March 2nd is one of our favorite days: Dr. Seuss’s birthday! It also marks the NEA’s Read Across America Day, a nationwide celebration of literacy and the power of books. This is the perfect excuse to spend some extra time reading with your preschooler. To build anticipation, borrow or purchase a few new titles and have your child make a stack of their favorite stories. On the big day, gather up blankets and pillows to make a cozy reading nook and spend part of the day reading book after book. Since reading aloud with your child has so many measurable benefits, it’s worth making this day a celebration in your house.
Children often gravitate toward the books they already know and love. But, if you’re looking to add to your home library, you may need some new suggestions. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best-loved classics, as well as new and notable children’s books, to keep your little one engaged with every page.
Start With Seuss: Little Known Dr. Seuss Books To Explore
There’s a reason fifteen of the top 100 best-selling picture books are written by Dr. Seuss. His books are perfect for early readers who are just starting to identify letters, letter sounds, and phonemes. Classics like The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, and Hop on Pop use unforgettable illustrations and simple rhymes that kids love to recite. Just be prepared to hear “I do not like them, Sam I Am!” for the next several days.
Last year on our blog, we highlighted six of our favorite Dr. Seuss stories. If your child is already familiar with most of these, consider a few of these lesser-known tales.
I Had Trouble in Getting To Solla Sollew, by Dr. Seuss
- Follow the adventures of the traveler who runs into quite a few difficulties and strange characters on a long journey to a new location. After many trials and tribulations, he eventually realizes that the place he started is the place he wants to be.
My Book All About Me, by Dr. Seuss and Roy McKie
- This interactive book encourages readers to add details about themselves. How many keyholes are in your house? Can you get an autograph from a postal service worker? For preschoolers just discovering their likes and dislikes, this can be an instant hit. It’s also great for kids who love to tell stories. “Writing” their own Seuss-inspired book gives kids a sense of ownership before they can even write a single word.
True Tales: Notable Nonfiction for Preschoolers
Preschoolers love a good fictional story, but they’re also deeply curious about the world around them. Feed your preschoolers’ engagement by providing them with age-appropriate STEM books. Here are a few of our favorites:
My First Science Textbook: Protons and Neutrons, by Mary Wissinger, Harriet Kim Ahn Rodis, and John Coveyou
- Kids meet Pete the Proton and Ned the Neutron as they start to understand the tiny building blocks that make up the whole world. Physics is playful in this delightful three book-series. (For slightly older readers, Wissinger’s Science Wide Open series highlights the amazing stories of women in science. Great for encouraging your budding biologist!)
Who’s Looking At You?, by Stephane Frattini
- If your kiddo is animal-obsessed, this book introduces them to the distinctive features of several different species. Stunning macro photography images offer close-up views of well-known animals. When a visit to the zoo isn’t possible, this book is the next best thing.
Diversity and Difference: Preschool Books for Equity and Inclusion
These books will help your preschooler learn about the many different kinds of people and families that make up the world. Early exposure to images of diverse main characters helps reduce implicit bias, even in young children. The nonprofit organizations WeStories and We Need Diverse Books have even more great suggestions for promoting equity and inclusion through children’s books.
The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats
- Have a stir-crazy preschooler in blizzard conditions and don’t want to risk frostbite? Snuggle in front of the fire with footie pajamas and the tale of Peter’s snowy day. This Caldecott Award-winning story broke the color barrier in children’s books in 1962, and it’s a beloved classic today.
Last Stop on Market Street, by Matt De La Peña and Christian Robinson
- This Newberry Award-winning book follows the adventures of CJ and his nana as they take the bus downtown. Memorable characters and bright, beautiful illustrations make this 2015 story a must-have addition to little libraries.
Repetition, Repetition, Repetition: Books For Preschoolers Who Love Routines
Preschoolers thrive on routines, and their interest in repetition spills over into the books they love best. This makes sense! Repeated words and phrases help little eyes link letter shapes to sounds, and repeated read-alouds are linked to earlier and more confident readers.
Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown
- Repetition can also be soothing for bedtime or naptime routines. The classic Goodnight Moon prepares kids to rest by having them say goodnight to objects in their room. After starting this book, you can expect yawns before too long.
Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, by Sherri Duskey Rinker
- In this industrial spin on a bedtime classic, a crane bids an entire construction site goodnight. Perfect for kids who know the names of every piece of large machinery by heart.
Reading at The Gardner School
Good books have the power to jumpstart learning, enhance problem-solving skills, and assist in language development. It’s why reading is a fundamental component of The Gardner School curriculums. With a healthy mix of structured lessons, free play, and on-site enrichment activities, we give children the guidance they need to start learning as soon as they’re ready. To learn more about the advantages of an academic preschool, visit our website or schedule a tour today. Happy reading!
