, words are magical. And the most magical of all are the beloved, venerable words of Mother Goose. Now folklorist Iona Opie has gathered more than sixty treasured rhymes in their most perfect, honest form. Parents and children will find themselves exploring this volume together, savoring delightful details and funny surprises on every page.

A hungry caterpillar eats his way through a varied and very large quantity of food until, full at last, he forms a cocoon around himself and goes to sleep. This classic book will continue to introduce new generations of children to the magical world of Eric Carle. In , Winnie-the-Pooh, a collection of stories about a rather stout, somewhat confused bear, was published in England and America. The enchanting tales of Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Christopher Robin, and the others were an immediate success, and firmly established A.

Join the Cat in the Hat as he makes learning to read a joy! This beloved Beginner Book by Dr. Seuss, which also features timeless Dr. Seuss characters such as Fish and Thing 1 and Thing 2, is fun to read aloud and easy to read alone. An ugly duckling spends an unhappy year ostracized by the other animals before he grows into a beautiful swan. Parents need to know that kids will be drawn into the detailed illustrations, and empathize with the forlorn fowl.

Perhaps a strange choice for number 1 on our list. This is an acknowledged classic first starter for tots. A masterpiece that will endear children to reading forever. This is the classic board book story of a little rabbit at bedtime, with illustrations by Clement Hurd. Such beautiful language too: In the great green room There was a telephone And a red balloon And a picture of— The cow jumping over the moon.

The Top 50 Books for Kids. What Pet Should I Get? Seuss This never-before-seen picture book featuring original text and illustrations by Dr. A good way to start our list: Children of all ages. Wolf, by Jon Scieszka Alexander T. What do you think? Please leave me a comment! Harris , illustrated by Molly Bang. My six-year-old son loves this book. So I gently had to remind him that, indeed, he did say this to me. It made him stop and think about the power of his words. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren. My middle daughter who is trying at times loves, loves, loves Pippi Longstocking.

Nevertheless, this is a classic that endures! Curious George by H. Or climb up a dinosaur skeleton?

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Or go to the moon? This is another classic picture book series that endures. The book jacket says that David Shannon wrote this very book when he was a young boy after being tired of being told no all day long by his parents. My kids all loved this book and though the words are pretty minimal, they loved figuring out from the illustrations what David was doing that was naughty. They especially loved when David walked to school without his pants!

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I think that Chris Van Allsburg is another one of those authors incapable of creating a bad book. The artwork alone is enough to buy this book, but the story is great too. Two ants decide to play hooky after a run for sugar. They stay behind and have the worst day ever! When the other ants come back that night, are they ever glad to rejoin the line! Luckily, at preschool at least, this is all fixable!

This story has two cautionary themes running through it: Be careful what you wish for! Lily is an icon. At the Wheelock Theater , this book is now a play. And what is not to love about Lily? Mickey Mouse, Stuart Little, and more! In this book, Lily has trouble waiting her turn to share her new gifts from her grammy. She has a bad day and hates her usually beloved teacher for a few hours, but all is well in the end. I guess it was because my oldest child does not have an explosive temper.