Mama Monday: Preschool Read Aloud Book List

A few years ago, when I first started homeschooling, I came across a book that changed our family's night time routine. It is called The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. In it he lays out chapter after chapter of reasons that children need you to read to them, even after they can read on their own. Since reading that book, I have made it a point to read to the kids every night before they go to bed. I must say that it is our favorite part of the day!

However, I didn't want to read just any old thing to my children. I wanted high quality books that have stood the test of time, so I used the lists in Mr. Treleases's book, lists I found online, Caldecott winners, Texas Bluebonnet winners, Newbery winners, and friend recommendations and have been compiling a list of books for each grade level. Please keep in mind that children can understand books at a higher level than they can read them, so if the books seem advanced for this age group, they are supposed to be!

*Personal Family Favorite

Preschool Read Aloud Book List

• All About Alfie by Shirley Hughes (series)*
• Any Dr. Seuss books*
• Arthur’s Chicken Pox by Marc Brown (series)
• Baby Brains by Simon James*
• Baby Brains Superstar by Simon James*
• Baby Brains and Robomom by Simon James*
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr.
• Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin, Jr.
• Barn Dance by Bill Martin, Jr.
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr.*
• Chewy Louie by Howie Schneider
• Wilkey the White House Cockroach by Howie Schneider
• The Best Pet of All by David LaRochelle
• Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
• Pickles to Pittsburgh by Judi Barrett
• Animals Should Definitely Not Act Like People by Judi Barrett
• Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett
• The Complete Adventures of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter*
• Corduroy by Don Freeman*
• A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman
• Beady Bear by Don Freeman
• Deep in the Forest by Brinton Turkle
• Dinosaur Bob and His Adventures with the Family Lazardo by William Joyce
• George Shrinks by William Joyce
• Rolie Polie Olie by William Joyce*
• Santa Calls by William Joyce
• Erandi’s Braids by Antonio Hernandez Madrigal
• Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London (series)
• Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke
• Grandma’s Bears by Gina Wilson
• Grandma Summer by Harley Jessup
• The Great Fuzz Frenzy by Janet Stevens
• The House on East 88^th Street by Bernard Waber (series)
• The Mouse that Snored by Bernard Waber
• Evie and Margie by Bernard Waber
• How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen (series)*
• Can I Please Have a Stegosaurus, Mom?  Can I Please? by Lois G. Grambling
• Little Grunt and the Big Egg: A Prehistoric Fairy Tale by Tomie DePaola
• If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff (series)*
• I Stink! by Kate and Jim McMullan
• I’m Mighty! by Kate and Jim McMullan
• Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes *
• Lilly’s Big Day by Kevin Henkes*
• Chester’s Way by Kevin Henkes*
• Julius, the Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes*
• The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton*
• Wump World by Bill Peet
• The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams
• There’s a Nightmare in my Closet by Mercer Mayer
• The Squeaky Door by Margaret Read MacDonald
• Little Red Riding Hood by Trina Schart Hyman
• Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey*
• Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey*
• Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus
• Knuffle Bunny by Mo Wilems (series)*
• The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
• I Am Small by Emma Dodd*
• Micawber by John Lithgow
• The Mysterious Tadpole by Steven Kellogg
• The Napping House by Audrey Wood
• Regards to the Man in the Moon by Ezra Jack Keats
• The Silver Pony by Lynd Ward*
• Snip Snap! What’s That? by Mara Bergman
• Pete’s a Pizza by Robert Coles*
• The Voice of the Great Bell by Lafcadio Hearn
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle*
• The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle*
• Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle*
• The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle*
• The Very Clumsy Click Beetle by Eric Carle*
• The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle*
• We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
• Where’s My Teddy? by Jez Alborough  (series)
• You Can Do It, Sam by Amy Hest (series)
• The Purple Coat by Amy Hest
• In the Rain with Baby Duck by Amy Hest
• Minnie and Sophie by Miriam Cohen
• Minnie and Sophie: All Around the Town by Miriam Cohen

I want to encourage all mothers to take the time and read to your children. It makes such a world of difference in so many ways to them and you. If your family has any favorite books for the preschool age, please leave the name in the comments. We are always on the lookout for more good books!

Books are our old friends in the treehouse,

Chelli