Preschool at Home Wish List is a new series I am writing about the books, toys and games that I am using or hope to get for our preschool at home adventure. In addition to this post on the books for preschoolers that are on my wish list, I will also be sharing my wish lists of books for Moms (or Dads or Grandmas or whoever is doing the educating), arts & crafts supplies, educational toys & games. This will be an ongoing series so the possibilities for new posts are endless, just like my wish list! ๐
And now for the Books for Kids Wish List!
We have some of these books and I hope to add more to our collection. Many of them are books that Caden enjoys over and over again. And believe me he knows what he likes and can be hard to please sometimes. So if you have a picky reader (or book listener) you might want to try some of these books!
1. Cat in the Hat Learning Library Collection– We love the original Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss, but that is just one story and we needed more Cat in the Hat! Although these books are not written by Dr. Seuss they still have that sing-song rhyme-y flow that we all know and love. And in these books The Cat in the Hat along with his friends explore non-fiction subjects such as animals and different environments.
2. Curious George Collection– I got into a bedtime story routine a little late with Caden and had a hard time finding books that would hold his attention. But Caden loved to watch the Curious George shows on PBS, so I began collecting the books and they worked like a charm! These books were like a gateway for Caden to start to enjoy other books. Like the Cat in the Hat Learning Library series, the Curious George books are a great way to open up a discussion about non-fiction subjects or use as a jumping off point for some great literature extension activities!
3. If you give… Series by Laura Numeroff- These books are just adorable and are quickly becoming modern children’s literature classics. They are perfect for developing reading comprehension skills because the stories are repetitive. They also lend themselves well for literature extension activities!
4. Eric Carle Collection– No home library is complete without the addition of several Eric Carle books. Eric Carle books can be used to teach colors (Brown Bear, Brown Bear) and counting (The Very Hungry Caterpillar), as well as new vocabulary and reading comprehension through the repetitive text.
5. Thomas the Tank Engine Story Collection by Rev. W. Awdry – The cute stories about trains that inspired to television series Thomas & Friends are a great way to nurture a love of reading in you little Thomas fan. This is another series of books that I used to peak Caden’s interest in reading.
6. See How They Go Series by DK Publishing- Caden is currently obsessed with anything with wheels. And when I saw these non-fiction books about various vehicles and modes of transportation I knew he would love them! And he does! They are filled with great photos of many different planes, trains and automobiles and descriptions that are easy for young children to understand.
7. 1001 Things to Spot Series by Usborne Books– There are many versions of these seek and find books, including the one I have pictured- the Big Book of Things to Spot which is a compilation of several of the separate 1001 Things to Spot Series. Caden enjoys looking at the one we have (1001 Animals to Spot) and has learned new words as well as practiced counting and visual scanning which is an important skill to have for learning to read.
8. Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young by Jack Prelutsky – I’ve read about the importance of reading nursery rhymes to children and on my search for a good treasury book of nursery rhymes I came across this cute book of poems. Now it may not be full of those traditional nursery rhymes that we all learned as young children, but I think the main idea is that kids learn the rhymes of poems. The poems in this book seem much more suited for young kids. And they are funny too!
9. AlphaTales Box Set by Scholastic – I began looking into these books based on the recommendation from Carisa of 1+1+1=1 whose daughter really seemed to enjoy them. The AlphaTales books use funny animal characters to teach the alphabet as well as their sounds. Because each letter is associated with an animal it makes the sounds easier to remember.
10. Montessori: Letter Work and Montessori: Number Work by Bobby George- These are great little board books that walk the parent through the Montessori method for introducing letters and numbers. Each page has a different sandpaper number or letter for tracing and images to count or to help teach the sound of the letters.
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Laura M. says
Nice list! I don’t really have a specific wish list but #9 and #10 are totally new to me, will check them out!
Sarah says
Wow! There are some great books on here! I’m going to have to put some of them on Rylee’s wishlist!! Thanks for the info!
Samantha says
You’re welcome! ๐
Josephine says
Hello! I love your blog, although I have only recently discovered it. If you are looking for great children’s books, I am a preschool teacher (Reggio-Inspired) specializing in literacy development and have tons of great book suggestions and how to use them to inspire learning and play. Check out my Pinterest board devoted to children’s literature for recommendations to round out your wishlist collection (many on my list you have already highlighted): http://pinterest.com/MissJosephineB/library-the-childrens-section/
and also check out my blog, I often share new book discoveries and how I use them as a learning tool to help introduce new concepts and projects with the preschool age kids I work with: searchingforsparks.blogspot.com… best of luck! also, since you are also in New England, did you know that there is an Eric Carle Picture Book Museum in Amherst, Mass??
Best Wishes,
~Josephine
Samantha says
Thanks! I just stumbled across your Pinterest boards & blog today! I love it! I spent all morning looking through your boards! I did know about the Eric Carle Museum, I plan to visit someday when my son is a little older. Do you have a facebook page where I could follow your blog?
Julie says
Curious George and Eric Carle books are favorites in our house. Reading is a big hobby for my kids. It would be great if you linked up with Hobbies and Handicrafts.
http://highhillhomeschool.blogspot.de/2013/08/hobbies-and-handicrafts-august-23.html
Samantha says
Thanks for the invite!
Rebekah @ The Golden Gleam says
I love the original Thomas stories. They have wonderful lessons on character.
And I need to find a book of poetry that interests my kids. Whenever I try to read poetry, they don’t seem to enjoy it as much as the story books.
Thanks for sharing on The Golden Gleam’s page.