Great Read-Alouds for Preschoolers

Here are some of the NPL Youth Services librarians' favorite read-alouds for preschoolers!

Updated December 27, 2023
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
Paletero man
Diaz, Lucky
Paper Book
A vibrant picture book celebrating the strength of community and the tastes of summer from Latin Grammy-winning musician Lucky Diaz and celebrated artist Micah Player. Ring! Ring! Ring! Can you hear his call Paletas for one! Paletas for all! What's the best way to...
The button book
Nicholls, Sally
Paper Book
This silly and sweet picture book introduces young children to colors through humor and clever interactive elements. For fans of Hervé Tullet's Press Here. Here's a button. I wonder what happens when you press it? Follow a group of animal friends as...
Tap the magic tree
Matheson, Christie
Paper Book
The acclaimed interactive picture book about the changing seasons. "Like Hervé Tullet's Press Here, Matheson's Tap the Magic Tree proves you don't need apps for interactivity," praised the New York Times. Every book needs you to turn the pages. But not every...
Stuck
Jeffers, Oliver.
Paper Book
From the illustrator of the #1 smash The Day the Crayons Quit comes another bestseller--a giggle-inducing tale of everything tossed, thrown, and hurled in order to free a kite! When Floyd's kite gets stuck in a tree, he's determined to get it out. But how? Well, by...
Thank you, Omu!
Mora, Oge
Paper Book
A Caldecott Honor Book In this cozy, sweet story perfect for fans of Last Stop on Market Street as well as for the Thanksgiving season, a generous woman is rewarded by her community. A Spanish edition, ¡Gracias, Omu!, is also...
A big bed for Little Snow
Lin, Grace
Paper Book
A companion to the Caldecott Honor book A Big Mooncake for Little Star! A heartwarming and tender picture book introducing readers to their first snow, from award-winning, bestselling author-illustrator Grace Lin. ...
Jabari jumps
Cornwall, Gaia.
Paper Book
"This simple and sincere tale of working up courage to face fears makes quite a splash." -- Kirkus Reviews Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He's finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, and he's a great jumper, so he's not scared at...
Mae among the stars
Ahmed, Roda
Paper Book
A beautiful picture book for sharing and marking special occasions such as graduation, inspired by the life of the first African American woman to travel in space, Mae Jemison. An Amazon Best Book of the Month! A great classroom and bedtime read-aloud, Mae Among the Stars is the...
My papa is a princess
Cenko, Doug
Paper Book
Cuddle up with Dad for this sweet book about a father as seen through his daughter's eyes. When Papa braids her hair, he's a hairdresser; when he hangs her drawings on the wall, he's an art collector. But no matter what happens, he is always her papa, and that's the most important thing of all!
From head to toe
Carle, Eric
Paper Book
From Eric Carle, the New York Times bestselling creator of beloved books including The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Grouchy Ladybug, comes From Head to Toe, a colorful and energetic book that will have young readers clapping their hands, stomping their feet, and wiggling their toes! This...
Sam & Dave dig a hole
Barnett, Mac
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! A 2015 Caldecott Honor Book With perfect pacing, the multi-award-winning, New York Times best-selling team of Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen dig down for a deadpan tale full of visual humor. Sam and Dave are...
I want my hat back
Klassen, J.
Paper Book
A #1 New York Times bestseller! A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of 2011! A picture-book delight by a rising talent tells a cumulative tale with a mischievous twist. The bear's hat is gone, and he wants it back. Patiently...
Your name is a song
Thompkins-Bigelow, Jamilah
Paper Book
Frustrated by a day full of teachers and classmates mispronouncing her beautiful name, a little girl tells her mother she never wants to come back to school. In response, the girl's mother teaches her about the musicality of African, Asian, Black-American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern names on their...
We're going on a bear hunt
Rosen, Michael
Paper Book
Go on a bear hunt and do the actions with this award-winning picture book classic. Follow and join in the family's excitement as they wade through the grass, splash through the river and squelch through the mud in search of a bear. What a surprise awaits them in the cave on the...
Tiptoe tiger
Clarke, Jane
Paper Book
A delightful interactive picture book, filled with vibrant neon artwork by award-winning Britta Teckentrup.
If you're a robot and you know it
Carter, David A.
Paper Book
From bestseller David Carter comes a favorite new robot twist on the classic children's song that pops to life. If you're a robot and you know it clap your hands, jump and beep, fly around, shoot laser beams out of your eyes! It's the classic...
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. ...
Llama Llama red pajama
Dewdney, Anna
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Llama Llama learns to face the bedtime blues in this charmingly written board book, perfect for sending little ones off to sleep. Llama, Llama red pajama waiting, waiting for his mama. Mama isn't coming yet.
Don't push the button!
Cotter, Bill
Paper Book
A USA Today Bestseller! There's only one rule in Larry's book- don't push the button. (Seriously, don't even think about it!) Even if it does look kind of nice, you must never push the button. Who knows what would happen? Okay, quick. No one is looking... push the button.
There's a monster in your book
Fletcher, Tom
Paper Book
A cased board book edition of Tom Fletcher's brilliant, interactive story, where a mischievous monster has invaded the pages of your book! This read-aloud treat invites children to make magic happen page by page, tilting, spinning and shaking the book, and then seeing the funny results...
Bear feels scared
Wilson, Karma.
Paper Book
Bad weather frightens Bear, but his woodland friends are there to help him in this sweet, reassuring Bear story from bestselling duo Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman! In the deep, dark woods by the Strawberry Vale, a big bear lumbers down a...
The very hungry caterpillar
Carle, Eric.
Paper Book
THE ICONIC #1 BESTSELLER * The all-time classic starring the world's favorite caterpillar! This beautiful, sturdy board book is a perfect gift for new babies, baby showers, birthdays, and other new beginnings! "Gorgeously illustrated, brilliantly innovative."--The New York Times...
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...
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes
Litwin, Eric.
Paper Book
Pete the Cat is off for a walk in his brand new white shoes, and he feels like singing. 'I love my white shoes...' But can he keep the music flowing if his shoes aren't so white any more? Pete the Cat is feeling good in his brand new white shoes, just walking along, singing...
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
Willems, Mo.
Paper Book

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.