Last week, I shared some of my favorite motivational reads — which actually aren’t reads but listens because since I’ve had kids (um, for 6 years now), my ability to focus on a book has dramatically dropped. By the time I climb into bed at night, I get through two pages at most before my eyelids start to flutter closed and the book or the Kindle hits me in the face.
In my current #momlife, my capacity for reading is sadly mirroring that of my children: picture books and chapter books and even kids’ audiobooks. We do a lot of reading in this house, and always have: From the minute the boys would sit still on my lap, I’ve read each boy three books every night before bed. So while having children hasn’t quite made me illiterate, it is the children’s literature that’s currently saving me from that fate.
As an ambitious first-time mom, I embarked on the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten project with Easton when he was 2 years old, not realizing that it meant you only had to read literally 1,000 times to your child — I was set on reading 1,000 different books before kindergarten, and we more than exceeded our goal. We hit the 1,000 reads in a year (though it took us a little longer to get to 1,000 different ones because, toddlers and repetition …)
In honor of International Children’s Book Day today, April 2, I’m sharing our favorite book series. Some of these we’ve read 1,000 times to the boys (or at least that’s what it feels like), and others are newer finds, but all of them are kid-approved and parent-approved — meaning that I don’t hate to read them. That’s a list for another day…
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Our Family’s Favorite Read-Aloud Series
My picks are organized by age, so jump to your kiddos’ section or Pin this post for the future!
Under 1 Year Reads
Karen Katz’s “Baby” Books
Bright colors, eye-catching patterns, and flaps for small hands: this is the series that got my kids hooked on books. Where Is Baby’s Puppy? is my baby shower favorite for any dog-friendly expecting couple, and the appropriate Baby Loves (Season) for pet-free moms-to-be.
Eric Carle board books
Toss-up between The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? for the two most-read titles in our house of all time.
Fisher-Price Little People flap books
OK, I lied a little bit. I said all the books were parent-approved. I actually hate the Little People books … but both my boys inexplicably loved them SO MUCH that they have to make the list. Simple (stupid-simple) rhymes and interactivity must be what hold their attention. You’re in luck that the board books are no longer in print, so you’ll be spared my favorite “Little People We Can Build It!”, which I can recite from memory. But the large-format flap books, proudly boasting “More than 50 flaps!”, will keep little hands busy while you gloss over the (lack of) narrative story.
Nancy Tillman’s You Are Loved collection
I will always get choked up ready On the Night You Were Born. Always. The illustrations in Nancy Tillman’s books are beautiful and distinctive, the perfect complement to her soothing, lyrical prose. The perfect read to lull your squishy little one to sleep with the sweetest dreams.
Toddler Reads
Little Blue Truck
Toddlers loves rhymes, and little boys love trucks. The magic of Little Blue Truck is all about the combination of rollicking rhymes and sound effects — whether it’s farm animals or city traffic. Although the Little Blue Truck books are a little long for younger toddlers, the rhymes roll off the tongue so you can read it quickly. Your kids will love to make the Beep! Beep! noises right along with you, and you’ll appreciate the messages of friendship that tie the stories together.
Good Night, Good Night Construction Site
Sherry Duskey Rinker’s stories win some of my favorite childrens’ books of all times, equally because of their charming illustrations and their fun-to-read yet soothing rhymes. Good Night, Good Night Construction Site is the classic that started it all, but its follow-up, Steam Train Dream Train, is even better in my opinion. Just depends if your kids are construction vehicle kids or train kids.
Pete the Cat
A toddler book list wouldn’t be complete without Pete the Cat. From a solid six-month period starting at 2 years old, we read exclusively Pete the Cat to Sawyer before bed — classic Pete stories with the songs you can find on YouTube, new Pete stories with themes like construction and pirates, and even “My First Reader” Pete stories that are the perfect short read before bedtime. As a first-time parent, I didn’t know the original Pete the Cat stories were meant to have the refrains sung; a search of YouTube opened up a whole new world for us and an obsession was born. I can still sing the choruses of “Groovy Buttons”, “White Shoes”, and “Pete the Cat Saves Christmas” on a whim. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you owe it to yourself to get your YouTube search on.
Llama Llama
Another rhyming series that’s fun to read, Llama Llama is a parent favorite because the books tackle the most common toddler problems: sharing, tantrums, nighttime fears and more, in stories that are relatable and wise. Pick the Llama Llama story that mirrors your toddler’s current behavior for a gently teachable moment. The parent-child interactions are the common theme throughout, and you just might learn a thing or two from Mama Llama’s no-nonsense approach to toddlers.
Preschool Reads
I Am Otter
The Otter series is the only book series that we own every single one of the titles and eagerly await the release of more. The adorably illustrated series centers around a precocious Otter and her adventures with her toys and stuffed animal friends. Told from Otter’s headstrong perspective, the books are wryly funny with intricate illustrations that invite you to point out funny details and jokes that just might fly over your kids’ heads.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
This classic series got a reboot in our house thanks to the Amazon Original Series that transforms the characters into a 30-minute show. The stories are a little nonsensical but that’s why kids like them — they identify with the antics of Mouse, Moose, Dog, and Pig, while the books’ familiar pattern gently reinforces the concepts of causes and effect at the same time.
Mamasaurus
I know it’s not exactly a series if there’s only two books to date, but the Mamasaurus and Papasaurus duo are so perfect for the preschool set, they couldn’t be left out. The books delight dinosaur-lovers without you having to recite off a litany of prehistorically dry facts, and the focus on the relationship between a Babysaurus and his parent is both reassuring and familiar to the youngest future paleontologists.
Gaston and Friends
Another book duo (with more in the works), Gaston and its sequel, Antoinette, are two of the children’s books that I pick first if I’m ever given my choice. The story of a French bulldog pup who doesn’t quite fit in with his proper poodle siblings has charming illustrations, fun repetition and interactivity, and an important message about the love and acceptance of your family. I’m embarrassed to admit I got choked up the first time I read it.
Kindergarten
Scaredy Squirrel
Scaredy Squirrel is the perfect protagonist for your anxious child because his fears are over-the-top and ridiculous in a way that make your child feel better about his own fears. The books use maps, lists, charts, graphs, and more to tell the story, and Scaredy is charming despite his anxieties. All of the small details make these fun to read, and if you’re like us, you’ll read the whole series over and over again.
Narwhal and Jelly
A silly nonsequitur series, the adventures of Narwhal and his buddy Jelly are divided into vignette stories that stand alone, with a loose theme running through the book (like super heroes, for example). Kids will love Narwhal and Jelly’s antics and back-and-forth squabbling while they delight in oddball details like the friends’ mutual love of waffles.
Mother Bruce
Are you sensing a theme? Silliness and humor abound for the kindergarten set. The Mother Bruce books and its spin-offs are no exception. The hilarity of these books comes from the comic-style illustrations with thought bubbles, side commentary, and random asides that your little readers will beg to hear again and again. Be Quiet gets my boys so riled up with uncontrollable giggles that we can’t read it before bed anymore!
The Magic School Bus
Another classic series that’s endured the test of the ages, the Magic School Bus and Ms. Frizzle combine fiction with non-fiction in the most engaging way. Easton loves all of the facts embedded in the books, and I love the narrative that advances the story. The reboot show on Netflix is pretty good too, so check it out when you need a TV break.
Early Elementary
Cam Jansen
Simple, non-scary mysteries that I remember reading when I was a kid. Cam’s photographic memory enthralls kids, and Easton has a great time figuring out the mystery as it unfolds. He’s pretty good at it!
Stick Dog and Stick Cat
Chapter books that will make you laugh out loud as you read them aloud, complete with occasional illustrations. Stick Dog was the first chapter book Easton and I tried, and he loved it so much that we promptly read the entire series over the course of 3 months. That’s the hallmark of a great series.
Geronimo Stilton
We just started this chapter book series, about the adventures of a mouse journalist and his newspaper office team. The book combines colorful illustrations and eye-catching text for a visual experience that’s matched by solid stories and engaging plot lines. This might just be our new favorite series (especially for this journalism major!)
Magic Tree House
Every car ride longer than 30 minutes get a Magic Tree House audiobook in our family. The adventures of Jack and Annie bring together fantasy, history, magic, mythology and more, as the characters solve riddles to solve new problems in each book. With more than 50 books in the series, it’ll keep us busy for awhile.
Beyond
Harry Potter (maybe)
What to do with Harry Potter? When do you start reading your most beloved book series to you children? I started reading the first book to Easton just before his 6th birthday, checking out the illustrated version from the library so it would have some pictures. I read it slowly and we talked about the topics that bothered him. As we got deeper into the story, it started to get too intense for Easton (he’s always been my super-sensitive one), so we decided to put it aside for a little while. I hope we’ll be able to return to it this year because reading the first 10 chapters made me realize how much I’ve missed it in my life!
The Andy Griffiths Treehouse series (maybe)
The 13-Story Treehouse and its sequels also make my “Maybe” list because it’s a little less parent-friendly in my opinion. But Easton finds them hilarious and he’s often opted to read these books instead of watch TV, so you know there’s something about it. Silly slapstick humor and pictures make it a win for kids; inane plot lines, over-the-top silliness, and a touch of crude humor make me cringe a little when he requests it.
There are so many more children’s books favorites that I want to share with you, so stay tuned for more what-are-we-reading posts in the future. In the meantime, help me expand my list. What are your kids’ favorites series? Drop a comment below or tell me on social media with #NeverDoneWithFun. Follow my family’s adventures and more on Instagram and Pinterest for more ideas and inspiration.
