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101 Books To Read To Kids Before Kindergarten

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A child snuggled on your lap listening to the rise and fall of your voice as you read Goodnight Moon or The Very Hungry Caterpillar evokes the most precious memories you have with your little ones.  There are so many wonderful books for kids to share with children.

In fact, there are some books that I think no child should miss hearing during those beginning years.  So, I’ve compiled a list of 101 books to read to kids before kindergarten.

I know that your kids will have life-long memories of being read to by a loved one and chances are that one of these books will trigger that same memory when they are older.

100 books to read before kindergarten

The list is a mix of classics and newer books that will someday be classics.  I recently updated this list to add new favorites and to help you begin building a diverse library.

Normally, on Growing Book by Book, I share a little about each book.  Since this list is so long, I’m going to just list the books this time.  

The purpose of this list is to get little ones “hooked” on books!

101 Books to Read to Kids Before Kindergarten

Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Not to Be Missed Books for Babies  

One of the main goals of reading with babies is so that they can soak up our voices and listen to our language.  Another big reason to read to babies is that it is a wonderful and nurturing bonding experience between reader and baby.

All the books in this section are board books which means that they have heavy pages that babies will have a hard time tearing.

baby read alouds

  1. Ten Tiny Babies by Katz
  2. I Love You Sun I Love You Moon by Pandell
  3. Indestructibles: Let’s Go Outside! by Pixton- a great series of books that are washable, chew-proof, and tear-proof
  4. Five Little Ducks Nursery Songs by Busby- a wonderful collection of nursery rhymes and songs
  5. Goodnight Moon by Wise Brown
  6. That’s Not My Elephant by Watt or any other of the many That’s Not My… books- a great touch-and-feel series
  7. May We Have Enough to Share by Van Camp
  8. Tickle, Tickle by Oxenbury
  9. Where is the Duck? by Arrhenius
  10. Global Babies by The Global Fund for Children- little ones love photographs of babies
  11. I Love Me (Wonderful Me) by Grover
  12. Tummy Time Friends by Brisson
  13. Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Fox
  14. Huggy Kissy by Patricelli
  15. Up Cat Down Cat by Light
  16. Peek-a-Who? by Laden
  17. Open the Barn Door by Santoro
  18. Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Cabrera
  19. Dear Zoo by Campbell
  20. Black & White by Hoban

*For tips on reading with baby, check out this post.—>Reading With Baby

Don’t Miss Books for Toddlers  

Here you will find a mixture of board books and hardcover/paperback books.  These books are highly engaging which is important for little ones on the move.

toddler read alouds

  1. Blue Hat, Green Hat by Boynton
  2. Rosa Loves Cars by Spanyol
  3. Nest by Hurley
  4. So Much by Cooke
  5. Little Blue Truck by Schertle
  6. Chomp Goes the Alligator by Van Fleet
  7. Alphablock by Franceschell
  8. Bee Bim Bop by Park
  9. Lola at the Library by McQuinn
  10. Otis by Long
  11. The Last Marshmallow by Lin
  12. Grandma’s Tiny House by Brown-Wood
  13. Let’s Find Momo by Knapp
  14. Go Baby! Go Dog! by Vittur Kennedy
  15. Freight Train by Crews
  16. Hello, World Dinosaurs! by McDonald
  17. In My Garden by Musgrave
  18. The Wheels on the Bus by Williamson
  19. The Three Bears by Barton
  20. Huff & Puff by Rueda
  21. The Gingerbread Man by Schmidt
  22. Jump! By Matsuoka
  23. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Numeroff
  24. The Busy Little Squirrel by Tafuri
  25. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Martin Jr.
  26. Mail Duck by Sirotich
  27. Making Tracks City by Hall
  28. Baby Goes to Market by Atinuke
  29. Giraffes Can’t Dance by Andreae
  30. Guess Which Hand by Wilhelm
  31. Making Faces: A First Book of Emotions
  32. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Car by Dopriak
  33. Little Owl by Teckentrup
  34. Say Hello! by Isadora
  35. Let’s Play Monsters by Peck
  36. Bear Snores On by Wilson
  37. Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Duskey Rinker
  38. Tinyville Town I’m a Firefighter by Briggs
  39. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Carle

*For more books that toddlers will love, check out this post.—>Ultimate List of Books for Toddlers

Not to Be Missed Books for Preschoolers 

This list includes books that will have preschoolers begging to be read over and over.  There are also books that deal with new situations that preschoolers face such as starting school, managing big emotions, and learning about their world.

preschool read alouds

  1. The King of Kindergarten by Barnes- Use our Book Dive to go with this book.
  2. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Willems
  3. What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?by Jenkins
  4. Blueberries for Sal by McCloskey
  5. Please, Mr. Panda by Antony
  6. The Gruffalo by Donaldson
  7. Float by Miyares- wordless book with lots of storytelling opportunities
  8. Raindrops Roll by Pulley Sayre
  9. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Johnson
  10. Jabari Jumps by Cornwall
  11. Green Is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colors by Greenfield Thong
  12. The Paperbag Princess by Munsch
  13. Frog on a Log? by Gray- great for building phonological awareness
  14. Before We Eat: From Farm to Table by Brisson
  15. The Snowy Day by Keats
  16. Under My Hijab by Khan
  17. Friday Night Wrestlefest by Fox
  18. Lilly & Friends: A Picture Book Treasury by Henkes- a collection of favorite Henkes stories
  19. Tap the Magic Tree by Matheson
  20. Corduroy by Freeman
  21. Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Litwin
  22. When We are Kind by Gray Smith
  23. Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away by Medina- Use our Book Dive to go with this title.
  24. The Little Red Fort by Maier- Use our Book Dive to go with this title.
  25. The Book With No Pictures by Novak
  26. The Mitten by Brett
  27. Eating the Alphabet by Ehlert
  28. Llama Llama Red Pajama by Dewdney
  29. Ada Twist, Scientist by Beaty
  30. The New Small Person by Child
  31. Hey, Water! by Portis
  32. One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree by Bernstrom
  33. They All Saw a Cat by Wenzel
  34. Mother Bruce by Higgins
  35. You Matter by Robinson
  36. It’s OK to Be Different by Parr
  37. Saturday by Oge Mora
  38. Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Thomas- great for building phonological awareness

*For more preschool book recommendations, check out this list.—>The Ultimate List of Preschool Books

Not to Miss First Chapter Read-Aloud Books 

Around age 4, kids are eager to listen to chapter books.  You have to find the right books though.  Here are a few to start with on this leg of the reading journey.

  1. Winnie-the-Pooh by Milne
  2. Zoey & Sassafras Dragons and Marshmallows by Citro (series)
  3. Mercy Watson to the Rescue by DiCamillo (series)

*For more books that make great first chapter book read-alouds, check out these lists.

Chapter Book Read-Alouds for Preschool

Chapter Book Read-Alouds for Kindergarten

Book #101

Number 101 is for you to fill in on the list.  It’s that one book when you close your eyes and think back to being snuggled up on someone’s lap, you vividly remember.  That book is a must-read with your kids.  What book is it?  I’d love to know.  Share the title in the comments. 

Printable List of 100 Books To Read Before Kindergarten

Are you ready to bring JOY and PLAY into children’s lives through books?

Join over 44,000 educators who are saving time with targeted and meaningful resources to reach all their emerging readers.

As a thank you, I’ll send you a handy little reference sheet (color version and black & white) of 100 Books to Hear Before Kindergarten that you can take to the library, hang on the refrigerator, or share with families.

Click the button below to join our newsletter list. You’ll also get the downloadable book list emailed to you as a thank you gift.

Get the Books

Support independent bookstores and shop via Bookshop.  I’ve compiled all the books for you!—>Shop the books in my Bookshop.

Reading aloud is the biggest literacy gift and boost we can give to our children. This list is a jumping-off point for you to help children fall in love with reading, build vocabulary, and discover the world of books.

This post first appeared on Growing Book by Book on 10/3/16 and has been revised several times.

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About Jodie Rodriguez

Jodie Rodriguez is a mom of two young boys and an early childhood/elementary educator with over 20 years of experience. Jodie's passion is helping parents, teachers, librarians and anyone else interested in nurturing and reaching ALL of our youngest growing readers.

Comments

  1. AracelI Gonzalez says

    My 3 children have truly enjoyed the Book “Where’s Spot” and With it we Created mant sweet memOrIes!

  2. Tonya says

    MY SON’s favorite was old hat, new hat by stan and jan berenstain. he memorized it and wanted to hear it every night. I plan to keep our copy to pass to him to read to his kids.

  3. Cindy Unger says

    I’m wondering if the colors have any significance? I was looking to see if it was any kind of guide? I couldn’t find a reference if it was–

    I’m talking about the List of 101 books to read before Kindergarten.

    Thank you.

  4. Samantha says

    My childhood favourite has to be aesops fables. I loved them and the imagery too! A great list youve compiled though!

  5. Elizabeth liston says

    This is a great list. My 101 picK would be: Babar by JeaN de Brunhoff. Once i got past poor Babar’s mother being shot by the huner, i loved that story!

    Or KatY no-pocket by Emmy Payne. I have vivid memories curled up with my mother reading those to me around 4,5 and 6 years old. They were my favorites!

  12. Glenna Jakush says

    Bark george by Jules PfEiffer is a favorite of mine. I also really love Wave by Suzy Lee and a ball for Daisy by Chris Rashka

  13. Tanya says

    Great list, thank you!

    I would add “my cat likes to hide in boxes “ and “the runaway Hug”

  14. Gordon Myers says

    Your list is wonderful and I see recommended products below the article. It features “the giving tree”. I read that as a kid and i cried my eyes out every single time.

  15. Susan Kummerle says

    Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene mosel. seeing it as an adult brought back great memories of my childhood. I’ve been reading it to preschoolers for years now, and they always love it!

  16. Tricia Bridge says

    Five Minutes Peace by Jill murphy
    My children loved it and now it is a favorite with my grandson too.

  18. Laurie Sprinzen says

    love all the books but dont want to print 18 pages…where is the one page color list that first shows up??????

  19. Chris says

    I received the 10 book list, but not the printable. I would like to receive it as well.

    • Jodie Rodriguez says

      Hi Chris,
      It was sent in a separate email. You might check your spam/trash folder for it. If you still can’t find it, let me know and I’ll resend it.
      Best,
      Jodie

  20. Matt says

    Recieved the list of 10 books but not the 100 books to read before kindergarten

    • Jodie Rodriguez says

      Hi Jodi, the list is available as a thank you to newsletter subscribers. Just click the button to subscribe for free, submit, and the list will be emailed to you.

  22. Laurie says

    i WONDER IF YOU made an effort to be gender equitable in your book lists.
    I am surprised that you, as an educator, would not have considered the importance of making sure that both genders were represented equally.
    Granted, I have not read every one of these books on this list, but there are many I have read and list seems extremely heavy on male characters.
    Disappointing for those of us who have daughters. .

    • Elizab says

      Was that really necessary? Do you feel better? If you dont like it, moVe on. Are you aware of the TREMENDOUS impact this teacher has had BEYOND her classroom to all of us?! She is to be commended and THANKED, not criticiZed. And by the way, if you had politley asked her for more books with female influence I feel quite certain she would have provided you an answer.

  23. Hailee says

    For us, it’s “wynken, blynken, and nod,” or as my son calls It, “winky nod.” We have my copy from when i was little!
    Also, does it count if we jist read little blue truck 101 times a daY? 😉

  24. Stacey says

    Some of my FAVORITEs not listed are The Little Bear series, Saggy Baggy Elephant, Tawny Scrawny Lion, Pokey Little Puppy..I always loved the Little Golden Books, Also the Johnny Lion series and Jonathan London’s Froggy series are Favorites.

  25. Lisa says

    I’LL.Love you forever by Robert MUNSCH…We read that book to all the children on the family.

  28. Michelle says

    Danny and the dinosaur- i used to read that book so much when i first learned to read

    Under the bed- my eldest son liked this book so much we memorized it and the illustrations are awesome

  30. Vicki says

    My dad visited me in the hospital when I was about 6, and I would beg him to read “The House THat Jack built.” He read it at a quick pace and when he was done, I’d beg him to do it again, faster and faster. Those times meant so much while in the hospital.

  31. AshleY sternBerg says

    I was a big don freeman fan – i have big
    Memories of “dandelion” and “a Rainbow of my own.” Big red barn by mWb. My kids love so manY on the list, and also “a Good day” by kevin henkes, “my friends” by taro Gomi, a little stuck by oliver jeffers, haiku baby and sweet dreams lUllaby and i haiku you by betsy snyder,school bus by donald crews, pout pout fish, peTes a pizza, whats wrong little pookie, fire truck by peter sis and iggy peck.

  32. Eileen says

    Owl Babies by martin waddell. We had to leave this book with our babYsitter every time we went out because my dAughter would miss us so much. Our daughter is now 23 and a special ed teacher!

  33. Sarah says

    Hairy MCCLARY from donaldson’s dairy by lynley dodd. My son loves this book, i think i may have read it at least 100 TIMes in THe last year.

  34. Rosie says

    Guess how much i love you (sam mcbRantley) has got to be my favourite to read to the kids. Great list

  35. Alyssa says

    Bread and HoneY bY frank asch –
    Its One of the first things I bought when I Was pregnant. it’s no longer in print, and I paid an obscene amount of money for copy in good condition, but I had to have it to read to my kids.

  38. Kate says

    The most memorable book for me from my earliest memories is “Now we are six,” by a. A. Milne. My dad would read those poems to me all the time! I loved thEm!! And can still recite some of them 🙂

  39. Britton says

    Thank you for this great list! My two favorites from childhood are Miss Rumphius and The Mountains of Tibet, so I’ll add those 🙂

  40. Stacy Sage says

    The Maggie B–I still remember listening to my mom’s soft voice nearly 25 years later. Great bedtime story.

  44. KIM BURKLEY says

    My 1 year old SON LOVES KITTEN’S FIRST FULL MOON BY KEVIN HENKES. IT IS ONE OF THE FEW BOOKS THAT KEEPS HIS ENTIRE ATTENTION. IT IS ALSO A CALDECOTT WINNER.

  47. Mary says

    The Clifford the bIg red dog books are written by Norman BRidwell, not birdwell. The island that emily elizabeth lives on is called biRdwell island!

    Great list! I teach kindergarten and have read a large portion of these to my stUdents this year.

  49. AllIe says

    Hi Jodie, i’m a fellow library lover and mom, and i’m interested in stArting a blog. Would it be okay with you if i linked your site and used your list of 100 books to read before kindergarten in a post about homeSchool preschool activities? Thank you! Allie d
    @LibrarylearninGmom

  50. Beth says

    THE TWO I REMEMBER MY MOM READING TO ME WERE
    1. BABAR King of the elephants
    2. Nanook of the north

  51. Courtney says

    Hi! Can you please send me the 101 list kf books to read before kinder. My email js court.pierce@aol. Thank you!

  53. Beth says

    I am trying to get the printable list, but when I get the email its a different list, not the one shown in the post. How can I get the one listed here? Thanks!

  54. Lisa says

    Stand back says the elephant I’m going to sneeze
    There are rocks in my socks said the ox to the fox

  57. Nessa says

    I have a few of these. Love ideas. Wild About Books is pretty fun too. I like having a printable handy for when I go to the store or library.

  60. Michelle says

    The circus ship by Chris VanDusen or ANY of his books! Amazing – for kids and parents.
    Or slinky malinky and hairy mclarry collections.

  61. Tracy B says

    I was excited to see Mouse Paint on the list, as it was my oldest son’s first favorite book. Another favorite of his was Are You My Mother?
    As a preschool teacher, one of my favorite parts of the day was sorry time, and I’ve had the pleasure of reading most of the books on this list. I also recommend Pumpkin Soup, since it was a favorite of several age groups.

  63. Miranda Davis says

    What a great list! Our all time favorite is Love You Forever by Robert Munsch. My 14 yo actually sat down and listened to it again while I was reading to her little sister. She got teary-eyed.

  64. Patty Shadden says

    This is a fabulous list. One that I intend to share with friends and family. Thak you.

  65. Marty Hatcher says

    I’m a retired elementary school librarian. I love so many titles on this list! I would add The Baby Beebee Bird, by Diane Redfield Massie, illustrated by Steven Kellogg. My students loved making the sound of the baby bird. I would also add I Like Me!, by Nancy Carlson. That’s just been released as a board book.

  67. Stef says

    I came across your list just in time. My oldest will become a kindergartner next year – we still have some time to cover your great list. I love that you included a printable list – it makes it so easy for your readers!

  69. Jacquie says

    So many of our favorites are on your list — I love that you include classic books and newer stories! and a printable list (woo – hoo!)

  70. Kenny Felder says

    I would very much like to share with you, and with anyone who reads this, the book “When I Was Young in the Mountains” by Cynthia Rylant. It is the most beautiful book for children I know. When my kids were at the right age (comparable to Courduroy), I chose that book as my birthday present for every kid-party we went to.

  71. Michelle says

    Wow, Jodie – this list is fantastic! I already pinned it to my Kids Books board so that I could find it easily over and over again! My kids are 14 and 16 now, but a lot of these books are in a special box saved under the house. I hope to hang onto them forever – who knows – maybe I’ll be able to read them to my niece or future grandkids, lol. No rush there, though!

  72. denise n rehfuss says

    This is a good list; however,i am disappointed by the lack of diversity of the books. I was excited to see “the snowy day”, but there was little else on the list for children of color.

  73. Colleen says

    This is an excellent list! My third kiddo is heading off to kindergarten next year and we will wok our way through this list. The best thing is that my older two kids love to sit in on books for younger kids and listen! They love hearing books that they know and love!!

  75. Erin Buhr says

    I think we read almost all of these before my twins started kindergarten this year. What a great list!! Sharing this. I love that you created a printable!

  76. Janet says

    Hi Jodie,
    Thanks for sharing so many unique ideas with books and activities that are fun for everyone!
    Thanks for compiling such an extensive book list for pre-kindergarten! Look forward to checking out the ones we haven’t gotten to yet. Was wondering if you could include a plain black and white option for book lists in the future? So many things to download requiring colored ink that it’s nice to be able to save ink when possible. I love a good checklist!
    Thanks!

  78. Kathy says

    Our boys (3 and 5) often chose the same 3 books fir bedtime stories:
    The Very Hungry Caterpillar
    Good Night Gorilla
    Wiggle (by Doreen Cronin)

  79. Jo says

    Frog and Toad are Friends, Bread and Jam for Francis, Pig Pig Grows Up, But No Elephants, The Runaway Bunny.

  80. Helen says

    What an amazing resource! I have to admit, there are a number of books that are unfamiliar. I will definitely be checking them out.

  85. Sarah Benton Feitlinger says

    What a great list! Between those that I hold dear from my own childhood like Curious George and Ezra Jack Keats books, to the newer ones that I am discovering with my own kids, like those by Sandra Boynton and Mo Willems I think we’ve read most. Definitely excited to check out those that we haven’t read yet!

  86. Kara Carrero says

    This is so great! We started homeschool kindergarten this year and any that we had no read yet I am definitely going to be adding to our kids’ library list.

  87. Emma says

    I think we’ve read most of these at least once. Llama Llama never gets old – and we love those Rhyming Dust Bunnies!

  88. Margareta Rönnberg says

    Your list seems very ethnocentric… Why not try some more challenging books for children under 4? For example Swedish ones translated into English:

    Pom and Pim by Olof and Lena Landström? It is a cumulative tale about a child’s soft toys. The two of them go out for a walk and a succession of things happen to them, some lucky and some unlucky, with one thing leading to another.
    When Pom falls over and hurts himself they find a banknote and are able to buy ice cream, but the ice cream gives
    Pom a tummy ache. And so on.

    Or much-admired writer and illustrator Pija Lindenbaum’s I Love Manne? Manne, is dark-skinned and
    has lots of curly hair, unlike Micke, the ‘I’ of the story, who is a tiny boy with hardly any hair at all. This little boy
    loves everything about Manne: his hair of course, but also his grandma, the gunge he makes in the sandpit, and his
    broken stick. But he finds he has competition for Manne’s attention when another, tougher boy comes to join in
    the sandpit games.

    Or Sanna Töringe and Kristina Digman’s two books Cat Can in the Morning and Cat Can in the Park. Or
    Lena Sjöberg’s What’s That Behind Your Back? There is a figure on each right-hand page, a person or animal, or even
    a robot or troll. The words are a series of guessing games.

    There are of course also more didactic picture books that combine learning with pleasure. One notable example is
    Pernilla Danielsson’s witty Can You Drink It?.

  89. Jessica Petersen says

    My son is a first grader, so he’s already past kindergarten, but it’s never too late to read more wonderful picture books! I think we’ll have a lot of fun with the ones on this book list that we haven’t read yet. Thank you!

  90. Rachel says

    We have read so many of these book, but our favorite right now is going on a Bear Hunt. Looking forward to trying some of the ones we haven’t read yet.

  91. Sharon Olson says

    Good morning Jodie,
    I am trying to get the downloadable list of 101 books to read to kids before kindergarten. It keeps sending me the sandwich activity (I love this activity too)
    How do I get just the list?
    Thanks
    Smiles, Sharon Olson

      • Michelle says

        Hi Jodie,
        I’m also having problems downloading the list. Can’t wait to go through it and find some books I haven’t heard of before.
        Thanks,
        Michelle

        • Jodie Rodriguez says

          Hi Michelle,
          You might check your spam folder in your email inbox. I just checked to make sure everything was working correctly and it was fine on my end. Hope that helps. Best, Jodie