1000 Books Before Kindergarten

These books are recommended for children ages birth to 5. Are you enrolled in our 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Book Club? This is a special book club for children ages birth to 5. Click here for more information: https://sussexcountylibrary.org/1000-books/

Updated June 12, 2024
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Where's my teddy?
Alborough, Jez
Paper Book
In print for twenty-five years, this phenomenal bestseller about a teddy bear mix-up is available in a board book edition. Eddy's lost his teddy, Freddy, so he goes off into the woods in search of the missing bear. The dark, horrible woods hold a gigantic surprise for Eddy,...
Happy birthday, moon /
Asch, Frank
Paper Book
Moonbear discovers that he and the moon share the same birthday. Now Moonbear wants to give his nighttime friend a present. But what do you buy the moon? This refreshed edition of a beloved classic features the original text and art with an updated cover.
The mitten
Aylesworth, Jim.
Paper Book
Br-r-r-r-r-r-rrrrrrrrrr! said the squirrel.My toes are cold as ice!This mitten looks so cozy,And warm toes would feel so nice!When a little boy loses a mitten in the snow,a passing squirrel finds it's the perfect placeto warm his icy toes. So he sque-e-e-e-zesinside. But he's not the only one with...
Animals should definitely not wear clothing
Barrett, Judi.
Paper Book
Animals should definitely not wear clothing. ...because a snake would lose it, a billy goat would eat it for lunch, and it would always be wet on a walrus! This well-loved book by Judi and Ron Barrett shows the very youngest why animals' clothing is perfect...just as it is.
Goodnight moon
Brown, Margaret Wise
Paper Book
In this classic of children's literature, beloved by generations of readers and listeners, the quiet poetry of the words and the gentle, lulling illustrations combine to make a perfect book for the end of the day. In a great green room, tucked away in bed, is a little bunny. "Goodnight...
Mr. Gumpy's outing
Burningham, John.
Paper Book
Stellaluna
Cannon, Janell
Paper Book
A deluxe edition of the bestselling picture book classic Stellaluna! "Delightful and informative but never didactic; a splendid debut." --Kirkus Reviews Knocked from her mother's safe embrace by an attacking owl, Stellaluna lands headfirst in a bird's nest. This adorable baby...
The very hungry caterpillar
Carle, Eric
Paper Book
THE ICONIC #1 BESTSELLER * The all-time classic picture book starring the world's favorite caterpillar! Generations of children have grown up on this beautifully dramatized story of a caterpillar who eats his way to becoming a butterfly. "Gorgeously illustrated, brilliantly...
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed
Christelow, Eileen.
Paper Book
Their teeth are brushed, their pajamas are on, and as soon as they say good night to Mama, the five little monkeys start to jump on their bed!  But trouble awaits as, one by one, they fall off and bump their heads! The uproarious rhyme is brought to life in this family...
Mixed : a colorful story
Chung, Arree
Paper Book
The reds, the yellows, and the blues all think they're the best in this vibrant, thought-provoking picture book from Arree Chung, with a message of acceptance and unity. In the beginning, there were three colors . . . Reds, Yellows, and...
Click, clack, moo : cows that type
Cronin, Doreen
Paper Book
The quirky, hilarious farmyard tale that started it all from New York Times bestselling duo of Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin! Now the inspiration for a new Christmas special, CLICK, CLACK, MOO: Christmas on the Farm. Farmer Brown has a problem. ...
Good dog, Carl
Day, Alexandra.
Paper Book
Available in paperback for the first time, the modern classic that introduced the beloved baby-sitting rottweiler to the world.
Jamberry /
Degen, Bruce
Paper Book
This bestselling classic features a berry-loving boy and an endearing rhyme-spouting bear. The fun wordplay and bright paintings with lots of details for young readers to explore make Jamberry a perennial favorite. A small boy and a big friendly bear embark on a berry-picking...
Olivia
Falconer, Ian
Paper Book
This Caldecott Honor Book and #1 New York Times bestseller is perfect for pig-loving kids everywhere! It's everyone's favorite pig...it's OLIVIA! Join Olivia as she... -dresses up -sings songs -builds sand castles -naps (maybe) ...
Bark, George /
Feiffer, Jules
Paper Book
Named one of 100 Great Children's Books by The New York Public Library and #9 on School Library Journal's list of the Top 100 Picture Books! From acclaimed author-illustrator Jules Feiffer, Bark, George is a hilarious, subversive story about a dog who can't . . . bark! This...
Mama cat has three kittens
Fleming, Denise
Paper Book
Some kittens march to the beat of a different drummer. Mama Cat has three kittens, Fluffy, Skinny, and Boris. Where Mama Cat leads, Fluffy and Skinny follow. But what about Boris-- will he ever stop napping and join the fun? Young children will love Mama Cat and her three...
Where is the green sheep?
Fox, Mem
Paper Book
Little ones are sure to be lulled off to a peaceful, sheep-filled sleep by this cozy book from acclaimed author Mem Fox. There are red sheep and blue sheep, wind sheep and wave sheep, scared sheep and brave sheep, but where is the green sheep? The search is on in this cozy, sheep...
Corduroy
Freeman, Don
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER * The treasured childhood classic that tells the heartwarming story of a little bear and a little girl finding the friend they have always wanted in each other. Corduroy lives in the toy department of a big store. Day after day he waits with all the other...
The three little pigs
Galdone, Paul
Paper Book
All three pigs set out to seek their fortune, but two of them come to a sorry end.
The man who walked between the towers /
Gerstein, Mordicai
Paper Book
The story of a daring tightrope walk between skyscrapers, as seen in Robert Zemeckis's The Walk, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. In 1974, French aerialist Philippe Petit threw a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center and spent an hour walking, dancing...
The girl who loved wild horses
Goble, Paul.
Paper Book
Though she is fond of her people, a girl prefers to live among the wild horses where she is truly happy and free.
Is your mama a llama?
Guarino, Deborah.
Paper Book
Lloyd the Llama discovers what kind of animal his mama really is in this delightful guessing game picture book, filled with whimsical riddles and endearing full-color illustrations. An enchanting animal guessing game.--School Library Journal.
Millions of cats /
Gâag, Wanda,
Paper Book
The original American classic with a refrain that millions of kids love to chant- Hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats. Wanda Gag's enchanting tale of the very old man who went off in search of the prettiest cat in the world for...
Kitten's first full moon
Henkes, Kevin
Paper Book
This nationally bestselling picture book about a kitten, the moon, and a bowl of milk, written by the celebrated author and illustrator Kevin Henkes, was awarded a Caldecott Medal. From one of the most celebrated and beloved picture book creators working in the field today comes a...
Eyes that kiss in the corners
Ho, Joanna
Paper Book
A New York Times Bestseller and #1 Indie Bestseller · A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year · A School Library Journal Best Book of 2021 · Included in NPR's 2021 Books We Love List · Featured in Forbes, Oprah Daily, The Cut, and Book Riot · Golden Poppy Book Award...
Hush! : a Thai lullaby
Ho, Minfong.
Paper Book
This book contains a lullaby which asks animals such as a lizard, monkey, and water buffalo to be quiet and not disturb the sleeping baby. 1997 Caldecott Honor Book
Bread and jam for Frances
Hoban, Russell.
Paper Book
The classic funny story about a stubborn little badger with very particular tastes in food. Frances is a fussy eater. In fact, the only thing she likes is bread and jam. She won't touch her squishy soft-boiled egg. She trades away her chicken-salad sandwich at lunch. She turns up her nose...
Angelina ballerina
Holabird, Katharine.
Paper Book
Illus. in full color. Angelina is so busy dancing that she does nothing else. Her parents are in despair until they send her to ballet school.
Quae haraias con una cola como aesta? =
Jenkins, Steve,
Paper Book
In this beautiful Caldecott Honor picture book, Steven Jenkins and illustrator Robin Page explore the many amazing things animals can do with eyes, ears, mouth, noses, feet, and tails. Young readers will relish the mystery behind this interactive guessing book. A nose for digging? Ears for...
What do you do with a tail like this? /
Jenkins, Steve,
Paper Book
In this beautiful Caldecott Honor picture book, Steven Jenkins and illustrator Robin Page explore the many amazing things animals can do with eyes, ears, mouth, noses, feet, and tails. Young readers will relish the mystery behind this interactive guessing book. A nose for digging? Ears for...
Harold and the purple crayon
Johnson, Crockett
Paper Book
From beloved children's book creator Crockett Johnson comes the timeless classic Harold and the Purple Crayon! This imagination-sparking picture book belongs on every child's bookshelf. One evening Harold decides to go for a walk in the moonlight. Armed only with an oversize purple...
The hello, goodbye window /
Juster, Norton,
Paper Book
A Caldecott Medal Winner From the acclaimed author of the classic book The Phantom Tollbooth comes a love song to that special relationship between grandparents and grandchild, illustrated by a multi-Caldecott recipient. ...
The snowy day
Keats, Ezra Jack.
Paper Book
The magic and wonder of winter's first snowfall is perfectly captured in Ezra Jack Keat's Caldecott Medal-winning picture book. This celebrated classic has been shared by generations of readers and listeners, a must-have for every child's bookshelf and a perfect gift for the holiday season....
Whose mouse are you?
Kraus, Robert
Paper Book
A lonely little mouse has to be resourceful to bring his family back together. In a series of delightfully imaginary achievements, "nobody's mouse" transforms himself into the beloved hero of his mother, father, sister, and brand-new baby brother. In their very first...
The carrot seed
Krauss, Ruth.
Paper Book
From celebrated children's book creators Ruth Krauss and Crockett Johnson comes the beloved classic story The Carrot Seed. When a little boy plants a carrot seed, everyone tells him it won't grow. But when you are very young, there are some things that you just know, and the little...
The story of Ferdinand /
Leaf, Munro,
Paper Book
A true classic with a timeless message!   All the other bulls run, jump, and butt their heads together in fights. Ferdinand, on the other hand, would rather sit and smell the flowers. So what will happen when Ferdinand is picked for the bullfights in Madrid?  
Little Blue and Little Yellow
Lionni, Leo
Paper Book
A little blue spot and a little yellow spot are best friends, and when they hug each other they become green.
Frog and toad are friends
Lobel, Arnold.
Ebook
Froggy gets dressed
London, Jonathan
Paper Book
Rambunctious Froggy hops out into the snow for a winter frolic but is called back by his mother to put on some necessary articles of clothing.
Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?
Martin, Bill
Paper Book
With more than two million copies sold, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? has opened up a world of learning to a generation of children. For this edition, created for the twenty-fifth anniversay in 1992, Bill Martin, Jr., restored his text to its original wording. And Eric Carle...
Guess how much I love you
McBratney, Sam.
Paper Book
"Guess how much I love you," says Little Nutbrown Hare. Little Nutbrown Hare shows his daddy how much he loves him: as wide as he can reach and as far as he can hop. But Big Nutbrown Hare, who can reach farther and hop higher, loves him back just as much. Well then Little Nutbrown Hare loves him...
Make way for ducklings
McCloskey, Robert
Paper Book
"One of the merriest picture-books . . . told in very few words with a gravity that underscores the delightful comedy of the pictures--fine large pictures, strongly drawn, with a wealth of detail."--"The New York Times." A Caldecott Award winner. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.
Gone wild : an endangered animal alphabet
McLimans, David.
Paper Book
Feast your eyes on these amazing creatures before they disappear. This stampede of wild animals, from Chinese Alligator to Grevy's Zebra, are so rare, they're all endangered. David McLiman's bold and playful illustrations transform each letter into a work of art, graphically rendered with animal...
Pigs aplenty, pigs galore!
McPhail, David
Paper Book
One minute, the narrator is quietly reading. The next, pigs are descending on his house--and head--in every imaginable getup, by every available means, from every possible place. Boisterous action, goofy expressions, and wildly-colored costumes make this a "pig-out" that children will love....
I am Abraham Lincoln
Meltzer, Brad.
Paper Book
Each picture book in this series is a biography of an American hero, told in a simple, conversational, vivacious way, and always focusing on a character trait that made the person heroic. The heros are depicted as children throughout, telling their life stories in first-person...
If you give a mouse a cookie /
Numeroff, Laura Joffe
Paper Book
If a hungry little mouse shows up on your doorstep, you might want to give him a cookie. And if you give him a cookie, he'll ask for a glass of milk. He'll want to look in a mirror to make sure he doesn't have a milk mustache, and then he'll ask for a pair of scissors to give himself a trim....<...
Fancy Nancy
O'Connor, Jane.
Paper Book
*NOW A HIT TV SERIES ON DISNEY JUNIOR* The bestselling picture book that launched the beloved Fancy Nancy series by the dazzling duo Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser! Meet Nancy, who believes that more is ALWAYS better when it comes to being fancy. She loves to wear fancy...
The Kissing Hand /
Penn, Audrey,
Paper Book
School is starting in the forest, but Chester Raccoon does not want to go. To help ease Chester's fears, Mrs. Raccoon shares a family secret called the Kissing Hand to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary. Since its first publication in 1993, this heartwarming...
The little engine that could
Piper, Watty, pseud.
Paper Book
THE ALL-TIME CLASSIC, RE-ILLUSTRATED BY THE CREATOR OF OTIS! Everyone loves The Little Engine That Could, that classic tale of the determined little engine that, despite its size, triumphantly pulls a train full of toys to the waiting children on the other side of a...
Good night, Gorilla
Rathmann, Peggy.
Paper Book
A must have classic for all baby bedtimes and gifting opportunities. Good night, Gorilla. . . Good night, Elephant. . . It's bedtime at the zoo, and all the animals are going to sleep. Or are they? Who's that short, furry guy with the keys in his...
Curious George /
Rey, H. A.
Paper Book
In this, the original book about the curious monkey, George is taken from the jungle by the man in the yellow hat to live in a new home, but--oh, what happened! Though trying to be good, George is still very curious and takes a swim in the ocean, escapes from jail, and goes for a flying...
My friend Rabbit
Rohmann, Eric.
Paper Book
Rabbit saves the day in a most ingeneous way. When Mouse lets his best friend, Rabbit, play with his brand-new airplane, trouble isn't far behind. From Caldecott Honor award winner Eric Rohmann comes a brand-new picture book about friends and toys and trouble, illustrated in robust,...
We're going on a bear hunt
Rosen, Michael
Paper Book
Beloved for more than 30 years, this award-winning classic from Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury celebrates the joys of an afternoon outdoors with family. We're going on a bear hunt. We're going to catch a big one. Will you come too? Join a father and his four...
The relatives came /
Rylant, Cynthia
Paper Book
When a carload of their relatives pay a visit, a beleaguered family cannot tell one cousin from another. A Caldecott Honor Book.
Grandfather's journey /
Say, Allen
Paper Book
Lyrical, breathtaking, splendid--words used to describe Allen Say's Grandfather's Journey when it was first published. At once deeply personal yet expressing universally held emotions, this tale of one man's love for two countries and his constant desire to be in both places captured readers'...
First the egg
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro.
Paper Book
WHICH CAME FIRST? The chicken or the egg? Simple die-cuts magically present transformation-- from seed to flower, tadpole to frog, caterpillar to butterfly. The acclaimed author of Black? White! Day? Night! and Lemons Are Not Red gives an entirely fresh and memorable...
The cat in the hat /
Seuss,
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER * The classic picture book that introduced the world to the iconic, mischievous Cat in the Hat and the beloved characters Thing One and Thing Two! Dr. Seuss makes reading fun for kids of all ages. "I know some new tricks," said the Cat in the Hat. "A lot of...
Green eggs and ham /
Seuss,
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER * Join in the fun with Sam-I-Am in this iconic Dr. Seuss classic about the joy of trying new things. And don't miss the Netflix series adaptation! I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-am. With...
Duck on a bike /
Shannon, David,
Paper Book
Caldecott Honor winner David Shannon applies his wonderful off-beat humor to the story of a duck who decides to try riding a bike--and loves it! Another young, funny book perfect for reading aloud.One day down on the farm, Duck got a wild idea. "I bet I could ride a bike," he thought. He waddled...
The stray dog /
Simont, Marc
Paper Book
This heartwarming book tells the story of a picnicking family charmed by a stray dog. When their picnic ends, the family says good-bye to the dog and goes home. But they cannot forget him. A week later, they return for the dog--only to find that the dogcatcher is looking for him,...
Caps for sale : a tale of a peddler, some monkeys, and their monkey business
Slobodkina, Esphyr
Paper Book
Caps for Sale is a timeless classic beloved by millions...one of the most popular picture books ever published! This picture book is an excellent choice to share at home or in the classroom, as children love chanting along with the naughty monkeys. Children will delight...
There was an old lady who swallowed a fly
Taback, Simms.
Paper Book
Noisy Nora
Wells, Rosemary.
Paper Book
It's tough being the middle mouse. No one's paying any attention to Nora, so she decides to do something her family can't ignore: make noise. Nora slams windows, bangs doors, and upsets furniture, to no avail. It's not until she crashes out the door--and the house goes strangely silent--that her...
The three pigs
Wiesner, David.
Paper Book
"Clever, whimsical and sophisticated." --New York Times Book Review Taking visual narrative to a new level, this picture book from the creator of Tuesday and Flotsam begins a seemingly familiar tale of three pigs preparing to build houses of straw, sticks, and...

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