Friday, June 19, 2009

Top 10 Picture Books


Picture Books I recommend For Children 
1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
This book is a classic! Take one ravenous caterpillar add a week of eating and hey presto- a butterfly!  Exposes kids to concepts like repetition in text, days of the week and numbers. 
2. Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins 
Another classic. You have to love the blissfully ignorant chicken in this book! Great for talking about the pictures because the text does not tell the whole story.
3. Some Dogs Do by Jez Alborough
Oh, poor Sid! If your heart doesn't melt over this tale I want to know why! And remember, some dogs do...
4. We're going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
This book will inspire some bear hunts of your own- or not! Kids love the anticipation! And I kind of feel sorry for the bear.
5. Dinosaur Roar! by Paul and Henrietta Stickland
Lovers of crazy dinosaurs, this is your book. Contains great concepts like opposites and plenty  of  descriptive language.
6. Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen
Who indeed?! Kids love trying to figure out who it was. Contains great concepts about sinking and floating and plenty of rhyming and repetition- great for later reading skills.
7. Hattie and the Fox by Mem Fox
We should all listen to the 'Hattie's' in our lives! Again great repetition in the text. I often use this book to encourage children to make predictions in text. Another beginning reading skill.
8. Too Many Pears by Jackie French
Laugh out loud fun! Don't read it if are battling morning sickness or feeling squeamish. But kids just adore Pamela and her pear obsession. 
9. Bamboozled by David Legge
How I wish I had a grandpa like the one in this book! Kids love finding all the crazy, impossible things going on in the pictures. Another great book for talking about the pictures.
10. The Magic Hat by Mem Fox
I have always believed that a little imagination is a most realistic thing to own. My kids walked around with 'magic hats' for ages after we read this one!
Well, my list could go on and on. But they're my favourites and the ones I have used as a teacher and enjoyed with my own children. So- Enjoy!
Want something FREE?
 Leave a comment telling me about your child's favourite picture book and be a follower of this blog and I will choose the best comment and send you one of these picture books for FREE.
Don't forget to leave me your email so I can contact you to send the book.

6 comments:

  1. What a great post! I could definitely use this, seeing as my son is 8 months and I'm not all that familiar with good picture books! Great blog, Tabitha!

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  2. hey tab, blog looks great!
    My kids' favourite books change all the time, pretty much every time we go to the library. An oldie but a goodie (2 actually) is *How I became a Pirate* by Melinda Long (illustrated by David Shannon) and follow on book *Pirates don't babysit!*. Great to practice talking like a pirate....ahoy thar me hearties!!!!
    well done, love Charm x

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  3. Hey Tab, My kids love who Sank The boat. Everytime we read it they get a laugh and of course we have to read it at least twice.

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  4. My babes (4 mths)currently love Mem Fox's "Where's the Green Sheep?". I think it's the repetition and they are showing interest in the illustrations too.

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  5. Wow, I am shocked by how few of these books I recognize. My daughter is 2 years old, and has a library of over 300 books (I made an account for her at LibraryThing to keep track), and we only own ONE of these top ten!

    My daughter's favorite books are: The Cat in the Hat, the "Elephant and Piggie" series by Mo Willems, the "Lou et Mouf" series by Jeanne Ashbé (French language), Visitor for Bear, and Bluberries for Sal. I could go on... my daughter is a fool for reading.

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  6. Isaac cannot get enough of 'Ten Apples Up on Top' - all day, everyday. Good thing I love it too.

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