The Best Non-Classic Books For Your Child’s Bookshelf

My five kids range in age from 3 months old to 8 years. You can imagine that our bookshelves have a bit of variety to them. We also homeschool. So go ahead and re-imagine those bookshelves. That’s the problem actually, overflowing bookshelves. I recently decided to tackle the book situation in our home. My husband and I believe that children should be surrounded by books, and see us reading as often as possible. So far, we have succeeded in both aspects; however, it was time for a clean out. I elected to sort through what we owned and categorize it all: Donations, Homeschool Read-Alouds for all kids, Homeschool by age, Independent Learning to Read, Classics, Daytime Books, Nighttime Books, Baby and Toddler Books. Once I had my piles, I started taping ripped pages and covers back together and let go of books that had been chewed to bits. I realized that somehow we had collected a lot of random books that were “One-Time-Reads.” Frustrating. You know the ones – those thin picture-style, four-words-on-a-page kind of books. Even if they are read more than once, they are not (what I consider) fun to read. I did keep them – in the “Independent Reading” category – because I’m done reading them! Ha. Then I started perusing blogs and Usborne parties and bookstores and Amazon for the highest recommended books to add to our shelves! I took the plunge and purchased a bunch. Want to know which ones? Of course you do…

Remember that we like hand-me-downs here. I did get a few specific books for my daughter because we are really working on reading, and I want her to love what’s on her shelf. But other than that, these are pretty gender neutral, and most can be loved for years and years (and will turn in to independent reading books down the road.)

Best Books for Your Child’s Bookshelf

I’m not including the classics (Paddington Bear, Corduroy Bear, Goodnight Moon, Charlotte’s Web etc) because there are 10,000 blogs out there with those on the list. Instead, I’m sticking with the ‘non-classics;’ the books that you will love to read as much as your kids will love to hear them! Another Tip: Audio books are WONDERFUL!!! I use them for my emerging reader and my kindergartener who is learning letters (and my preschooler loves to listen in too!). I set up a CD player and headphones as a station to our homeschool day!

Books Written by or with Illustrations by Eric Carle: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (and the Baby Bear version!), The Mixed Up Chameleon - These are just a few of our favorites.

Pinkalicious Series by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann

Llama Llama Series by Anna Dewdy (I love all EXCEPT the Red Pajamas because I feel like a scared llama needed his llama mama!!)

Shine-a-Light On It Books: Oh, Usborne, how you strip me of my money. These are fantastic books – my kids are currently obsessed with the Rainforest and Human Body books in this series.

I Miss My Monster by Amanda Noll

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin

Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Mercer Mayer Series: All of the Little Critter books are fun.

Peep/Look/See Inside Books: Usborne books are the best – this series of "Inside Things" books is just great! We are addicted to them. See Inside Your Body is just one of our favorites, along with Look Inside Space, Peep Inside a Fairytale (all of them!), See Inside Fairyland, See Inside General Knowledge, See Inside Science, See Inside London, See Inside Ancient Rome, See Inside Planet Earth, See Inside How Things Work, and See Under the Sea

That’s Not My… Series by Usborne Books: Not my Squirrel, Penguin, Princess, etc…

Muddle and Match Books: Create your own adventure! Another great idea by Usborne.

Lift-the-Flap How Do Flowers Grow (Usborne): As a gardening family, I love that my kids will understand how things grow!

Mo Willems Books: You cannot go wrong with any of his books. Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus! Piggy and Gerald

The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen

My Truck Is Stuck by Lewis and Kirk

Pete The Cat Series by James Dean

Splat the Cat Series by Rob Scotton

The Tickle Monster by Josie Bissett

The Day the Crayons Quit (and The Day the Crayons Came Home) by Daywalt and Jeffers

The Perfectly Messed Up Story by Patrick McDonnell

The Book With No Pictures by Novak

The Berenstein Bears Series by the Berensteins

Dear Zoo: A Lift-the-Flap Book by Rod Campbell

Sandra Boyton Board Books: (ALL.OF.THEM.) Little ears love these books.

Books by Don and Audrey Wood: The Napping House, Silly Sally, Heckedy Peg, etc - all are wonderful!

Good Night, Good Night Construction Site by Rinker and Lichtenheld

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashlety Spires

Andrea Beaty Books: Iggy Peck, Architect Ada Twist, Scientist Rosie Revere, Engineer

Curious George Series by H.A. Ray

Big Plans by Bob Shea --- This has become a motto in our home -- "BIG PLANS I SAY!"

Gordy and the Magic Diet by Kim Diersen

**A lot of our favorite books are from Usborne – if you haven’t shopped the 1600 book selection yet (or feel overwhelmed by it), click HERE for some insight! (My kids are obsessed with their sticker books too – just an FYI)

Chapter Books (to Read Aloud, Together, or Independently)

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl (ANYTHING by Roald Dahl)

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

Rainbow Magic Fairy Series by Daisy Meadows

Harry Potter by JK Rowling

Completely Cassidy-Accidental Genius by Tamsyn Murray

Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson

The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer

The Boy Who Sailed the Ocean in an Armchair by Williamson

The Magic Treehouse by Mary Pope Osborne

Fly Guy by Ted Arnold

Junie B Jones by Barbara Park

Minnie and Moo by Denys Cazet (The entire series is fun!)

Our Followers’ Favorites

Monsters Love Underpants by Claire Freedman Little Golden Books Pete’s Dragon by Landry Walker Skulduggary Pleasant by Derek Landy Dr. Suess Books: The Cat in the Hat Learning Library, I Can Read with my Eyes Shut, One Fish, Two Fish, The Foot Book The Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle and Jill McElmurry The Tickle Tree by Chae Strathie Peanut Butter Jellyfish by Jarrett J. Krosoczka Captain Underpants by Dave Pikley Wherever You Are My Love Will Find You by Nancy Tillman If Kisses Were Colors by Janet Lawler The Crown on Your Head by Nancy Tillman Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel When the Word was Waiting for You by Shields and Currey Harry the Dirty Dog – Glen Zion (The whole "Harry" series!) Snowmen at Night -Caralyn Buchner Bear and Friends – Wilson and Chapman Car Goes Fast - Michael Garland

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