Great Read-Aloud Children's Books with Reviews and Sample Lesson Plans

I was the library storytime presenter at my local library in Wickenburg Arizona for three years. Here is my list of read-aloud children's books. I specifically recommend most of these books because they have textual and visual elements that can keep a group of young children engaged in the story.

Children develop at different rates, so some books will be too advanced for young toddlers and preschoolers. With that in mind, keep your storytime themes varied, and know that I have tested all of these books on my storytime kids at one time or other. I strongly encourage you to preview any book before you introduce it in a storytime setting. Never read a book "cold turkey" to your kids.

The first section, Recommended Reading, includes a Book Title, Author, and ISBN number. You can use the ISBN number to search for the book on Amazon.com, The Library of Congress, and some children's literature web sites.

(***NEW***) The second section, Monthly Children's Book Lists, includes reading recommendations for each month of the year on seasonal topics. I will include some of my favorites and new discoveries, too.

The third section, In-Depth Book Reviews includes links to to book reviews for each recommended book with lesson plan helps. This is a work in progress.

PLEASE BECOME A MEMBER OF MY FAN CLUB IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN I ADD NEW MONTHLY BOOK LISTS OR IN-DEPTH BOOK REVIEWS.

• Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton, ISBN 1563054426
• Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson, ISBN 068984509X
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See by Eric Carle, ISBN 0805047905
• Bunny Cakes by Rosemary Wells, ISBN 0140566678
• Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business by Esphyr Slobodkina, ISBN 0061474533
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. (Author), John Archambault (Author), Lois Ehlert (Illustrator), ISBN 0439806968
• Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes, ISBN 0061119741
• Duck on a Bike by David Shannon, ISBN 0439622778
• Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelo, ISBN 0618836829
• Gregory the Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat (Author), Jose Aruego (Illustrator), ISBN 0590433504
• The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle, ISBN 0064434508
• Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb, by Al Perkins (Author), Eric Gurney (Illustrator), ISBN 0394810767
• Harry and the Terrible Whatzit by Dick Gachenbach, ISBN 0899192238
• Hilda Must Be Dancing by Karma Wilson, ISBN 1416950834
• Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback, ISBN 0670878553
• The King With Six Friends Jay Williams (Author), Imero Gobbato (Illustrator), ISBN 0819303429
• If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, by Laura Numeroff (Author) and Felicia Bond (Illustrator), ISBN 0061128562
• Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes, ISBN 0688128971
• The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza) by Philemon Sturges, ISBN 0142301892
• "More More More," Said the Baby by Vera B. Wlliams, ISBN 0688091733
• No David! by David Shannon, ISBN 0590930028
• Olivia by Ian Falconer, ISBN 0689860889
• One Tiny Turtle: Read and Wonder by Nicola Davies (Author), Jane Chapman (Illustrator), ISBN 0763623113

• The Rainbow Fish by by Marcus Pfister and J. Alison James, ISBN 1558580093
• Snowballs by Lois Ehlert (Author), ISBN 0152020950
• The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, ISBN 0670654000
• So Much! by Trish Cooke (Author), Helen Oxenbury (Illustrator), ISBN 0763602965
• There's an Alligator Under My Bed by Mercer Mayer (Author), ISBN 0803703740
• To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss, ISBN 0007169922
• Too Many Pumpkins, by Linda White (Author), ISBN 1591128315
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, ISBN 0399247459
• Where Once There Was a Wood by Denise Fleming (Illustrator), ISBN 0805064826
• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, ISBN 0060254920

In this section you'll find recommended books for the upcoming month.

Click on each book title below to see a short summary of the story, book themes, and links to help you with your lesson plans. When applicable, I will include tips from my own experience reading these books in a library story time setting. I welcome your suggestions and comments, and am looking forward to hearing how they worked for you.