Our Favorite Read Alouds & Tips

Check out what our youth librarians love reading during storytime and get age-specific tips for choosing books to read with your child at home!

Updated February 6, 2024
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LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County)Gladstone & Oak Lodge Public Libraries
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https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/childrens-books/articles/how-choose-read-aloud-books-babies-third-graders
How do you choose books to read aloud with your child? There are many things to think about: how interesting the topic or characters might be for your child; an intriguing setting, time period, or plot; the liveliness or beauty of the language; or how engaging the illustrations are. Some books are more appropriate based on social and emotional development at each stage of a young child’s life. Find guidance here in choosing great read alouds.
Endlessly ever after : pick your path to countless fairy tale endings! : a story of Little Red Riding Hood, Jack, Hansel, Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, a wolf, a witch, a goose, a grandmother, some pigs, and endless variations
Snyder, Laurel
Paper Book
This funny, original, choose-your-path picture book of fractured fairy tales will charm any young fan of the genre, putting the power of storytelling right in the reader's hands! Grab your basket and your coat. Put on some walking shoes. Turn the page...

Jessica's pick. Great for reading aloud with school-age kids!

Animals move
Whittingham, Jane.
Paper Book
Preschoolers love baby animals, and they love to move. Celebrate both with a hard-wearing Toddler Tough picture book perfect for an active read-aloud. Calves swim, / Hatchlings bounce, / Porcupettes nibble, / Kittens pounce. Story time is on the move with this multilayered concept book....
Jessica's pick. The perfect read-aloud for the energetic toddler!
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...
Susannah's pick. Silly fun for toddlers and preschoolers!
Everybunny dance!
Sandall, Ellie
Paper Book
Bunnies dance, play, sing, and make a new friend in this delightful picture book from the author of Follow Me!, which School Library Journal called "a winsome selection suitable for storytime." Nobody is watching. Now's the perfect chance. ...

Heather's pick. A fun interactive read for energetic toddlers!

Farmyard beat
Craig, Lindsey.
Paper Book
Author Lindsey Craig teams up with Arthur creator and bestselling artist Marc Brown in a toe-tapping farmyard dance-a-thon--perfect for toddler and preschooler read-alouds. As soon as the sun goes down, the animals are up! ("Sheep can't sleep. Sheep can't sleep. Sheep can't sleep 'cause they got...

Heather's pick. Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers!

Fluffy McWhiskers : cuteness explosion
Martin, Stephen W.
Paper Book
Friendship is hard for Fluffy, a kitten so precious that anyone who looks at her explodes! Meet Fluffy--an adorable kitten. So adorable, in fact, that anyone who sees her will spontaneously explode into balls of sparkles and fireworks. KABOOM! Poof. Poor...
Jessica's pick. A funny read-aloud for school-agers!
The I love you book
Parr, Todd.
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! This adorable gift book from beloved author Todd Parr is the perfect way to say "I love you." With his colorful illustrations, playful humor, and inclusive storytelling, beloved author Todd Parr has long been a...

Susannah's pick. A sweet read-aloud to snuggle with!

Is everyone ready for fun?
Thomas, Jan
Paper Book
Chicken has some unexpected and exuberant cow visitors who have exciting plans for jumping, dancing, and wiggling on his teeny-tiny couch, and Chicken is none too happy about it. That is until the fun concludes with a quiet, cozy and delicious nap for all!

Heather's pick. A funny read-aloud for all ages!

The legend of rock paper scissors
Daywalt, Drew
Paper Book
New York Times Bestseller! 5 Starred Reviews! "Will have listeners in stitches." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Purely absurd, sidesplitting humor." --Booklist (starred review) "Demands bombastic, full-volume performances." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) ...

Heather's pick. Great for reading aloud with school-age kids!

Moo!
LaRochelle, David
Paper Book
This utterly clever and fun story is the perfect read aloud! When Cow gets her hooves on the farmer's car, she takes it for a wild ride through the country. Moooo! But a bump in the road brings this joy ride to a troublesome end. Moo-moo. . . . Has Cow learned her lesson about...

Susannah's pick. Silly read-aloud fun for everyone!

Pete the cat. I love my white shoes
Litwin, Eric
Paper Book
Don't miss the first and bestselling book in the beloved Pete the Cat series! Pete the Cat goes walking down the street wearing his brand-new white shoes. Along the way, his shoes change from white to red to blue to brown to WET as he steps in piles of strawberries, blueberries, and other...

Heather's pick. A classic!

The rice in the pot goes round and round
Shang, Wendy Wan Long
Paper Book
Sing along to this delicious twist on "The Wheels on the Bus" and celebrate the food, laughter, and love of a multigenerational family meal! * "Artfully brings an authentic expression of family love...an utterly charming [twist] to a familiar tune." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred...
Jessica's pick. Readers of all ages will enjoy singing along!
Rhyming dust bunnies
Thomas, Jan
Paper Book
Bug! Rug! Mug! Hug! These dust bunnies love to rhyme. Well, except for Bob. Much to the other bunnies' frustration, Bob can never get the rhythm right. Then he saves everyone from a big, scary monster wielding--gasp!--a broom, and they all breathe a sigh of relief. But can Bob save them from the big...

Susannah's pick. Silly fun for young ones learning how to rhyme!

Shh! We have a plan
Haughton, Chris
Paper Book
From the creator of Little Owl Lost and Oh No, George! comes a funny, strikingly illustrated story of best-laid plans -- and the secret to attracting the birdie. Four friends creep through the woods, and what do they spot? An exquisite bird high in a tree! "Hello...

Susannah's pick. An adventure for preschoolers and up!

The wheels on the tuk tuk
Sehgal, Kabir
Paper Book
From the mother-son duo behind the New York Times bestselling A Bucket of Blessings comes a zany picture book about a wild ride on a tuk tuk taxi in India! This picture book brings an international twist to the beloved nursery rhyme, The Wheels on the Bus, by...

Jessica's pick. Readers of all ages will enjoy singing along!


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