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March 24, 2015 | 31 Comments

Preschool Books Every Class MUST Have

must have books for preschool class libraries Now that I am back in the classroom teaching, I see firsthand how useful blogs like mine and so many others are for early childhood educators who are planning lessons. With that in mind, I decided to bring together my top preschool books every preschool class must have. I would have loved for this list to be a perfect catchy number like 50 or 75 but my list ended at 58 when I published this in 2015,  and I have since added 8 more great preschool books. It was hard to break it down to such a small list of my personal must-have books. I know that you will have many titles to add so feel free to leave a comment with the titles you use in your preschool class.

What are some good alphabet books for preschool?

animalia by Greame Base

Animalia by Graham Base

 

eating the alphabet

Eating the Alphabet: Fruits & Vegetables from A to Z by Lois Ehlertalphabet under construction

Alphabet Under Construction by Denise Fleming

chica chica boom boom

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: Anniversary Edition by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault

 

books about basic concepts for preschool

Learn The Alphabet with Northwest Coast Native Art

 

What are the best books to read aloud?

rp_whoever.jpg

Whoever You Are by Mem Fox

something from nothingSomething From Nothing by Phoebe Gilman

Lovely by Jess Hong

Zoom! by Robert Munsch

 

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff

I love you stinky face

I Love You Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt

mortimer

Mortimer by Robert Munsch

A Family is a Family is a Family by Sara O’Leary

Mary Had A Little Glam by Tammi Sauer

 

Where_The_Wild_Things_Are

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

press-here-cover

Press Here by Herve Tullet

dont-let-the-pigeon-drive-the-bus

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems

Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall

 

What is the best book about colors for preschool?

Rainbow Stew by Cathryn Falwell

planting-a-rainbow

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Elhert

little-blue-and-little-yellow

Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo LionniBrown Bear Brown Bear

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.

Pink Is For Boys by Robb Pearlman

mouse paint

Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh

 

What are some good counting books?

Big Fat Hen

Big Fat Hen by Keith Baker

Granny Went To Market

Granny Went to Market by Stella Blackstone

goodnight moon 123

Goodnight Moon 123 by Margaret Wise Brownfish eyes

Fish Eyes: A Book You Can Count On by Lois Elhert

mouse count

Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh

Preschool books About Emotions, Separation Anxiety and Social Learning

the way I feel

The Way I Feel by Janan Cain

Keisha Ann Can! By Daniel Kirk

it'smine

It’s Mine! by Leo Lionni

Elmer

Elmer by David McKee

toddparr_bedifferent

It’s Okay To Be Different by Todd Parr

kissing hand

The Kissing Hand by Audry Penn

No David

No, David! by David Shannon

potty training books for toddles

Dinosaur vs. the Potty by Bob Shea

Owl Babies

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell

Rhyming Books for Preschool 

(many other books included in other sections also rhyme)
I Ain't Gonna Paint No More

I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont

how big is a pig

How Big Is a Pig? by Claire Beaton

My trucks is stuck

My Truck is Stuck! by Kevin Lewis

one-duck-stuck

One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root

 

 

 

Shape Books

City Shapes by Diana Murray

My-Heart-Is-Like-a-Zoo

My Heart Is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall

perfectsquare

Perfect Square by Michael Hallmouse shapes

Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh

Thematic Books

(There are so many more books but these are my favorites) 

math books for preschoolers

On the Launch Pad: A Counting Book About Rockets by Michael Dahl (space/counting)

rp_dinosaurs-dinosaurs.jpg

Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs by Byron Barton (dinosaurs)

snow the mitten

The Mitten by Jan Brett (winter)

Margaret_Wise_Brown_Big_Red_Barn

Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown (farm)

House For A Hermit Crab

A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle (sea life/months of the year)

very hungry caterpillar

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (days of the week, nutrition, bugs)

llama

Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino (animals/families)

the snowy day

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (weather/winter) 

 

lola at the library

Lola at the Library by Anna McQuinn

rp_Everywhere-Babies-300x300.jpg

Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers and Marla Frazee (families)The Family Book

The Family Book by Todd Parr (families)

from tadpole to frog

From Tadpole to Frog by Wendy Pfeffer (spring/pond life/life cycles)

Our Stars

Our Stars by Anne Rockwell (space)

Dinosaur Roar

Dinosaur Roar! Board Book by Paul and Henrietta Stickland (dinosaurs/opposites) 

Leaves

Leaves by David Ezra Stein (fall)

i love bugs

I Love Bugs! by Philemon Sturges (bugs)

Firefighter Frank

Firefighter Frank by Monica Wellington (fire safety/community helpers)

earthdaybigearth

Big Earth, Little Me by Thom Wiley (Earth day/nature)

Not Norman! by Kelly Bennet ( Pets/ Friendship)

trashy town circle time activity

Trashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha (community helpers)

 

If you teach preschool you will LOVE my preschool lesson plans! Click here to see the whole library 

 

Filed Under: Books for Preschool, Classroom library, For Teachers, Preschool Book Lists | 31 Comments

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31 Comments

  1. JOANN ROUTH says

    March 24, 2015 at 5:31 am

    Could you please publish a children’s book list, so I can download it? I would appreciate it.

    to JOANN ROUTH" aria-label='reply to this comment to JOANN ROUTH'>reply to this comment
  2. Catherine says

    March 24, 2015 at 1:38 pm

    We love My First Words – Let’s Get Counting for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.

    to Catherine" aria-label='reply to this comment to Catherine'>reply to this comment
  3. Caroline says

    March 24, 2015 at 9:01 pm

    The Pout Pout Fish was a great one for my son, especially because it deals with the management of negative feelings. We have also read If I Built a House enough that I can recite it in my sleep. I don’t think I saw Harry The Dirty Dog either. That’s a classic! So is Leo the Late Bloomer! I love that book! It’s a great one for helping kids and parents alike have respect for the learning process of each kid. It’s okay not to be the first to read– just enjoy the process until you make it.

    to Caroline" aria-label='reply to this comment to Caroline'>reply to this comment
  4. Cait Fitz @ My Little Poppies says

    March 25, 2015 at 10:27 am

    This is a fantastic list, including oodles of our family’s favorites. I’ll be pinning and sharing. Thank you!

    to Cait Fitz @ My Little Poppies" aria-label='reply to this comment to Cait Fitz @ My Little Poppies'>reply to this comment
  5. Laurie Mattaliano says

    March 26, 2015 at 4:19 am

    It is so exciting to see two Barefoot Books titles make this wonderful list! How Big is Pig is the sweetest “farmyard rhyme” I know. My Granny Went to Market – also a wonderful counting & geography rhyme – the first time I read it to my kids I remember being so thrilled with all the new vocabulary!

    Barefoot Books are no longer supplied to Amazon so to explore the very broad line (all could make this list!) contact an Ambassador to learn about them all!

    to Laurie Mattaliano" aria-label='reply to this comment to Laurie Mattaliano'>reply to this comment
  6. Niccola says

    March 26, 2015 at 6:39 am

    What a great list. A favourite in my class is The Bears Lunch. Thanks for sharing.
    Niccola

    to Niccola" aria-label='reply to this comment to Niccola'>reply to this comment
  7. Lynda Foote says

    March 30, 2015 at 4:35 pm

    chicka Chicka Boom Boom

    to Lynda Foote" aria-label='reply to this comment to Lynda Foote'>reply to this comment
  8. Jennifer says

    March 30, 2015 at 7:42 pm

    I love The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson. It’s a must for teaching about imagination!

    to Jennifer" aria-label='reply to this comment to Jennifer'>reply to this comment
  9. Rhianna Kropf says

    September 4, 2015 at 11:01 pm

    My 3 year old classroom really loves “Tuesday” because they can make up the story

    to Rhianna Kropf" aria-label='reply to this comment to Rhianna Kropf'>reply to this comment
  10. Sherry says

    October 29, 2015 at 6:06 pm

    Mo Willems Elephant and Pig stories (Should I Share My Icecream, and Happy Pig Day and I Am A Frog) are favorites in my class
    Pete the Cat :I Love My White Shoes, Four Groovy Buttons, Magic Sunglasses and Rockin in My School Shoes are all my 3-year-old preschoolers favorites

    to Sherry" aria-label='reply to this comment to Sherry'>reply to this comment
  11. Brandi says

    February 15, 2016 at 1:09 pm

    I would love to have this in a printable format for easy use at the library. Is there one available?

    to Brandi" aria-label='reply to this comment to Brandi'>reply to this comment
    • Allison McDonald says

      March 31, 2016 at 8:09 am

      This comment got lost – that is a great idea – let me see what I can conjure up.

      to Allison McDonald" aria-label='reply to this comment to Allison McDonald'>reply to this comment
  12. Kelly R. says

    March 5, 2016 at 3:44 pm

    My guys are currently loving “The Prince Won’t Go to Bed” by Dayle Ann Dodds. 🙂 We also love Barefoot Books and Mo Willems! “My Friend is Sad” is currently in rotation!

    to Kelly R." aria-label='reply to this comment to Kelly R.'>reply to this comment
  13. Mira @ Children's Book Academy says

    April 2, 2016 at 5:54 pm

    This is a fabulous list! So many great books and it is so important to have our children excited for reading at a young age.

    to Mira @ Children's Book Academy" aria-label='reply to this comment to Mira @ Children's Book Academy'>reply to this comment
  14. Lauren says

    May 21, 2016 at 7:52 pm

    Hi! I would also love this in list form for use at the library thanks!

    to Lauren" aria-label='reply to this comment to Lauren'>reply to this comment
  15. tonya says

    August 8, 2016 at 10:20 am

    “Llama, llama red pajama”, “skippyjon jones”, “the colors of us”, “knuffle bunny”, “planting a tree”, “Harold and the purple crayon” are some of my class favorites for 3 year olds

    to tonya" aria-label='reply to this comment to tonya'>reply to this comment
  16. Christy Guitard says

    August 19, 2017 at 12:57 pm

    Love this list!! Thank you! My 2’s & 3’a all time favorite (and mine, because their reactions are the BEST!) is The Monster at the End of This Book!

    to Christy Guitard" aria-label='reply to this comment to Christy Guitard'>reply to this comment
  17. Julie says

    June 30, 2018 at 4:10 pm

    Book “Where the Wild Things Are” — Loved it. Period. Previewing for my 5-year old I ended up reading to this story twice and loving it both times.

    Recommended.

    to Julie" aria-label='reply to this comment to Julie'>reply to this comment
  18. shimi says

    December 17, 2018 at 11:24 pm

    Thank you for this list. ‘Big Fat Hen’ is my kid’s all time favorite book. My son likes to explore the colours in the book. I love the way it integrates counting into its story. Number knowledge, as you know, is vital for a child’s overall development. I recently bought a counting workbook https://iraparenting.com/early-childhood-math/early-math-learning-books-for-toddlers/ for my son. It consists of number activities, odd one out, counting exercises etc. Would love it if you could suggest a few more good books that are counting and early math oriented …

    to shimi" aria-label='reply to this comment to shimi'>reply to this comment
  19. Shimi says

    December 20, 2018 at 1:49 am

    Thank you for this list. ‘Big Fat Hen’ is my kid’s all time favorite book. My son likes to explore the colours in the book. I love the way it integrates counting into its story. Number knowledge, as you know, is vital for a child’s overall development. I recently bought a counting workbook https://iraparenting.com/early-childhood-math/early-math-learning-books-for-toddlers/ for my son. It consists of number activities, odd one out, counting exercises etc. Would love it if you could suggest a few more good books that are counting and early math oriented

    to Shimi" aria-label='reply to this comment to Shimi'>reply to this comment
  20. Marie A. Rocheleau-Demers says

    September 4, 2019 at 7:22 am

    I too would love the books in list form so I could copy/download. Thanks so much – and just sent you an email about that!

    to Marie A. Rocheleau-Demers" aria-label='reply to this comment to Marie A. Rocheleau-Demers'>reply to this comment
  21. Ashley S Johnson says

    March 31, 2020 at 12:13 am

    These are wonderful books to read, my kids loved them. Thank so much for having other titles on the list. I did wrote down some of them from this list.

    You should have put down also the Preschool Clues (https://amzn.to/2I8ajPf) written by Angela Santomero which is also shown on Kids Bookstore Club (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbBtV4A2BKs).

    My kids love this book because of Blues Clues, Daniel Tiger Neighborhood and Super Why creator. Thanks for the content.

    to Ashley S Johnson" aria-label='reply to this comment to Ashley S Johnson'>reply to this comment
  22. Crust kids says

    April 20, 2020 at 1:32 pm

    There are some attention-grabbing points in time on this article however I don’t know if I see all of them heart to heart. There may be some validity but I will take hold opinion until I look into it further. Good article , thanks and we want extra! Added to FeedBurner as effectively

    Best Preschools in Kasturi Nagar Bangalore

    to Crust kids" aria-label='reply to this comment to Crust kids'>reply to this comment
  23. Holly's Magical Fairy Tale Christmas says

    April 28, 2022 at 10:22 pm

    Indeed! Reading is useful in all parts of our lives, from stress alleviation to increased memory. Reading is a fantastic approach to improve your overall skills. Thank you.

    to Holly's Magical Fairy Tale Christmas" aria-label='reply to this comment to Holly's Magical Fairy Tale Christmas'>reply to this comment

Trackbacks

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