We’re big book lovers and have been reading to our kids since day one—actually, even before that! When Mrs. Life Is Better With Friends was pregnant, she would read aloud so the baby could hear her voice. We read both English and German books, helping our kids learn both languages from the start. Here are some of our favorite English books!
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
“School is starting in the forest, but Chester Raccoon does not want to go. To help ease Chester's fears, Mrs. Raccoon shares a family secret called the Kissing Hand to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary. Since its first publication in 1993, this heartwarming book has become a children's classic that has touched the lives of millions of children and their parents, especially at times of separation, whether starting school, entering daycare, or going to camp. It is widely used by kindergarten teachers on the first day of school. Stickers at the back will help children and their parents keep their Kissing Hand alive.”
Our daughter was pretty shy when she was younger, and when she started preschool, we must have read this book countless times—it quickly became a favorite, and we never got tired of it!
The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson
“When a tiny snail meets a humpback whale, the two travel together to far-off lands. It's a dream come true for the snail, who has never left home before. But when the whale swims too close to shore, will the snail be able to save her new friend?”
This is such a wonderful book! The illustrations are gorgeous, and the rhymes make it so fun to read. It's definitely one to keep around for when we have grandkids!
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
“Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: His crayons have had enough! They quit! Blue crayon needs a break from coloring all those bodies of water. Black crayon wants to be used for more than just outlining. And Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking—each believes he is the true color of the sun. What can Duncan possibly do to appease all of the crayons and get them back to doing what they do best?”
This book is hilarious, and our kids are still debating what the real color of the sun is (you’ll know exactly what we mean once you read it!). It’s easily one of our all-time favorites!
Never Say No to a Princess by Tracey Corderoy
“The little princess wants everything NOW, or else - she'll CRY! But what happens when she wants her very own dragon? It's time for a whole river of tears. With beautiful, fresh illustrations and a laugh-out-loud text, this is a glorious tale of adventure, friendship and finally learning to say please.”
This book has gorgeous illustrations (perfect for pink lovers!) and delivers a wonderful lesson for both kids and parents.
When I Dream of ABC by Henry Fisher
“A unique keepsake book that uses dreamy illustrations, humor, and the power of dreams to teach the alphabet. Enter the dreamy world of ABC in this soothing bedtime storybook. A humorous exploration of the many strange and extraordinary characters that inhabit a fantastical dreamworld, encouraging children to learn their ABC. From shy dragons and opera-singing mermaids, to bossy queens and hot chocolate-drinking vampires, learning the alphabet has never been so fascinating.”
A fantastic book for learning the ABCs! It features fun illustrations and introduces less common words for each letter, making it both engaging and educational.
Forget me not by Michael Broad
“Monty is a very young elephant, and his Mama is concerned for his safety. She tells him the two important things he must always remember. First, he must stay with their herd, where he will be protected from danger. Second, he must never forget how much his mother loves him. Then, Monty sees something bright and blue that is half-buried in the ground, and he thinks it might be a bouquet of forget-me-nots. He wants to bring the flowers to his Mama. Forgetting her words, he stops to dig it up, but when he looks up from his task, he discovers that his herd has moved on, and is nowhere in sight. As he goes looking for them, Monty finds many other animals grouped together--a flock of flamingos, a mob of meerkats, and a colony of termites. But now, the rain is coming, and Monty still hasn't found his herd. What on earth can he do?”
In case you haven’t noticed, we absolutely love friendship books! 😊 This one is a heartwarming story about friendship that many kids can relate to, along with a beautiful message about kindness that all kids should connect with.
Superworm by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
"An unlikely hero, Superworm, saves the day in all kinds of ways. He is beloved by his garden friends who then get a chance to come to Superworm's rescue when he is kidnapped by an evil lizard. A story of friendship and helping each other with a message that anyone can be a superhero."
This is another fantastic rhyming book with adorable illustrations and a fun, engaging story. We can still hear our kids singing: “Superworm is super-long, Superworm is super-strong, Watch him wiggle! See him squirm! Hip, hip, hooray for SUPERWORM!”
Don't Push the Button! by Bill Cotter
“There's only one rule in Larry's book: don't push the button. (Seriously, don't even think about it!) Even if it does look kind of nice, you must never push the button. Who knows what would happen? Okay, quick. No one is looking... push the button. Uh, oh.”
This interactive book is super fun and makes the child feel like they’re part of the story! It’s perfect for a quick bedtime read filled with giggles and tickles.
Should I Share My Ice Cream? By Mo Willems
“Gerald the Elephant analyzes, rationalizes, and justifies different scenarios in his decision to share (or not to share!) his ice cream with his best friend, Piggie.”
We absolutely love the *Elephant and Piggie* books! Why? Because Elephant and Piggie are best friends! This particular story focuses on sharing, empathy, and kindness, all wrapped up in humor with charming illustrations and easy sight-word repetition, making it perfect for young readers.
The Snatchabook by Helen Docherty and Thomas Docherty
“It's bedtime in the woods of Burrow Down, and all the animals are ready for their bedtime story. But books are mysteriously disappearing. Eliza Brown decides to stay awake and catch the book thief. It turns out to be a little creature called the Snatchabook who has no one to read him a bedtime story. All turns out well when the books are returned and the animals take turns reading bedtime stories to the Snatchabook.”
This is hands down Mrs. Life Is Better With Friends' favorite children's book! Whenever it was her turn to pick a bedtime story, she always chose *Snatchabook*. The illustrations are fantastic, and the story carries a heartwarming message about listening, understanding, kindness, forgiveness, and friendship.
Need more inspiration and book recommendations? Check out question #15 in your child's My Friends and I book to see what their friends love to read! Don't have a book yet? Get one here or on Amazon!