14 Really Good Books for Preschoolers That Librarians Continue to Recommend
There comes a time when the long-suffering parent simply can no longer read The Blue Truck . Or “ My First Book on the Farm,” with the alarming connotation that there will be more farm books in the future. Or even Blueberries for Sal , my favorite preschooler book, but I’ve read it so many times that I want to rip out the pages and stuff them into my mouth, crying.
Time for new books for my four year old! But I’m a little puzzled – in a couple of years we will be working on Ramona Quimby and the Magic Tree House , but I acted on the assumption that three or five years is a kind of “donut” period in children’s literature.
Not true! say librarians, children and others, of the New York Public Library. Below are their 16 best book recommendations by chapter to keep your preschooler – and you – entertained for months to come.
Barkus
“I love Barkus Patricia MacLachlan, illustrated by Mark Butavantom. This is a new classic story about a girl and her dog, which her uncle Everton calls the smartest dog in the world. It has big colorful illustrations, but the story is told in short and engaging chapters – a great introduction to reading long fiction for kids who are willing to take a step further than picture books. ” —Gwen Glaser, NYPL Reference Librarian.
Detective Gordon: Case One
“Detective Gordon and his assistant Buffy decided to find out who is stealing Squirrel’s stock of nuts. Solving crimes is hard work, but there is always time for cake and tea. This is a small chapter book with warm color illustrations that preschoolers will love. If that’s appropriate for your child, there are two more stories about Detective Gordon. ” —Louise C. Laro, Managing Librarian of the Stephen A. Schwartzman Children’s Center
My father’s dragon
“The boy rescues a baby dragon that has been imprisoned by other animals and forces it to be thrown back and forth across the river. It’s short and gripping, but not overly scary, and each chapter decides an adventure so your little one isn’t left breathtaking before bed! “—Clarissa Cook, Senior Children’s Librarian, 96th Street Library.
Storm
“This is the first book in the Lighthouse Family series to explore how lonely animals move to a lighthouse and become a family.” —Clarissa Cook
NYPL Senior Children’s Librarian Jenny Rosenoff also offers some tips:
Captain pug
Captain Pug is a pug who is excited about his sailing adventure, but with one problem – he is afraid of the water!
Charlie and Mouse
Charlie and Mouse is about two brothers who embark on an adventure, starting with a party next door. The illustrations are adorable, especially when the dim-eyed parents clutch the coffee pot after waking up early.
Calpurnia Tate: Girl Veterinarian
If your child is a budding naturalist, this story is for him. The first book in the series follows a girl living in Texas at the turn of the century with a passionate interest in the natural world: in the first book, Calpurnia explores why there are more yellow grasshoppers in her yard than green ones.
Cobble street cousins
Lucy, Rosie and Tess are nine-year-old cousins who live with their aunt for a year while their parents, all ballet dancers, tour the world. This show has a feeling of Little Women – girls asleep in the attic and chasing their own artistic dreams.
Susie Heimbach, another NYPL children’s librarian (who has a preschooler herself) suggests the following:
Mercy Watson
“For these little guys, I still like chapter books with a lot of pictures. Some of my favorites are the Kate DiCamillo series about Mercy Watson, which is about a stupid pig who loves toast and buttered. “
Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot
“I also love the new version of the Ricky Ricotta and His Mighty Robot series by Deva Pilki (illustrated by Dan Santat) – my boys and I have watched this episode several times.”
Digby O’Day at Fast Lane
Digby O’Day by Shirley Hughes (and illustrated by her daughter Clara Wuyla) is a very sweet story about two dogs racing in their car; there are two more books in this series. “
Pedro, Hero First Class
“This is a chapter-by-chapter collection of books that is very interesting even for young children.” Pedro has many adventures
Mango and Bambang: No Pig
” Not-a-Pig” is another sweet story about a shy tapir adopted by a precocious little girl – named Mango Allsorts – that name should bring the author a prize right here – and the two of them have adventures that make the tapir get used to life. in the big city.
Frog and toad
Finally, I can personally vouch for the Frog and Toad series — short chapters, great illustrations, and a cute story of friendship. My son never gets tired of them, even if I do, just a little, so I think I will come up with a few of the above suggestions in turn before we get back to that.
In the end, it doesn’t matter, you get it right every time. As Susie says, “The most important thing is to spend time reading together that you both enjoy.”