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
Ebook
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 popular book by Judi Barrett and Ron Barrett shows the very youngest why animals' natural clothing is perfect just as it is. ...
A visitor for Bear
Becker, Bonny.
Paper Book
Cheery persistence wears down a curmudgeonly bear in a wry comedy of manners that ends in a most unlikely friendship. Bear is quite sure he doesn't like visitors. He even has a sign. So when a mouse taps on his door one day, Bear tells him to leave. But when Bear goes to the...
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...
Stellaluna
Cannon, Janell
Paper Book
While out searching for food, fruit bat Stellaluna and her mother are attacked by a vicious owl. Stellaluna is separated from Mother Bat and taken in by a family of birds where she must put aside her bat habits to fit in with her new family. But one fateful flight when she is separated from her...
Biscuit loves the library /
Capucilli, Alyssa Satin,
Ebook
The very hungry caterpillar
Carle, Eric
Paper Book
THE all-time classic picture book, from generation to generation, sold somewhere in the world every 30 seconds! Have you shared it with a child or grandchild in your life? Carle's classic tale of a voracious caterpillar who eats his way through the days of the week and...
Hair love
Cherry, Matthew A.
Paper Book
A New York Times Bestseller and tie-in to Academy-Award Winning Short Film "Hair Love"   "I love that Hair Love is highlighting the relationship between a Black father and daughter. Matthew leads the ranks of new creatives who are telling unique stories of the Black...
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed
Christelow, Eileen.
Paper Book
As soon as they say good night to Mama, the five little monkeys start to jump on their bed. But trouble lies ahead as, one by one, they fall off and hurt themselves.
Mixed : a colorful story
Chung, Arree
Audiobook
Freight train
Crews, Donald.
Paper Book
In simple, powerful words and vibrant illustrations, Donald Crews evokes the rolling wheels of that childhood favorite: a train. This Caldecott Honor Book features bright colors and bold shapes. Even a child not lucky enough to have counted freight cars will feel he or she has watched a...
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. ...
Jamberry /
Degen, Bruce
Audiobook
Rollicking rhyme describes how a young boy is led by a larger-than-life bear on a breathtaking berry-picking adventure.
Abuela
Dorros, Arthur.
Paper Book
A grandmother and her granddaughter imagine that they can fly
Are you my mother? /
Eastman, P. D.
Paper Book
The must-have, heartwarming and hilarious classic about a baby bird in search of his mother! A baby bird goes in search of his mother in this hilarious Beginner Book edited by Dr. Seuss. When a mother bird's egg starts to jump, she hurries off to make sure she has something for...
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...
Ask Mr. Bear
Flack, Marjorie
Audiobook
Corduroy
Freeman, Don
Paper Book
Corduroy was first introduced to readers in 1968, and in the fifty years since, his adventures have never stopped. Corduroy has been on the department store shelf for a long time. Yet as soon as Lisa sees him, she knows that he's the bear for her. Her mother, though, thinks he's...
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
In 1974, French aerialist Philippe Petit threw a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center and spent an hour walking, dancing, and performing high-wire tricks a quarter mile in the sky. This picture book captures the poetry and magic of the event with a poetry of its own:...
The girl who loved wild horses
Goble, Paul.
Paper Book
"There was a girl in the village who loved horses... She led the horses to drink at the river. She spoke softly and they followed. People noticed that she understood horses in a special way." And so begins the story of a young Native American girl devoted to the care of her tribe's...
Is your mama a llama?
Guarino, Deborah.
Ebook
Millions of cats /
Gâag, Wanda,
Paper Book
Wanda Gag's enchanting tale of the very old man who sent off in search of one kitten and returned with "hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats" is an American classic. A Newbery Honor Book. Full color. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.
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...
Where's Spot? /
Hill, Eric,
Paper Book
The bestselling puppy is better than ever. Spot's 25th birthday presents are bold, beautiful color covers that give him a great new look. Enjoy Spot in paperback with full-color covers and traditional Lift-the-Flap features. Have more fun with Spot!
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...
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...
Amazing Grace /
Hoffman, Mary,
Paper Book
Grace loves stories, whether they're from books, movies, or the kind her grandmother tells. So when she gets a chance to play a part in Peter Pan, she knows exactly who she wants to be. Remarkable watercolor illustrations give full expression to Grace's high-flying imagination.
Angelina ballerina
Holabird, Katharine.
Paper Book
In an encore performance, Angelina Ballerina returns in this refreshed picture book from acclaimed author Katharine Holabird and celebrated artist Helen Craig! Angelina is a pretty little mouse who wants nothing more than to be a ballerina. She dances all the time--at home, at...
Rosie's walk
Hutchins, Pat
Audiobook
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 The kitchen window at Nanna and Poppy's house is, for one little girl, a magic gateway. Everything important happens near it, through it, or beyond it. The world for this little girl will soon grow larger and more complex, but never more enchanting or...
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....
The caterpillar and the polliwog
Kent, Jack
Paper Book
A proud caterpillar and a curious polliwog become unlikely friends in this delightful picture book by beloved author, illustrator, and cartoonist Jack Kent! Told with Jack Kent's signature bright, bold, and expressive illustrations, little ones are sure to love this...
The carrot seed
Krauss, Ruth.
Paper Book
Celebrate 75 years of The Carrot Seed with a new foreword from Caldecott Honor picture book creator Kevin Henkes! 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 boy knows that...
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
Beloved picture book creator and four-time Caldecott Honor-winner Leo Lionni's very first story for children, and a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year. Little Blue and Little Yellow are best friends, but one day they can't find each other. When they finally...
Frog and toad are friends
Lobel, Arnold.
Paper Book
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...
Chicka chicka boom boom
Martin, Bill
Paper Book
There is always enough room on your child's bookshelf for this rollicking alphabet chant that has been a children's favorite for over thirty years! A told B, and B told C, "I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree" In this lively alphabet...
Guess how much I love you
McBratney, Sam.
Paper Book
Welcome the family classic with an elegant, refreshed cover -- the quintessential picture book, just waiting to be shared. Sometimes, when you love someone very, very much, you want to find a way of describing how much you treasure them. But, as Little Nutbrown Hare and...
Make way for ducklings
McCloskey, Robert
Paper Book
This classic tale of the famous Mallard ducks of Boston is available for the first time in a full-sized paperback edition. Awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1941, Make Way for Ducklings has been described as "one of the merriest picture books ever" (The New York Times). Ideal for reading aloud, this...
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...
I stink!
McMullan, Kate.
Paper Book
For fans of Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site and Steam Train, Dream Train comes a noisy addition to the hilarious read-aloud series from Kate and Jim McMullan, the popular creators of I'm Bad! and I'm Dirty! Now a streaming animated series! "Know what I do at night while you're...
Martha speaks
Meddaugh, Susan.
Ebook
Martha is visiting a farm for the first time. Along with learning new words, Martha loves to learn new skills so she volunteers to help out with the chores. But who knew that would mean rising before the sun? And how was she supposed to know the sheep weren't allowed in the house anyway? She...
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...
Stone soup
Muth, Jon J.
Paper Book
Award-winning artist Jon J Muth retells the favorite tale of a selfish community who is tricked into creating a delicious soup from stones. Set in China in Muth's hauntingly beautiful watercolors.Three strangers, hungry and tired, pass through a war-torn village. Embittered and suspicious from the...
The day Jimmy's boa ate the wash
Noble, Trinka Hakes.
Audiobook
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
This treasured classic is where it all began for the curious, lovable monkey, Curious George. George meets the man in the yellow hat in the jungle and goes 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...
My friend Rabbit
Rohmann, Eric.
Paper Book
After letting Rabbit play with his toy plane, Mouse finds himself in a real jam as the plane gets stuck high in a tree, but despite Rabbit's persistent assistance, Mouse's plane just won't come free. A Caldecott Medal winner. Reissue.
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
Multimedia
The relatives come to visit from Virginia and everyone has a wonderful time.
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
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 good tricks. I will...
Green eggs and ham /
Seuss,
Paper Book
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!                                       ...
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 picture book has all the earmarks of a classic. Simont gets it all right." --The Horn Book (starred review) Caldecott Medalist Marc Simont's heartwarming tale of a stray dog is told with tender simplicity and grace. When a little dog appears at a family picnic,...
Caps for sale : a tale of a peddler, some monkeys, and their monkey business
Slobodkina, Esphyr
Ebook
Caps for Sale is a timeless classic, in print for over fifty years, and beloved by generations of readers. This easy-to-read story about a peddler and a band of mischievous monkeys is filled with warmth, humor, and simplicity. Children will delight in following the peddlers efforts to outwit the...
There was an old lady who swallowed a fly
Taback, Simms.
Audiobook
Presents the traditional song with illustrations on die-cut pages that reveal all that the old lady swallows.
Noisy Nora
Wells, Rosemary.
Audiobook
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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