Recommended Reading

Hi Friends,

Birth to Pre-school is an amazing time to share the love of reading with children.  “The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home” by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise states that, “The best early teaching you can give your child is to immerse them in language from birth”.  It’s never too early or too late to start reading with your child. 

Preschoolers love to play pretend games. If you have read to your toddler often, then when they are ready for preschool. They will know how to hold a book.  They will know which direction to turn the pages and will know which direction to read the words.  Many toddlers love to assemble an audience of stuffies and pretend to read to them, just like their parents have shown them.  These foundational skills set the path for preschooler pre-reading.  More intentional reading can be added to their environment depending on your child’s attention span.  You might even decide to place them in a preschool program. 

If they are ready, home school or preschool education can be an excellent way to provide more structured learning time for your child.  Those first days of preschool can be a challenging transition for some.  It might require a lot of extra snuggle time before and after school.  It might also require more nap time for toddlers that have stopped regularly napping. Either way, treat yourself and your preschooler with some good reading time together.

If I learned anything from the million episodes of Daniel Tiger that I have watch it is, “when you do something new, let’s talk about what we’ll do.”  As annoying as those sayings can be at times, it is very helpful for children that thrive on consistency and schedule to really talk through changes that will be coming. 

Here are 10 recommended off-to-school and doing hard things books to start preschool off right.    

• The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper

The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper was published in the 1930. The main theme of the book is the positive thinking of the Little Engine.  This message, “I think I Can, I think I Can, I think I Can” still holds up today.  The bright pictures and fun circus elements make this a great story to encourage your child that they can accomplish hard things.  

• Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

This book by Robert McCloskey shares the story of the duck family as they cross busy boston streets to get to the Boston public garden pond.  In this book, Mrs. Mallard isn’t afraid to ask for help when she gets to a difficult situation.  This is a great book shows children that change can be a fun adventure and that there are trusted adults that can help along the way.

• The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds

Vashti doesn’t think she is an artist.  With a little encouragement, Vashti makes her first art piece.   She is encouraged to make more art and try and try again with new and different variations of her art.  Soon she has a whole collection.  This story inspires readers to keep making small efforts each day till you can look back and see how far you have come. The same is true with reading.  Reading can be difficult at first but small efforts every day will turn into a collection of new reading words.  Soon, those words allow you to read whole books.  

• Curious George’s First Day of School by Margret and H.A. Rey’s

There is never a dull day with Curious George.  Curious George’s First Day of School is going well. He is a very helpful monkey until he gets into some monkey business during art time.  George wants to be a good student but he is just too curious about making more paint colors.   In the end George has a great first day of school. 

• Biscuit Goes to School by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

Biscuit is the beloved puppy that has some great pre-reading adventures.  In this story, Biscuit is not allowed to go to school on the bus.  Biscuit goes on an adventure to make his way to school.  The Biscuit series is great for beginning readers. 

• Pete the Kitty’s First Day of Preschool by James Dean

Pete the Kitty is on his way to preschool.  He knows it will be fun.  He packs his backpack and snack and rides the bus to school with his big brother.  He meets his teacher. He listens to a story and paints a picture.  Preschool is fun.  Pete the Kitty series is the pre-reading books that proceed Pete the Cat.  Your child can still follow the adventures of Pete the Cat as their reading level grows. 

• Henry and Mudge: The First Book by Cynthia Rylant

I adore all stories by Cynthia Rylant but there is no better place to start than Henry and Mudge. This story is a great reminder that having a great friend to share the ups and downs of life with is special.  In this early chapter book, Henry meets Mudge and they begin their adventures together.  The Henry and Mudge series is a great first series for early readers.    

• The Berenstain Bears: Go To School by Stan and Jan Berenstain

The classic Berenstain Bears book has sister going to Kindergarten for the first time.  She is nervous at first, but brother bear encourages her that she will have fun.  She meets her teacher and her classroom and feels more confident when she sees the big paint jars. 

• Little Critter: First Day of School by Mercer Mayer

Little Critter has a lot to do to get ready for the first day of school.  The little critter books are great pre-reading adventures for you and your child to explore together.  In this book little critter is nervous about going to school, but all the nervousness ends after a great first day! Be sure to look for spider and mouse on each page.

• Mittens at School by Lola M. Schaefer

Mittens is the beloved kitten that has some great pre-reading adventures.  In this story, Mittens is at school for show and tell.  Mittens doesn’t want to sit in the crate all day.  Mittens wants to sees all of the fun things to do at school.  The Mittens series is great for beginning readers. 

Remember what Gretchen Rubin says, “The [summer] days are long but the years are short”.  Spend those long days reading and those moments will never be wasted.