Little girl reading a book.image shared by juliana


Below, you’ll find a list of my recommendations for the Top 200 Children’s books.  These are the picture books that experts believe all children should read before beginning kindergarten.I refer to these various books in the ABCJLM Curricula, often in the “Book of the Week (BOTW)” selection, Supplemental Books (Sup), or books that are used to learn letters and numbers.

Don’t get overwhelmed by this list. Add books gradually based on your chosen curriculum or on the age of the child. I highly recommend that you own all “Book of the Week” books. Consider the other books optional.

So how do you build your home library from such a comprehensive list? Share it with grandparents, family members, and friends as ideas for birthday and Christmas gifts. Print the list and check off those books you own, those that are available at the library, and the books you want to purchase. 

Click to print the Book Checklist or the following list of titles in alphabetical orderCompiled by Sarah


Read Related Ideas:

How to Go Beyond the Story When Reading a Book
How to Read to a Child
How to Grow a Reader
How to Read a New Book to a Child for Maximum Learning 
How to Read to a Child Video

 

 Purchased 
Book
Curriculum
Use
  Children's Bible 1, 2, 3, 4, 5  
  My Little Word Book by Various Authors 1 BOTW
  Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr/Eric Carle 1, 2 BOTW
  When the Elephant Walks by Keiko Kasza 1, 2 BOTW
  Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown    1 BOTW
  Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Various Authors  1, 2, 5 BOTW, Sup
  Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt  1 BOTW
  Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton 1, 3 BOTW
  Three Little Kittens by Various Author 1, 3 BOTW, Sup
  Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? by Eric Carle  1 BOTW
  Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell  1 BOTW
  Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown 1, 3 BOTW
  Five Little Ducks by Various Authors 1, 3  BOTW
  Owl Babies by Martin Waddell  1 BOTW
  Three Little Pigs by Various Authors 1, 3 BOTW, Sup
  Mr. Brown Can Moo!  Can You? by Dr. Seuss  1, 3 BOTW
  Moo, Baa, La La La! by Sandra Boynton  1, 2, 5 BOTW, Sup
  Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney 1, 4 BOTW
  From Head to Toe by Eric Carle 1, 2, 4 BOTW, Sup
  Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle 1, 2 BOTW
  Five Little Speckled Frogs by Various Authors 1, 2 BOTW
  How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen   1 BOTW
  Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae 1 BOTW
  Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney 1, 2 BOTW
  The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle 1 ,3, 4 BOTW, Sup
  One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss 2 BOTW
  Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann 2, 5 BOTW, Sup
  Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. 2 BOTW
  My First Body Board Book by DK Publishing 2 BOTW
  Wheels on the Bus by Various Authors 2 BOTW
  Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire 2 BOTW
  I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rossetti Shustak 2 BOTW
  Ten Little Fish by Audrey Wood 2 BOTW
  Foot Book by Dr. Seuss 2, 4 BOTW, Sup
  Peek-a Who? by Nina Laden 2 BOTW
  Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt 2 BOTW
  We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury 2 BOTW
  That's Not My... by Fiona Watt 2 BOTW
  Where's Spot? by Eric Hill 2 BOTW
  The Going-to-Bed Book by Sandra Boynton 2 BOTW
  Jamberry by Bruce Degen 2 BOTW
  How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten? by Jane Yolen 2 BOTW
  Old Hat New Hat by Stan and Jan Berenstain 2, 4 BOTW, Sup
  Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell 2 BOTW
  Time for Bed by Mem Fox 2 BOTW
  Gossie by Olivier Dunrea 2 BOTW
  Who Made the World? by Kathleen Long Bostrom 3 Sup
  Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino 3 BOTW
  My First Steps Books by Jane Belk Moncure 3, 4 Sup
  Big Thoughts for Little People: ABC's to Help You Grow by Kenneth Taylor 3, 4 Sup
  Three Billy-Goats by Various Authors 3 Sup
  Three Bears by Various Authors 3 Sup
  Go, Dog, Go! by P.D. Eastman 3 BOTW
  Miss Spider's Tea Party: The Counting Book by David Kirk 3, 4 BOTW, Sup
  All By Myself by Mercer Mayer 3 BOTW
  The Pumpkin Gospel by Mary Manz Simon 3 Sup
  Frog, Where Are You? by Mercer Mayer 3 BOTW
  The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown 3 BOTW
  Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Various Authors 3 BOTW
  The Cow Who Clucked by Denise Fleming 3 BOTW
  Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss 3 BOTW
  If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Joffe Numeroff 3 Sup
  If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff 3 BOTW
  Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss 3 BOTW
  Are You My Mother? by P. D. Eastman 3, 5 BOTW, Sup
  The Pigeon Wants a Puppy by Mo Willems 3 BOTW
  Ten Apples Up On Top! by Dr. Seuss 3 BOTW
  The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear by Don Wood 3 BOTW
  Silly Sally by Audrey Wood 3 BOTW
  Zuzu's Wishing Cake by Linda Michelin 3, 4 BOTW, Sup
  Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle 3 BOTW
  Duck on a Bike by David Shannon 3, 5 BOTW, Sup
  Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss 3 BOTW
  The Little Red Hen by Various Authors 3, 5 BOTW, Sup
  Sheep in a Jeep by Various Authors 3 BOTW
  How Will We Get to the Beach? by Brigitte Luciani 3 BOTW
  Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by James Dean 4 BOTW
  Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type e by Doreen Cronin 4 BOTW
  Mrs. Rosey Posey and the Fine China Plate by Robin Jones Gunn 4, 5 Sup
  God, I Need to Talk to You About Laziness by Susan K. Leigh 4, 5 Sup
  There's a Wocket in My Pocket! by Dr. Seuss 4 BOTW
  Remy the Rhino Learns Patience by Andy McGuire 4, 5 Sup
  Harry, the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion 4 BOTW
  Inside, Outside, Upside Down by Stan Berenstain 4 Sup
  God, I Need to Talk to Your About Paying Attention by Dan Carr 4 Sup
  Tales of Oliver Pig by Jean Van Leeuwen 4 BOTW
  The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash by Trinka Hakes Noble 4 BOTW
  Charming Opal (Toot & Puddle) by Holly Hobbie 4 BOTW
  The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss 4 BOTW
  God, I Need to Talk to You About Disrespect by Susan Leigh 4 Sup
  God, I Need to Talk to You about Hurting Others by Dan Carr 4 Sup
  Big Bear, Small Bear by Stan Berenstain 4 Sup
  Construction Countdown by K.C. Olson 4 BOTW
  The Gingerbread Man by Various Authors 4 BOTW
  The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks by Stan Berenstain 4 Sup
  God, I Need to Talk to You About My Bad Temper by Dan Carr 4 Sup
  Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney 4, 5 BOTW, Sup
  Because a Little Bug Went Ka-Choo! by Rosetta Stone 4 BOTW
  Cloudy with a Change of Meatballs by Judi Barrett 4, 5 Sup
  Dr. Seuss’ Foot Book by Dr. Seuss 4 Sup
  Opposites by Sandra Boynton 4 Sup
  Mr. Putter & Tabby Bake the Cake by Cynthia Rylant 4 BOTW
  God, I Need to Talk to You About Bullying by Susan Leigh 4, 5 Sup
  Little Bear's Visit by Else Holmelund Minarik 4 BOTW
  Let's Be Kind by P.K. Hallinan 4, 5 Sup
  God Gave Us Love by Lisa Tawn Bergren 4, 5 Sup
  The Hat by Jan Brett 4 BOTW
  George and Martha by James Marshall 4 BOTW
  Touch and Feel Books by Various Authors 4, 5 Sup
  God, I Need to Talk to You About Whining by Susan Leigh 4, 5 Sup
  Food for Thought by Saxton Freymann 4, 5 Sup
  Olivia by Ian Falconer 4 BOTW
  Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel 4 BOTW
  Bedtime for Frances by Russell Hoban 4 BOTW
  Emma Kate by Patricia Polacco 4 BOTW
  Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss 4 Sup
  The Little Red Caboose by Marian Potter 4 BOTW
  Gregory, the Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat 4 BOTW
  God, I Need to Talk to You about Lying by Dan Carr 4 Sup
  Curious George by H. A. Rey 4 BOTW
  What Do People Do All Day by Richard Scarry 4 BOTW
  A Warrior Prince for God by Kelly Chapman 4 Sup
  Princess with a Purpose by Kelly Chapman 4 Sup
  The Golden Egg Book by Margaret Wise Brown 4 BOTW
  The Tallest of Smalls by Max Lucado 4 Sup
  Franklin Goes to School by Paulette Bourgeois 4 BOTW
  The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn 4 BOTW
  Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey 5 BOTW
  Bob Books by Bobby Lynn Maslen 5 Sup
  I Am Invited to a Party! by Mo Williems 5 BOTW
  The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton 5 BOTW
  Poppleton In Winter by Cynthia Rylant 5 BOTW
  The Berenstain Bears and the Truth by Stan and Jan Berenstain 5 BOTW
  The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister 5 BOTW
  The Runaway Pumpkin by Kevin Lewis 5 BOTW
  Stone Soup by Various Authors 5 BOTW
  Town Mouse, Country Mouse by Jan Brett 5 BOTW
  Little Rabbit's Loose Tooth by Lucy Bate 5 BOTW
  My Dentist, My Friend by P. K. Hallinan 5 Sup
  God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergren 5 BOTW
  Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner 5 BOTW
  Christmas Cookies: Bite-Size Holiday Lesson s by Amy Krouse 5 BOTW
  No Matter What by Debi Gliori 5 BOTW
  Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina 5 BOTW
  Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo 5 BOTW
  Going to the Doctor by Anne Civardi 5 Sup
  My Doctor, My Friend by P. K. Hallinana 5 Sup
  Doctor De Soto by William Steig 5 BOTW
  Little Red Riding Hood by Various Authors 5 Sup
  The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers by Stan Berenstain 5 Sup
  Corduroy by Don Freeman 5 BOTW
  The Tortoise and the Hare by Janet Stevens 5 BOTW
  The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper 5 BOTW
  Enemy Pie by Derek Munson 5 BOTW
  What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins 5 BOTW
  Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson 5 BOTW
  Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton 5 BOTW
  The Tale of Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt 5 BOTW
  A Pocket Full of Kisses by Audrey Penn 5 BOTW
  Hermie: A Common Caterpillar by Max Lucado 5 BOTW
  The Three Little Jave by Susan Lowell 5 Sup
  Whoever You Are by Mem Fox 5 Sup
  Dodsworth Books by Tim Egan 5 Sup
  Same, Same But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw 5 Sup

 

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