Best Books

Books for younger children

Best Books

These books have been chosen from award-winning lists, suggested by parents, and approved by children. So, whether you're looking for books for tykes or teens, they're sure to please. Just scroll down to find your child's age group.

Baby/Preschool:

Time for Bed
By Mem Fox
Ages: 2-6
Looking for a cozy good-night story? With its beautiful illustrations and rhythmic tones, this book will place your child into a restful slumber.

Happy Birthday, Maisy
By Lucy Cousins
Ages: 2-4
It's Maisy the Mouse's birthday and your child is invited to the party! Through colorful pictures, tabs to pull, and flaps to lift, your little one can join in on the party games.

Day by Day, a Week Goes Round
By Carol Diggory Shields
Ages: 3-6
Want a fun way to introduce the days of the week and months of the year to your little one? This book will surely entertain--with its catchy rhymes and colorful pictures.

Let's Go Visiting
By Sue Williams
Ages: 1-3
This book is full of math adventures! Your child will have fun learning to count while being entertained by lively baby farm animals.

My Very First Mother Goose
By Iona Opie and Rosemary Wells
Ages: 2 and up
Familiar rhymes that have been passed from parent to child for generations are featured in this must-have collection, including favorites such as "Hey Diddle, Diddle," "Pat-a-Cake," "Little Jack Horner," and "Pussycat, Pussycat." Rosemary Wells's wonderful watercolors capture the simple joy and the sly humor that are the essence of Mother Goose.

Ages: 4-8

Carousel
By Liz Rosenberg
Ages: 4-8
Two sisters walking through the park discover the horses on the carousel magically come to life. Join them in their adventure as they take a thrilling ride, one sister on a horse, the other on a zebra.

Big Anthony:His Story
By Tomie de Paola
Ages: 4-8
For Strega Nona fans! Join Big Anthony's trek through the Italian countryside--creating havoc all the way until..he meets up with Strega Nona. Filled with Italian words and colorful pictures.

The Hat
By Jan Brett
Ages: 4-8
An appealing picture book. Hedgie the hedgehog finds a woolen stocking that falls off the clothesline. He puts it on his head but can't seem to get it off. The fun begins when his animal friends stop by to see what has happened.

How To Be A Friend: A Guide to Making Friends and Keeping Them
By Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown
Ages: 4-8
With humor, the familiar dinosaurs from the Dino Life Guides for Families series offers advice to kids on how to be a good friend. The book gives sage advice on how to settle an argument and avoid being bullied.

Today I Feel Silly & Other Moods That Make My Day
By Jamie Lee Curtis
Ages: 4-8
These playful rhymes not only encourage readers to express their feelings -- from confused to angry, cranky to great -- they also show how to make them fun. The book comes with a 'mood wheel' -- a die-cut wheel with mix-and-match facial expressions -- so children can identify their moods with funny faces.

Ages: 9-12

Safari
By Robert Bateman
Ages: 8-12
The world's preeminent wildlife artist, Robert Bateman invites young readers to join him on a trip to Africa to observe different animals and to learn something about their behavior. Bateman captures not only the fine details of the animals' appearances but the essence of their nature as well.

Houses & Homes
By Tim Wood
Ages: 9-12
This historical survey features a broad variety of domestic architecture from primitive cave dwellings to today's Biosphere 2, examining who lived there, building materials and constructions, special or unique design features, and layouts of the surrounding community.

Lily's Crossing
By Patricia Reilly Giff
Ages: 8-12
Set during World War II. Lily's lonely in Rockaway with both her father and her summer friend, until she meets an orphan from Budapest. As they care for an abandoned kitten together and wistfully watch ships passing on the horizon, a solid friendship develops, and by the time they part, Lily and Albert have helped each other through difficult times.

I Wonder What's Under There? A Brief History of UnderWear
By Deborah Nourse Lattimore
Ages: all ages
When Julius Caesar came, saw, and conquered Gaul, what was he wearing under his toga? Lift the flaps and see underwear through history in this funny and informative book for all ages.

Champions: Stories of Ten Remarkable Athletes
By Bill Littlefield
Ages: 8 and up
This book profiles athletes, both men and woman, who overcame huge obstacles--discrimination, poverty, disabilities--to achieve success, both in and out of the sports arena.