You know how it goes. Your kids find a book they are crazy about and you read it over and over and over and over, every day for a week or more.
Here are Rachel Gnagy’s thoughts on Kids and reading and 10 favourite stories for children:
All three of my kids have gone through “favourite book” phases, and some are more enjoyable for me than others. (Thomas the Train? No, thank you.)
I love books, and I love reading out loud to my kids. All three of them genuinely enjoy being read to, and I’ll do anything I can to encourage their interest in books—even if that means reading the same book again and again. And while we parents might groan, our kids actually benefit from the repetition; the familiarity helps them retain new words in their vocabulary.
They also know what to expect, and “hearing the words of a familiar book helps your child settle in and relax, and it makes a great cue for sleep.” (And parents everywhere say, “Amen!” right?)
We have many children’s picture books in our family library, but here are my top ten favourites that I enjoy reading over and over to my kids.
1. “Adèle & Simon” by Barbara McClintock.
This beautifully illustrated picture book is about a brother and sister in Paris. Simon is always losing something (much to his big sister’s chagrin) so there is an object to look for on every page. I’m a bit of a Francophile at heart, so I love the Parisian feel of the book and the landmarks in the illustrations. “Adèle & Simon in America” and “Lost and Found: Adèle & Simon in China” are just as wonderful.
2. “The Bear Snores On” by Karma Wilson.
The rhythm and rhyming in this story is just fabulous. My kids enjoy chiming in and “reading” with me because they know the story so well. And there are more books in the series!
3. “The Little House” by Virginia Lee Burton
A sweet little pink house is the star of this book. I love reading the part where she is found and rescued by descendants of her original family. We are big fans of Virginia Lee Burton, and it was hard to choose a favourite. “Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel” and “Katy and the Big Snow” are right up there with “The Little House”.
No family library would be complete without at least one Jan Brett masterpiece. She is such a gifted illustrator. When I read her books to my kids, I always find some new detail in the pictures that I haven’t noticed before. “The Mitten” is a classic story about a little boy who accidentally drops one of his mittens in the snow. “The Hat” is a similar story with a little girl, and “The Umbrella” gives the story a Costa Rican twist.
5. “The Seven Silly Eaters” by Mary Ann Hoberman
Some friends gave me this when I was expecting my first child. It has been a family favourite ever since! It’s written in rhyming verse and is so fun to read out loud. My kids are pretty picky eaters, so I definitely sympathise with Mrs Peters and her Silly Eaters in the story.
6. “Now One Foot, Now the Other” by Tomie dePaola
Tomie dePaola is a powerhouse like Jan Brett. He has written and illustrated dozens of charming children’s books. “Now One Foot, Now the Other” is a touching story about a little boy and his grandfather. My kids love Tomie dePaola’s Mother Goose collection, and he also has a “Book of Bible Stories”.
7. “Building Our House” by Jonathan Bean
If you have truck-crazy kids as I do, any book with a backhoe and dump truck is a crowd-pleaser! This book is based on the author’s family, and it is so well done. I love reading this to my kids and seeing the house slowly being built and becoming a home. (I’m always so relieved for the mom in the story to finally move out of the camper into a real house again!)
8. “Blueberries for Sal” by Robert McCloskey
I don’t know what I like better—Robert McCloskey’s line drawings or his subtle humour. My youngest loves the little bear in this story, and repeats “kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk!” We also love “Make Way for Ducklings” and “Lentil”.
9. “The Circus Ship” by Chris Van Dusen
My middle child is crazy about this book. He even requested a Circus Ship theme for his birthday party last month! This is another wonderful rhyming book that is an absolute joy to read aloud. The colours are bright and exciting, and my kids love finding the hidden animals in the story. “If I Built a House” and “If I Built a Car” are favourites, too.
11. “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats
I can’t help sharing one more of our favourite authors! “Snowy Day” is a classic and perfect for the winter season. It’s a short but wonderful story, and I love the texture of Ezra Jack Keats’ illustrations. We love the other books in this series, like “Peter’s Chair” and “Whistle for Willie”.
Our special announcement is here:
Mulungu and Rock Rabbit is out now! Available at Waterstones.com
A warm, witty celebration of friendship, diversity, a diverse culture and the wonder of being a one-off.
Welcome to the Kalahari Desert, a place where the sand is sunset red, the skies are diamond bright and 10-year-old Mulungu is about to answer a very important question.
When his curious friend Rock Rabbit asks why he is the only rabbit in the entire desert, Mulungu has the perfect answer… It’s because he is a one- off!
What follows is a joyful day of hopscotch games, shadow-shape silliness, and a race to the Acacia trees.
In between, the two friends discover that being a one-off isn’t about being the only one; it’s about being uniquely wonderfully you.
This gentle and witty story is brought to life with Enna Tales’s brilliant illustrations.
The book also features a special educational section that explores the real-life Kalahari Desert and the ancient traditions of the indigenous San people.
A perfect read-aloud picture book that will leave children smiling, stargazing and feeling proud to be a one-off.
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Enjoy whatever you are creating this week,
Pauline
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