Our Favorite Books for Kids
November 9-15th is Children’s Book Week! We’ll been celebrating all week with read alouds each day on our Facebook page - be sure to check those out with your kiddos.
““Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Every year, events are held nationwide at schools, libraries, bookstores, homes — wherever young readers and books connect!” ”
To kick off the literacy celebration, we wanted to provide our favorite children’s book recommendations. We hope you find enjoyment in reading these with the kids in your life. And who knows - we adults may stand to learn a thing or too as well!
Our Book Recommendations
Lisa’s Picks
In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo WItek
“Happiness, sadness, bravery, anger, shyness . . . our hearts can feel so many feelings! Some make us feel as light as a balloon, others as heavy as an elephant. In My Heart explores a full range of emotions, describing how they feel physically, inside, with language that is lyrical but also direct to empower readers to practice articulating and identifying their own emotions.”
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
“Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: His crayons have had enough! They quit! Beige Crayon is tired of playing second fiddle to Brown Crayon. Black wants to be used for more than just outlining. Blue needs a break from coloring all those bodies of water. And Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking—each believes he is the true color of the sun.
What can Duncan possibly do to appease all of the crayons and get them back to doing what they do best?”
Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein
“It’s time for the little red chicken’s bedtime story — and a reminder from Papa to try not to interrupt. But the chicken can’t help herself! Whether the tale is Hansel and Gretel or Little Red Riding Hood or even Chicken Little, she jumps into the story to save its hapless characters. Now it’s the little red chicken’s turn to tell a story, but will her yawning papa make it to the end without his own kind of interrupting?”
My Name is Not Isabella by Jennifer Fosberry
“Who Is Your Hero?
Isabella's include U.S. Astronaut Sally Ride, activist Rosa Parks, and sharpshooter Annie Oakley―but there's no bigger hero than Isabella's own mommy! Join Isabella on an adventure of discovery―and find out how imagining to be these extraordinary women teaches her the importance of being her extraordinary self.”
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
“Alexander knew it was going to be a terrible day when he woke up with gum in this hair.
And it got worse...
His best friend deserted him. There was no dessert in his lunch bag. And, on top of all that, there were lima beans for dinner and kissing on TV!”
Will: God’s Mighty Warrior by Sheila Walsh
“Will is a fearless, loveable superhero . . . well . . . at least in his imagination. He can leap tall buildings . . . from his bed . . . and he can rescue his sister from the jaws of a ferocious beast . . . his dog, Ralph! Complete with cape and sword, Will's adventures take him on dangerous missions through the jungle . . . his backyard. But when he gets confused by the meaning of God's armor, his dad teaches him that he can do anything with God's strength and protection. After all, he is Will, God's Mighty Warrior!”
Too Purpley! by Jean Reidy
“What can a girl wear to be super-comfortable? Join in with the sartorial adventures of one snazzy dresser as she discovers that so many clothes are too purply, too prickly, too fancy or too plain! But, of course, there is something that she loves to wear ... and it is just perfect.”
Carol’s Picks
The Oak Inside the Acorn by Max Lucado
“The story highlights the adventure of a sweet little acorn becoming a big, strong oak tree. Readers will cheer on the growing tree when he can't grow oranges like the orange tree or flowers like the rose bush. Children will read with patient wonder as the tree grows empty branches, and later a very special purpose is revealed… This inspirational story makes an excellent bedtime story and will help children in your life understand all they were created to be.”
You Are Special by Max Lucado
“In the town of Wemmickville there lives a Wemmick named Punchinello. Each day the residents award stickers―gold stars for the talented, smart, and attractive Wemmicks, and gray dots for those who make mistakes or are just plain ordinary. Punchinello, covered in gray dots, begins to feel worthless. Then one day he visits Eli the woodcarver, his creator, and he learns that his worth comes from a different source.
Max Lucado’s beautiful story reminds us that we are special to God just the way we are.”
When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner
From early on, children are looking to discover their place in the world and longing to understand how their personalities, traits, and talents fit in. The assurance that they are deeply loved and a unique creation in our big universe is certain to help them spread their wings and fly.
Through playful, charming rhyme and vivid, fantastical illustrations, When God Made You inspires young readers to learn about their own special gifts and how they fit into God’s divine plan as they grow, explore, and begin to create for themselves.
The Way Home Princess Story by Max Lucado
Princess Anna, adopted by the king in her infancy and now a young woman, is intrigued by the world that lies beyond the lush, green hills of the kingdom. When she seeks to satisfy her curiosity, she falls under the influence of the Lowlanders and begins to resemble their haggard style. Never to let a child slip away that easily, the king follows her, and trades his life for hers in order to provide her with a way back home. Despite the king's sacrifice, the choice to return home is ultimately Anna's to make.
The underlying truth is unmistakable as Max has crafted this powerful story that will speak to all of the King's children and implore them to follow the path that leads home.
A Terrible Thing Happened by Margaret M. Holmes
Sherman Smith saw the most terrible thing happen. At first he tried to forget about it, but something inside him started to bother him. He felt nervous and had bad dreams. Then he met someone who helped him talk about the terrible thing, and made him feel better.
Dee’s Picks
The True Story of 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
“In this hysterical and clever fracture fairy tale picture book that twists point of view and perspective, young readers will finally hear the other side of the story of “The Three Little Pigs.”
A Little Scribble Spot: A Story about Colorful Emotions by Diane Alber
“It's healthy to experience emotions, but sometimes they get jumbled together and make us confused. This book helps us identify and manage our emotions.”
Hunter and His Amazing Remote Control by Lori Ann Copeland
This book “is a unique, cognitive-behavioral approach to teaching self-control to children whether or not they have ADD or ADHD. Using the buttons on their "amazing" remote controls, children learn how to improve self-monitoring, impulse control, and self-confidence.
This book contains an activity guide and an illustrated storybook with reproducible remote control covers. Through Hunter's story, students hear how he learned to use his very special remote control. Then, they can create their own "amazing" remote controls and learn how to use them.”
The Bad Seed by Jory John
This is a book about a bad seed. A baaaaaaaaaad seed. How bad? Do you really want to know?
He has a bad temper, bad manners, and a bad attitude. He’s been bad since he can remember! This seed cuts in line every time, stares at everybody and never listens. But what happens when one mischievous little seed changes his mind about himself, and decides that he wants to be—happy?
The Bad Seed proves that positive change is possible for each and every one of us.