10 Favorite Childrens Books to Read to My Little Ones

It wasn't until our twins were born that we truly got into stories for kids. With two babies, two toddlers, two pre-schoolers and now two elementary school kids, we have run the gambit of stories for kids ranging from picture childrens books to chapter childrens books. Here are 10 of my favorite childrens books to read to my little ones.

Preschool Childrens Books for the Entire Family

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is a simple childrens book with fantastic illustration. Eric Carle brings the caterpillar to life and with each page our children have a renewed sense of excitement. From an educational view, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle teaches days of the week and stages of caterpillar growth.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? is another Eric Carle childrens book we cannot live without. The words are written by Bill Martin Jr., but the illustration is all Eric Carle. No matter the age, children love the colors and interaction between the story and the reader.

The Monster at the End of This Book was the first childrens book I ever read to my twins. As a kid, my mother read this childrens book to me with such animation that I knew I would pass that love onto my children. Grover teaches children to tackle fears because things are not always what they seem.

Ages 4-8 - Elementary School

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is an award winning childrens book offering an adventure into the imagination. Parents are bound to get just as much enjoyment out of this childrens book as children with plenty of opportunities to act the "wild thing" part.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is a bit different from other childrens books on my list of 10 favorite childrens books to read to my little ones. The story is a tear jerker with adult themes of greed and lack of appreciation, but children don't seem to hear that in the story. Parents must be warned, Shel Silverstein wrote this childrens book with a hidden message for us all.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst takes readers through a day in the life of Alexander. There are several childrens books in this series and each offers a great moral for children and a storyline that is easy to understand.

Another in the Alexander series, Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday teaches children to respect money unlike the main character. Alexander was rich for a moment, but then that money just seemed to melt away.

Farmer Joe and the Music Show by Tony Mitton is a fun story of music, dancing and more. Parents can act out the story with children, dance through the living room and yell a big "Yee Har!".

Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman tells the tale of a baby bird that falls out of the nest and goes in search for his mother. Along the way he talks with many animals and eventually finds his own mother.

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss is one of my 10 favorite childrens books to read to my little ones. There is something about a childrens book that encourages role playing that makes reading it a pleasure. Our children range in age from 6 to 13 and all love to hear Green Eggs and Ham.