All children benefit from someone they love reading aloud to them, from a child in the womb to a young adult graduating from high school. Below is a list of books we have carefully curated with the advice of our literary and child development expert volunteers.
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Good Night Gorilla
Recommended Age: 2 — 5
Type: Bedtime Books -
The Hallo-Wiener
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Holiday Books -
My First Kwanzaa
Recommended Age: 2 — 5
Type: Holiday Books -
The Nutcracker
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Holiday Books -
Maccabee!: The Story of Hanukkah
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: Holiday Books -
The Night Before Valentine’s Day
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Holiday Books -
A Turkey for Thanksgiving
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: Holiday Books -
Latkes, Latkes, Good to Eat, A Chanukah Story
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: Holiday Books -
1,2,3 Thanksgiving
Recommended Age: 3 — 4
Type: Holiday Books -
The Mitten
Recommended Age: 1 — 3
Type: Holiday Books -
It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse
Recommended Age: 6m — 4
Type: Holiday Books -
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Recommended Age: 8 — 11
Type: Holiday Books -
Santa Kid
Recommended Age: 3 — 6
Type: Holiday Books -
The Trees of the Dancing Goats
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: Holiday Books -
Tacky the Penguin
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: Holiday Books -
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: Holiday Books -
Hopper’s Easter Surprise
Recommended Age: 1 — 4
Type: Holiday Books -
Olive, the Other Reindeer
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Holiday Books -
Olive My Love
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: Holiday Books -
The Rain Came Down
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Holiday Books -
The Polar Express
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: Holiday Books -
My Garden
Recommended Age: 2 — 7
Type: Holiday Books -
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Holiday Books -
Passover Magic
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Holiday Books -
Dream Snow
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: Holiday Books -
Once Upon a Potty—Girl/Boy
Recommended Age: 1 — 3
Type: Toilet Training BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Everyone Poops
Recommended Age: 1 — 3
Type: Toilet Training BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Eye Spy Colors (Peephole Books)
Recommended Age: 3
Type: The Five Senses BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?
Recommended Age: 2 — 5
Type: The Five Senses BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Recommended Age: 1 — 2
Type: The Five Senses BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Big Sister and Little Sister
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: Siblings BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Seven Chinese Brothers
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Siblings BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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I’m a Big Sister
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: Siblings BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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I’m a Big Brother
Recommended Age: 3 — 8
Type: Siblings BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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First Day Jitters
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: School BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Vera’s First Day of School
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: School BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Miss Nelson Is Missing
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: School BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Off to School Baby Duck!
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: School BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Stop, Drop, and Roll: A Book about Fire Safety
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: Safety BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Officer Buckle and Gloria
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Safety BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Fire! Fire!
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Safety BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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I Can Be Safe: A First Look at Safety
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: Safety BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Mouse and the Motorcycle
Recommended Age: 8 — 12
Type: Reluctant Readers BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Boxcar Children series
Recommended Age: 7 — 12
Type: Reluctant Readers BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon
Recommended Age: 7 — 11
Type: Reluctant Readers BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Geronimo Stilton series
Recommended Age: 7 — 10
Type: Reluctant Readers BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Nate the Great
Recommended Age: 6 — 9
Type: Reluctant Readers BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Frog and Toad Together
Recommended Age: 6 — 8
Type: Reluctant Readers BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Flat Stanley
Recommended Age: 6 — 8
Type: Reluctant Readers BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Magic Tree House series
Recommended Age: 6 — 8
Type: Reluctant Readers BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Hatchet
Recommended Age: 10 — 14+
Type: Reluctant Readers BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Ira Says Goodbye
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: New Home/ Moving BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Alexander, Who’s Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: New Home/ Moving BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Berenstain Bears’ Moving Day
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: New Home/ Moving BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Goodbye House
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: New Home/ Moving BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Gulps
Recommended Age: 6 — 9
Type: Good Nutrition BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Everybody Cooks Rice
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: Good Nutrition BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Ugly Vegetables
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Good Nutrition BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Eating the Alphabet: Fruits & Vegetables from A to Z
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Good Nutrition BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Bread and Jam for Frances
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Good Nutrition BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Lunch
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: Good Nutrition BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Gregory the Terrible Eater
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: Good Nutrition BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Eat Your Peas, Ivy Louise!
Recommended Age: 3 — 5
Type: Good Nutrition BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Recommended Age: 3m — 3
Type: Good Nutrition BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Frog and Toad Are Friends
Recommended Age: 6 — 8
Type: Friends BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Amos & Boris
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: Friends BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Caleb & Kate
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Friends BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Best Friends for Frances
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Friends BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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How Are You Peeling?
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Feelings BooksRecommended by National Association of Parenting Publications Gold Award
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When Sophie Gets Angry — Really, Really Angry…
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Feelings BooksRecommended by Caldecott Honor Book
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My Many Colored Days
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: Feelings BooksRecommended by National Education Association
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Dr. DeSoto
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: Dentists BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Just Going to the Dentist
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: Dentists BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: Dentists BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Penguins 123
Recommended Age: 3m — 3
Type: Counting BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Count with Maisy
Recommended Age: 3m — 3
Type: Counting BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Mouse Count
Recommended Age: 2 — 3
Type: Counting BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Color Farm
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Color & Shape BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Color Zoo
Recommended Age: 4 — 6
Type: Color & Shape BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Planting a Rainbow
Recommended Age: 3 — 5
Type: Color & Shape BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Round is a Mooncake: A Book of Shapes
Recommended Age: 3 — 5
Type: Color & Shape BooksRecommended by Read Together/Talk Together
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A Color of His Own
Recommended Age: 2 — 5
Type: Color & Shape BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: Classic Children's Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Classic Children's Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Jingle Dancer
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Classic Children's Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Classic Children's Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Carrot Seed
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Classic Children's Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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George and Martha: The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: Classic Children's Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Caps for Sale
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: Classic Children's Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Blueberries for Sal
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: Classic Children's Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Each Peach Pear Plum
Recommended Age: 3 — 5
Type: Classic Children's Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Corduroy
Recommended Age: 3 — 5
Type: Classic Children's Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Feel Good Book
Recommended Age: 2 — 5
Type: Classic Children's Picture BooksRecommended by Read Together/Talk Together
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Happy Birthday, Babymouse
Recommended Age: 7 — 10
Type: Birthday BooksRecommended by Children’s Choice Book Award
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Happy Birthday to You
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: Birthday BooksRecommended by United Through Reading
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On the Day You Were Born
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Birthday BooksRecommended by United Through Reading
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A Birthday for Cow
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: Birthday BooksRecommended by United Through Reading
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The Birthday Box
Recommended Age: 2 — 5
Type: Birthday BooksRecommended by United Through Reading
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Time to Say Goodnight
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: Bedtime BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Just Go to Bed
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: Bedtime BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Grandfather Twilight
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: Bedtime BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Can’t You Sleep Little Bear?
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: Bedtime BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?
Recommended Age: 3 — 6
Type: Bedtime BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Time for Bed
Recommended Age: 3 — 5
Type: Bedtime BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Ten, Nine, Eight
Recommended Age: 2 — 5
Type: Bedtime BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Good Night Gorilla
Recommended Age: 2 — 5
Type: Bedtime BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: Adoption BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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We Belong Together
Recommended Age: 2 — 5
Type: Adoption BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Dinosaur Alphabet Book
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: ABC BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Alphabet City
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: ABC BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Penguins ABC
Recommended Age: 3m — 3
Type: ABC BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Marisol McDonald and the Clash Bash / Marisol McDonald y la Fiesta Sin Igual
Recommended Age: 7 — 8
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by Read Together/Talk Together
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Martha Speaks
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Miss Rumphius
Recommended Age: 5 — 8
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Dear Mrs. Larue: Letters from Obedience School
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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What Do You Do With a Kangaroo?
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by Caldecott Honor Book
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Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by Caldecott Honor Book
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Rain Makes Applesauce
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by Caldecott Honor Book
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Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Mama Don’t Allow
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Adventures of Taxi Dog
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Cinderella’s Rat
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Night Noises
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Tough Boris
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Nino Wrestles the World
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by Read Together/Talk Together
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Not Norman: A Goldfish Story
Recommended Age: 4 — 8
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by Read Together/Talk Together
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Flower Garden
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by Read Together/Talk Together
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Blackout
Recommended Age: 4 — 7
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by Read Together/Talk Together, Caldecott Honor Book
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The Gingerbread Man
Recommended Age: 3 — 8
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Bea and Mr. Jones
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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One Morning in Maine
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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It’s Mine!
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Chrysanthemum
Recommended Age: 3 — 5
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Library Association
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The Relatives Came
Recommended Age: 3 — 5
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by Caldecott Honor Book
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Olivia
Recommended Age: 3 — 5
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by Caldecott Honor Book
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The Snowy Day
Recommended Age: 3 — 5
Type: General Picture Books, Holiday BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Dear Juno
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by Read Together/Talk Together
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Little Pink Pup
Recommended Age: 3 — 5
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by Read Together/Talk Together, Children's Choice Book Award
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Millions of Cats
Recommended Age: 2 — 5
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Little Red Hen
Recommended Age: 2 — 5
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Have You Seen My Duckling?
Recommended Age: 2 — 5
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Poky Little Puppy
Recommended Age: 2 — 5
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Flora McDonell’s ABC
Recommended Age: 2 — 5
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Watsons Go to Birmingham (1963)
Recommended Age: 10 — 12
Type: Juvenile FictionRecommended by 1996 Newbery Award, Honor Book, 1996 Coretta Scott King Honor Book Award
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Tuck Everlasting
Recommended Age: 9 — 12
Type: Juvenile FictionRecommended by School Library Journal (2012) “Top 100 Children’s Novels”
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Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon
Recommended Age: 10 — 12
Type: Juvenile Non-FictionRecommended by Sibert Medal 2007
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The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread
Recommended Age: 7 — 11
Type: Juvenile FictionRecommended by Newbery Award 2004; Parents’ Choice Award 2003
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Sideways Stories from the Wayside School
Recommended Age: 8 — 10
Type: Juvenile FictionRecommended by Parents’ Choice Award 1990
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The One and Only Ivan
Recommended Age: 8 — 12
Type: Juvenile FictionRecommended by 2013 Newbery Medal
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Number the Stars
Recommended Age: 9 — 11
Type: Juvenile FictionRecommended by 1990 Newbery Award
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Maniac Magee
Recommended Age: 9 — 12
Type: Juvenile FictionRecommended by 1991 Newbery Award; Parents’ Choice Best 25 Books of 25 Years
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Frindle
Recommended Age: 9 — 12
Type: Juvenile FictionRecommended by Parents' Choice Honor Book, 1997
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Beezus and Ramona
Recommended Age: 8 — 12
Type: Juvenile FictionRecommended by Newbery Honor Books
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There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
Recommended Age: 3 — 7
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by Caldecott Honor Book
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Today I Will Fly
Recommended Age: 3 — 5
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by Read Together/Talk Together
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Mouse Paint
Recommended Age: 2 — 3
Type: Color & Shape BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Recommended Age: 2 — 5
Type: ABC BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Up and Down
Recommended Age: 2 — 5
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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The Dot
Recommended Age: 3m — 1
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?
Recommended Age: 3m — 3
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Duckie‘s Splash
Recommended Age: 3m — 3
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Barnyard Dance!
Recommended Age: 3m — 3
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Pat-A-Cake
Recommended Age: 3m — 3
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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No, No, Yes, Yes
Recommended Age: 3m — 3
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Counting Farm
Recommended Age: 3m — 3
Type: Counting Books, General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Blankie!
Recommended Age: 3m — 1
Type: Featured, General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Eating the Rainbow (Babies Everywhere)
Recommended Age: 3m — 3
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Carry Me (Babies Everywhere)
Recommended Age: 3m — 3
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Baby Faces Board Book #2: SMILE!
Recommended Age: 0m — 3
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Baby Faces Board Book #1: PEEK-A-BOO!
Recommended Age: 0m — 3
Type: General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
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Baby Faces Board Book: HUGS & KISSES
Recommended Age: 0m — 3
Type: Featured, General Picture BooksRecommended by American Academy of Pediatrics