Ever since I was small, I have loved reading. I devoured Laura Ingalls Wilder books in just a day when I was in elementary school, and anticipated the latest Babysitter’s Club books. Nowadays, you can find me reading before bed or sneaking in a few chapters while my son is in his swimming class. When I found out I was pregnant five years ago, I couldn’t wait to read to the baby that was growing inside me. I looked forward to when we would be able to read chapter books together, and when my son was finally born I had grand ideas of staying up late to introduce him to Harry Potter. My son, Jackson, just turned five. He is in preschool and is everything that I hoped for in many ways, including his love for reading.
I’m always looking for good books for us to check out of the library or ask for from grandparents, and thought that you might appreciate a quick look into our favorite books over the past month. There’s a good mix of chapter books, picture books, and everything in between.
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl – Click Here to view on Amazon.com
I loved Roald Dahl when I was growing up, and Jackson ended up loving this adventurous book just as much as I loved reading it again. This chapter book offers a few sketches for every few pages, which is nice for a beginning chapter book boy like my son. James, the little boy who goes on a big adventure in the book, was a great hero for my little guy to relate to. Add in the Centipede and the Earthworm, and my son was begging for more chapters before bed. We had this book finished in just a few days. We rode the Roald Dahl momentum during our next trip to the library and grabbed The BFG, but had to put that one away after only a few chapters because Jackson was a little scared of the giants. We’ll try again next year.
The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak – Click Here to view on Amazon.com
You might know B.J. Novak from The Office, but he is becoming quite the bestselling author with this kids book and his adult short story book One More Thing. While the book in fact has no pictures, it is full of silly sounds and is sure to get your preschooler laughing out loud. I read this to Jackson’s entire preschool class last week and this book even had the teachers giggling. Be prepared to get out your silly voices, and if you are having a bad day, this is the perfect book to give you and your child a do-over. I also used this book as a fun way to introduce Jackson to onomatopoeia.
Journey and Quest by Aaron Becker – Click Here to view on Amazon.com
Moving from a book with no pictures, the books Journey and Quest have no words. These beautiful picture books feature a cast of characters who go on adventures with their colorful magic chalks. Jackson and I have spent countless reading times with these two treasures, making up new stories and finding new details each time.
Captain Awesome Series by Stan Kirby – Click Here to view on Amazon.com
For my superhero loving little man, the Captain Awesome series is a great fit. These chapter books are equal parts silly and sweet, giving Jackson and I plenty to talk about in terms of friendship and helping others. Plus, Captain Awesome’s best friend is a guy named Nacho Cheese Man. You can never go wrong with nacho cheese. There are plenty of illustrations and the chapters are short and sweet. We have been finishing one of these books in just a few days, and we are steadily working our way through the series.
Bears in the Night by Stan Berenstain – Click Here to view on Amazon.com
You guys, the Berenstain Bears never go out of style. We almost always have at least one Berenstain Bears book in our library bag, and some of the older ones get Jackson cracking up. His current favorite is Bears in the Night, a book full of prepositions (over the wall, under the bridge, around the lake, etc.) as a group of bears head off into the night to investigate an owlish sound. It’s a quick read for us, but entertaining every time.
Those are our top five book choices this month. What are some of your favorites?
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