Reading List

First of all, here's a few MUST reads.  The ol' tried and true are mixed in with the new in no specific order, just as they've come to mind.  It's certainly not an exhaustive list; we'll add to it as we go along.

• Blueberries for Sal -- Robert McCloskey
• Make way for Ducklings -- Robert Mc Closkey
• One Morning in Maine -- Robert McCloskey
• Dandelion -- Don Freeman (this is our personal favorite over Corduroy)
• Happy Birthday Moon -- Frank Asch
• Popcorn -- Frank Asch
• The Relatives Came -- Cynthia Rylant (great children's author)
• When I Was Young in the Mountains -- Cynthia Rylant, illus. Diane Goode
• Harry the Dirty Dog -- Gene Zion
• Miss Rumphius -- Barbara Cooney
• The Little Engine that Could -- Watty Piper (a classic; be sure to get the original edition, as they've "updated" the illustrations, which I personally don't like as much)
• Apples and Pumpkins -- Anne Rockwell
• Thanksgiving is Here! -- Diane Goode (great illus.)
• The Most Perfect Spot -- Diane Goode
• Owl Moon -- Jane Yolen (famous children's author)
• Honey Bear's Snowy Adventure -- Gillian Lobel, illus. Tim Warnes
• The Elves and the Shoemaker -- retold by Jim LaMarche
• Ox-Cart Man -- Barbara Cooney
• Snowflake Bentley -- Mary Azarian
• Kitten's First Full Moon -- Kevin Henkes
• Freight Train -- Donald Crews
• The Pokey Little Puppy -- Janette Sebring Lowrey
• In the Small, Small Pond -- Denise Fleming
• Jamberry -- Bruce Degen
• Toot and Puddle books -- Holly Hobbie
• Berenstain Bears books -- Stan & Jan Berenstain
• Franklin books -- Paulette Bourgeois
• Madeline books -- Ludwig Bemelmans
• Fancy Nancy books -- Jane O'connor, illus. Robin Preiss Glasser
• Angelina Ballerina books -- Katharine Holabaird, illus. Helen Craig
• Curious George books -- H. A. Rey

Books that my kids want read over and over and over again.  A GREAT activity for them to do with these books: as you are reading the book for the second or third time, leave out a rhyming word or a repetitve phrase for them to say (my Mom taught me that this is good preliteracy activity).

• We're Going on a Bear Hunt -- retold by Michael Rosen, illus. Helen Oxenbury
• Owl Babies -- Martin Waddell
• Great Day for UP -- Dr. Seuss
• Ask Mr. Bear -- Marjorie Flack
• Better Not Get Wet, Jesse Bear -- Nancy Carlstron
• The Napping House -- Audrey and Don Wood
• Mr. Gumpy's Outing -- John Burningham
• The Wind Blew -- Pat Hutchins
• Caps for Sale --Esphyr Slobodkina
• The Rain Came Down -- David Shannon
• Duck on a Bike -- David Shannon
• Tikki Tikki Tembo -- retold by Arlene Mosel, illus. Blair Lent
• Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb -- Al Perkins
• Bear books by Karma Wilson: Bear Feels Sick, Bear Stays Up, Bear Wants More, etc.

Authors and/or illustrators that you need to check out MANY of their books:

• Beatrix Potter 
• A. A. Milne (Winnie-the-Pooh books)
• Jan Brett (our favorites are The Mitten, Hedgie's Surprise, Daisy Comes Home, Annie and the Wild Animals; however, I don't at all care for her interpretation of Noah's Ark.)
• Virginia Lee Burton (especially The Little House)
• Tasha Tudor (Pumpkin Moonshine is one of our all time favorites)
• Ezra Jack Keats (check out Snowy Day and Little Drummer Boy first)
• Leo Lionni (we like Inch By Inch best)
• Jerry Pinkney (especially Noah's Ark, Aesop's Fables, and God Bless the Child)
• Paul Galdone (especially The Little Red Hen, Gingerbread Man, and Three Billy Goats Gruff)
• Richard Scarry
• Patricia Polacco
• Margaret Wise Brown
• Kevin Henkes
• Shirley Hughes
• Eloise Wilkin
• Eric Carle
• Tomie de Paola
• Charlotte Zolotow
• Dr. Seuss (aka Theodor Geisel)

"I Can Read" series books that the kids love:

• Frog and Toad -- Arnold Lobel (quite a hit in our home)
• Little Bear -- Else Minarik
• Amelia Bedelia -- Peggy Parish
• Clifford -- Norman Bridwell
• Arthur -- Marc Brown