Books for Preschoolers

Shareable books to get your preschooler ready to read, full of appealing artwork, concepts and phrases. For more guidelines on finding books to share with your preschooler, check out our printable pamphlet.

Updated November 7, 2024
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1

What Riley wore
Arnold, Elana K.
Paper Book
Gender-creative Riley knows just what to wear for every occasion during a busy week with family and friends in this sweet and timely picture book from Elana K. Arnold and Linda Davick. Riley wears whatever clothes feel right each day. On Monday, Riley feels shy and wears a bunny...

2

Extra yarn
Barnett, Mac.
Paper Book
From bestselling and award-winning author Mac Barnett and illustrator Jon Klassen comes Extra Yarn, a Caldecott Honor Book, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winner, and a New York Times bestseller. A young girl and her box of magical yarn transform a community in this stunning picture...

3

The turnip
Brett, Jan
Paper Book
In a rollicking, cumulative tale, a badger family and their friends-Hedgie, Mr. Ram and Vanya, the horse-struggle to pull up a giant turnip. A cocky rooster steps in and pulls, sending him into the air, holding onto the turnip. No one knows that a mother bear in her underground den has kicked the...

4

Grandma's tiny house : a counting story!
Brown-Wood, JaNay
Paper Book
Chicago Public Library's 2017 Best of the Best Books selection "A fine addition to book collections about families, food, counting, and joyous gatherings" - The Horn Book This sweet, rhyming counting book introduces young readers to numbers one through fifteen...

5

The very busy spider
Carle, Eric.
Paper Book
A VERY classic from Eric Carle, creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Early one morning a little spider spins her web on a fence post. One by one, the animals of the nearby farm try to distract her, yet the busy little spider keeps diligently at her work. When she is done...

6

Mixed : a colorful story
Chung, Arree
Paper Book

7

You hold me up
Gray Smith, Monique
Paper Book
Key Selling Points Simple but powerful text shows us the different ways we can respect and be kind to one another in this moving picture book. The author is well-known for her board and picture books. Her title My Heart Fills with Happiness was selected for the 2019 TD Grade...

8

We don't eat our classmates!
Higgins, Ryan T.
Paper Book
It's the first day of school for Penelope Rex, and she can't wait to meet her classmates. But it's hard to make human friends when they're so darn delicious! That is, until Penelope gets a taste of her own medicine and finds she may not be at the top of the food chain after all...

9

Green pants
Kraegel, Kenneth
Paper Book
For kids who march to their own drummer -- or are especially attached to a comfort object -- here is a completely adorable character who wears his singularity in style. Jameson only ever wears green pants. When he wears green pants, he can do anything. But if he wants to...

10

Builders & breakers
Light, Steve
Paper Book
Experience the bustling energy of an urban construction site with Steve Light's colorful celebration of builders, breakers, and the machines they use. When their dad forgets his lunch box on his way to the construction site, a young brother and sister set out to take it to him,...

11

A big mooncake for Little Star
Lin, Grace
Paper Book
A gorgeous picture book that tells a whimsical origin story of the phases of the moon, from award-winning, bestselling author-illustrator Grace Lin Pat, pat, pat... Little Star's soft feet tiptoed to the Big Mooncake. Little Star loves the delicious...

12

Julián is a mermaid
Love, Jessica
Paper Book
Winner of a 2019 Stonewall Book Award In an exuberant picture book, a glimpse of costumed mermaids leaves one boy flooded with wonder and ready to dazzle the world. While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián notices three women...

13

When Aidan became a brother
Lukoff, Kyle
Paper Book
Stonewall Book Award Winner - American Library Association (ALA) This sweet and groundbreaking picture book, winner of the 2020 Stonewall Book Award, celebrates the changes in a transgender boy's life, from his initial coming-out to becoming a big brother. When Aidan was born...

14

Drawn together
Lê, Minh
Paper Book
The recipient of six starred reviews and the APALA Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature!   Named a Best Book of 2018 by the Wall Street Journal, NPR, Smithsonian, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Booklist, the...

15

?Gracias, 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...

16

Princess Puffybottom... and Darryl
Nielsen-Fernlund, Susin
Paper Book
What's a pampered cat to do now that she has to compete for attention with an ill-mannered puppy? Award-winning author Susin Nielsen delights in this laugh-a-minute twist on the classic sibling rivalry story. Princess Puffybottom has the perfect life -- her subjects serve her...

17

A family is a family is a family
O'Leary, Sara
Paper Book
When a teacher asks her class to think about what makes their families special, the answers are all different, but the same in one important way ... When a teacher asks the children in her class to think about what makes their families special, the answers are all different in many ways --...

18

The tortoise & the hare
Pinkney, Jerry
Paper Book
This lavish, highly-acclaimed rendition of Aesop's most beloved fable about grit, hope, and resilience is brought to life by Caldecott Medal-winning artist Jerry Pinkney.   This nearly wordless companion to the Caldecott Medal-winning The Lion & the...

19

My papi has a motorcycle
Quintero, Isabel
Paper Book
A celebration of the love between a father and daughter, and of a vibrant immigrant neighborhood, by an award-winning author and illustrator duo. A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Century When Daisy Ramona zooms around her neighborhood with her...

20

Las aventuras de Beekle : el amigo (no) imaginario
Santat, Dan
Paper Book
An imaginary friend grows weary of waiting for a child to adopt him from the far away land where imaginary friends are born, so he does something extraordinary. He embarks on the long journey to the real world to find his own special someone and ends up in New York City, where he eventually finds...

21

Who wet my pants?
Shea, Bob
Paper Book
In this hilarious tale of blame, compassion, and forgiveness, a very embarrassed bear is reminded that accidents can happen--but with the support of good friends, life goes on. Reuben the bear's got donuts for everyone in his scout troop, but his friends are...

22

Want to play trucks?
Stott, Ann
Paper Book
Jack likes trucks. Alex likes dolls. What will they play together? Their new favorite game, of course! Jack and Alex meet almost every morning in the sandbox at the playground. Jack likes trucks -- big ones, the kind that can wreck things. Alex likes dolls -- pink ones, with...

23

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!

24

Octopus stew
Velasquez, Eric
Paper Book
What do you do when an octopus captures Grandma? Put on your superhero cape and rescue her! This clever picture book tells two stories in one, from award-winning Afro-Latino artist Eric Velasquez. The octopus Grandma is cooking has grown to titanic proportions. "¡Tenga cuidado!"...

25

They all saw a cat
Wenzel, Brendan
Paper Book
The cat walked through the world, with its whiskers, ears and paws . . . and the child saw A CAT, and the dog saw A CAT, and the fox saw A CAT. Yes, they all saw the cat.' In simple, rhythmic prose and ingeniously stylized pictures, Brendan Wenzel takes young readers on a walk alongside a cat....

26

Goldilocks and the three dinosaurs
Willems, Mo.
Paper Book
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs is a new take on the fairy-tale classic Goldilocks and the Three Bears, so funny and so original--it could only come from the brilliant mind of Mo Willems, the author/illustrator of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and the Elephant and Piggie series. ...

27

The little mouse, the red ripe strawberry, & the big hungry bear
Wood, Don
Paper Book
First published in 1984, a picture book in which the Little Mouse will do all he can to save his strawberry from the Big, Hungry Bear, even if it means sharing it with the reader. The Little Mouse and the Big Hungry Bear are known and loved by millions of children around the world. Little Mouse...

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