• Home
  • About
    • Our Family
    • Our Purpose
    • Our Beliefs
    • Our Christmas Letters
    • Other FAQ’s
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Flanders Family Homelife

Living, Loving, & Learning Together

  • Home
  • Love
    • Respect your Husband
    • Love your Wife
    • Get Along with In-laws
    • Find Time for Intimacy
    • More on Marriage
  • Learn
    • Why Homeschool? Our Family’s Reasons
    • Occupying Toddlers
    • Kindergarten Plan
    • Choosing Curriculum: Cultivate Your Child’s Love for Learning
    • Report Cards
    • High School Transcripts
    • CLEP/ Dual Credit
    • High School Diplomas
  • Parent
    • Tips on Potty Training
    • Stop Sibling Squabbles
    • Chore Assignments
    • Computer TIme
    • Adult Children at Home
  • Eat
    • Breakfasts
    • Breads
    • Salads
    • Soups
    • Sides
    • Main DIshes
    • Desserts
  • Celebrate
    • New Year’s
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Easter
    • Summer Vacation
    • Independence Day
    • Back to School
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
  • Save
    • Kids Eat Free
    • Budgeting Tips
    • Earn Cash Back w/Ebates
  • Read
    • Recent Reads
    • Books We’ve Authored
    • Reading Rewards
    • Free Books!!
  • Travel
    • Vacation Planning
    • We Flew FREE to Europe
    • Sample Itineraries
  • Organize
    • General Tips
    • Goal Setting
    • Mom’s Notebook
    • Kitchen
    • Bedrooms
    • Garage
  • Print
    • Calendars
    • Chore Charts
    • Coloring Pages
    • Math Drills
    • Prayer Guides
    • View All >
  • Subscribe
You are here: Home / Books / 50 Picture Books Every Child Should Read

in Books

50 Picture Books Every Child Should Read

50 Best Picture Books

For me, one of the hardest parts of moving is sorting through my books. I love books and would prefer to keep them all, but as our new place doesn’t have the shelf space our old one did, I’m having to let some go.

This week, I’m paring down our vast collection of children’s books. But there are boxes of books I simply can’t part with, including our copies of these 50 picture books every child should read.

Some of the titles on this list were favorites my mother read to me as a child, then I read to my own children and continue to read with my grandchildren. That’s a lot of precious memories packed into 16-32 pages per volume!

For a free printable version of this list, scroll down. This is by no means exhaustive, and I have other favorites not on this list (some of which are now sadly out of print). But this off-the-top-of-my-head listing (in no particular ranking order) makes a great starting point for anyone looking to begin or augment a home library for their little ones:

50 Picture Books Every Child Should Read

  1. The Napping House by Audrey Wood – Grandma, grandchild, and assorted family pets pile on the bed for an afternoon nap.
  2. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle – Will this little critter ever get full?
  3. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss – True story: The same thing happened to me, but with green beans. You never know what you’ll like until you try!
  4. Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin, Jr. – A long parade of colorful animals spy one another.
  5. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney – “To the moon and back!”
  6. Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers – I love the sentiment in this book, which presents babies as unique blessings to marvel over rather than heavy burdens to shoulder.
  7. Miss Suzy by Miriam Young – This tale of a displaced squirrel was my favorite as a child.
  8. All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon – The world’s a big place just waiting to be explored, as this book so beautifully illustrates.
  9. Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman – A family of picky eaters concocts a special dish as a surprise for Mom.
  10. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff – Actions have consequences!
  11. Snowmen at Night by Caralyn and Mark Buehner – You might be surprised over what happens while you’re sleeping.
  12. I Love You by Jean Marzpllo – This rebus poem is one of the first books my children ever read on their own.
  13. Freight Train by Donald Crews – These colorful illustrations and simple text have universal appeal — an especial favorite of my boys!
  14. Oh, Were They Ever Happy by Peter Spier – A sparsely-worded but hilarious story told almost completely in pictures. Just hope it doesn’t give your children any grand ideas of their own!
  15. I Love You as Much by Laura Krauss Melmed – A sweet book for bedtime before hugs and kisses goodnight.
  16. Horton Hatches an Egg by Dr. Seuss – “An elephant’s faithful, one hundred percent!”
  17. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury – It’s all fun and games until you find what you’re looking for!
  18. V is for Vittles by Greg Paprocki – My grandson adores this western-themed alphabet board book.
  19. Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey – Our family tries to pick blueberries every summer, and this book is the perfect read to accompany our trip to the farm.
  20. The Story of Ping by Majorie Flack – A little lost duck learns an important lesson.
  21. Green Wilma by Tedd Arnold – “One day Wilma woke up green and, much to her surprise, she sat up on her bed and croaked and started eating flies…”
  22. When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant – Recollections of the simple pleasures of country living.
  23. Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? by Dr. Seuss – Like most of my own children, that Mr. Brown is one talented noise-maker!
  24. The Day the Teacher Went Bananas by James Howe – My kids love this story of a gorilla who was mistakenly sent to a classroom instead of the zoo.
  25. Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey – The story of a mama mallard who decides to move to the Boston Public Gardens with a string of eight ducklings in tow.
  26. Home Sweet Home by Jean Marzollo – East or West, home is best.
  27. The Old Woman Who Named Things by Cynthia Rylant – An elderly woman with a penchant for assigning names to inanimate objects hesitates to give a name to the stray dog who shows up daily at her gate.
  28. Going to Sleep on the Farm by Wendy Cheyette Lewison – All the farm animals know how to settle themselves for the night — just as the child must learn to do, too.
  29. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton – Mike and his steam shovel prove the value of hard work, ingenuity, and determination.
  30. Goodnight, Moon by Margaret Wise Brown – This soothing, repetitive storybook always put my little ones fast to sleep.
  31. Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel – Another family favorite about two young brothers who’ve got each other’s back.
  32. Eighteen Cousins by Carol Hogan – As a girl who grew up with more cousins than I could count, this out-of-print book always resonated with me.
  33. King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood – The king so thoroughly enjoys soaking in a hot tub, how will his courtiers ever get him out again?
  34. Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann – When a police dog named Gloria starts accompanying Officer Buckle on his safety talks, the audiences start sitting up and paying attention!
  35. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. – The letters of the alphabet scramble up the trunk of a coconut tree to play in its branches.
  36. My Great Aunt Arizona by Gloria Houston – A school teacher dreams of traveling the world.
  37. The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams – a stuffed bunny learns about love and about nursery magic in his quest to become real to the boy who owns him.
  38. Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire – A spotted creature with an amazing talent tries to prove he deserves a place in the zoo.
  39. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats – This classic picture book perfectly captures the mystery and magic of winter’s first snowfall.
  40. Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino – A funny rhyme full of motherly descriptions gets readers guessing what kind of animal is being addressed.
  41. Time for Bed by Mom Fox – Another sweet story for winding down before bed.
  42. The Magic Fish by Freya Littledale – A morality tale about greed and contentment.
  43. Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw – When sheep take the wheel, all sorts of troubles ensue.
  44. A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry – An imaginative listing of all the wondrous things a tree is good for.
  45. Owl Moon by Jane Yolen – This book always sets me in a mood to go owling.
  46. Billy and Blaze by C.W. Anderson – My boys especially enjoyed the books in this series by C.W. Anderson about a young boy and his horse.
  47. Harry by the Sea by Gene Zion – When there isn’t enough room for the little spotted dog under the shade of his family’s beach umbrella, he looks for a more resourceful way to cool off.
  48. Harvest Home by Jane Yolen – Many hands make light labor, especially when it comes time to take in the crops.
  49. Corduroy by Don Freeman – The story of a stuffed bear with a missing button and the little girl who loves him.
  50. Parts by Tedd Arnold – A young boy with a touch of hypochondria lets his imagination get the better of him.

50 Best Picture Books

That’s it for now. Did I leave off any of your favorites? Chime in with your recommendations in the comment section below. And for children who’ve not yet learned that reading is its own reward, download our free Reading Rewards Print Pack. It will help motivate them to do more reading, just for fun.

Reading Rewards Print Pack

50 Best Picture Books

Related

Leave a Comment

« George Bush Quote Coloring Page
Conversation Starters for Book Lovers »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




meet the parents

Doug & Jennifer Flanders - www.flandersfamily.info

We love Jesus, love each other, love our 12 children, and love the life God's given us. We started this blog as a way to share resources with others who want strong marriages, happy families, & healthy homes.

Read more

connect with us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

looking for something?

freebies in your inbox

Join over 19K other subscribers and get sunshine delivered weekly to your inbox.

Unsure? Browse my newsletter archives to see what you're missing

get your family talking

Table Talk Book

cook gourmet meals at home

HelloFresh delivers great recipes and fresh ingredients to your home each week.

start your day right

make over your mornings

If your mornings don't run as smoothly as you'd like, this course can help. Good for night owls & early birds alike!

join the conversation

  • Jennifer Flanders on Sensory Tissue Box (Timberdoodle Review)
  • Karla Cook on Sensory Tissue Box (Timberdoodle Review)
  • Jennifer Flanders on Name that Line Christmas Quiz
  • Jo An on Name that Line Christmas Quiz
  • Jennifer Flanders on Name that Line Christmas Quiz
  • Jo An Hays on Name that Line Christmas Quiz
  • Jennifer Flanders on Stabilo Pencils (Another Timberdoodle Review)
  • Jennifer Flanders on Little Artist Sticker Medley (Timberdoodle Review)

Readers' Favorites

Name that Line - Christmas Movie Game

Name that Line Christmas Quiz

Shares: 32135

How Well Do You Know Your Christmas Carols

How Well Do You Know Your Christmas Carols?

Shares: 27322

Age-Appropriate Children's Chore Chart - IG

Age-Appropriate Chores for Children

Shares: 92699

Make Every Month More Meaningful

Make Every Month More Memorable

Shares: 52418

most popular posts this week

  • 2022 Calendars (Free Printables)
  • Free Fourth of July Coloring Pages
  • Free Patriotic Printables (Historical Documents)
  • 2023 Calendars for Advanced Planning
  • Free Editable High School Transcript Template
  • Armor of God Coloring Page
  • Independence Day Pennant Banners
  • Gospel Tracts for Independence Day
  • Freedom-Loving Conversation Starters
  • Patriotic Picture Books for Independence Day

earn free books and bibles

Tyndale Rewards Club

This is a great program, and it's FREE! Bonus: when you sign up through this link, you get 25 points (& I get 10 -- so, thanks!).

free starter set

Free Starter Set from Grove Collaborativefree starter set from Grove

unleash your child’s creativity

agathon web hoting
Christian Family Blogs
  • Home
  • Faith
  • Family
  • Food
  • Fun
  • Freebies

visit jennifer’s blog

Jennifer Flanders' Blog: Loving Life At Home Loving Life at Home

visit doug’s blog

Doug Flanders' Blog: All Truth Is God's Truth All Truth is God's Truth

privacy policy | disclosure statement

shop our books

25 Ways to Communicate Respect to Your Husband 25 Ways to Show Love to Your Wife
Sit Down & Eat Get Up & Go

thanks for dropping by

Thank you for visiting our website Let's Get Social
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

looking for something?

recommended resources

as seen on:

America Tonight ABC Australia BBC Tyler Morning Telegraph

We stopped in Indianapolis to admire the beautiful We stopped in Indianapolis to admire the beautiful capitol building, but our boys spent their time  admiring something else….  13,000 female athletes were in town for the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship this week. Talk about perfect timing!  #flandersfamilytravels
Heading off on another grand new adventure today — this time to Indiana, with a stop in Little Rock for dinner at The Mellow Mushroom. Yum! #flandersfamilyeats #flandersfamilytravels #roadtrip
Because it’s more fun to watch blockbuster movie Because it’s more fun to watch blockbuster movies in costume (even if the character you’re dressed as was killed off in the first film of the franchise).  #jurassicworlddominion #topgunmaverick #summermovies #familyfun
It’s official. We sold our house last Friday. If It’s official. We sold our house last Friday. If you need a good realtor, @jonirudak is AMAZING!
Well, we put our house on the market, and it sold Well, we put our house on the market, and it sold in 3 days. So after 5 1/2 years in this happy home, we’ll begin moving out this week.  #godisgood but #movingishard
We love our sweet girl. I’m not sure why anyone We love our sweet girl. I’m not sure why anyone as gregarious as Rebekah finds this “don’t talk to me” meme so hilarious (see my last post for pictures), as she is an amazing conversationalist and always has been.  I even thought about stitching a disclaimer on the back of the Christmas sweater (my gift to her) that read: “These dogs may be anti-social, but I love meeting new people, so introduce yourself!”  #strikeupaconversation
So a couple of months before Rebekah graduated fro So a couple of months before Rebekah graduated from nursing school, her sister/roommate Bethany came up with a plan that the whole family should memorialize her accomplishment with hand-crafted gifts featuring a meme that — for whatever reason — totally cracks Bekah up. Here’s the results of our labors ( minus the doggie-embellished flower pot Beth gave her early. I didn’t get a picture of that one). 
Next batch of photos, I’ll share Bekah’s reaction to the gifts. Spoiler: She loved them!.  #flandersfamilycreates
Mother’s Day 2022 — Enjoying dinner at Samuel Mother’s Day 2022 — Enjoying dinner at Samuel and Bekah’s house while they’re still in Tyler. They’ll be leaving in August for a job in San Antonio. We’re excited for them, but a little sad for us, as it’s been so nice having them close. ❤️
Celebrating our newest UTTyler graduate 👩‍🎓: We couldn’t be prouder of our tender-hearted Rebekah. She loves the LORD, cares deeply about others, and is going to make a fantastic nurse. Keep up the good work @flander.7 ❤️❤️  #classof22 #uttyler #nursingschool
I’m finally getting around to posting a few pics I’m finally getting around to posting a few pics from our family’s recent stay in Cleburne (with a day trip to the Fort Worth Zoo).  There are so many fun, free things to do in Cleburne! Our favorite? The free community showing of the at the @laylandmuseum of the classic film Charade (starring Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant) with free popcorn, saltwater taffy, and bottled root beer provided by @trovatostreet. What a treat! We’re so glad our trip coincided with this monthly event.  #flandersfamilytravels

Copyright © 2022 · Market theme by Restored 316