Working children’s book recommendations & Gift idea lists

Working children’s book recommendations & Gift idea lists

books, literature, read

If there is one subject I could spend a lot of time talking about, it would be children’s books. Maybe when I’m at a different stage in life, I will become a librarian. Until then, I’m content burning up my library card to discover new children’s books. And, truth be told, I often gravitate toward books as gifts, too. If you’re looking for new reading for littles, or gift ideas for kids in your world, read on. *I’d love your endorsements as well!

Board Book Favorites for Littles

Counting Kisses, Karen Katz

God Gave Us You, Lisa Tawn Bergren

Barnyard Dance, Sandra Boynton

Moo, Baa, La La La, Sandra Boynton

What’s Wrong Little Pookie, Sandra Boynton

Along Came You, Karona Drummand

How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight?, Varsha Bajaj

1-2-3 Peas, Keith Baker

Jamberry, Bruce Degen

Goodnight Gorilla, Peggy Rathmann

The Snowy Day, Ezra Jack Keats

All Creatures Great & Small, illustrated by Naoko Stoop

Favorite Baptism/First Communion Gift Books

Look & Find Bible:  Gill Guile (Illustrator), B&H Editorial Staff (Editor)

Images of God for Young Children, Marie-Helene Delval and Barbara Nascimbeni

Psalms for Young Children,  Marie-Helene Delval (Author), Arno (Illustrator)

You Are Special, Max Lucado

Favorite Picture Books

The Mitten, Jan Brett

Hedgie’s Surprise, Jan Brett (anything by Jan Brett)

Mountain Day, Mountain Night, Anthony D. Fredericks

Sleep Tight, Farm,Eugene Doyle

Cowpoke Clyde Rides the Range, Lori Mortensen

Cowpoke Clyde and the Dirty Dog, Lori Mortensen

The Lorax, Dr. Suess

Pete the Cat, Eric Litwin

Can You Canoe, The OkeeDokee Brothers

Whose Tail on the Trail?, Midji Stephenson

Thunder Cake, Patricia Polacco

Ernestine’s Milky Way (Great gift for a 5 year old), Kerry Madden-Lundsford

The Song and Dance Man,Karen Ackerman

Guess How Much I Love You,Sam McBratney

Up the Creek, Nicholas Oldland

This Old Band, Tamera Will Wissinger (Hilarious western story-song to the tune of This old Man).

Tiki Tiki Tembo, re-told by Arlene Mosel

Blueberries for Sal, Robert McCloskey

The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Williams

Berlioz the Bear, Jan Brett

Mother Bruce,Ryan T.Higgins (about a bear who accidentally adopts 4 goslings while trying to cook them)

The Gingerbread Cowboy, Janet Squires

Search & Find:

Around the Town All Year ‘Round, Rotraut Susanne

New Readers

Usborne Phonics Readers (It’s likely you already know an Usborne representative)

I Can Read Series

Bernstein Bears

The Big Blue Book of Beginners Books


Next Steps

Magic Tree House Series, Mary Pope Osborne

Junie B. Jones series, Barbara Park

Nancy Clancy series, Jane O’Connor

Amelia Bedelia, Herman Parish


Older grades 3+

American Girls collections

Roald Dahl–particularly the BFG

Romona Quimby series, Beverly Cleary

Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder

Boxcar Children, Gertrude Chandler Warner

Fudge/Superfudge/Fudge-a-mania, Judy Blume’s


Read Aloud stories:

Charlotte’s Webb, E.B. White

The Trumpet and the Swan, E.B. White

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, & Chronicals of Narnia, CS Lewis

Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

Christmas Stories

Who’s that Knocking on Christmas Eve?, Jan Brett

The Cobweb Christmas, Shirley Climo

Pippin the Christmas Pig, Jean Little

How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Dr. Suess

Christmas Tree Ship, Carol Crane

The Elves & the Shoemaker,  Tiger Tales , Erica-Jane Waters 

Brigid’s Cloak, Bryce Milligan

Christmas Farm, Mary Lyn Ray

The Candymaker’s Gift, Helen Haidle

The Country Angel Christmas, Tomie de Paola

The Legend of the Poinsettia, Tomie de Paola

Cobweb Christmas, Shirley Climo

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