• Read to Grow is frequently asked to provide guidance to parents and providers on developmentally appropriate books to read to and share with children. Using our expertise, we have put together three separate lists of suggested authors and titles to help you choose books for infants (under age 1), toddlers (1-3 years old) and preschoolers (age 3 and above).

  • Great Books to Read with Infants

    Welcome to the World! by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
    Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
    Tomie dePaola’s Mother Goose by Tomie dePaola
    My First Book Series by Dorling Kindersley Publishing
    Touch and Feel Series by Dorling Kindersley Publishing
    The Everything Book by Denise Fleming
    Ten Little Ladybugs by Melanie Gerth
    Global Babies by Global Fund for Children
    Black & White by Tana Hoban
    Zoom City by Thatcher Hurd
    Peek-a-Baby by Karen Katz
    My First Signs by Annie Kubler
    Peek-a-Who by Nina Lawden
    Look at the Animals by Peter Linenthal
    Look, Look! by Peter Linenthal
    Look Baby! Books by Margaret Miller
    I Kissed the Baby! by Mary Murphy
    Here Comes Mother Goose by Ionie Opie
    My First Mother Goose by Ionie Opie
    Baby Faces Series by Scholastic
    Five Little Ducks by Justine Smith
    Hey Diddle Diddle by Jeannette Winter
    The Itsy Bitsy Spider by Jeannette Winter
    Twinkle Twinkle Little Star by Jeannette Winter
    Animal Play: A Touch and Feel Book by Harriet Ziefert
    Who Said Moo? by Harriet Ziefert

  • Great Books to Read with Toddlers

    Hug by Jez Alborough
    Big Fat Hen by Keith Baker
    The Three Bears by Byron Barton
    Blue Hat Green Hat by Sandra Boynton
    The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
    Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
    From Head to Toe by Eric Carle
    Maisy’s Amazing Big Book of Words by Lucy Cousins
    Freight Train by Donald Crews
    Jamberry by Bruce Degen
    Honey Baby Sugar Child by Alice Duncan
    My Numbers=Mis Numeros by Rebecca Emberley
    Time for Bed by Mem Fox
    Tip Tip Dig Dig by Emma Garcia
    Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill
    Hush! A Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho
    Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins
    Over in the Meadow by Ezra Jack Keats
    Charlie Parker Played Bebop by Chris Raschka
    Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman
    One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root
    Andy Warhol’s Colors by Susan Goldman Rubin
    What Do You Say? by Mandy Stanley
    Where’s My House? by Simms Taback
    More More More Said the Baby by Vera B. Williams

  • Great Books to Read with Preschoolers

    Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema
    The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
    The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
    Bounce and Wiggle by Doreen Cronin
    Are You My Mother? by P. D. Eastman
    Oodles of Animals by Lois Ehlert
    Hattie and the Fox by Mem Fox
    The Red Book by Barbara Lehman
    Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr.
    Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr.
    Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin, Jr.
    Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin,Jr.
    Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
    What Do You Do With a Tale Like This? by Robin Page
    We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
    Cars and Trucks and Things That Go by Richard Scarry
    Richard Scarry’s Best Word Book Ever by Richard Scarry
    Chewie Louie by Howie Schneider
    Hop on Pop and One Fish,Two Fish by Dr. Seuss
    Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
    Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback
    The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler
    The Napping House by Audrey Wood
    Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood