"The number one thing you can do as a parent to help teach your child to read is to read to them. The number one thing as a parent you can do for the world is to raise your child to be a responsible caring adult . Parenting is a challenge on good days but mixing lessons not just about concepts but about character with reading time is a shortcut that works. Books are a wonderful tool to reinforce tough to grasp lessons and to open the door for discussions that we aren’t always sure how to approach with our kids. All these books teach lessons, have messages or open the floor for discussions without being preachy . Click through titles for full reviews."
- Shelia Rae, The Brave by Kevin Henkes
- The Family Book by Todd Parr
- Let’s Them Play by Margo Theis Raven
- Something From Nothing by Phoebe Gilman
- Ballerino Nate by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
- Apple Pie Fourth Of July by Janet S. Wong
- A Chair For My Mother by Vera B Williams
- The Gardener by Sarah Stewart
- Pinkalicious by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann
- The Loudest Roar by Thomas Taylor
- Hilda Must Be Dancing by Karma Wilson
- I Remember Miss Perry by Pat Brisson
- Looking For Sleepy by Meribeth Boelts
- Pablo’s Tree by Pat Mora
- The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
- The Little Red Hen Makes A Pizza by by Philomen Sturges
- The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
- Murmel, Murmel, Murmel by Robert Munsch
- Bob and Otto by Robert O. Bruel
- Ordinary Amos And The Amazing Fish by Eugenie and Henry Fernandes
- Alexander And The Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
- Stephanie’s Ponytail by Robert Munsch
- Piglet and Papa by Margaret Wild
- First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg
- Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
- Valentine’s Day by Anne Rockwell
- A Picture Book Of Helen Keller by David A. Adler
- Fish is Fish by Leo Lionni
- The Bus For Us by Suzanne Bloom
- Every Cowgirl Needs A Horse by Rebecca Janni
- Bear Stays Up At Christmas by Karma Wilson
- Duck On A Bike by David Shannon
- Cowboy Camp by Tammi Sauer
- The List by Hazel Hutchins
- Scaredy Squirrel Makes A Friend by Melanie Watt
- Julius The Baby Of The World by Kevin Henkes
- Rosa By Nikki Giovanni
- The Pirate Of Kindergarten by George Ella Lyon
- Is There Really A Human Race? by Jamie Lee Curtis
- A Father Like That by Charlotte Zolotow
- Whoever You Are by Mem Fox
- Freckleface Strawberry by Julianne Moore
- The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers
- Sink or Swim by Valerie Coulman
- The Princess and The Pizza by Mary Jane and Herb Auch
- I Want To Be A Cowgirl by Jeanne Willis
- No! David by David Shannon
- My Brother Martin by Christine King Farris
- It’s Mine by Leo Lionni
- Ben’s Trumpet by Rachel Isadora
- One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root
- How To Catch A Star by Oliver Jeffers
- My Best Friend Moved Away by Nancy Carlson
- The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
- The Boy Who Grew Flowers by Jennifer Wojtowicz
- Edwardo the Horriblest Boy in the Whole Wide World by John Burningham
- Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes
- Music Over Manhattan by Mark Karlins
- I Love You Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt
- Zip, Zip… Homework by Nancy Poydar
- Tacky The Penguin by Helen Lester
- Did I Tell You I Love You Today? by Deloris Jordan
- Hair For Mama by Kelly A. Tinkham
- I Don’t Want To Go To Bed by Julia Sykes
- Owen by Kevin Henkes
- The Sissy Duckling by Harvey Fierstein
- Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boyton
- Princess Smartypants by Brenda Cole
- Dad, Jackie and Me by Myron Ulberg
- Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae
- Click Clack Moo , Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
- A Kiss Goodbye by Audrey Penn
- A Very Big Bunny by Marisabina Russo
- The Grumpy Morning by Pamela Duncan Edwards
- One Green Apple by Eve Bunting
