(I first posted the following three years ago and it remains one of my most popular posts, so I thought I’d share it again. Since we created this list, I’d now add one that our son thoroughly enjoyed: Itsy Mitsy Runs Away, a fun book about a little girl who hates bedtime. It reminds me a little of “The House That Jack Built”, in that a list of things builds through the story. The illustrations are quite unique and delightful. Note: I’ve got a list of books to read to your baby here.)
Reading to your toddler or preschooler is a rich and rewarding experience. It opens up conversations, expands vocabulary and introduces new worlds. But I’ve found that accidentally choosing a poorly written or illustrated book can make story time a lot less fun. And beware the book you loathe, but your child loves and wants read again and again.
Over the years I’ve compiled a list of books we’ve adored for both the writing and illustrations and shared it with friends, who have often in turn shared some of theirs. Here are the top 40 favorite books we turn to when going to the library or when we’re adding to our bookshelves.
By Stead, Philip C.
This book is easily our number one favorite. It’s one of those rare books that has a compelling story and is so richly illustrated that in subsequent readings you notice clever and even funny details in the drawings that you missed on earlier readings. Stead’s wife was the illustrator and it won a Caldecott medal.
By Stead, Philip C.
Stead wrote this following A Sick Day for Amos McGee and this time illustrated it himself. While his style differs from his wife’s illustrations in Amos McGee – they’re less detailed – the drawings are equally adorable and the story is utterly charming. Tip: While the story starts after the title page, the illustrations start after the front cover and provide some important context to the story of the bird that is missing from its cuckoo clock.
3. That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown
By Cowell, Cressida
Cowell dreams up some wonderful adventures for Emily Brown and her toy rabbit Stanley, as a young Queen pursues the latter. The illustrations by Neal Layton are simple and child-like yet rich in their own right.
By Cowell, Cressida
The follow-up to That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown, we enjoy this tale as much (and sometimes more than) the first. Emily Brown and Stanley star again and have some imaginative adventures as they help a monster get to sleep.
5. Knuffle Bunny, A Cautionary Tale
By Willems, Mo
Willems combines his cartoon-like illustrations with photographs to tell this simple but very cute story. We enjoy reading this again and again. The two sequels are also very enjoyable.
By Donaldson, Julia
This rhyming tale moves along at a good pace and although the book involves a witch and a dragon, the illustrations are friendly and non-threatening. This can easily be read again and again.
7. The Gruffalo
By Donaldson, Julia
I’d rank this ahead of Room on the Broom, but for the fact that our daughter did develop a very mild fear of the main character. Perhaps we introduced it to her a little too early. She loves it now and we have fun making up stories about Gruffalos.
By Jeffers, Oliver
Oliver Jeffers both illustrated and wrote this great story of friendship between a lost penguin and a boy who finds him. The sequel, Up and Down, is also very nice.
By Daywalt, Drew
Slightly longer than many books on this list, this imaginative story about a box of crayons with jealousies toward one another or feelings of overuse or underuse is also wonderfully illustrated by Oliver Jeffers (number 8 above) in his distinctive style.
10. Extra Yarn
Barnett, Mac
This is an adorable tale about a girl in a town that is lacking in color and diversity. The wonderful story is matched brilliantly with the delightful illustrations of Jon Klassen.
By Klassen, J.
Written and illustrated by the illustrator of Extra Yarn, this short and simple, yet clever story had our daughter laughing out loud on the second (and every subsequent) reading as she anticipated the fate of the bunny who stole the bear’s hat.
By Klassen, J.
Although it’s a very similar story to I Want My Hat Back, the illustrations are again wonderful and it too makes our daughter laugh out loud.
By Kerr, Judith
This was one my childhood favorites and it’s stood the test of time. Although its reference to “daddy’s beer” makes it hard to imagine anyone writing this book today, it’s a fun and imaginative story that hasn’t lost its appeal after all these years.
By Kerr, Judith
Another favorite from my early years, our daughter enjoys this equally as much. The illustrations are great and Sophie’s family dynamics are wonderful.
By Juster, Norton
We all enjoy reading this nice story about spending time at grandma and granddad’s house. The illustrations are vibrant and almost abstract.
By Mahy, Margaret
This was a fantastical story I liked when I was growing up and it’s nice that my daughter does too. It’s a tale of a boy who lets his imagination run wild.
By Ray, Jane
This book is a delight, with great illustrations and characters, and it deals with a serious topic (illness) in a lighthearted way.
By Ray, Jane
Although a modern story, it’s told as if it’s an old fairy tale. Ray’s terrific illustrations support the story well.
19. The Mitten
By Brett, Jan
This is a modern take on an old Ukrainian story. Brett’s paintings are delightful, with details and borders that carry from page to page.
By Brett, Jan
Brett takes on a Scandinavian-style tale in this story set in Denmark. Once again she uses detailed paintings to support the story, in which a little boy is taught a lesson by a hedgehog.
21. The Snowy Day
By Keats, Ezra Jack
Keats captures the delight of a snowfall in this story, which I first enjoyed during my childhood.
22. Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons
By Dean, James
This short book is fun to read and includes a song you can sing along with your child. With vividly illustrated pages, it also offers a lesson in dealing with unimportant loss.
23. Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy
By Dodd, Lynley
This is the first Hairy Maclary book and we love everyone in the series. The pictures are great and the repeated, rhyming lines are fun as our daughter picks them up quickly and will “read” along with us.
24. Little Owl Lost
By Haughton, Chris
We love the pictures in this book that deals with getting lost and found. The animals in the forest that help the little owl are fun characters.
25. Pinkalicious
by Kann, Victoria and Kann, Elizabeth
While this may be more suited for little girls than boys, it’s enjoyable for an adult to read and the multimedia illustrations are detailed and interesting to delve into.
26. Olivia
By Falconer, Ian
The heroine of this delightful story is a precocious pig. The rich vocabulary is terrific to read and Olivia is easy for a pre-schooler (and parent) to identify with.
By McCloskey, Robert
Although set and written in 1941, the story of this family of ducks in central Boston is timeless. It was one of the first winners of a Caldecott medal and deservedly so.
By Massie, Diane Redfield
Featuring an array of zoo characters, this is a fun story with amusing illustrations.
29. Bear Snores on
By Wilson, Karma
This is an enjoyable tale about a number of forest creatures who seek shelter from the winter in the cave of a hibernating bear.
By Eastman, P.D.
It was nice to rediscover this book at the library. I remember reading it to myself when I was younger. It’s a story of redemption for a firefly who gets into mischief.
31. Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site
By Duskey Rinker, Sherri
This book is a great introduction to the different types of construction equipment as well as a good bedtime story.
32. One Snowy Night
By Butterworth, Nick
This is a nicely illustrated story about a caring park keeper who can’t bear to say no to a steady stream of animals that show up at his door wanting to get out of the cold.
33. Caps for Sale
By Slobodkina, Esphyr
Almost fable-like in its telling, this classic story is a joy to read.
34. Harold and the Purple Crayon
By Johnson, Crockett
This story about the power of imagination is one I loved being read when I was little and it’s equally enjoyable reading it to a child now.
35. Mrs. Armitage Queen of the Road
By Blake, Quentin
I loved Quentin Blake’s illustrations in Roald Dahl’s books when I was younger and it’s nice to discover some of his own writings accompanied by his whimsical drawings. This story is humorous and moves along at a nice pace.
By Lord, John Vernon
The lyrical rhyming verse and delightful drawings make this a timeless classic.
By Sendak, Maurice
I think all of my friends enjoyed this growing up and it’s stood the test of time.
38. Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me
By Carle, Eric
Although we love The Very Hungry Caterpillar and many other of Carle’s books, this is my and my daughter’s favorite. Perhaps it’s because I’m a dad and the main character is a little girl. But we also like the way the pages open lengthwise, up or down or even all pop open as part of the dad’s efforts to get the moon.
39. Corduroy
By Freeman, Don
I’m not sure how we came across Corduroy, but I’m glad we did. The title character is a delightful toy bear who has an adventure in a department store as he awaits a little girl or boy to take him home.
By Zion, Gene
Another childhood favorite rounds out our list. This fun story of a dog who runs away to avoid a bath, but soon misses home was first published in 1956, which explains the scene with the coal chute, but doesn’t detract from the tale.
Leave comments with your favorite books we should consider adding to our list!
I remember your grandmother Ruth speaking about wanting to illustrate children’s books. She did a lovely quick painting for our first, about 40 years ago.
Good memory! She did eventually manage to illustrate several as well as write one of her own. We have copies of one about a family of rabbits looking for a bigger home that was used in New Zealand schools. Mum managed to get her hands on copies of some she was involved in and has shared them with us. Thanks for your comment!