It’s no secret that starting kids reading early and as much as possible has an endless list of benefits. Here are a list of books that you may not find in those big box stores that are a must.

1. The Night Gardener by Terry Fan

This book has been read in my house over and over again.  The story is sweet and the illustrations are beautiful. It’s a perfect bedtime book. With the simple story and not overly stimulating drawings both the parent and child will enjoy. I Recommend the hardcover for this one.

2. The Hug Machine- By Scott Campbell

I have two very affectionate little girls and this book was a favorite. The illustrations were simple as well as the sweet story. This one was a hit for 2nd grade and under ages.

3. Beekle- By Dan Santat

This book is a Teacher’s Pick. If your child is going through an imaginary friend phase this would work for them. I did not find this book over stimulating so it was a great bedtime choice. Grade recommendations are 3rd and below.

4. Be a Friend – By Salina Yoon

I could not tell you the amount of times we read this book. My youngest LOVED this one. It’s recommended for 1st grade and below because of the simple message. Friendship. I think she especially loved it at a young age because she could not communicate with words how she felt but could act them out. The main character is miming his actions. So what we did was instead of forcing my 3 year old to sit down and stay still I would say “show me a tree” and she would stand like a tree. It was fun for all of us and to this day we have fond memories of it.

5. Wish Tree- by Kyo Maclear

This book was one of my personal favorites. It says it’s recommended for 1st grade and up but I think it some emotional intelligence for my daughter to understand this one. There could be a deeper message presented and there were some questions about the afterlife that came from my little one. Dont let that scare you away though. This book will always have a place in my heart.

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