can someone recommend some good kids books other than the ones we have already read which is all of them. do not suggest bad kids books only good ones
Replies
Don’t snooze on Wanda Gág. Beyond “Millions of Cats,” which is everywhere, there’s “The Funny Thing” (doll-eating dog/dragon creature) and “Snippy & Snappy” (sibling mice). Very stylish hand lettering, slightly weird b/w illustrations and they’re nearly 100 years old.
jul 29, 2025, 6:23 am • 1 0 • view
A House Is a House for Me By Mary Ann Hoberman. I gift it a lot because its a wonderful rhyming tale with a lovely message 😊
jul 29, 2025, 2:11 am • 1 0 • view
stop that ball, go dog go, cat in the hat, Dr Seuss ABC. simple fairy tales. Kids like stories a little scary, like cat in the hat, and where kids have some independence, like sendak.
jul 29, 2025, 1:55 am • 0 0 • view
The kids favorites are - the itsy bitsy bunny (bunny planning easter, read to the tune if the itsy bitsy spider) - is your mama a llama? (Fun rhyming book and i love the artwork) - matilda - corduroy - besos for baby (some spanish words. Cute artwork and a gallery page at the end to go over words)
jul 29, 2025, 2:05 am • 1 0 • view
You may know this one already, but my now-teen loved "Press Here" by Hervé Tullet when he was a wee lad. Totally destroyed his copy, planning on ordering a new one for the toddler :)
jul 28, 2025, 11:28 pm • 2 0 • view
“Mrs Nelson Is Missing” is a classic
jul 29, 2025, 1:27 am • 4 0 • view
jul 28, 2025, 11:45 pm • 9 0 • view
My favorite Lobel!
jul 29, 2025, 12:22 am • 2 0 • view
Yes I liked Mouse Tales as a kid and didn’t find this one till I had kids, but such great lil stories and the meta narrative about them seasoning the soup is top notch.
jul 29, 2025, 1:12 am • 2 0 • view
Noodles on a Bicycle is new and is my favorite children’s book in recent memory. The writing is poetic without feeling campy or like it’s trying too hard, and the illustrations are superb. Definitely in the “read aloud before bedtime” category.
jul 29, 2025, 12:35 am • 1 0 • view
The Julia’s House series by Ben Hatke is quite good. Whimsical and fantastical illustrations and good themes. I enjoy reading them to my kiddos.
jul 29, 2025, 12:36 am • 1 0 • view
The Little Ghost Who Was A Quilt—surprisingly good for a seasonal-ish book. The illustrations have lots of easter eggs that take quite a few read-throughs to get. Made my 3 year old ask lots of empathetic questions. Also he memorized it.
jul 29, 2025, 12:39 am • 1 0 • view
Do you have “Nice New Neighbors” by Aliki? That’s one of my favorites of all time.
jul 29, 2025, 2:18 am • 1 0 • view
jul 29, 2025, 12:13 am • 2 0 • view
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney Pet of the Met by Lydia & Don Freeman Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton anything by Robert McCloskey (but my personal favorite is Bert Dow, Deep Water Man) The Sailor Dog by Margaret Wise Brown
jul 29, 2025, 12:42 am • 4 0 • view
bert dow is so amazing
jul 29, 2025, 12:47 am • 5 0 • view
real mccluskey heads know
jul 29, 2025, 12:52 am • 4 0 • view
bsky.app/profile/spin...
jul 29, 2025, 12:52 am • 5 0 • view
i should've known
jul 29, 2025, 12:56 am • 3 0 • view
James Marshall
jul 29, 2025, 1:58 am • 2 0 • view
Sophie Blackall Julie Morstad
jul 29, 2025, 2:01 am • 2 0 • view
Reading Rainbow book list can be found here: knowtea.wordpress.com/wp-content/u...
jul 29, 2025, 2:01 am • 2 0 • view
Hats for Sale The Goat in the Rug A Hundred Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli Millie Le Fleur’s Poison Garden
jul 29, 2025, 2:03 am • 2 0 • view
"We're Going on a Bear Hunt" and Michael Rosen's other books
jul 29, 2025, 5:08 am • 1 0 • view
*Caps for Sale, I mean
jul 29, 2025, 2:05 am • 3 0 • view
I love reading that story and giving the peddler a real thick Italian accent when he has dialogue
jul 29, 2025, 2:14 am • 3 0 • view
we accidentally taught the lads to respond to commands with TSZ TSZ TSZ
jul 29, 2025, 2:35 am • 3 0 • view
ooh!
jul 29, 2025, 2:01 am • 1 0 • view
it seems like you are already well inundated but if you are still looking for more: Triangle (Jon Klassen), Frederick (Leo Lionni), Duck, Death and the Tulip (Wolf Erlbruch), Don’t call me little bunny (Gregoire Solotareff), The Salamander Room (Anne Mazer), and Grandfather Twilight (Barbara Berger)
jul 29, 2025, 12:37 am • 3 0 • view
(i should say that i don’t have kids but do remember being a kid who absolutely *hated* being condescended to so hopefully that barometer is useful here. why does nearly all children’s media think children are stupid and underserving of respect)
jul 29, 2025, 12:45 am • 2 0 • view
i do not know but it drives me up the wall. children are people and they are perfectly capable of noticing when the tone of the book is "eat your slop, hogs"
jul 29, 2025, 12:46 am • 4 0 • view
“The Camel Who Took A Walk” by Jack Tworkov and Roger Duvoisin is very charming:
jul 29, 2025, 1:04 am • 1 0 • view
Also “Blueberries for Sal” by Robert McCloskey:
jul 29, 2025, 1:15 am • 4 0 • view
Do you have sheep in a jeep? It is hands-down the most popular children’s book in my family. We also love the Mr. Putter series. Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears is the best one.
jul 28, 2025, 11:28 pm • 3 0 • view
any and all of the Serendipity series, like Flutterby or Misty Morgan
jul 28, 2025, 11:33 pm • 1 0 • view
Struwwelpeter scared the shit out of me as a kid but in retrospect it's one heckuva book & made me appreciate Edward Gorey as an adult way more
jul 29, 2025, 1:28 am • 3 0 • view
do you have Full Moon Soup?
jul 29, 2025, 12:46 am • 2 0 • view
books by dahlov ipcar are very beautiful and calm and there are many on thriftbooks!!!
jul 29, 2025, 1:36 am • 1 0 • view
Have you read The Elephant That Likes to Smash Small Cars? bookshop.org/p/books/the-...
jul 28, 2025, 11:25 pm • 4 0 • view
I really liked this one as a kid. A few years ago I dug up a copy and read it to my daughter, and she liked it too. The illustrations are cute and the story is charming and not annoying.
jul 28, 2025, 11:49 pm • 2 0 • view
I absolutely loved the idea of the pumpkin tower built around a tree and never accepted my parents’ explanations as to why we couldn’t build one of our own.
jul 28, 2025, 11:53 pm • 1 0 • view
Do you like the Sweet Pickles books?
jul 28, 2025, 11:48 pm • 3 0 • view
My kid loves these and so do we except he thinks it is hilarious to pretend to be Kangaroo and of course Kangaroo is a complete asshole
jul 29, 2025, 2:16 am • 2 0 • view
I loved them when I was little. I still say "me, too (Iguana)" all the time
jul 29, 2025, 2:44 am • 2 0 • view
I adored this book. Unfortunately I had a much better time reading it than my children had having it read to them 😅
jul 29, 2025, 12:42 am • 1 0 • view
I suspect you are already onto a lot of our faves (Pinkwater, James Marshall, the Francis Books) So here are some of the less-well-known books we've really enjoyed. Bruno: Some of the More Interesting Days in My Life So Far -- Valckx, Cathatina The Hello Goodbye Window -- Juster, Norton
jul 28, 2025, 11:57 pm • 1 0 • view
The Golden Sleepy Book -- Margaret Wise Brown The Tea Party in the Woods -- Miyakoshi, Akiko The Bus Ride - Dubuc, Marianne The Snatchabook -- Docherty, Helen Finding Winnie -- Mattick Lindsay Stuff -- Palatini, Margie
jul 29, 2025, 12:17 am • 3 0 • view
I assume you are already all over the Provensens (Maple Hill Farm Books) but if you aren't they are a must.
jul 29, 2025, 12:17 am • 1 0 • view
Bits and Pieces -- Schachner, Judith Byron Archie Snufflekins Oliver Valentine Cupcake Tiberius Cat -- Harnett, Katie
jul 29, 2025, 12:23 am • 1 0 • view
Not a kids book individually, but if you don't know about Green Bean Books on NE Alberta they do a lot of storytimes and shit
jul 28, 2025, 11:54 pm • 1 0 • view
i've heard 'the evening redness in the west' is a fun cowboy story
jul 28, 2025, 11:31 pm • 1 0 • view
We’ve read a lot of James Marshall’s books. Most of the George and Martha books, some of the fairy tales. My son really liked them.
jul 28, 2025, 11:33 pm • 5 0 • view
The way home in the night by akiko miyakoshi was good too. Very calming. Great artwork.
jul 28, 2025, 11:34 pm • 1 0 • view
I loved Bill Peet as a kid.
jul 29, 2025, 12:13 am • 1 0 • view
bsky.app/profile/redr...
jul 29, 2025, 2:32 am • 3 0 • view
oh! charming!
jul 29, 2025, 2:35 am • 1 0 • view
THE ZOOM SERIES BY TIM WYNNE JONES, HUSBAND OF DIANNA WYNNE JONES. IT'S CATS HAVING MAGICAL REALIST ADVENTURES IN THE SEA
jul 29, 2025, 1:31 am • 5 0 • view
the book A Day With Wilbur Robinson is also fantastic, just forget the movie adaptation
jul 29, 2025, 1:38 am • 1 0 • view
maguffys readers were my childhood stories it's turn of the 20th century stories about an animal society we loved them
jul 28, 2025, 11:54 pm • 2 0 • view
Like Uncle Wiggly?
jul 29, 2025, 1:22 am • 2 0 • view
o snap it's been 50 years my memories are thin wisps of vapor i remember a jay or a crow, maybe both? sammy? blackie? idk a bullfrog that said chug arum a bear? rabbits that's it, before i refresh my memory, which i am going to do now
jul 29, 2025, 1:30 am • 2 0 • view
you might be getting some thornton burgess mixed up in there as well
jul 29, 2025, 1:33 am • 1 0 • view
yeah, it's hopeless in the deep brain folds everything is falling in there o well
jul 29, 2025, 1:35 am • 1 0 • view
THATS the vibe
jul 28, 2025, 11:59 pm • 1 0 • view
yessss
jul 29, 2025, 12:05 am • 1 0 • view
How do you feel about the Radunskys? Yucka Drucka Droni feels a bit like Sendak to me.
jul 29, 2025, 1:27 am • 2 0 • view
Hungry hungry caterpillar 🤗
jul 29, 2025, 1:53 am • 1 0 • view
Gus was a friendly ghost Jane Thayer a.co/d/dBt0BcH
jul 29, 2025, 3:09 am • 1 0 • view
With great illustrations by Seymour Fleishman 😀
jul 29, 2025, 3:14 am • 1 0 • view
we like: beatrix potter, tasha tudor, janet and allen ahlberg, elsa beskow, gerda muller, maurice sendak, tomie depaola, arnold lobel we do not like: contrived woke books, computer artwork, rhyme schemes without a clear metrical structure, commercially owned intellectual property, condescending shit
jul 28, 2025, 11:29 pm • 71 0 • view
Do you have the Frances books
jul 29, 2025, 12:00 am • 4 0 • view
actually oddly no, we've read them at the library but do not own copies and that seems like an oversight
jul 29, 2025, 12:05 am • 2 0 • view
The boys might be a little young still but my son LOVED the magic treehouse books. There's a ton of them, they've been heavily reprinted, and I think you can usually find them pretty cheap.
jul 29, 2025, 1:01 am • 1 0 • view
Tomi Ungerer.
jul 28, 2025, 11:34 pm • 2 0 • view
Ezra Jack Keats.
jul 28, 2025, 11:37 pm • 3 0 • view
David Weisner is amazing. Just incredible mind blowing paintings.
jul 28, 2025, 11:41 pm • 4 0 • view
We got all the Beverly Cleary hits as audiobooks and they were just the background driving noise for years. Extra special as you’re in Portland.
jul 28, 2025, 11:43 pm • 3 0 • view
How do you feel about Richard Scarry? Mr. Frimble in particular was my youngesr’s favorite character.
jul 28, 2025, 11:44 pm • 1 0 • view
David Weisner was going to be my recommendation. Tuesday was a favorite around here for *awhile*
jul 29, 2025, 12:25 am • 2 0 • view
The piggy and elephant series is really cute!
jul 29, 2025, 1:18 am • 1 0 • view
We are also into Richard Scarry (the thicker anthology fairytale book), Robert Munsch (not the creepy love you forever one), the fairy tales illustrated by Arthur Rackham, the Beverly Clearly Ramona series and the Nate the Great books!
jul 29, 2025, 1:26 am • 2 0 • view
it's probably just mombrain but *i* get a kick out of reading amelia bedelia books. make me laugh
jul 28, 2025, 11:32 pm • 5 0 • view
This is a "funny" book, sorry, but an enduring fave in our house was "Stuck" by Oliver Jeffers. Kiddo also enjoyed listening to Tove Jansson's Moomin story "The Invisible Child" around age 3
jul 29, 2025, 12:47 am • 2 0 • view
Esther Averill’s Cat Club books of the kids are ready for some longer stuff, Elisa Kleven’s Paper Princess (as well as her others), the Night Eater, Molly Goes Shopping, the Toot and Puddle books (I’m being serious here), maybe the Tim books about the sailor kid (Tim to the Lighthouse)
jul 28, 2025, 11:35 pm • 2 0 • view
Depending on your approach some of these may require light on the fly editing or discussion like lots of older books. 🤷🏻♀️ I could honestly talk about kids books forever now that my kids are grown and I’m about to be a grandma at the tender age of 43.
jul 28, 2025, 11:37 pm • 1 0 • view
oh i can do creative reading on the fly yeah, i read them a lot of edward eager, e. nesbit and roald dahl and boy did people use to have a colorful vocabulary, that's all i'll say lol
jul 28, 2025, 11:40 pm • 0 0 • view
Yep, I did all of those with my kids and my ability to read ahead while still speaking out loud (developed perhaps because reading was my main activity for so long as a kid and no one respected my occupied status;) really came in handy
jul 28, 2025, 11:48 pm • 1 0 • view
If you can find them, Bill Peet wrote and illustrated some fabulous kids' books (in the 60s through 80s - still good stories.). He was a Disney animator (Sword In The Stone, 101 Dalmatians). Another Disney person who did kids' books is Gyo Fujikawa. Her Mother Goose book is 💚💚💚
jul 29, 2025, 1:01 am • 6 0 • view
Oliver Jeffers' books are beautifully illustrated pieces of art (for kids and adults). Not all are specifically little kids' books tho.
jul 29, 2025, 1:03 am • 1 0 • view
oh man I loved every Bill Peet book.
jul 29, 2025, 1:40 am • 1 0 • view
I love the Gyo Fujikawa books. Her illustrations are top notch.
jul 29, 2025, 1:39 am • 1 0 • view
Woke that isn't too too contrived (maybe): The Enemy by Davide Cali and Serge Bloch (might be a bit older than toddler) I like "My Museum" by Joanne Liu -- light on words but its a cute "let's think about art" book that I like for selfish reasons. Look up books illustrated..
jul 29, 2025, 12:05 am • 1 0 • view
..by Christian Robinson, a lot of those titles feel very Sesame Street to me in an old school way. Will repeat the rec of M.Sasek -- check them first, older ones might be racist, but they're such nice "baby's first travel" type books. I like Jill Barklem for little mice in little cottages in...
jul 29, 2025, 12:05 am • 3 0 • view
...a realistic British wood. Cicely Mary Barker I only like for the pictures (beautiful botanically accurate fairy children), the poems are so so, the pictures are the kind you'll imprint on. (Sorry all of these are from an illustration perspective, this was my prior occupation)
jul 29, 2025, 12:05 am • 1 0 • view
Growing up I liked some of the books by Bernard Warber (Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile; House on E 88th St, Ira sleeps over). Also books by William Steig (tho Sylvester and the Magic Pebble kinda broke me becuase it is sorta sad (ends happily))
jul 29, 2025, 12:09 am • 2 0 • view
Another modern one: recently came across "Bog Myrtle" by Sid Sharp and was pleasantly surprised by it. It's long for a picture book, might be a little old for the lads (just in terms of length?) it's more like a comic-chapter book that looks like a pic book. But it's cute.
jul 29, 2025, 12:10 am • 1 0 • view
Oh I'm not seeing Leo Lionni on your list, that's another classic. Swimmy is near and dear to me, but there's a bajillion
jul 29, 2025, 12:20 am • 3 0 • view
Anyway I'll stop. I have a lot more like "beautiful one-off" books in my dragon hoard (i mean..."work ref") I could recommend, but here I was more interested in makers who had Made Many, because I feel like that will get you and the lads further. lmk if you want the list of randos, happy to share
jul 29, 2025, 12:39 am • 0 0 • view
books.google.com/books/about/... This one cracks me up
jul 29, 2025, 2:01 am • 1 0 • view
Not seen on shelf or list: Rosemary Wells' Bunny Planet books (First Tomato, Island Light) and the Gaspard and Lisa books by Anne Gutman and Georg Hallensleben. Big favorite for me, White is For Blueberry, by George Shannon. When they're old enough, The Wee Free Men is a great read-aloud.
jul 29, 2025, 2:16 am • 1 0 • view
to be clear i like books that are organically woke, i hate contrived ones like "activist baby!" designed to be given as gifts at baby showers
jul 28, 2025, 11:31 pm • 81 1 • view
bonus points if thriftbooks has included it in their summer reading kids books sale, i need to max this discounted cart out
jul 28, 2025, 11:33 pm • 23 0 • view
shel silverstein wrote some bangers
jul 29, 2025, 12:45 am • 4 0 • view
when you haven’t seen a kid’s book since you were a kid
jul 29, 2025, 4:55 am • 1 0 • view
i've read a zillion childrens books since having my child, actually! pretty weird thing to say!
jul 29, 2025, 5:23 am • 2 0 • view
oh i was just kidding because shel silverstein was also from when i was a kid lol
jul 29, 2025, 5:25 am • 1 0 • view
I think I'm too late but I always thought Bear Day by Cynthia Rylant was very cute
jul 29, 2025, 2:03 am • 1 0 • view
i don't think we like "funny" books as much as other families do
jul 29, 2025, 12:30 am • 15 0 • view
We really liked the "Ordinary People Change the World" books by Brad Meltzer (maybe a little old yet for The Lads), everything by Sandra Boynton, Hug Machine by Scott Campbell, and I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
jul 29, 2025, 12:40 am • 1 0 • view
OMG Julia's House for Lost Creatures!
jul 29, 2025, 12:57 am • 1 0 • view
okay i'm getting bread and jam for frances, outside over there, the seven silly eaters, the ox-cart man, abiyoyo, jamberry, emmett otter's jugband christmas, mouse soup, and the cricket in times square, and another copy of the jolly postman for a birthday present for their little friend
jul 29, 2025, 1:25 am • 39 1 • view
Emmett Otter!! 🧡
jul 29, 2025, 2:05 am • 2 0 • view
if you recommended a really good one and it's not in this list it's because we already have it!
jul 29, 2025, 1:30 am • 10 0 • view
here look it's not because i don't like your suggestion unless i didn't lol bsky.app/profile/spin...
jul 29, 2025, 1:45 am • 11 0 • view
I think you'd like the 70s books that were lent us while our daughter was small: a bunch by John Vernon Lord (I mostly remember The Giant Jam Sandwich), as well as My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes by Eve Sutton. (Newer-ish book rec: the rhythm in The Gruffalo is satisfying to read aloud.)
jul 29, 2025, 4:15 am • 1 0 • view
I can't tell if you have Struwwelpeter on your shelf, which I enjoyed as a boy. www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12116
jul 29, 2025, 1:55 am • 2 0 • view
Or Max & Moritz, which has English translations that preserve the verse and meter. I like the 19th century illustrations that go with the stories. www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17161
jul 29, 2025, 1:58 am • 3 1 • view
Charlie & Mouse series, Frog & Toad, Elephant & Piggie (I could write a treatise about the subtle and kind way "I Like Slop" addresses culinary racism). As bedtime books, Wish Tree by Kyo Maclear and Goodnight Everyone by Chris Haughton may both be a bit young-skewing for your kids, but the cadence!
jul 29, 2025, 2:29 am • 1 0 • view
"The Hike" by Alison Farrell makes hikes with kids in Oregon more interesting - so many plants and animals they will see! I see you already have an Usborne lift-the-flap, but I suggest all of them - great car reading. Circling back: Elephant & Piggie has a resurgence in Kinder. Low cost-per-read.
jul 29, 2025, 2:34 am • 1 0 • view
In terms of pure toddler boy joy, Buddy & the Bunnies "Don't Play with your Food" was a HUGE laugh hit, as were "Stop Following Me, Moon!" and "Pine & Boof: the lucky leaf"
jul 29, 2025, 2:46 am • 1 0 • view
Hmm, Florence Sakade's (the anniversary reprint of the 1952? edition) Favorite Japanese Children's Stories and More Favorite Japanese Children's Stories might be a good fit in there; beautiful watercolor and ink paintings for illustrations
jul 29, 2025, 2:03 am • 2 0 • view
Any Kate Beaton books? Ask her stuff is a treasure
jul 29, 2025, 1:57 am • 3 0 • view
*All, curses.
jul 29, 2025, 2:02 am • 2 0 • view
Miss Suzy
jul 29, 2025, 1:32 am • 1 0 • view
you don’t have the sandra boynton books?! dang, those were in heavy rotation with us for YEARS
jul 29, 2025, 1:27 am • 2 0 • view
i just don't really love them! i know everybody else does. more for everybody else!
jul 29, 2025, 1:29 am • 4 0 • view
I get it. It’s about what the kids latch on to *and* what you can read 500 times in a row without wishing for death’s sweet release
jul 29, 2025, 1:33 am • 1 0 • view
Not to be all up in your thread, but agreed! Sandra was great for the very first moments of reading to my kid - at 8 mo-1.5 years, buts they age out quickly.
jul 29, 2025, 2:50 am • 2 0 • view
my 21 month old has about 40 words and one of them is “jamb” because he loves the book “jamberry” so much and always wants us to read it
jul 29, 2025, 2:11 am • 2 0 • view
Outside Over There TERRIFIED me as a child. Like genuine fear.
jul 29, 2025, 1:26 am • 3 0 • view
i know it's scary as shit!!! scared the hell out of me too. but in a good way. that one might go on a high shelf for later
jul 29, 2025, 1:27 am • 1 0 • view
EXCELLENT picks!
jul 29, 2025, 4:31 am • 1 0 • view
HELL YEAH CRICKET IN TIMES SQUARE. GOOD CALL, WHOEVER THAT WAS.
jul 29, 2025, 1:31 am • 3 0 • view
A book I loved, but it was a funny book: www.macbarnett.com/triangle
jul 29, 2025, 1:49 am • 1 0 • view
Birdsong is really beautiful
jul 29, 2025, 12:42 am • 1 0 • view
And I met a penguin is cute
jul 29, 2025, 12:43 am • 1 0 • view
Thank you omu and Saturday by the same author are nice. Saturday helped us teach taking deep breaths
jul 29, 2025, 12:44 am • 1 0 • view
James Herriot had a collection of children's books. I'm not totally sure of the age range for them, but I loved Only One Woof when I was a kid.
jul 29, 2025, 12:41 am • 3 0 • view
Caleb Brown poetry books. Zimmerman, “fire fire hurry hurry” is really fun to read out loud.
jul 28, 2025, 11:40 pm • 1 0 • view
the Nora series of books by Satomi Ichikawa (not sponsored)
jul 29, 2025, 12:26 am • 1 0 • view
These or anything else from Hazy Dell Press www.thriftbooks.com/w/klyde-the-... www.thriftbooks.com/w/dont-eat-m...
jul 29, 2025, 1:51 am • 1 0 • view
Peter Spier in general is great, his "People " is worth spending time checking out the pictures. A more modern cat book is David Wiesner's "Mr. Wuffles". Both books focus on illustrations.
jul 28, 2025, 11:44 pm • 2 0 • view
jul 28, 2025, 11:37 pm • 12 0 • view
Let me tell you. I used Harry At (By?) The Sea with my students and they L O V E D
jul 29, 2025, 12:01 am • 3 0 • view
idk if they are in print anymore but I adored the garth pig books as a kid and I think you'd find them fun
jul 28, 2025, 11:37 pm • 1 0 • view
Actual woke, not Politician's Kid Had Book Printed
jul 28, 2025, 11:33 pm • 9 0 • view
exactly yeah. beautiful stories about people acting bravely and with great love, yes. "the smash the patriarchy ABCs" i can take or fucking leave
jul 28, 2025, 11:35 pm • 9 0 • view
Any of Shel Silversteins poem books.
jul 28, 2025, 11:35 pm • 2 0 • view
One of my sons loved Runny Babbit, too.
jul 28, 2025, 11:38 pm • 1 0 • view
They're a little young for this, but you should buy it and put it on a shelf they'll only see when they're ten.
jul 28, 2025, 11:44 pm • 2 0 • view
Do you have the Brambly Hedge books in the states? I feel like those would be up your alley. The Hairy Maclary books are also stone cold classics
jul 29, 2025, 8:37 am • 1 0 • view
Have you tried Bill Peet books? They were my favorite
jul 29, 2025, 12:08 am • 2 0 • view
Ratsmagic and The Magic Circus by Wayne Anderson archive.org/details/rats... www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-magic-...
jul 29, 2025, 12:45 am • 1 0 • view
my favorites are the jenny and the cat club books
jul 28, 2025, 11:39 pm • 2 0 • view
i believe the lads are somewhat too young for this book, but say when they are five or six, this is a fantastic little adventure (didn’t read the thread for duplicate so sorry in advance): en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_th...
jul 29, 2025, 1:52 am • 1 0 • view
more age appropriate, this pop up book is incredible: a.co/d/an4cxRb
jul 29, 2025, 1:55 am • 1 0 • view
I'm sorry I can't make any recommendations. I had the ladybird books with the golden spines as a kid, and some Beatrix Potter, but no memory of them having been read to me My dad used to tell me Greek myths as bedtime stories for some reason, which I loved. He ... adapted them some.
jul 29, 2025, 7:16 am • 1 0 • view
But I knew about Medusa and the Trojan Horse and the Sirens and Sisyphus and Pandora's Box and the dude who tried to escape the labyrinth with the minotaur in it but failed(his flying machine was held together with wax and he went too close to the sun) and Prometheus because my dad told me stories.
jul 29, 2025, 7:20 am • 1 0 • view
He also told me the story of three cats who went to space in their cat spaceship and space suits (adapted for cat tails) and it was super exciting because there was a count down and lift off! They went because they'd heard the moon was made of green cheese, so they thought there'd be mice there.
jul 29, 2025, 7:22 am • 1 0 • view
Same cats also went to the bottom of the sea in special dry suits, where they met and made friends with cat fish. I am not making this up but I am pretty sure my dad was.
jul 29, 2025, 7:23 am • 1 0 • view
I think I had some Dr Seuss at my grandparents house. I remember The Lorax, and Stars Upon Thars, and The Pale Green Pants With No-one Inside 'Em.
jul 29, 2025, 7:24 am • 1 0 • view
Icarus! Icarus was the failed labyrinth escape guy.
jul 29, 2025, 7:25 am • 1 0 • view
I guess what I am saying in this rather long tangential aside that doesn't actually answer your question (sorry) is that anything can be a children's story if you are not sure what to say so you just tell a decent story that you happen to know. But these weren't books.
jul 29, 2025, 7:29 am • 1 0 • view
I liked it at the time because I got to spend time with my dad and I am grateful now because I know all these stories that are still kindof cultural references, at least a little bit, despite not having studied them in school and not having gone on a sortof autodidact Classics study spree.
jul 29, 2025, 7:31 am • 1 0 • view
Alice Provensen's Maple Hill Farm series?
jul 29, 2025, 6:52 pm • 1 0 • view
“condescending shit” Welp, there go all MY recommendation. 😂
jul 29, 2025, 12:59 am • 2 0 • view
We are working our way through the Caldecott list libraryaware.com/547/Posts/Vi...
jul 29, 2025, 1:50 am • 1 0 • view
this is a great idea! i think we'll do this too
jul 29, 2025, 1:54 am • 1 0 • view
My library also has a bunch of lists by topic and age group so when I don't know what we should read I look at those. cbcpubliclibrary.net/kids/books/
jul 29, 2025, 2:04 am • 2 0 • view
Might I recommend www.simonandschuster.com/books/Lumber...
jul 29, 2025, 12:07 am • 2 0 • view
Recommending my wife’s book because I’m a Wife Guy and also kids love it
jul 29, 2025, 12:06 am • 10 0 • view
Donald Crews does incredible and beautifully designed books about vehicles (try “Freight Train”, “Truck”, “Parade”, “Harbor”). Byron Barton has striking illustrations and great story sense (“My Car” has a great twist, we also love “Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bones” and “Machines at Work”)
jul 29, 2025, 12:21 am • 1 0 • view
👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻
jul 29, 2025, 1:46 am • 2 0 • view
everyone knows and loves “The Snowy Day” but Ezra Jack Keats also did a fun series about a kid named Peter (“Whistle for Willie”, “Peter’s Chair”, “Hi, Cat”). Similarly everyone knows Carl the dog but Alexandra Day also did a series called Frank and Ernest where an elephant and bear have jobs
jul 29, 2025, 12:24 am • 1 0 • view
Gail Gibbons has a million well illustrated and very informative nonfiction books about scientific and natural history topics (fruits, veggies, spiders, frogs…) Lois Elhert does lovely collage and paper cut illustrations (try “Planting a Rainbow”, “Eating the Alphabet”, or “Feathers for Lunch”)
jul 29, 2025, 12:26 am • 2 0 • view
A friend of ours introduced us to the Sato the Rabbit series, translated from Japanese, very soothing and quirky. Don and Audrey Wood are GOATs for silly books (King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub, Silly Sally, the Napping House)
jul 29, 2025, 12:29 am • 1 0 • view
I could literally do this all day, if you ever want any more please hit me up. There are plenty of dreadful children’s books but I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how many great ones are still out there kicking around. I tend to be suspicious of newer books but I’ve found great new ones too!
jul 29, 2025, 12:31 am • 1 0 • view
Robert Munch?
jul 28, 2025, 11:30 pm • 4 0 • view
He has a website where he reads a lot of his stories aloud! We used to listen to his stories on tape on long car rides (they were his dramatic readings to audiences of children, much of the website is just him reading aloud iirc - still good) robertmunsch.com
jul 29, 2025, 12:59 am • 1 0 • view
I was a child in Ontario in the 80s. He did those readings at a lot of schools. I saw him at least once.
jul 29, 2025, 1:02 am • 3 0 • view
Yes! He came to my school! We also had a tape of him reading his books.
jul 29, 2025, 1:40 am • 1 0 • view
And therefore I know how to sing "clang clang rattle bing bang, gonna make my noise all day"
jul 29, 2025, 1:03 am • 3 0 • view
Not "I'll Love You Forever" though. The fun ones instead. Usually I try to recommend newer books for kids, but turns out I didn't really like many read aloud picture books type books.
jul 28, 2025, 11:35 pm • 4 0 • view
probably because most of them are terrible!
jul 28, 2025, 11:36 pm • 2 0 • view
Probably. Though I also found a lot of old books for kids to be terrible.
jul 28, 2025, 11:47 pm • 1 0 • view
Llama Llama Red Pajamas is big in our house (and some of the related ones). I feel like you might like Bill Peet. The one woke book I *love* is Dream Big Little Scientists (I agree most of them are garbage).
jul 29, 2025, 1:05 am • 1 0 • view
A lot of Candlewick Press books are beautiful, especially Goodnight Everyone
jul 29, 2025, 1:09 am • 2 0 • view
A.A. Milne Emily Gravett Kes Gray/Jim Field Oi Frog! series
jul 28, 2025, 11:44 pm • 1 0 • view
Barbara Cooney, Shirley Hughes, Patricia Polacco, Cynthia Rylant
jul 28, 2025, 11:33 pm • 6 0 • view
Russell and Lillian Hoban
jul 28, 2025, 11:34 pm • 6 0 • view
These are great answers
jul 28, 2025, 11:35 pm • 2 0 • view
It helps when most of the original list is stuff you grew up with so you can just be like "this person has the exact same taste as me and my mom, right"
jul 28, 2025, 11:38 pm • 3 0 • view
Yep! Unrelated: did you ever read Russell Hoban’s Turtle Diary (not a kids book)? I feel called to give it a plug if you haven’t.
jul 28, 2025, 11:50 pm • 2 0 • view
No, thanks for the tip!
jul 28, 2025, 11:54 pm • 2 0 • view
I am very fond of the Never Touch A (monster, dinosaur, dragon) books. And of course the Sandra Boynton ones. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom? I Want My Hat Back?
jul 28, 2025, 11:38 pm • 3 0 • view
Oh! Little Owl’s Night! That one is beautiful. Jamberry is also sweet. Sheep in a Jeep, Sheep in a Shop…
jul 28, 2025, 11:39 pm • 3 0 • view
Tops and Bottoms, but I'm sure you have it! "It's a done deal, Bear!" (To everyone else, it's about gardening and sneaking dealing, a story for our time!)
jul 28, 2025, 11:28 pm • 2 0 • view
George and Martha! Story of the 14 Bears! Mouse Mansion is VERY fun to look at! You are already familiar with the classic stylings of the corgiville fair I presume
jul 28, 2025, 11:26 pm • 2 0 • view
velveteen rabbit , also
jul 29, 2025, 12:31 am • 1 0 • view
my only other suggestion is beatrix potter and you got that on lock already
jul 29, 2025, 12:32 am • 1 0 • view
d'aulaires trolls!!! idk if you have that one
jul 29, 2025, 12:31 am • 1 0 • view
We liked many books by Herve Tullet, starting with Press Here.
jul 29, 2025, 2:01 am • 1 0 • view
The Escape of the Krollsnork
jul 29, 2025, 1:45 am • 1 0 • view
We Are In a Book with Piggie and Gerald was a huge hit for us at that age. My daughter is a little older but we really love Bakery Dragon right now and the Lovevery Books - especially Leo and Melody Go to The Farm - which you can get pretty inexpensively second hand.
jul 28, 2025, 11:45 pm • 3 0 • view
do you know Byrd Baylor's work? When Clay Sings is my favorite, also I'm In Charge Of Celebrations is wonderful & right up your alley
jul 29, 2025, 2:28 am • 1 0 • view
Knight Owl, and Knight Owl And Early Bird our great niece and her parents LOVED them, and the art work is marvelous
jul 28, 2025, 11:40 pm • 2 0 • view
both on thriftbooks author Christopher Denise
jul 28, 2025, 11:42 pm • 1 0 • view
Everybody Sleeps, but Not Fred.
jul 28, 2025, 11:45 pm • 1 0 • view
last of the really great whangdoodles goated
jul 28, 2025, 11:42 pm • 1 0 • view
“Iggy Peck, Architect” & others in the series “The Gruffalo” & “The Gruffalo’s Child” “The Tiger Who Came to Tea” Much later: “The Phantom Tollbooth” which I’m reading to 5-y/o Smöl Boy rn, which my mom read to me at similar age (NOT any “Eloise” books, they are terrible and unclear rhyme scheme)
jul 29, 2025, 12:47 am • 8 0 • view
Also doing the voices in these books is SO FUN. In the Gruffalo stories, the Fox is very proper but slimy, the owwwl hoooots his wooooords, and the sssssnake ssssstrechesssss hissss S’sssss. In the Phantom Tollbooth, the Humbug is Earth President Richard Nixon.
jul 29, 2025, 3:42 am • 2 0 • view
Phantom Tollbooth is good for that age? I can't remember it well enough for the range, but I bought it anyway. My 6yo is out of books rn and that might be a hit. Or not. I never know.
jul 29, 2025, 1:31 am • 5 0 • view
phantom tollbooth is perfect for that age, it was my favorite book when i was only a year older
jul 29, 2025, 1:33 am • 5 0 • view
He really likes it! I loved it at this age
jul 29, 2025, 1:34 am • 2 0 • view
Jam: A True Story, by Margaret Mahy.
jul 28, 2025, 11:32 pm • 1 0 • view
moomin novels, sort of kind of like pooh plus totoro but the midcentury finnish communist version written by a woman living alone on an island with her wife shop.moomin.com/collections/...
jul 29, 2025, 1:58 am • 1 0 • view
do y'all have Yolen's Owl Moon?
jul 28, 2025, 11:49 pm • 2 0 • view
also I like Walsh's Mouse Paint as a toddler board book. never too early for some color theory
jul 28, 2025, 11:53 pm • 2 0 • view
My preschool students love that book!
jul 28, 2025, 11:57 pm • 2 0 • view
The Mole Sisters!
jul 29, 2025, 2:03 am • 1 0 • view
“The Curious Why” and “The Magical Yet” by Angela DiTerlizzi are great.
jul 28, 2025, 11:37 pm • 1 0 • view
How Tom Beat Captain Najork and His Hired Sportsmen, by Russell Hoban (illustrated by Quentin Blake!)
jul 29, 2025, 12:44 am • 2 0 • view
Also, Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct, by Mo Willems
jul 29, 2025, 12:45 am • 2 0 • view
Juan Hormiga was a big hit when my youngest was 4. When you get to 4-5 age range I got you covered with books through and through.
jul 29, 2025, 1:28 am • 1 0 • view
Also big fan of Jon Klassen, both my kids loved his books and his humor.
jul 29, 2025, 1:29 am • 1 0 • view
www.thriftbooks.com/w/its-a-tige...
jul 29, 2025, 1:32 am • 2 0 • view
Okay I got the full list from the wife: Frog and Toad is just perfect. Ada Twist books were big hits Zoey & Sassafras I have a bit harder time with (because I was bored), but kids loved it. Another by Christian Robinson (most things Christian Robinson are great) www.thriftbooks.com/w/another_ch...
jul 29, 2025, 1:52 pm • 2 0 • view
If they like wordless books, we got those too.
jul 29, 2025, 1:53 pm • 1 0 • view
Frederick by Leo Lionni!! Here's a link to someone reading it aloud on youtube youtu.be/R-beL3UU6Mo?...
jul 29, 2025, 2:13 am • 2 0 • view
Also seconding Babar and Mouse Paint, and anything by Bill Peet. The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton as well!
jul 29, 2025, 2:24 am • 2 0 • view
My kid loves this www.thriftbooks.com/w/stir-crack...
jul 29, 2025, 1:57 am • 1 0 • view
Also this www.thriftbooks.com/w/pizza-an-i...
jul 29, 2025, 1:58 am • 1 0 • view
Our boys loved a bunch of stuff written or illustrated Jon Klassen. Great drawing style, fun macabre vibes www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
jul 28, 2025, 11:37 pm • 13 0 • view
EXTRA YARN was illustrated by Klassen and written by Mac Barnett; can’t recommend it highly enough
jul 28, 2025, 11:50 pm • 7 0 • view
Their interpretation The Three Billy Goats Gruff is absolutely delightful
jul 28, 2025, 11:55 pm • 10 0 • view
this one is great. also The Skull
jul 29, 2025, 12:47 am • 7 0 • view
Love The Skull!
jul 29, 2025, 12:50 am • 4 0 • view
i loved the skull too, and john the skeleton, have you guys read that one, so weird and charming
jul 29, 2025, 12:52 am • 4 0 • view
👀 that looks up our alley
jul 29, 2025, 12:53 am • 3 0 • view
Duncan and Dolores might be a little old for them, but only a little. I mean really you could just go down a list of reading rainbow episodes probably. Nilah Magruder's How to Find a Fox
jul 29, 2025, 1:09 am • 1 0 • view
We liked Eric Carle's Mister Seahorse which is not one of the main hits. I also love Leo Leonni's Little Blue and Little Yellow. I didn't know about Bear Wants More and associated books until this year
jul 29, 2025, 1:13 am • 2 0 • view
The Book With No Pictures.
jul 29, 2025, 12:57 am • 1 0 • view
my friend illustrated a kids book but unfortunately i just read it and don't think it's very good lol but the pictures are good tho
jul 29, 2025, 1:54 am • 1 0 • view
Dory Fantasmagory
jul 28, 2025, 11:24 pm • 2 0 • view
Dragons Love Tacos, We Don’t Eat Our Classmates, I Need a New Butt
jul 29, 2025, 12:43 am • 1 0 • view
📌
jul 29, 2025, 1:35 am • 1 0 • view
I know you already got a lot of recs but I LOVED Alison Lester’s books when I was a kid. They’re Australian and they have really fun, beautiful illustrations and a lot of them are about quirky kids.
jul 29, 2025, 2:09 am • 2 0 • view
I buy them for my friend’s kids a lot because they’re not super popular here so I am fairly sure they won’t already have them. Here is a video of Alison Lester reading one of my favorites. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3d0...
jul 29, 2025, 2:11 am • 2 0 • view
Speaking of Australian books, Lynley Dodd’s Slinky Malinki series! They are about all the hijinks of a neighborhood of cats.
jul 29, 2025, 2:27 am • 1 0 • view
as a library cataloguer/occasional thumber-througher of picture books, here are two of the funnier ones to have crossed my desk relatively recently
jul 28, 2025, 11:54 pm • 2 0 • view
In a couple of years, the boys might love any of Wallace Tripp's collections of (other people's) poems with his glorious illustrations. In the meantime, you'll enjoy them!
jul 29, 2025, 12:00 am • 1 0 • view
The Stacey Huggins series candelarianormasilva.com
jul 30, 2025, 3:24 am • 1 0 • view
Michael Rosen, Michael Foreman, Babette Cole, Judith Kerr and Martin Wadell were huge favorites in our household
jul 29, 2025, 7:34 am • 1 0 • view
Particularly The Pig in the Pond, Farmer Duck and Owl Babies.
jul 29, 2025, 7:40 am • 1 0 • view
Another one that my sons loved was the Usborne Greek Myths book a.co/d/ebEGJsA
jul 29, 2025, 9:01 am • 1 0 • view
A classic
jul 29, 2025, 12:46 am • 1 0 • view
“the mousery” by charlotte pomerantz. it’s about two brother mice who are implied to live in oregon so it seems perfect tbh. i loved it as a wee gal and i still have my childhood copy on my adult shelf :)
jul 29, 2025, 2:47 am • 1 0 • view
the skull by jon klassen is a bit old for them rn, but the art is gorgeous and it feels like your family's speed. there's an andrei troshkov version of ivan and the firebird that is also beautifully illustrated even if they can't read it on their own yet.
jul 29, 2025, 1:32 am • 2 0 • view
My preschool students and I love Mo Willems’ Piggie and Elephant books. 🐖🐘 Also: Kitten’s First Full Moon, Minerva Louise the Mixed-up Hen, Press Here, A Sick Day for Amos McGee.
jul 28, 2025, 11:31 pm • 3 0 • view
Ok I recognize I am very late to this party and everyone has gone home but this may be why I joined Bluesky so I’m just gonna walk in and start partying on my own.
jul 29, 2025, 4:34 am • 1 0 • view
oh i LOVE animalia!
jul 29, 2025, 4:36 am • 1 0 • view
Oh I’m relieved. I recognize it’s not his best illustrations but when mine were really young that was the pick. Eleventh Hour was huge by the time they were 4 and it keeps on giving.
jul 29, 2025, 4:40 am • 1 0 • view
Couple titles that got too thrashed by the twins to get photoed: Katie and the big snow (top Burton) and trouble for trumpets.
jul 29, 2025, 4:37 am • 1 0 • view
yeah we're on our third copy of Peepo
jul 29, 2025, 4:39 am • 1 0 • view
Jesus. Still got all yer digits?
jul 29, 2025, 4:42 am • 1 0 • view
yeah they just kind of hugged the other 2 to pieces
jul 29, 2025, 4:45 am • 1 0 • view
The Quilt Maker’s Gift was one of my faves as a kid, though I was mostly into the gorgeous illustrations
jul 29, 2025, 1:51 pm • 1 0 • view
jul 29, 2025, 1:46 am • 1 0 • view
jul 29, 2025, 1:42 am • 2 0 • view
jul 29, 2025, 1:42 am • 1 0 • view
jul 29, 2025, 1:41 am • 0 0 • view
jul 29, 2025, 1:41 am • 2 0 • view
jul 29, 2025, 1:40 am • 1 0 • view
omg the little old lady!!!!! i love that one!!!! going to have to start a halloween books stash similar to christmas books
jul 29, 2025, 1:41 am • 1 0 • view
My kids loved this series: Oliver Pig and Amanda Pig by Jean Van Leeuwen And of course Beverly Cleary
jul 29, 2025, 1:55 am • 1 0 • view
I think Allen Say's books are miraculously gorgeous. And for slightly older children, the same goes to Laurence Yep.
jul 29, 2025, 12:36 am • 3 0 • view
Allen Say's work is wonderful and so poignant.
jul 29, 2025, 1:50 am • 2 0 • view
my roommate is a children's librarian and she suggests: boy here, boy there by chuck groenink; into the goblin market by vikki vansickle; when you can swim by jack wong; bathe the cat by alice mcginty; thank you octopus by darren farrell; my daddy is a cowboy by stephanie seales.
jul 28, 2025, 11:59 pm • 2 0 • view
she also says how my parents learned to eat (ina friedman) & the interpreter (olivia abtahi) are good but she's worried they might fall into the 'contrived woke' category. idk up 2 u i figure
jul 29, 2025, 12:02 am • 2 0 • view
Rosemary Wells, particularly Noisy Nora
jul 28, 2025, 11:56 pm • 1 0 • view
Where the Sidewalk Ends
jul 28, 2025, 11:31 pm • 4 0 • view
Thinking back thirty years (ouch, really?) . . . anything by Dr. Seuss, Corduroy, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Goodnight Moon, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?", Elephant and Piggy books ("We Are In a Book"), Sesame Street books ("The Monster at the End of this Book")
jul 29, 2025, 1:13 am • 1 0 • view
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel
jul 29, 2025, 1:13 am • 3 0 • view
Absolutely not this book, which is horrible: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sto...
jul 29, 2025, 1:15 am • 3 0 • view
Hahaha. That was the book I had a love/hate relationship with as a kid.
jul 29, 2025, 1:48 am • 1 0 • view
god it's so racist and violent lol. i actually read it to the lads in the NICU because we have a very pretty old copy and i thought oh this is charming and old-fashioned! the pictures are certainly charming and old-fashioned...
jul 29, 2025, 1:49 am • 1 0 • view
Jon Klassen, Mac Barnett (particularly Extra Yarn)
jul 29, 2025, 1:21 am • 3 0 • view
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_a...
jul 29, 2025, 1:00 am • 2 0 • view
Your best move is to teach the lads a second language. It’ll open up whole new libraries. The best part is you can just start reading them foreign books. Even if you don’t speak the language. They’re not going to know your pronunciation is awful, & do you REALLY need to know what it means?
jul 28, 2025, 11:30 pm • 1 0 • view
Ursula Vernon does books for kids (as well as books not for kids, though most/all of those are as "T Kingfisher".)
jul 29, 2025, 3:45 am • 1 0 • view
my personal childhood favorite www.thriftbooks.com/w/a-porcupin...
jul 29, 2025, 1:07 am • 1 0 • view
Not sure what age range you’re looking at but for 5th grade or so there’s no beating the Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper.
jul 29, 2025, 1:41 am • 4 0 • view
they are 2 but i can't stand most books for 2 year olds so we moved up to about kindergarten range and they can just catch as catch can
jul 29, 2025, 1:42 am • 1 0 • view
Haha sorry I blew it on the age range but I I guess remember this for about eight years from now
jul 29, 2025, 1:47 am • 2 0 • view
Loved 'The Stranger' as a kid. BTW a lot of very good book recs for all ages in this thread. bsky.app/profile/book...
jul 29, 2025, 1:39 am • 1 0 • view
If they're willing/able to be read to from chapter books, then I loved the Chronicles of Prydain. It's a series that grows with the child, so first novel the characters are 10/11 and it reads as such, with a lot of silly humor. A bright 8/9 would enjoy it very much.
jul 29, 2025, 1:45 am • 2 0 • view
can’t believe I didn’t see Thatcher Hurd in this thread already- personal faves were the pea patch jig and art dog, mama don’t allow is also great. I also loved loved loved weslandia and my mother is partial to the araboolies of liberty street
jul 29, 2025, 5:47 am • 1 0 • view
Fortunately and Unfortunately, also Good Dog Carl
jul 28, 2025, 11:57 pm • 1 0 • view
for the next round (or put em on the library list): “the little gardener” by emily hughes, “a little house of your own” by beatrice schenk de regniers, “gus and the baby ghost” by jane thayer. “all the world” by liz garton scanlon.
jul 29, 2025, 2:27 am • 1 0 • view
LOVE all the world, SO much, bought a board book copy because they love it and want to take it to bed with them
jul 29, 2025, 2:33 am • 1 0 • view
it’s one that my son really connects with, so i can recite it when he needs some calming poetry in stressful moments and it immediately recenters him. goodnight moon and corduroy are like that too for us
jul 29, 2025, 3:40 am • 1 0 • view
have you seen the charming little illustrated version? it's up on kanopy if your library uses that. it doesn't add or subtract anything at all, just makes the pictures subtly move, and narrates
jul 29, 2025, 3:58 am • 0 0 • view
sorry i mean animated version!
jul 29, 2025, 3:58 am • 0 0 • view
ELIZABETH! this is My Father's Dragon, it is easily my favorite book I ever had when I was a kid. it's about Elmer Elevator (the narrator's father) and his journey to rescue a baby dragon from Wild Island. there is a full color version as well. there are tigers chewing bubble gum in it
jul 29, 2025, 1:34 am • 10 0 • view
I have never parted with this copy since my age was a single digit. the spine is falling apart. I think the lads would love it ❤️
jul 29, 2025, 1:37 am • 2 0 • view
they've heard it! we read it at grandma's house over christmas. they liked when we made animal sounds mainly. they will probably love it more next year
jul 29, 2025, 1:38 am • 2 0 • view
ahhh yay ❤️
jul 29, 2025, 1:39 am • 2 0 • view
oh this book was the dang best
jul 29, 2025, 1:35 am • 2 0 • view
we LOVE this one. my mom and i must have read it 400 times. i have hardback copies of my fathers dragon and the dragons of blueland and every thrift store i go to i look for a hardback copy of elmer and the elevator because used copies online are like $90??? one day
jul 29, 2025, 1:36 am • 2 0 • view
NEVER MIND you're a woman of excellent taste of course you already have it
jul 29, 2025, 1:37 am • 2 0 • view
Your kids will soon be ready for cross section books like those by illustrated by Stephen Biesty. Classics. Hours of quiet kid contemplation. www.amazon.com/Stephen-Bies... More cross section and cutaway books picturebookden.blogspot.com/2016/06/cros...
jul 29, 2025, 1:08 am • 2 0 • view
STINKY CHEESE MAN
jul 29, 2025, 12:38 am • 1 0 • view
also kate beaton's children's books are delightful
jul 29, 2025, 12:40 am • 1 0 • view
oh oh and dinotopia was a full-blown obsession in our family
jul 29, 2025, 12:40 am • 0 0 • view
James Thurber: The 13 Clocks, The Wonderful O Selma Lagerlöf: The Wonderful Adventures of Nils
jul 29, 2025, 12:03 am • 1 0 • view
Have you read A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo?
jul 29, 2025, 12:45 am • 2 0 • view
It's probably too soon to find a used copy of this one, but it's a personal favorite. (The link is provided mostly for info reasons.) bookshop.org/a/1509/97813...
jul 28, 2025, 11:37 pm • 1 0 • view
Also, anything by the Fan Brothers, but I'm partial to Ocean Meets Sky. bookshop.org/a/1509/97814...
jul 28, 2025, 11:39 pm • 1 0 • view
My boys loved the Miroslav Sasek "This is..." series. They were written in the 1950s/60s, so a lot of the information is outdated, but the illustrations are great and they're all just "hey, look at this cool city!" and feature lots of pictures of cars, trains, trucks, and boats.
jul 28, 2025, 11:35 pm • 3 0 • view
Jamberry Runaway Bunny Arrow to the Sun Boy of the Three Year Nap Stinky Cheese Man The Skull A Chair for Mama Thundercake Nana Upstairs, Nana Downstairs THE ENTIRE STREGA NONA SERIES Anything Curious George Go Dogs Go
jul 29, 2025, 1:50 am • 1 0 • view
A Grain of Rice When I Was Young in the Mountains Madeline The Paper Crane Catzilla Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back Dream Weaver by Jane Yolen The Dead Bird The Treasure by Uri Shulevitz
jul 29, 2025, 1:56 am • 1 0 • view
This series was a huge favorite for us. They're big kids now and still won't let me give them away.
jul 29, 2025, 12:35 am • 7 0 • view
god i despise the fucking pout pout fish
jul 28, 2025, 11:30 pm • 6 0 • view
the wooooorst, also hello, we do consent for kissing in this house
jul 28, 2025, 11:32 pm • 1 0 • view
Pout Pout Fish is horrrrrible!
jul 29, 2025, 2:38 am • 1 0 • view
Yes! Except for The Giving Tree. Most depressing book ever imo.
jul 28, 2025, 11:55 pm • 2 0 • view
Putting "I like slop" that low tells me you have never had a debate about the appeal of kimchi with someone who doesn't get how racist they are being about not liking it.
jul 29, 2025, 2:39 am • 1 0 • view
Oh I lifted this from Lithub, I haven’t read that one
jul 29, 2025, 5:41 pm • 2 0 • view
The Elephant and Piggie series has a genius ability to address societal issues in a subtle, non-performative way. Ableism/inclusiveness in "Can I Play Too?", cultural insensitivity in "I really like slop", hypochondria (maybe even medical misinformation?) in "pigs make me sneeze".
jul 29, 2025, 10:14 pm • 2 0 • view
Also a huge fan of the gentle odor to organized labor that is Click Clack Moo
jul 29, 2025, 10:53 pm • 1 0 • view
Ode! Not odor!
jul 30, 2025, 4:35 am • 2 0 • view
Love, love, love "I want my hat back!"
jul 28, 2025, 11:41 pm • 2 0 • view
The Little Hen and the Giant was one of my very favorites when I was growing up. A little harder to find now (it came out in 1977🙃), but I found it on Amazon and a paperback copy is maybe not too terribly expensive. It’s a super fab story! a.co/d/1Jlqi3I
jul 28, 2025, 11:36 pm • 1 0 • view
The Margaret Mahy/Polly Dunbar books are excellent, we love Down the Back of the Chair and have also enjoyed The Man from the Land of Fandango. They are in verse with PERFECT scansion, which is a requirement for us as well.
jul 29, 2025, 12:44 am • 2 0 • view
Graham Oakley's gorgeously illustrated and very funny Church Mice series: The Church Mice Book Series share.google/7t6hADEQoX8Y... Peter Cross' surreal Trumpets books: petercrossart.com/books/trumpe...
jul 28, 2025, 11:44 pm • 3 0 • view
"Bored--Nothing to Do!" Two brothers design and build a functioning airplane out of bedsheets and their parents' VW Beetle. Maybe skip this if you own a Beetle Bored--nothing to do! : Spier, Peter, 1927-2017 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive share.google/UpqeJF7FLGoy...
jul 28, 2025, 11:47 pm • 5 0 • view
Many hours spent pouring over this one.
jul 29, 2025, 1:17 am • 1 0 • view
The maddening thing is that a VW Beetle engine is actually an enormously popular airplane engine among homebuilders so most of this airplane is actually sort of plausible
jul 29, 2025, 1:23 am • 1 0 • view
Adam Rex and Claire Keane's "Why?" which is going to be the most easily acquired book I've presented so far and lends itself well to dramatic readings: Why?: (Funny Children s Books, Preschool Books, Early Elementary School Stories) a.co/d/eFfEt2f photos.app.goo.gl/9Gk2GqdwbNEN...
jul 29, 2025, 12:02 am • 1 0 • view
Can't say enough how much fun it is to be an uncle
jul 29, 2025, 12:08 am • 1 0 • view
if you can find it, my friend Sam wrote and illustrated an incredibly fun book about bodies! www.samanthacurcio.com/hello-every-...
jul 28, 2025, 11:41 pm • 2 0 • view
you might also like the visual style of scott campbell's books www.scottc.com/story/
jul 28, 2025, 11:47 pm • 1 0 • view
oh i guess it isn't quite out yet. well, keep an eye out for it soon?
jul 28, 2025, 11:42 pm • 1 0 • view
My kids LOVED, and I liked: The Witch's Child, Owl Babies and all the David Shannon books--especially Jangles, A Bad Case of Stripes and Too Many Toys.
jul 29, 2025, 12:39 am • 2 0 • view
The old, original Curious George too.
jul 29, 2025, 12:40 am • 1 0 • view
Baby Brains (there are several) , Pig the Pug, Henry the Book-Eating Boy, Mama and P and Baby Joe. These are among the ones I can read hundreds of times without pain
jul 28, 2025, 11:40 pm • 1 0 • view
Down to the Sea with Mr Magee Family favorite from Camden, Maine
jul 29, 2025, 12:00 am • 1 0 • view
Discover whether your kids are nerds by getting the biggest dictionary you can find
jul 29, 2025, 12:42 am • 2 0 • view
I dunno how readily available these are at the moment but I have a feeling you’d love all of Elleston Trevor’s Deep Wood books. They also make excellent books on tape if that’s a thing you do. I loved Patricia Coombs’ Dorrie series as well!
jul 28, 2025, 11:33 pm • 1 0 • view
Trina Schart Hyman’s St George and the Dragon is one of my favorite children’s books of all time and I like just about everything she’s ever illustrated! Patricia Polacco, Jan Brett, Barbara Cooney also stone cold classics
jul 28, 2025, 11:35 pm • 5 0 • view
☝️
jul 28, 2025, 11:47 pm • 3 0 • view
Yes! Hyman's illustrations are fabulous!
jul 29, 2025, 1:52 am • 3 0 • view
gonna assume that includes Graeme Base, Oliver Jeffers, Dav Pilkey, Mo Willems, etc? OH. The Hilda books! how about them? by, uh, uh..... Luke Pearson apparently. Hilda and the Bird Parade was a huge fave in our house.
jul 29, 2025, 7:03 pm • 1 0 • view
Need a House? Call Ms. Mouse! By George Mendoza and Doris Susan Smith. Recently republished by NYRB (lol). Probably my favorite illustrations of any kids book. A Big mooncake for little star The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge A Little Ferry Tale Knight Owl
jul 29, 2025, 2:38 am • 1 0 • view
I like Robert McCloskey but they're too long for me for reading aloud. I DO NOT recommend any of the good night construction site series. The original little blue truck is OK, avoid sequels. If I ever encounter "Marlon Bundo" I'll skin him, make his hide into gloves and eat him in a stew.
jul 29, 2025, 2:44 am • 1 0 • view
dolly parton mailed us a good night construction site and we read it once and i threw it in the garbage. sorry dolly
jul 29, 2025, 2:50 am • 0 0 • view
Love getting the dolly books in the mail but if I'm honest, she does send a lot of bangers.
jul 29, 2025, 2:56 am • 1 0 • view
Does not lol
jul 29, 2025, 3:01 am • 1 0 • view
it's a ratio of about 3 stinkers to 1 keeper imho
jul 29, 2025, 3:01 am • 1 0 • view
Julia Donaldson (Room on the Broom, The Snail and the Whale, The Gruffalo) has fun stories and impeccable scansion
jul 28, 2025, 11:36 pm • 12 0 • view
Absolutely! Her books are marvellous - and those with Axel Scheffler's illustrations are somehow even more charming. I'm tearing up thinking of how much I enjoyed reading them to my kids.
jul 28, 2025, 11:55 pm • 2 0 • view
Daniel Pinkwater in general but the Larry the polar bear series in specific for toddler/preschool age — Ice Cream Laand Sleepover Larry being the best www.thriftbooks.com/w/ice-cream-...
jul 29, 2025, 2:19 am • 1 0 • view
Also we love Jan Wahl — Doctor Rabbit has amazing Peter Parnall illustrations www.ebay.com/itm/31544663... Doctor Rabbit by Jan Wahl Peter Parnall 1970 HC Good | eBay
jul 29, 2025, 2:26 am • 1 0 • view
Also Catwings by Ursula LeGuin - they are for older kids but I had success reading them aloud to my 4 year old, and they have very good illustrations www.ursulakleguin.com/catwings
jul 29, 2025, 2:30 am • 1 0 • view
Also the Findus and Pettson books! Findus and the Fox is my personal favorite but my kid’s favorite is When Findus Was Little And Disappeared. Truly great illustrations and tone. www.thriftbooks.com/series/petts...
jul 29, 2025, 2:32 am • 2 0 • view
Damn it. I can't remember the series now... FOUND IT!!!!! pannonia.ca/product/the-...
jul 28, 2025, 11:44 pm • 1 0 • view
Adding Flora McDonnell. Giddy-up, Let's Ride is my favorite. www.floramcdonnell.com/books
jul 29, 2025, 1:56 am • 1 0 • view
Also the work of Uri Shulevitz, especially Snow.
jul 29, 2025, 1:57 am • 1 0 • view
Kevin Henkes, Chris Van Allsburg, and The Big Snow by Berta and Elmer Hader.
jul 29, 2025, 1:59 am • 1 0 • view
Bruno Munari's Zoo, Telephone Tales, Ashley Bryan's work, Leo and Diane Dillon's work.
jul 29, 2025, 2:04 am • 3 0 • view
Leo & Diane Dillon are so good. Faith Ringgold is another favorite.
jul 29, 2025, 2:05 am • 2 0 • view
Yes! Tar Beach is a perfect summer book!
jul 29, 2025, 2:05 am • 2 0 • view
Classic CanCon: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hoc...
jul 29, 2025, 2:31 am • 1 0 • view
Here's the Reading Rainbow bibliography: share.google/raJUQI1KzpIF...
jul 29, 2025, 2:09 am • 2 0 • view
Sandra Boynton books are extremely fun and the toddler set typically think they’re hilarious. I love “giraffes can’t dance” by Giles Andreae. If your kids like trucks “the night worker” by Kate banks has beautiful illustrations.
jul 28, 2025, 11:32 pm • 14 0 • view
Yeah they're lots of fun. Charming!
jul 29, 2025, 12:54 am • 1 0 • view
May I suggest any of the books by Jan Brett? The stories are sweet and easy to follow at any age, and the illustrations are absolutely stunning and absorbing, I still love looking at them and I'm 30! The Mitten is a good starter!
jul 29, 2025, 2:54 am • 2 0 • view
Hazy Dell Press is a Portland publisher with some very cute books that my bestie's kids love!
jul 29, 2025, 1:31 am • 1 0 • view
MOOMINS.
jul 29, 2025, 2:29 am • 2 0 • view
If you don’t know Moomins from Finland you may fall in love with them. They are happy and wise, teach such gentle powerful life lessons.
jul 29, 2025, 2:31 am • 1 0 • view
Hairy Maclary! My sister memorized these books when she was growing up: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairy_M...
jul 28, 2025, 11:33 pm • 3 0 • view
Have you read the farting dog books
jul 29, 2025, 12:45 am • 1 0 • view
anybody said I Want My Hat Back yet? cuz that one is great. I’ll also rep for We Found a Hat too, that actually might be a nice one for the lads to read together.
jul 29, 2025, 5:55 am • 1 0 • view
I loved this book when I was little and get it for my friends when they had kids (and I heard their kids love it too). Really nice artwork www.goodreads.com/book/show/38...
jul 29, 2025, 12:39 pm • 1 0 • view
Also loved this Anansi the spider book. The illustrations are really fun and unique compared to most picture books I think. shop.scholastic.com/teachers-eco...
jul 29, 2025, 12:43 pm • 1 0 • view
Everybody Needs A Rock - WNP | National Park Store share.google/4wdVxG84jhuM...
jul 29, 2025, 1:32 am • 2 0 • view
Seconded for Boynton! I get pissy when the rhyme scheme isn't consistent, but hers are good. I like Moe Willems' books too, The Napping House by Audrey Wood. I also remember really liking Me First by Helen Lester as a kid, but I haven't read it since the 90's so maybe check it isn't weird lol
jul 29, 2025, 12:44 am • 6 0 • view
from a fellow Beatrix Potter/Ahlberg twin household: BRIAN FLOCA is suuuch a good watercolor illustrator, his paintings are so compelling: Five Trucks (teamwork at the airport), Moonshot (Apollo 11, teamwork in space, brings a tear to the eye), Locomotive (family cross country train journey)
jul 29, 2025, 1:02 am • 3 0 • view
ALSO if you do Christmas, Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas books are GOLDEN, and the Ahlberg’s Christmas postman with the little paper inserts is so precious. THE BICYCLE MAN by Allen Say was such a hit with my kids - 2 US GIs visit a Japanese elementary school on sports day, and it’s awesome
jul 29, 2025, 1:05 am • 2 0 • view
Reading the Moomin novels to kids works for like 10 years, and they’re happy to look at/read Tove’s comics, too. MADELINE is also good as hell, Bemelman’s paintings and writing offer so much to be appreciated by all ages
jul 29, 2025, 1:08 am • 2 0 • view
Do you have/read Bramblyhedge?
jul 29, 2025, 4:47 pm • 1 0 • view
Click clack moo is basically about unions
jul 29, 2025, 12:02 am • 6 0 • view
There’s also “The Day The Crayons Quit” which is also about labor disputes
jul 29, 2025, 12:48 am • 2 0 • view
JUST THE THING FOR GERALDINE, FATHER FOX’S PENNYRHYMES, and MADELINE were all big for me
jul 28, 2025, 11:26 pm • 1 0 • view
not the right season yet but was very fond of LUCY’S CHRISTMAS and how it imagined and presented a world; spent HOURS AND HOURS poring over janet yolen’s THE GIRL IN THE GOLDEN BOWER as a kid; similarly, i was big big fascinated with THE LAND OF THE BLUE FLOWER
jul 28, 2025, 11:31 pm • 1 0 • view
*jane yolen; scusi. her stuff is all stellar, esp. If you’re freakish about fairy tales (as i was)
jul 28, 2025, 11:32 pm • 1 0 • view
they may be a little small for it yet, but matt smith’s BARBARIAN LORD is an elemntary school-age graphic novel that builds bridges to beowulf in kickass ways. adore that book.
jul 28, 2025, 11:33 pm • 2 0 • view
Hello, Lighthouse!
jul 29, 2025, 1:10 am • 1 0 • view
Strong by Clara Anganuzzi (it’s about a gentle/quiet dragon who learns that while he’s not as outwardly strong and fierce as other dragons, bravery and strength can come from within)
jul 29, 2025, 5:48 am • 1 0 • view
chapter or picture?
jul 29, 2025, 1:33 am • 2 0 • view
picture mainly although whether or not they'll actually hold still and look at the damn pictures varies like the seas
jul 29, 2025, 1:35 am • 2 0 • view
I love this series
jul 29, 2025, 1:36 am • 1 0 • view
i'll dig around and put together a list for yall
jul 29, 2025, 1:36 am • 1 0 • view
either way I recommend everything by Shaun Tan
jul 29, 2025, 1:35 am • 3 0 • view
Big Jon Klassen fans over here!
jul 29, 2025, 2:08 am • 1 0 • view
Do you have Caps for Sale on the list?
jul 29, 2025, 1:42 am • 2 0 • view
Trupp, a fuzzhead tale
jul 29, 2025, 12:02 am • 1 0 • view
Do you know the Maple Hill Farm books? The Year at Maple Hill is easier to abbreviate but I feel like their vibe is right for you. I like Come On Rain for sounding like a poem but being a books. If you haven't looked at Patricia Polacco, take a peek. I like Thundercake...they vary greatly.
jul 29, 2025, 12:55 am • 4 0 • view
when i was at the bookstore the kids went fucking ape shit for dragons love tacos
jul 28, 2025, 11:34 pm • 11 0 • view
it's a minefield out there though. a lot of it is for parents or the most virulent strain of for parents which is preachy christian moral lessons
jul 28, 2025, 11:37 pm • 5 0 • view
i haven't read a lot of jane yolen's dinosaur children's books but i like her middle grade shit. she wrote a trilogy about dragons and then was apparently unsatisfied with the ending and came back like 20 years later and wrote a fourth one where they have to actually do the work in their new society
jul 28, 2025, 11:40 pm • 6 0 • view
jul 29, 2025, 1:48 am • 1 0 • view
George and Martha!!
jul 29, 2025, 2:06 am • 2 0 • view
Half magic by Edgar Eager
jul 29, 2025, 2:03 am • 2 0 • view
i love that one, i was enchanted by it as a kid, i think i read all his books
jul 29, 2025, 2:05 am • 1 0 • view
We Found a Hat
jul 29, 2025, 1:54 am • 1 0 • view
Oh wait also - Little Witch Hazel!! (I want to be her)
jul 29, 2025, 1:54 am • 1 0 • view
Tales From Around the World by Marshall Cavendish is one I've still got, you can find "vintage" copies on Etsy and Ebay. Each story is illustrated by a different artist in a way that reflects the origin. Also a big fan of the D'Aulaire's books, though maybe when they're a little older.
jul 29, 2025, 12:07 am • 1 0 • view
Oh I also recently got my bestie's lil son a copy of Bob Odenkirk's kids book and a book called The Spider in the Well by Jess Hannigan which has fantastically vivid art and is super funny.
jul 29, 2025, 12:09 am • 1 0 • view
Al the Virginia Lee Burton (esp ChooChoo and the Little House); Margaret Wise Brown’s back catalog (Quiet Noisy Book); everything by Remy Charlip and Vera B Williams.
jul 29, 2025, 12:21 am • 1 0 • view
Vera Williams has a great one about a family canoe trip!! Seems relevant to you guys. Also love her “Cherries and cherry pits,” about the beauty of urban fruit trees.
jul 29, 2025, 12:25 am • 2 0 • view
My son loved Charlip’s Fortunately so much we had to draw our own version when it was not at the library once.
jul 29, 2025, 12:23 am • 0 0 • view
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type Extra Yarn Little Blue and Little Yellow Goodnight Construction Site series often plays fast and loose with the scansion of heavy equipment names & bafflingly uses contractions when it needs full words, but might be worth trying Little Blue Truck (no sequels though)
jul 28, 2025, 11:42 pm • 1 0 • view
Seconding Click, Clack, Moo!
jul 28, 2025, 11:57 pm • 1 0 • view
Oh, and this: my 4yo loves it despite the only machine in it being a simple boat
jul 28, 2025, 11:55 pm • 1 0 • view
Good/bad... So subjective
jul 29, 2025, 3:21 pm • 0 0 • view
Rat Rule 79, maybe one for the future tho
jul 28, 2025, 11:46 pm • 1 0 • view
I was juuuuuuuuust looking at some of my vintage childhood books (many were vintage when *I* was using them) and thinking "gee I wonder if spindlypete has some of these". I'll have to take some photos.
jul 29, 2025, 12:34 am • 1 0 • view
please do!
jul 29, 2025, 12:35 am • 0 0 • view
I will! I'm having surgery next week so imma be bored *and* re-organising my kids book section of my shelves, so it's perfect opportunity. Some I'd be happy to hand down too, others I can locate and gift to the lil gentlemen. I make a good Onkel ;)
jul 29, 2025, 12:37 am • 1 0 • view
The main one was, do you have "Little raccoon and poems from the woods"? If not, I'm finding you a copy. It's out of print and tricksy to locate, but it is a delight.
jul 29, 2025, 12:35 am • 0 0 • view
Love this. www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-year-a...
jul 28, 2025, 11:52 pm • 2 0 • view
LOVE that one
jul 28, 2025, 11:53 pm • 1 0 • view
I had a book called Big Work Machines (Patricia Relf) that I loved as a kid. It doesn't have any plot or story or anything, it's just pictures of construction equipment.
jul 29, 2025, 1:55 am • 1 0 • view
The Book With No Pictures is fantastic.
jul 28, 2025, 11:24 pm • 7 0 • view
But you'll have to make up a little song, and then sing it exactly the same way 1892730986 times so there's that.
jul 28, 2025, 11:24 pm • 6 0 • view
Yes. Yes you do.
jul 28, 2025, 11:56 pm • 1 0 • view