Excellent Children's Books to Share with Your Kids

It's extremely important for children to develop a love of reading at a young age, and we can inspire a love of books in young children simply by reading to them! If you have a young child in your life, you know how important books are to them, and have probably already shared a few beloved stories with them. I was raised with a love of books, and have fond memories of the books of my childhood. In this article, I'll share some of the most beloved books from my childhood, and hopefully you and your kids will enjoy them as I did. In no particular order, here are my top picks:

Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney
Published by Puffin in 1985, Miss Rumphius is an enchanting story about one woman's extraordinary life and her quest to beautify the world. With gorgeous illustrations, valuable sentiments, and fairly easy vocabulary, this is an excellent book to share with children under twelve years of age. Amazon lists its reading level as appropriate for children aged 4-8 years, but Miss Rumphius is such a lovely book, it deserves to be read by children and adults of all ages.

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, by Bernard Waber
Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is a charming little book about a highly intelligent crocodile named Lyle and the difficulties of a world that generally isn't croc-friendly. Published in 1987 by Houghton Mifflin, this classic story has aged beautifully, and is still remarkably entertaining. The lovely, simple illustrations are extremely well-done, and this colorful little story is sure to be a favorite of all the kids in your life!

The Jolly Postman, by Alan Ahlberg
This is an engaging and entertaining book about a mailman in an enchanting fairytale kingdom. The book contains several letters that can be taken out of their envelopes and read as part of the story. This book, most recently published by L,B Kids in 2006, is extremely fun, and is filled with adorable, colorful illustrations. This is one of my most treasured childhood books, and I know that any child will love The Jolly Postman.

Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak
This book contains what are possibly the greatest illustrations in any book I've ever read. The story is imaginative, the pictures are vibrant and gorgeous, and it's a must-have for every child's book collection. Most recently published by Harper Collins in 2003, Where the Wild Things Are is a spirited, imaginative story that's excellent for kids of all ages!

If you're looking for books to share with your kids, or are interested in adding to an older child's library, this list has four great stories to get you started. All of these books are appropriate for young readers aged 12 years and under, but the stories are great for children of any age!