Recommended Reading for Children Ages 5 and Under

Type of Book: ABC and counting books
Features: Fun and colorful illustrations of the alphabet and numbers
Example Title: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert

Type of Book: Wordless picture books
Features: A story told through pictures and few or no words
Example Title: Good Dog, Carl by Alexandra Day

Type of Book: Concept books
Features: Pictures or photos of familiar objects or ideas such as colors, shapes, opposites, or sizes
Example Title: Color Dance by Ann Jonas

Type of Book: Pattern books
Features: Repeating text and predictable plots that let children join in
Example Title: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle

Type of Book: Information books
Features: Realistic pictures or photographs that introduce facts about a specific topic
Example Title: Bugs by Nancy Winslow Parker and Joan Richards Wright

Type of Book: Traditional rhymes and stories
Features: Nursery rhymes, fairy tales, fables, and folktales from various cultures
Example Title: The Little Red Hen by Byron Barton

Type of Book: Picture books
Features: Words and pictures that tell a story about realistic or imaginary characters and events
Example Title: Abuela by Arthur Dorros, illustrated by Elisa Kleven

Type of Book: Poetry
Features: One or several illustrated poems for young children
Example Title: Honey, I Love by Eloise Greenfield, illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist

Type of Book: Easy-to-read books
Features: Limited vocabulary, rhyme, and repetition for beginning readers
Example Title: The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss

Multicultural Early Reading

Lupe Lupita, Where Are You?/Lupe Lupita, ¿dónde estás? by Gladys Rosa Mendoza

Best Counting Book Ever – Bilingual by Luna Rising Editors

¿Dónde está el ombliguito? (Where Is Baby's Belly Button?): Un libro para levantar ta tapita por Karen Katz (A Lift-the-Flap Story) by Karen Katz and Argentina Palacios Ziegler

I Want My Banana! Quiero Mi Platano! (I Can Read Spanish Language Learning Story Books) by Lone Morton, Mary Risk, Rosa Martin, and Alex De Wolf

In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall by Javaka Steptoe

A Treasury of African American ABC's and Nursery Rhymes for Children by Michelle L. Washington

Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry by Ashley Bryan

Let's Count, Baby (revised) (What-a-Baby Series) by Cheryl Willis Hudson and George Ford

Elmer's Colours (English-Chinese) (Elmer series) by David McKee and Li Yen French

Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes by Robert Wyndham

Chinese Fairy Tales and Fantasies by Moss Roberts

Red is a Dragon by Roseanne Thong and Grace Lin

The Very Hungry Caterpillar/Chu Sau Rom Qua Doi - English/Vietnamese by Eric Carle and Nguyen

More Great Books

Toes, Ears, & Nose! A Lift-the-Flap Book by Marion Dane Bauer and Karen Katz

Winter in White: A Mini Pop-up Treat (Classic Collectible Pop-Up)

The Alphabet from A to Y With Bonus Letter Z! by Steve Martin and Roz Chast

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd

Curious George: The Donut Delivery (Curious George) by H.A. and Margret Rey

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Wheels on the Bus (Pudgy Board Book) by Jerry Smith

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett and Ron Barrett

Peek-A-Who?: Board book by Nina Laden

I Am A Dump Truck by Josephine Page

Rotten Ralph by Jack Gantos and Nicole Rubel

Sources: Read with Me, a RIF Parent-Teacher Partnership; and Amazon.com bestsellers

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