Parenting is filled with all manner of boring things, isn’t it? I mean just consider the amount of time you spend on hold making appointments or attempting to match socks while simultaneously wondering what happened to all the matches.
Now, of course all your daily and somewhat monotonous tasks are important and necessary, but that doesn’t mean you’re looking forward to making that insurance call in the middle of your afternoon.
Now, here’s a question: Is reading books to your kids a daily task you dread?
Books Shouldn’t Be on the Boring List
You know you have a place in your house where the boring books go to live. Maybe you kick yours underneath the couch when your kids aren’t looking or toss them on top of a very high shelf. You’ve figured out ways to summarize the insanely long ones and skip pages surreptitiously when you’re reading the repetitive ones.
Well, let’s do something about this problem, shall we?
I’m a firm believer that the reading of kids’ books should be fun. It’s a vastly important activity after all. This should not be a dreaded daily task like, say, raking leaves or bleaching your grout, but rather something you and your child look forward to every single day.
So, I did some research for you (the best kind of research, if you ask me). Here are 21 books you and your preschooler are bound to love!
7 Laugh Out Loud
Books for Preschoolers
Few things beat a good belly laugh from a kid when you’re reading a book together. These are a few of my favorite laugh-out-loud options.
Best Kid Books for Grins & Giggles
- XO, OX: A Love Story: Ox just wants to profess his love to the glamorous gazelle. She keeps telling him why she can’t love him which makes him love her even more. Your kids will love watching his persistence ultimately wear her down.
- We Are in a Book!: It was nearly impossible for me to pick just one Mo Willems book for this category. Between his Pigeon books, Knuffle Bunny, and this poorly supervised little girl, so many make me laugh. But, it’s this Elephant & Piggie classic that make my own kids laugh out loud every single time.
- The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas: Prince Henrik thinks real princesses are too sensitive and wants to marry someone who likes hockey and the outdoors instead. So, he twists the old classic princess test by putting an entire packet of frozen peas under a thin camping mattress and waits for the perfect girl to come his way.
- The Book With No Pictures: I honestly can’t believe it took me so long to read this book to my kids. Since there are no pictures, the focus is on the silly words, and you’ll laugh because of how hard your kids are laughing.
- I’m Bored: When a bored little girl meets a bored potato who only wants to play with flamingos (are you sold yet?), she sets out to convince the potato why being a kid is so much fun.
- I Want My Hat Back: When bear’s hat goes missing, he sets out to ask all the animals if they have seen it. Spoiler: He finds it, but it’s what he does next that will really catch you off guard (and make you laugh).
- Interrupting Chicken: Little chicken cannot resist interrupting her classic bedtime stories which will make your own little chicks giggle along.
7 Beautifully Illustrated
Books for Preschoolers
Not every fun book has to be funny. I find books with beautiful illustrations to be especially captivating, and these are a few of my favorites.
Best Kid Books for Gorgeous Art
- A River: This book follows the imaginary journey of a child who is inspired by the view outside her outside window.
- On a Magical Do-Nothing Day: This story follows a child exploring the outdoors on a rainy day. The colors are vibrant and the illustrations are so unique in this one.
- That Neighbor Kid: Another wordless book, this one follows a budding friendship between two neighbors.
- Journey: This beautiful wordless book follows a little girl with a red marker as she creates a new and exciting world to explore.
- House Held Up By Trees: In this story, a house is the central focus as it weathers many passing years.
- Bluebird: Little Bluebird can’t find her friend, the wind, and doesn’t know if she can fly without it. As she sets out to find the wind, she discovers a few things along the way.
- The Snowy Day: Can you talk about beautifully illustrated books without bringing Ezra Jack Keats into the conversation? (Answer: No) This is one of our favorites, but we also love Pet Show and A Letter to Amy
If beautifully illustrated books are your thing, check out these wordless picture books, all of which have wonderful illustrations.
7 Lesson Inspiring
Books for Preschoolers
Finally, it’s always nice to have some great books on hand that will help you teach bigger concepts (a perfect addition to the great questions you’re already asking your kids while you read). As a bonus, these all have great illustrations, and a handful of them will make you laugh too (the ultimate trifecta!).
Best Kid Books with a Message
- We’re All Wonders: Based on the novel and movie, Wonder, this book will help spark a conversation about empathy, kindness, and the innate need kids have to belong.
- Caterina and the Lemonade Stand: Caterina is an entrepreneurial little bird who wants to make some money for a new scooter. This beautifully illustrated book will teach your child about hard work and selflessness.
- Spoon: Little Spoon feels like his life isn’t as exciting as Fork, Knife, and The Chopsticks. This book will help you teach your child to celebrate our unique differences, and it will also make you laugh because it’s so cleverly written.
- What Do You Do With a Problem?: It’s easy to want to avoid problems, and this book will help you teach your kids why it’s best to face them and learn from them. If you like this book, you’ll love this one about an idea too.
- A Chair for My Mother: After their home is destroyed by a fire, Vera, her mother, and her grandmother save their coins for a new chair. These vibrant pictures will inspire conversations about family, hard work, and community.
- The Garden, the Curtain, and the Cross: Starting in the Garden of Eden and ending in God’s perfect new creation, this book tells the story of the bible while focusing on how Jesus came to restore our relationship with God.
- The Big Umbrella: There is room for everyone underneath this red umbrella which will open the door for a conversation about ways you and your child can serve the many different people around you.
The Best Books for Preschoolers =
the Best Books for You, Too
Take a look at your to-do list for tomorrow. Sure, you’ve got to make six different appointments, cut up 15 apples for a preschool snack, and fold four loads of laundry.
But after a quick scan through Amazon or even a trip to your local library, you can also add “Read Wonderful New Books” to your list of things to do.
And that’s definitely something to look forward to, don’t you think?
Have You Read These Yet?
- How to Inspire Your Preschooler with a Love of Reading
- 35 Princess-Free Storybooks for Your Adventurous Little Girl
- How to Make the Preschool Age Your Best One Yet
- 9 Overlooked Toddler Books Your Little Bookworm is Sure to Enjoy
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