reading Archives

100 of the Very Best Picture Books for Preschoolers

November 21, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

I’ve been a parent for nearly 13 years and we have four children. So I can tell you that it’s easy to get into the “routine” of parenting – just kind of going from day to day trying to keep your head above the water.

But something happens when your last child begins preschool. Personally, that snapped me out of the routine mindset and into the “treasure every moment” way of thinking. The thought that this is my last child to teach at home was a real jolt.

Piglet started PreK this fall, so we’re officially teaching our very last preschooler. And, since she already has a good grasp on letters, numbers, colors, counting, and shapes, I want to spend a lot of her preschool year exploring wonderful children’s books.

So I thought I’d make an ultimate list of the very best picture books for preschoolers. There are 100 of the best children’s picture books on this list, including modern stories and classic picture books that preschool-aged kids will love to read! But be warned, parents: Expect to read a lot of these over and over again.

If you love these selections, don’t miss our preschool homeschool reading list for this year!

100 Picture Books for Preschoolers

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1. Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae

2. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

3. The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen

4. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

5. Waiting is Not Easy! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems

6. The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

7. The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister

8. Press Here by Herve Tullet

9. The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin

10. Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman

11. Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty

12. First 100 Animals by Roger Priddy

13. Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things That Go by Richard Scarry

14. My Mouth is a Volcano by Julia Cook

15. The Going-to-Bed Book by Sandra Boynton

16. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

17. Good, Good Father by Chris Tomlin

18. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr

19. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

20. Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey

21. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

22. Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes! by James Dean

23. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

24. Hands Are Not for Hitting by Martine Agassi, Ph.D.

25. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

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50 Winter Books for Kids

October 28, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

It takes a while for cold weather to reach us all the way down here in the South. But once it comes, it tends to stay for the rest of the season. Around the middle of November, we pull out our coats and we typically wear them without a break until April. 🙂

Last year, I shared plenty of free winter printables for kids and this year I wanted to follow up with a fun book list: Winter Books for Kids! I hope you love these stories! There are beautiful board books, cozy stories, and even a few nonfiction books to help kids learn more about this season!

50 Winter Books for Kids

1. Bright Baby Touch-and-Feel Winter by Roger Priddy

2. Animals in Winter (Let’s Read and Find Out Science) by Henrietta Bancroft

3. Winter is Coming by Tony Johnston

4. Winter Walk by Virginia Snow

5. The Mitten by Jan Brett

6. The Berenstain Bears’ Winter Wonderland by Jan & Mike Berenstain

7. The Storm Whale in Winter by Benji Davies

8. Winter Woes by Marty Kelley

9. The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming

10. Daniel’s Winter Adventure (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood) by Becky Friedman

11. Winter: A Pop-Up Book by David Carter

12. Let It Snow by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

13. The Animals’ Winter Sleep by Lynda Graham-Barber

14. Before Morning by Joyce Sidman

15. A Warm Winter Tail by Carrie A. Pearson

16. Winter Lullaby by Barbara Seuling

17. Mouse’s First Snow by Lauren Thompson

18. It’s Winter! (Celebrate the Seasons!) by Susan Swan

19. Ride the Big Machines in Winter: My Big Machines by Carmen Mok

20. Bugs and Bugsicles: Insects in the Winter by Amy S. Hansen

21. Brian’s Winter by Gary Paulsen

22. All About Animals in Winter by Martha E. H. Rustad

23. No Two Alike by Keith Baker

24. A Winter’s Tale (Peter Rabbit) by Beatrix Potter

25. Winter by Gerda Muller

26. Winter, Awake! by Linda Kroll

27. Winter Pony by Jean Slaughter Doty

28. One Winter’s Day by M. Christina Butler

29. How Do You Know It’s Winter (Rookie Read-About Science) by Lisa M. Herrington

30. A Bed for the Winter, Level 1 by Karen Wallace

31. Little Critter: Just a Snowman by Mercer Mayer

32. Winter is Here! by Heidi Pross Gray

33. Winter Eyes by Douglas Florian

34. Guess How Much I Love You in the Winter: Deluxe Paper-Cut Edition by Sam McBratney

35. Winter on the Farm (Little House Picture Book) by Laura Ingalls Wilder

36. Winter Bees and Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman

37. The Science of Snow: The Story of Winter’s Wonder by Mark Cassino

38. Winter, Winter, Cold and Snow by Sharon Gibson Palermo

39. Lemonade in Winter: A Book about Two Kids Counting Money by Emily Jenkins

40. Winter’s Tale by Robert Sabuda

41. Winter Friends by Carl R. Sams II

42. When Winter Comes by Nancy Van Laan

43. The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Snow by Joanna Cole

44. Waiting for Winter by Sebastian Meschenmoser

45. One Winter’s Night by Claire Freedman

46. Winter Snow by Liesbet Slegers

47. The Winter Visitors by Karel Hayes

48. I See Winter by Charles Ghigna

49. Waiting Through Winter by Jason Farley

50. Baby Loves Winter: A Karen Katz Lift-the-Flap Book

Love these cold weather stories? Grab more of our winter learning resources!

Need more winter activity inspiration? Follow my Winter Activities for Kids board on Pinterest!

20 Adorable Bear Books for Kids to Read

October 26, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

When I think of fall, I start picturing taking a long, long nap.

Hey, a mother of four can dream, right?

But for some animals, hibernation is a necessary part of life and that includes bears!

At the library recently, our preschooler found several books about bears that were just downright adorable and that got me searching for fun and educational, not to mention cute, bear books for kids.

Here’s a list of the titles we’ve found. By the way, these would be wonderful read aloud selections for a bear unit or even a hibernation unit!

Be sure to check these out when you’re building your homeschool reading list for this year!

For more books, browse our list of fall books for kids and leaf books for kids too!

20 Adorable Bear Books for Kids to Read:

1. National Geographic Readers: Bears by National Geographic Kids

2. The Bear Ate Your Sandwich by Julia Sarcone-Roach

3. Bears: Polar Bears, Black Bears, and Grizzly Bears by Deborah Hodge

4. Bear Snores On (The Bear Books) by Karma Wilson

5. The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland

6. Bears (Wildlife) by Diane Swanson

7. Breaking News: Bear Alert! by David Biedrzycki

8. Our Amazing World: Bears by Kay De Silva

9. Big Smelly Bear by Britta Teckentrup

10. Grizzly Bears by Molly Kolpin

11. Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear

12. Sneeze, Big Bear, Sneeze! by Maureen Wright

13. The Grizzly Bear Who Lost His GRRRRR! by Rob Biddulph

14. National Geographic Little Kids Look and Learn: Bears by National Geographic Kids

15. American Black Bears by Molly Kolpin

16. Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? by Nancy White Carlstrom

17. The Bears on Hemlock Mountain by Alice Dalgliesh

18. Don’t Feed the Bear by Kathleen Doherty

19. I Have A Little Problem, Said the Bear by Heinz Janisch

20. Bear Came Along by Richard T. Morris

Don’t miss these other book lists for kids!

Plus, see more tips for raising readers on my Reading for Kids Pinterest board!

Simple Homeschool Reading List for 6th Grade

October 13, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Since we have a sixth grader this year (our first middle schooler!), I’ve been looking around for great kids’ books for her age range for some time.

If you have a tween, I don’t have to tell you that it actually seems as if you’re parenting two different children: one that acts about 20 and one that acts about 6. My daughter switches between both age levels almost simultaneously.

I really wanted her to progress to reading thought-provoking books this year, but I also want her to indulge her silly side a bit. So I put together this homeschool reading list for 6th grade. There are serious and eye-opening selections, as well as some playful ones – perfect for both sides of the tween mind.

Be sure to see our preschool reading list and our third grade reading list for this year also!

Image c/o: robertsrob / depositphotos

Homeschool Reading List for 6th Grade

1. The View from Saturday – E.L. Konigsburg

2. Miracle’s Boys – Jacqueline Woodson

3. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee

4. Drama – Raina Telgemeier

5. Homeless Bird – Gloria Whelan

6. The Skin I’m In – Sharon G. Flake

7. Bud, Not Buddy – Christopher Paul Curtis

8. Dork Diaries #1: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life – Rachel Renee Russell

9. M.C. Higgins, The Great – Virginia Hamilton

10. Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life – James Patterson

11. Sounder – William H. Armstrong

12. Out of My Mind – Sharon M. Draper

Don’t miss our other book lists!

Plus, get more tips for raising readers on my Reading for Kids Pinterest board!

Preschool Homeschool Reading List

September 30, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Reading is a huge part of our homeschool. Huge. The kids spent time reading literally every single day. Based on my experiences in life, I think that the most important part of a good education is learning to love reading. Think about it: If you love to read, you can truly learn anything you want, whenever you want!

Naturally, we try to start our kids out with daily reading at a very young age. So, since Piglet is starting preschool this year, we’ve put together her preschool homeschool reading list. Look out for activities to go along with these stories in the coming months!

Image c/o: Andy-pix / depositphotos

Preschool Homeschool Reading List

1. The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen

2. Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae

3. Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson

4. The Pigeon Needs a Bath by Mo Willems

5. National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Animals

6. Stone Soup by Marcia Brown

7. The Mitten by Jan Brett

8. The Cloud Book by Tomie dePaola

9. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

10. Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell

11. Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

12. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

13. Press Here by Herve Tullet

14. Corduroy by Don Freeman

15. The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf

16. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson

17. Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

18. Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater

19. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr. and Eric Carle

20. Curious George by H.A. Rey

21. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

22. Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff

23. Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things That Go by Richard Scarry

24. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton

Don’t miss these other book lists for kids!

Get more ideas for raising readers on my Reading for Kids Pinterest board!

Our Third Grade Homeschool Reading List

September 23, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

When I was in elementary school many years ago (I have no intention of saying how many years ago), I remember third grade as being a kind of pivot point in my early education. In our first grade reading and second grade reading classes, we read lots of books, but they were mostly easy readers and a few small chapter books.

In third grade, though, our reading levels jumped quite a bit and I started to read books that really stayed with me. I can even remember some of the read-aloud sessions we had in the classroom. (You know the ones where you have to sit cross-legged on the floor around the teacher? Those.)

So I wanted to introduce my third grader to some of those same classic children’s books, while introducing him to some newer works that are just as good. Here’s a look at the third grade homeschool reading list we’re using for this school year!

Image c/o: kwanchaidp / Deposit Photos

Our Third Grade Homeschool Reading List

Our plan is to read one of these each month and do some activities. As we work through the list, we’ll be sharing our ideas with you all!

1. Wonder by R.J. Palacio

2. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl – Here are some Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ideas and activities you might enjoy!

3. Ramona Quimby, Age 8

4. Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

5. The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling

6. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

7. El Deafo by Cece Bell

8. Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar

9. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

10. Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

11. Frindle by Andrew Clements

12. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell

Do you have any favorites that you read with your kids in third grade? Share your suggestions in the comments!

Check out these other homeschool reading lists!

Plus, get more ideas for raising readers on my Reading for Kids Pinterest board!

Kids’ Books about Leaves

September 12, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We’ve been sharing lots of fall fun for kids lately, including apple tree playdough mats, plenty of fall leaf activities and crafts you can make as a family, and kids’ books about camping. But we’ve been missing leaf books! Doh!

I love watching the leaves change during autumn. It’s like the whole world just explodes with color. I remember a Calvin and Hobbes comic strip that referred to fall leaves as nature’s fireworks, and I couldn’t agree more.

So – since reading is a major part of our homeschool, here are some beautiful kids’ books about leaves you can share with your children this fall!

Kids’ Books about Leaves

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1. The Little Yellow Leaf by Carin Berger

2. The Leaves on the Trees by Thom Wiley

3. Look What I Did With a Leaf! (Naturecraft) by Morteza E. Sohi

4. Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber

5. Look Once, Look Again: Plant Leaves (Look Once, Look Again Science) by David M. Schwartz

6. A Leaf Can Be… (Millbrook Picture Books) by Laura Purdie Salas

7. On My Leaf by Sara Gillingham

8. Leaves! Leaves! Leaves! by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

9. Autumn Leaves by Ken Robbins

10. Fall Leaves (Clavis Toddler: Daily Life) by Liesbet Slegers

11. Leaves by David Ezra Stein

12. When the Leaf Blew In by Steve Metzger

13. Leaves in Fall (Bullfrog Books: What Happens in Fall?) by Mari Schuh

14. Leaves Fall Down: Learning About Autumn Leaves by Lisa Bullard

15. My Leaf Book by Monica Wellington

16. Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson

17. Zero is the Leaves on the Tree by Betsy Franco

18. Robin Hill School: Fall Leaf Project (Ready-to-Read) by Margaret McNamara

19. The Magic School Bus: The Wild Leaf Ride (Scholastic Reader, Level 2) by Judith Stamper

20. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves by Lucille Colandro

Use these activities to find more ways to include leaves in your learning!

Get more fall fun ideas from my Fall Activities for Kids board on Pinterest!

Plus, you can receive exclusive learning printables and teaching tips in our email newsletter! Sign up using the widget below.

50 Gorgeous Fall Books for Kids to Treasure

August 22, 2016 by Selena Robinson 6 Comments

Can you smell it? That’s the smell of fall in the air!

Fall is my absolute favorite season of all. The air gets cooler, the leaves start to turn colors, and you just feel like baking delicious food and snuggling up with family. It’s beautiful.

So what better time is there to read gorgeous picture books with the kids? Get your kids ready for the autumn with these 50 beautiful fall books for kids! They’re packed with lovely illustrations and heartwarming stories children will love!

There are a TON of ways to make fall into a learning experience with children. Check out this list of 50 free fall printables for kids and pick up a set of our free Leaf Identification Flashcards or our Fall Printable Reading Journal for Kids!

BONUS! Want to keep track of all the fall books for kids you read this autumn? Grab the printable fall booklist for kids further down in this post!

50 Gorgeous Fall Books for Kids to Treasure

This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.

Raising readers is an important part of our homeschooling journey. We want our kids to be able to read, not just for school, but for life.

Since fall is such a cozy season for families, I thought these beautiful fall books for kids would be awesome to share with you all. I hope you love them as much as we do!

1. I See Fall Leaves: First Step Nonfiction – Observing Fall by Mari Schuh
2. Fall Is Not Easy by Marty Kelley
3. Little Critter: The Fall Festival by Mercer Mayer
4. Jump Into Fall! by Gareth Llewhellin
5. Fall Walk by Virginia Brimhall Snow
6. The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. by Kate Messner
7. Poppleton in Fall by Cynthia Rylant
8. I Watch Fall Harvests: First Step Nonfiction – Observing Fall by Mary Lindeen

9. I See Fall! by Charles Ghigna
10. Hello Kitty, Hello Fall! by Sanrio
11. Fall Leaves by Don L. Curry
12. Fall is For Friends by Suzy Spafford
13. It’s Fall! (The Four Seasons) by Celeste Bishop
14. Animals in Fall (Preparing for Winter) by Martha E.H. Rustad
15. How Do You Know It’s Fall? (Rookie Read-About Science) by Lisa M. Herrington
16. Peppa’s Windy Fall Day (Peppa Pig) by Scholastic

17. Fall Leaves (My First Hello Reader) by Mary Packard
18. Leaves Fall Down: Learning about Fall Leaves by Lisa Bullard
19. Counting on Fall (Math in Nature) by Lizann Flatt
20. I Love Fall! (A Touch and Feel Board Book) by Allison Inches
21. It’s Fall (Celebrate the Seasons) by Linda Glaser
22. Fall Mixed Up by Bob Raczka
23. Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson
24. Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert
25. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves by Lucille Colandro

See more gorgeous fall books for kids and score your free printable fall booklist on page 2!

Pages: 1 2

Books about Dolphins for Kids

July 28, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We’ve been learning about dolphins lately and I wanted to add a few more great books about dolphins for the kids to enjoy.

So – here are several books about dolphins for kids that are filled with fascinating facts, beautiful pictures, and learning ideas to help your children get to know these marine mammals!

If you want to try more ocean-themed learning resources for your kids, check out our list of 25 beach crafts and our roundup of summer books for kids!

Books about Dolphins for Kids

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1. Dolphins – Step Into Reading!

2. How to Speak Dolphin in Three Easy Lessons

3. Everything Dolphin: What Kids Really Want to Know about Dolphins

4. In My Ocean

5. Amazing Dolphins (I Can Read Level 2)

6. Dolphins: Amazing Pictures & Fun Facts on Animals in Nature

7. Hope for Winter: The True Story of a Remarkable Dolphin Friendship

8. How to Speak Dolphin

9. Dolphin Baby!

10. Dolphins at Daybreak (Magic Tree House #9)

11. Winter’s Tail: How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again

12. National Geographic Kids: Everything Dolphins

13. I Can Read: Dolphin

14. National Geographic Readers: Dive, Dolphin!

15. Smithsonian: Dolphins

16. Sharks and Dolphins: A Compare and Contrast Book

17. DK Readers Level 1: Diving Dolphin

18. Do Dolphins Really Smile? (Penguin Young Readers, Level 3)

19. Amazing Animals: Dolphins

20. Wild Sea Creatures: Sharks, Whales, and Dolphins! (Wild Kratts)

Learn even more about dolphins with our Dolphins Unit Study!

Don’t miss these other kids’ book lists!

And be sure to follow our Reading for Kids board on Pinterest for more great book lists!

Picture Books about Hawaii

July 18, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

My three-year-old has really gotten into reading lately. Which is a wonderful thing!

She loves looking at pictures and tracing her fingers under the words. Of course, she’s making up her own story or reciting some from memory, but that’s okay. She’s pre-reading and I’m thrilled!

We’ve been studying about the beach a lot lately, so I thought we’d take a look at a gorgeous book we received from my brother: Pulelehua and Mamaki. Since the story takes place on Hawai’i, I thought I’d round up some other beautiful picture books about Hawaii that are fun for kids to explore!

Picture Books about Hawaii

Pulelehua and Mamaki is the story of a Mamaki tree that serves as the home to a Kamehameha butterfly named Pulelehua. A butterfly mother laid her egg on one of the tree’s leaves and that caterpillar grew up to become Pulelehua.

Later, when Pulelehua lays an egg, she chooses the same Mamaki tree to watch over her baby. And when her egg hatches, grows into a caterpillar, and transforms into a full-grown Kamehameha butterfly, Mamaki the tree promises to watch over it too.

It’s a truly lovely story filled with native Hawaiian terms and absolutely beautiful illustrations.

As part of the Read Around the World Summer Series, I’m sharing my book summary below!

Be sure to check out the wonderful multicultural kids’ books that have been reviewed this summer!

While I’m sharing my appreciation for Pulelehua and Mamaki, I thought I’d mention a few other picture books about Hawaii that are gorgeous for children to read!

Want to spend more time learning about the beach with kids? Try these learning ideas!

Get more ideas for making reading fun with my Reading for Kids board on Pinterest!