Classic and "must have" books for a preschooler

[Biscuits & Gravy]

We need storybooks. I'm compiling a list for the library and would love some suggestions. What should be on my list?

I worked in a bookstore for years, am a book nut, and have a special love for children's literature. However, I am drawing a serious blank right now as I'm trying to come up with titles!

[Oriole]

Myths, Legends, Folk Tales
Brothers Grimm, Andersen
a bit in hurry, I'm sure many people will help you out.

[Emma.]

I work with preschoolers so off the top of my head here are some of my (and the kids') favorites

Clifford Books

Litter Critter Books

Rainbow Fish

How do Dinosaurs ______? (Books by Jane Yolen)

Down by the Cool of the Pool

Anything by Eric Carle

Where the Wild Things Are

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

No, David

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Pinkalicious/Purplicious

Curious George

If you give a mouse a cookie/pig a pancake/moose a muffin

[luv-my-boys]

The giving tree
Classic Dr. Seus
Eric Carle books (great illustrations)
are you my mama llama?
the If you give a mouse a cookie (there are several with other animals/items)
Rainbow fish
curious george
(i love the weekly reader series that put out every yr a collection of books, they are classic and newer titles and always use award winning authors)
No David!




older children-magic schoolbus series

[Kristine233]

Emma's list is a great start.

Any Jan Brett books
The Napping House
The Kissing Hand
The Mitten Tree
Everybody Poops (lmao, we love this one!)

[Owen'nZoe]

These are just a few that we read over and over that I didn't see on others' lists:

Salamander Room
Forest Night, Forest Bright
Courderoy
Where the Sidewalk Ends
Snowy Day or anything by Ezra Jack Keats
Owen or anything else by Kevin Henkes
Where the Wild Things Are
Frog and Toad Are Friends

[fivi2]

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Anything Mo Willems

second anything by Jan Brett (esp 3 snow bears and Annie and the Wild Animals)

second anything by Kevn Henkes

Tana Hoban

We;re going on a bear hunt - michael rosen and helen oxenbury

Jez Alborough - My Friend Bear series and Duck in a Truck

Blueberries for Sal

Anything Dr. Suess

Olivia books

I am blank now, but will come back later!

[SageR]

The following were always hits with my students when I was teaching and are the basis for the home library I'm building for my own boys now -

Caps For Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

The Funny Little Woman and Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel

Anansi the Spider by Gerald McDermott

The Cat at Night by Dahlov Ipcar

The Lorax by Dr Seuss

A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Wiliams

The Snowman by Raymond Briggs

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

the Peter Rabbit books by Beatrix Potter

the "David" series by David Shannon


anything by Eric Carle

anything by Donald Crews

anything by Tomie De Paola

anything by Lois Ehlert

anything by Elsa Beskow

anything by David Wiesner

anything by Virginia Lee Burton

anything by Leo Lionni

anything by Barbara Cooney (esp Miss Rumphius


and for some more unusual/unique book recs see this thread -

http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1042715

[DaughterOfKali]

One of my favorites is in my sig. Of course, there are many others.

I also like the Tacky the Penguin series.

[Biscuits & Gravy]

Thanks for the ideas (and keep them coming!) Now that we've found the library in our new town we'll be making frequent visits.

[Tra1978]

Don't forget Robert Munsch. He has a lot of great books.

[St. Margaret]

Harold and the Purple Crayon
Where the Wild Things Are, Outside Over There, Chicken Soup with Rice all by Sendak
Each Peach Pear Plum
Hand Hand Fingers Thumb
Summer is Summer
Moonbathing

gotta go nurse DD down...

[*Erin*]

so many great ones mentioned already, the only ones i can think to mention in addition the those are goodnight, moon by margaret wise-brown, and some nicely illustrated nursery rhymes.

[pixiepunk]

Winnie the Pooh (the originals by A.A. Milne)
Mama Mama/Papa Papa
Berenstain Bears
Clifford
Curious George
we love all by Maurice Sendak and Shel Silverstein

i've got loads of cool story books that are somewhat atypical, but beautifully written and illustrated. but i've got a sleeping baby on my lap, so i'll have to grab those and post them later!

[Biscuits & Gravy]

I love our new library. I can make a list online of books I want to read. Then when I'm ready for them, I just have to click the "request book" button. It is such a geeky thing, but these are the kinds of things that make me really, really happy. So I've been sitting here, NAK, building a huge list of books. Now I won't have to go searching for them with an infant and 3 year old in tow. : Libraries rock.

[St. Margaret]

That is how I get my books, too-- people sort of laugh at me for requesting children's books along with my novels, but it is SO worth it to not have to search through the stacks with toddler in tow. And I have an easy toddler!

Seriously, the online hold system is my shopping therapy now. I search for books recs here, on amazon, etc, and then find them through the library and make a huge request list. And it's FREE!

[bmcneal]

Some of my faves...

The Talking Eggs
Guess How Much I Love You
Love You Forever
Goodnight Moon
Runaway Bunny
Corduroy
The Gruffalo
The Poky Little Puppy
The Little Engine That Could
The Snowy Day
Madeline
Curious George
Where the Wild Things Are
Beatrix Potter

I *know* there are more, but I can't remember them right now (and all of DD's books are packed in the van)

[Susana]

When I was little I couldn't get enough of Frances.

Bread and Jam for Frances
A Bargain For Frances

[ledzepplon]

Originally Posted by Susana

When I was little I couldn't get enough of Frances.

Bread and Jam for Frances
A Bargain For Frances

I was just going to post this. My kids LOVE the Frances books. (Be warned, though--Bedtime for Frances has a threat to spank. My kids like it anyway, but just FYI.)

[Daffodil]

Yeah, the Frances books are great, and Russell Hoban also wrote a lot of other good ones that are worth looking for. Preschoolers (and their older siblings and parents) might like the ones about the Hungry Three: They Came From Aargh!, The Great Gumdrop Robbery, The Flight of Bembel Rudzuk, and one we haven't read called The Battle of Zormla.