Favorite Children's Picture Books

As a mother of three young children, I've read literally hundreds of children's picture books. We visit the library often but we also have an extensive collection of books at home. There are favorites that my kids keep asking for over and over. Here are a few of their, and my, favorites.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear ,What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr. and Eric Carle

There is a reason Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? has been a favorite for forty years now. It's easy to understand for the littlest of toddlers and it has great pictures to go with the words. The repetition of the text makes it an easy favorite for preschoolers. Kids love guessing what is next and then testing their memory to see if they can memorize the book.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

I think I have read The Very Hungry Caterpillar well over one hundred times and it still remains a favorite. With amazing pictures from Eric Carle, this book is great for babies to preschoolers. It helps children learn about the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly and also about counting and the days of the week.

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Goodnight Moon is a great book to finish your nightly reading and get your child ready for bed. The story is about a little rabbit preparing for bed and postponing bedtime by telling everything in the room, and the moon, good night. The pages are full color and vivid alternating with simple black and white. The tone of the book slowly comes down at the end of the book until you find yourself whispering the last few pages.

Counting Kisses: A Kiss and Count Book by Karen Katz

Counting Kisses is a fun book to start your bedtime reading or to read during the day. The book starts out with a fussy baby who is calmed down with ten kisses, then nine and so on down to one last kiss before going to sleep. This book is fun and teaches numbers and counting backwards.

The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss

We are big fans of all of Dr. Seuss' books, but The Foot Book is especially big in our house with the preschoolers. Toddlers and preschoolers will love the wonderful rhymes Dr. Seuss is known for while learning opposites. The rhymes are silly and cute, two very important criteria for a toddler book.

Whether you are looking for books for your child or to give as a gift, these books have all stood the test of time and have been favorites for years. Don't be surprised if your preschooler wants to read at least one of these books every night. Reading to your preschooler helps with reading readiness and creates a wonderful, relaxed bonding time for both of you.