LIST OF BOOKS by Theme
To see a list of books Dads Love to Read to little ones click here.
Alphabet
B is for Buckaroo: A Cowboy Alphabet by Gleaves Whitney
Anger Management
*See Feelings/Emotions
Art/Artists
*Also see Drawing
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce
Becoming Writers
*Also see Writing Letters and Writing Prompts
Arthur Writes a Story by Marc Brown
Bear Has A Story To Tell by Philip Stead
The Best Story by Eileen Spinelli
Dr. Seuss (Rookie Biographies) by Dana Meachen Rau
J.K. Rowling (Welcome Books) by Mary Hill
Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk
Little Red Writing by Joan Holub
More Bears by Kenn Nesbitt–A fun, interactive story, great for helping them name characters too!
Rocket Writes a Story by Tad Hills
You Can Write A Story: A Story-Writing Recipe for Kids by Lisa Bullard
* Click here for my Tips on Creating Writers
The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Just Go To Bed by Mercer Meyer
The Napping House by Audrey Wood
Time for Bed by Mem Fox
Behaving
*Also see Interrupting, Tattling, Getting Along
I Just Don’t Like The Sound of No! by Julia Cook
I Just Want to do it My Way by Julia Cook
Ricky Sticky Fingers by Julia Cook (stealing)
You Get What You Get by Julie A. Gassman
Being True to Yourself/Be an Individual
Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? by Carmela LaVigna Coyle
Dumpy La Rue by Elizabeth Winthrop
✯Dumpy La Rue Comprehension Page
Elmer by David McKee
Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Krau
Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match by Monica Brown and Sara Palacios
Matthew ABC by Peter Catalanotto
Odd Velvet by Mary E. Whitcomb
Oliver Button is a Sissy by Tomie dePaola
Olivia by Ian Falconer
The Shortest Kid in the World by Corinne Demas Bliss (being different)
Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun: Having the Courage to Be Who You Are by Maria Dismondy and Kimberly Shaw-Peterson
Sometimes I Like to Curl Up In A Ball by Vicki Churchill and Charles Fuge
Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
Stephanie’s Ponytail by Robert Munsch
Whoever You Are by Mem Fox
Biography/Memoir (also see Historical Biographies)
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
The Rag Coat by Lauren A. Mills
Little Quack by Lauren Thompson
Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully
Puddle Jumping: A Book About Bravery by Emma Quay
Bullying
*See Friendship, Getting Along, Feelings, Being True to Yourself
* Read why there are no “Bullying” books on this list here.
Cause and Effect
Because a Little Bug Went Kachoo by Rosetta Stone
If Everybody Did by Jo Ann Stover
If You Give A Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff (any If You Give A…book)
Once Upon a Banana by Jennifer Armstrong
Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie dePaola
That’s Good! That’s Bad! by Margery Cuyler
Chapter Books Kids Can Read *Easy chapter books for emergent to independent (K-2)
Bad Kitty series by Nick Bruel
Bink and Gollie series by Kate DiCamillo
Buster: The Very Shy Dog by Lisze Bechtold
Candy Fairies by Helen Perelman
Fly Guy series by Tedd Arnold
Frog and Toad (box set) by Arnold Lobel
Horrible Harry series by Suzy Kline (2nd grade reading level)
Ivy and Bean series by Annie Barrows
Junie B. Jones (kindergarten series) by Barbara Park
Junie B. Jones (1st grader series) by Barbara Park
Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne
Mermaid Tales series by Debbie Dadey
My Weird School series by Dan Gutman
Chapter Books To Read Aloud
*For classics I try to find abridged or updated versions, the originals can be wordy, have outdated language and are difficult for the little ones to understand.
Bear Stays up for Christmas by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto
Christmas for 10 by Carthryn Falwell
Grace at Christmas by Mary Hoffman
Tree of Cranes by Allen Say
Growing Up With Tamales by Gwendolyn Zapada
A Pinata in a Pine Tree by Pat Mora
Circle of Wonder: A Native American Christmas Story N. Scott Nomaday
Grandma’s Gift by Eric Velasquez
N is for Navidad by Susan Middleton Elya
The All-I’ll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll by Patricia C. McKissack
How Santa Got His Job by Steven Krensky
The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy by Jane Thayer
Olive the Other Reindeer by Vivian Walsh
The Borrowed Hanukkah Latkes by Nancy Cote
Chunks/Word Families/Digraphs
Ook the Book: And Other Silly Rhymes by Lissa Rovetch
Sloppy Joe by Dave Keane and Denise Brunkus
What Mess? by Tom Lichtenheld
Color Words
The Deep Blue Sea: A Book of Colors by Audrey Wood
Dog’s Colorful Day: A Messy Story About Colors and Counting
Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Eric Carle
Mary Wore Her Red Dress And Henry Wore His Red Sneakers by Merle Peek
A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni
Little Blue and Yellow by Leo Lionni
The Color Kittens by Margaret Wise Brown
Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Counting
Dinner at the Panda Palace by Stephanie Calmenson
Little Quack by Lauren Thompson
Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh
On the Launch Pad: A Counting Book About Rockets by MichaelvDahl
One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root
One Hungry Monster by Susan Heyboer O’Keefe
You Can Count on Monsters by Richard Evan Schwartz
Crying
The Berenstain Bears Get the Gimmies by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Peter and the Whimpering-Whineys by Sherrill S. Cannon
Why Do You Cry?: Not a Sob Story by Kate Klise
✯Questions for Why Do You Cry?
Day and Night
Little Owl’s Night by Divya Srinivasan
Nightsong by Ari Berk
Red and Yellow’s Noisy Night by Josh Selig
Dealing with Death and Other Traumas
I Miss You: A First Look At Death by Pat Thomas
The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
The Next Place by Warren Hanson
The Rag Coat by Lauren A. Mills
Samantha Jane’s Missing Smile by Julie Kaplow
Tear Soup by Pat Schwiebert
A Terrible Thing Happened by Margaret Holmes (witnessing trauma)
What is Heaven Like? by Beverly Lewis (religious)
Diversity
*See Friendship
Drawing
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
The Dot by Peter Reynolds
Dog Loves Drawing by Louise Yates
Earth Day/The Environment/Rainforests
Arthur Turns Green by Marc Brown
The Berenstain Bears Go Green by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Big Bear Hug by Nicholas Oldland
Earth Day–Hooray! By Stuart J. Murphy
Emeraldalicious by Victoria Kann
Fancy Nancy: Every Day is Earth Day by Jane O-Connor
The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest by Lynne Cherry
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
A Leaf Can Be by Laura Purdie Salsa
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel
Michael Recycle Meets Literbug Doug by Ellie Bethel
Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme by Marianne Berkes
The Rainforest Grew All Around by Susan K. Mitchell
The Tree by Dana Lyons
The Umbrella by Jan Brett
Where Once There Was A Wood by Denise Fleming
Fairy Tales Characters and Fairy Tale Comparisons
Beauty and the Beast by Jan Brett
Cinderella Skeleton by Robert D. San Souci
✯Comprehension Questions for Incredible Storybook
Cindy Ellen: A Wild Western Cinderella by Susan Lowell
The Uglified Ducky: A Maynard Moose Tale by Willy Claflin
The Wolf Who Cried Boy by Bob Hartman
The Stinky Cheese Man: And Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka
Family
The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
Russell and the Lost Treasure by Rob Scotton
Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman
Sloppy Joe by Dave Keane and Denise Brunkus
Feelings and Emotions
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
Glad Monster, Sad Monster by Ed Emberly and Anne Miranda
How Are You Peeling? by Saxton Freymann (feelings vocabulary)
I Was So Mad by Mercer Meyer (anger management)
Mouse Was Mad by Linda Urban (anger management)
Soda Pop Head by Julia Cook (anger management) Soda Pop Head Activity Book
Sometimes I’m Bombaloo by Rachel Vail (learning to use words instead of hands)
Today I Feel Silly and Other Moods That Make My Day by Jamie Lee Curtis
The Way I Act by Steve Metzger (positive behaviors such as compassion & responsibility)
The Way I Feel by Janan Cain (feelings vocabulary)
When Sophie Gets Angry–Really, Really Angry… by Molly Bang (anger management)
Fibbing
*See Honesty
First Days of Schools
David Goes to School by David Shannon
First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
Llama, Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney
The Loud Book by Deborah Underwood
The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood
*See Getting Along
Friendship/Acceptance/Diversity
(Also see Learning Differences and Making New Friends)
Don’t Laugh at Me by Steve Seskin, Allan Shamblin and Glin Dibley (teasing/tolerance)
Enemy Pie by Derek Munson (getting along)
Leonardo, The Terrible Monster by Mo Willems (hurting feelings/being friends)
Let’s Be Enemies by Janice May Udry
Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers (loneliness)
The Monster Who Lost His Mean by Tiffany Strelitz Haber
My Name is Yoon by Helen Recorvits (diversity)
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi (diversity)
The Old Woman Who Named Things by Cynthia Rylant
Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by P. Kahumbu
Pig in a Wig by Alan McDonald (being kind to those who are different)
Pigs Make Me Sneeze by Mo Willems
Priscilla and the Pink Planet by Nathanial Hobbie (diversity)
The Rag Coat by Lauren A. Mills (poverty, teasing, forgiveness)
Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfizer
Red and Yellow’s Noisy Night by Josh Selig (conflict resolution between friends)
The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler and David Lee Csicsko
The Thing About Georgie by Lisa Graff (dwarfism)
Unlovable by Dan Yaccarino
✯Unlovable Comprehension Page
Whoever You Are by Mem Fox
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| Elephant and Piggie Books are easy to read and great for increasing expression. |
Fluency
The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone
Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems
There is A Bird On Your Head by Mo Willems
Yes We Can! By Sam McBratney and Charles Fuge
Funny Books
17 Things I’m Not Allowed To Do Anymore by Jenny Offill
Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett
Big Chickens by Leslie Helakoski
Elephant and Piggie Books by Mo Willems
Frank Was A Monster Who Wanted to Dance by Keith Graves
Matthew ABC by Peter Catalanotto
The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone
Rapunzel and the Seven Dwarfs: A Maynard Moose Tale by Willy Claflin
Who’s on First by Bud Abbott
Ugly Fish by Scott Magoon
Underwear! by Mary Elise Monsell
The Berenstain Bears Get in A Fight by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
How to Lose All Your Friends by Nancy L. Carlson
The Potato Chip Champ by Maria Dismondy (showing empathy)
The Sandwich Swap by Kelly DiPucchio
Glasses
Arlo Needs Glasses by Barney Saltzberg
Arthur’s Eyes by Marc Brown
Fancy Nancy: Spectacular Spectacles by Jane O’Connor
Glamorous Glasses by Barbara Newman
I Wish I Had Glasses Like Rosa by Deborah Hembrook and Kathryn Helig
I Really Absolutely Must Have Glasses by Lauren Child
Luna and the Big Blur by Shirley Day
Mermaids Don’t Wear Glasses by Peyton Adams
Princess Peepers by Pam Calvert
Randy Kazandy, Where Are Your Glasses? by Rhonda Fischer
Halloween
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda D. Williams
Shake Dem Halloween Bones by W. Nikola-LIsa
The Hallo-weiner by Dav Pilkey
Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler
Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White
The Runaway Pumpkin by Kevin Lewis
By the Light of the Halloween Moon by Caroline Stutson
Julius’s Candy Corn by Kevin Henkes
Frank Was A Monster Who Wanted to Dance by Keith Graves
Historical Biographies for Early Readers
Abraham Lincoln
Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books by Kay Winters and Nancy Carpenter
Mr. Lincoln’s Whiskers by Karen B. Winnick
Abe Lincoln’s Hat by Martha Brenner
My First Biography: Abraham Lincoln by Marion Dane Bauer
A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln by David A. Adler
The Boy Who Looked Like Lincoln by Mike Reiss and David Catrow
George Washington
A Picture Book of George Washington by David A. Adler
George Washington (Welcome Books) by Phillip Abraham
George Washington (Rookie Biographies) by Lynea Bowdish
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by Linda Lowery
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus (First Biographies) by Lola Schaefer
My First Biography: Christopher Columbus by Marion Dane Bauer
Honesty
Imagination
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
I Want a Pony by Jeanne Betancourt
Olivia Acts Out by Jodie Shepard ✯Questions for Olivia Acts Out
Olivia Saves the Circus by Ian Falconer ✯??s for Olivia Saves the Circus
Olivia and the Missing Toy by Ian Falconer ✯??s for Olivia & the Missing Toy
Olivia Forms a Band by Ian Falconer ✯Questions for Olivia Forms a Band
Hey, Little Ant by Phillip M. Hose
I Like Bugs by Margaret Wise Brown
Interrupting
Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein
My Mouth is A Volcano! by Julia Cook
Kindness
Kitty Princess and the Newspaper Dress by Trevor Dickenson
The Sandwich Swap by Kelly DiPucchio
The Smartest Giant in Town by Julia Donaldson
Learning Differences: Autism/Downs/etc.
Hooray for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester (speech, being different)
We’ll Paint the Octopus Red by Stephaine Stuve-Bodeen (down-syndrome)
The Best Worst Brother by S.A. Bodeen (down-syndrome/learning sign language)
In Jesse’s Shoes by Beverly Lewis (offers a biblical perspective to having friends with special needs)
Learning to Read
How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills
How To Teach a Slug to Read by Susan Pearson
Reading Makes You Feel Good by Todd Parr
Come Along Daisy! by Jane Simmons
I’m the Boss by Steve Metzger
Long Vowels
Love of Reading
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce
The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers
Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk
Lying
*See Honesty
Main Idea These are books I used to help 1st graders learn about Main Idea
Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann
The Night I Followed the Dog by Nina Laden
Six-Dinner Sid by Inga Moore
✯Six-Dinner Sid Comprehension Page
Making New Friends
Poindexter Makes a Friend by Mike Twohy
Purplicious by Victoria Kann
Making Mistakes/Having a Bad Day:
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes “Today was difficult. Tomorrow will be better.”
No, David by David Shannon
Making Predictions
For Just One Day by Laura Leuck
Same Old Horse by Stuart J. Murphy
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
Manners
Math
3 Little Firefighters by Stuart J. Murphy (sorting)
Animals on Board by Stuart J. Murphy (adding)
Every Buddy Counts by Stuart J. Murphy (counting)
A Fair Bear Share by Stuart J. Murphy (regrouping)
From Zero to Ten: The Story of Numbers by Vivian French and Ross Collins
The Greatest Gymnast of All by Stuart J. Murphy (opposites)
It’s About Time! by Stuart J. Murphy (hours)
Pepper’s Journal by Stuart J. Murphy (calendars)
Spaghetti and Meatballs For All! by Marilyn Burns
Tally O’Malley by Stuart J. Murphy (tallying)
Money
Bunny Money by Rosemary Wells
Lemonade in Winter by Emily Jenkins
The Penny Pot by Stuart J. Murphy and Lynne Woodcock
If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Joff Numeroff
Looking For A Moose by Phyllis Root
✯Questions for Looking for a Moose
Rapunzel and the Seven Dwarfs: A Maynard Moose Tale by Willy Claflin
This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers
Never Give Up/Perseverance
Try It and Stick With It by Cheri J. Meiners
You Can Do It! by Tony Dungy (religious themes)
Never Give Up! A Children’s Picture Book by Adriana Cerrotti
Princesses Are Not Quitters! by Kate Lum
The Dot by Peter Reynolds
Ocean and Sea Animals
Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle
Baby Sea Turtle by Audrey Lang and Wayne Lynch
Baby Sea Otter Story by Martha E.H. Rustad
Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea by Jan Peck
Ocean (DK Eyewitness Books) by Miranda MacQuitty
Commotion in the Ocean by Giles Andreae
I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry
Hello Ocean by Pam Munoz Ryan
Patience
Babushka’s Doll by Patricia Polacco
Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake by Michael Kaplan
Bob and Larry in the Case of the Missing Patience by Karen Poth (religious)
The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss
Llama, Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
This Monster Cannot Wait by Bethany Barton
The Pigeon Wants a Puppy by Mo Willems
Remy the Rhino Learns Patience by Andy McGuire
Tallulah’s Tutu by Marilyn Singer
* Click here for activities and ideas on teaching patience
Poetry/Songs
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Falling Up by Shel Silverstein
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
If You’re Not Here Please Raise Your Hand: Poems About School by Kalli Dakos
Honey, I Love and Other Poems by Eloise Greenfield and Leo and Diane Dillon
Read Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young by Jack Prelutsky and Marc Brown
My Very First Mother Goose by Rosemary Wells and Iona Opie
Rainforests
*See Earth Day
Reading Together
 |
| You Read To Me, I Read To You by Mary Ann Hoberman |
You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
I Want My Hat Back by J. Klassen
For Just One Day by Laura Leuck
Reading with Expression
Repetition/Shared Read Alouds
Panda Bear, Panda Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Eric Carle
Rhyming
The FOOT Book by Dr. Seuss Obviously anything by Dr. Seuss is going to help with rhyming
Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash by Nadine Bernard Wescott
Scranimals by Jack Prelutsky
The Smartest Giant in Town by Julia Donaldson
Separation Anxiety
I Love You All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas
The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
Llama, Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney
Mama Always Comes Home by Karma Wilson
Oh My Baby, Little One by Kathi Appelt
Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
You, Me and the Rainbow by Petrea King
Zou and the Box of Kisses by Michel Gay
Sequencing
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
My Penguin Osbert by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
Rabbit’s Pajama Party by Stuart J. Murphy
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms Taback (or any similar)
Thomas’ Snowsuit by Robert Munsch
When the Leaf Blew In by Steve Metzler
Sharing
The Boy Who Wouldn’t Share by Mike Reiss
I Must Have Bobo by Eileen Rosenthal
It’s Mine by Leo Leonni
Llama, Llama Time to Share by Anna Dewdney
The Mine-O-Saur by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen
Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! by Mo Willems
Ribbon Rescue by Robert Munsch
Shyness
Buster: The Very Shy Dog by Lisze Bechtold
Halibut Jackson by David Lucas
Poindexter Makes a Friend by Mike Twohy
Rosie Sprout’s Time to Shine by Allison Wortche
Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend by Melanie Watt
Too Shy For Show and Tell by Beth Bracken
Keep Climbing Girls by Beah E. Richards
Lucia and the Light by Phyllis Root
Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully
Sally and the Some-Thing by George O’Connor
The Sandwich Swap by Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah
Stephanie’s Ponytail by Robert Munsch
Thunder Rose by Jerdine Nolan
Two Girls Can by Keiko Narahashi
Velma Gratch and the Way Too Cool Butterfly by Alan Madison
Winners Never Quit by Mia Hamm
Talking Too Much
*Also see Interrupting
Lacey Walker, Nonstop Talker by Christianne C. Jones
My Mouth is A Volcano! by Julia Cook
Tattling
A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue by Julie Cook and Anita DuFalla
Trying New Things
*Click here for more info on Teaching With Wordless Books.
Worrying
Writing
Writing Letters
Writing Prompts
Spider-Man versus the Green Goblin (I Can Read Book 2) by Susan Hill
*If you have a book or theme to suggest leave a comment or email me at wildrumpusschoolhouse@gmail.com
