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The famous oceanographer Jacques Cousteau once said, “No aquarium, no tank in a marine land, however spacious it may be, can begin to duplicate the conditions of the sea.” How right he was! The different types of beaches: sandy beaches, pebble beaches, beaches with boardwalks, and isolated beaches. The chance to explore tide pools or build sandcastles. The sound of seagulls crying above the waves, or the pitter-patter of sandpiper feet rushing between waves and wet sand.

Unfortunately, many of us don’t have easy or frequent access to the beach. But we can evoke the majesty of this experience for our children with thoughtfully chosen picture books. Now, there’s no shortage of books about the beach and the ocean, of course, but not all books are created equal. That’s why I’ve rounded up my absolute favorite, high-quality beach picture books for you and your family to enjoy. They explore the sensations we can experience at the beach and encourage curiosity, bravery, and respect for the shore and its visitors (human, plant, and animal).

Read them to get excited about an upcoming beach visit or to take a vacation in your imaginations while snuggled up with your child. No matter how you use them, these kids’ beach books offer oceans of fun.

A Beach Tail

by Karen Lynn Williams,  illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Have you ever had a day when you simply got lost in your thoughts? Well, that’s what happens to the character Gregory in this engaging story. But Gregory gets lost in more than just his thoughts. While exploring the beach and drawing a lion in the sand, he soon finds himself far away from his father, on a part of the beach he doesn’t recognize at all. Luckily, the tail of his lion will lead him straight back to where he belongs. It’s a sweet book that inspires curiosity and the simple joys of spending a day exploring the shore. Kids will love this tale of a tail.
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Duck and Goose Go to the Beach

written and illustrated by Tad Hills 

All the Duck and Goose books are adorable, and this edition is no exception. Enjoy this adventure story about two pals who overcome the fear of going someplace new and dive headfirst into all the excitement the beach has to offer—shells, sandcastles, waves, and meeting new friends! Duck and Goose learn that traveling somewhere new might be scary, but it’s worth overcoming your anxieties to have so much fun and, in the end, you can always go back to your own happy home.

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Seagull and Sea Dragon

written and illustrated by Sydni Gregg

Seagull is curious. While flying high above the ocean, Seagull wonders about what life is like beneath the waves, what the feathers on those animals below are like, and those floating lanterns underwater. Meanwhile, Sea Dragon is also curious. From the depths of the water, Sea Dragon wonders about the giant colorful bubbles floating in the air, what kinds of fins the animals in the sky have, and what life is like overhead. This wonderful story introduces children to animals that live in the ocean, and it’s also a beautiful metaphor for how lived experiences inform our points of view—and how talking to others with different lives brings us all closer together. Plus, the large text and simple sentences are great for early readers.
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Saving American Beach

The biography of African American environmentalist MaVynee Betsch

by Heidi Tyline King,  illustrated by Ekua Holmes

This is a passionate and somewhat magical biography of a real-life black opera singer and environmental activist named MaVynee Betsch. When MaVynee was a girl in Florida, the beaches were segregated. Angered by this injustice, her great-grandfather bought a section of Florida beach and opened it to everyone. He named it American Beach, and it became a popular destination for black Americans to spend summer days. MayVynee grew up and left Florida to become an opera singer. When she returned years later, American Beach had been abandoned and forgotten, so she worked to restore it to its natural beauty. She took on developers and politicians to have the beach protected, so people would know its history. And she won. This book offers a gorgeously illustrated look at a lesser-known but vitally significant tale from American history.
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Hello Ocean

by Pam Muñoz Ryan, illustrated by Mark Astrella 

Acclaimed author Pam Muñoz Ryan has written an ode to seaside vacations in Hello Ocean, the story of a girl visiting her “old best friend”—the ocean—with her family. It’s a beautiful poem that recalls the experiences of the beach via every one of the senses. From the color of seaweed to the roar of the waves, from the feeling of wind on your skin to the smell of suntan lotion and the taste of salt water, you’ll be enveloped in the rich sensations of a summer day at the seashore. Even if it’s from the comfort of your own living room.
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A Mermaid Girl

by Sana Rafi, illustrated by Olivia Aserr

In this book, we meet a little girl who loves the water so much that she’s like a mermaid girl. She’s excited to spend a day at the pool with her mother and friends, wearing a brand-new “burkini” swimsuit that matches her mother’s. She thinks they both look like glittery gold mermaids in their bright-yellow suits—until they arrive at the pool and she realizes her swimsuit doesn’t look like anyone else’s. She feels confused and like an outsider, but her mother reminds her of all the beautiful and wonderful mermaid women in their family who wear burkinis too. Filled with the love of her mama and plenty of courage, she dives into the water and spends the day swimming with friends. After all, isn’t that what mermaids are supposed to do?
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This Beach is Loud!

written and illustrated by Samantha Cotterill

As much fun as going to the beach can be, it can also be a lot—a lot of noise, a lot of people, and a lot of wet and gritty sensations. In this book, we meet a little boy on the autism spectrum who finds the beach to be too much sensory stimulation. His father (who remains calm and steadfast throughout the book) gives him techniques to help self-regulate until they can get to a quiet area of the beach. It’s a much-needed story of what life can be like for neurodiverse children and ways families can create experiences suited to these children’s needs. It’s empathetic, joyful, and sweet. And who doesn’t enjoy a day like that?
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Penguin on Vacation

written and illustrated by Salina Yoon

Penguin on Vacation is my favorite book from Salina Yoon’s Penguin series. In it, Penguin gets tired of all the ice and snow in Antarctica, so he decides to take a trip to the beach. But it turns out that at the beach you can’t skate, ski, or sled. What’s a Penguin to do? Just when Penguin is giving up on the idea of a fun vacation, he meets Crab, who shows him how to really enjoy the seaside. Then, when Penguin’s vacation is done, Crab decides to take a trip of his own and visit Penguin. It’s an adorable story that features sea, sand, and snow for lots of seasonal learning and fun.
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Where Three Oceans Meet

by Rajani LaRocca, illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan

In this story that goes well beyond the typical beach book, a girl named Sejal and her mother have traveled to India to visit Sejal’s grandmother. The three discuss what they want to do, who they want to see, and how they want to travel, and Sejal would like to see what’s at the end of the earth. Then we follow along on a family vacation that connects generations across continents and oceans, until we reach the tip of India and the end of the earth—the place where three oceans meet, and three generations of women do as well. It’s a story for anyone who lives far from family or struggles to connect across cultural divides, in which love for one another brings everyone together, with a little help from the beach.
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Tía Isa Wants a Car

by Meg Medina, illustrated by Claudio Muñoz 

Tía Isa wants a car so she can drive to the beach. And she wants one big enough to fit her whole family, those who live in America with her and those still in the old country. She wants it to recall the beaches of home. But cars are expensive, and saving takes a long time. Tía Isa’s niece falls in love with the idea of a car, too, and the opportunity to visit the beach, far from the neighborhood she never gets to leave. So the girl begins to find odd jobs, saving to help make Tía Isa’s dreams come true. In this book about a goal that symbolizes the American Dream, we see a family working together to manifest amazing things. Culturally relevant and wonderfully optimistic, this is a beach story that will have you believing in dreams again.
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Chrysta Naron (she/her) is an early childhood educator, curriculum specialist, and the founder of the education nonprofit Read the Room. She believes everything is better with glitter! Follow her on Instagram.

As a preschool teacher, my classroom is filled with music. If it’s not the latest Disney hit, it’s the sound of us singing at circle time, or the banging of drums made from cereal boxes. It may be noisy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Why? Because music is incredible! Many attest to music’s power to help children with motor skills, math, social-emotional skills, creativity, and even literacy. So if you have a little one who’s always ready to turn the volume up and get down to the beat, then this is the book list for you. We’ve got a selection of 12 toe-tapping picture books for kids who love music!

Happy!

by Pharrell Williams, Photography by Amanda Pratt

This book lives up to its name. If you’re familiar with the hit song “Happy” by Pharell Williams, then you already know this book. The words are accompanied by bright, playful photographs and graphic elements that bring a smile to your face. In fact, you might just find yourself singing this book out loud.
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Because

by Mo Willems, Illustrated by Amber Ren

When you think of uber-popular children’s author Mo Willems, you probably think of silly jokes, adorable illustrations, and pigeons who desperately want to drive a bus. But in Because, Willems takes a turn to the touchingly sweet. With lovely illustrations by Amber Ren, this book demonstrates how exposing a child to music and fostering that love creates a world with even more beauty and music.
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Puff the Magic Dragon

by Peter Yarrow and Lenny Lipton, Illustrated by Eric Puybaret

This classic 1960’s song by folk singing group Peter, Paul, and Mary has been lovingly transformed into a picture book for current generations. It includes a CD of the original recording (you can also find it on various music streaming services) to play along as you enjoy the friendship of Puff and little Jackie Paper. The ending illustrations also introduce a beautiful resolution to the sadness children feel at the end of the song.
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Drum Dream Girl

How One Girl's Courage Changed Music

by Margarita Engle, Illustrated by Rafael López

Author Margarita Engle has created a vivid and lively biography about a young girl who dares to break the taboos of Cuba by becoming a female drummer and taking the Cuban music world by storm. The tale is inspired by the real life of Chinese-African-Cuban Millo Castro Zaldarriaga. The illustrations by the award-winning Rafael López bring the country to life and will make readers want to make music of their own.
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Trombone Shorty

by Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, Illustrated by Bryan Collier

Master musician Trombone Shorty has written a children’s book that’s as dynamic and fun as the music he makes. It tells the story of how he became a trombone player growing up in New Orleans (as well as a trumpet, tuba, drums, and organ player). This Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award-winning book feels so alive, you can almost hear the music jumping off the page. In fact, why not play some of Trombone Shorty’s music after reading his book? It will make you and your child love it all the more!
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Music Is…

by Brandon Stosuy, Illustrated by Amy Martin

Music Is….everything. In this bilingual board book (Spanish and English), music writer Brandon Stousy has created an introduction for infants and toddlers to everything that music can be. And illustrator Amy Martin has taken it to another level. Bright, colorful, and filled with movement, I predict this title your family will enjoy over and over again.
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One Love

by Bob Marley, adapted by Cedella Marley, Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Bob Marley’s timeless lyrics come to life in this fabulous children’s book, adapted by his daughter, Cedella Marley. And what makes this book even more special is the superb illustrative style of Vanessa Brantley-Newton. If your child loves this volume (and Marley’s timeless music), Cedella Marley has put out two other board books based on his other hits: Every Little Thing (based on the beloved anthem “Three Little Birds”) and Get Up, Stand Up.
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Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin!

by Lloyd Moss, Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman

An onomatopoeia orchestra is what you’ll find tucked into the pages of Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin! (Onomatopoeia means words that sound like what they mean, like cuckoo.) This Caldecott Honor book sizzles, swings, and spins with words as your child learns about the sounds of an orchestra. Simple, fun, and told in rhyme, this book opens up a chance for children to try making musical sounds of their own.
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Natsumi!

by Susan Lendroth, Illustrated by Priscilla Burris

Natusmi is anything but quiet or gentle. She can’t be delicate with her grandma’s flowers, or quiet during her mother’s dance rehearsals, or calm during her father’s tea ceremony. But that’s alright with Natsumi—because her grandfather knows just what to do. Natsumi learns that there is a way for her to participate in traditional Japanese pastimes and remain true to her excited, noisy self. It’s Taiko drumming!
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Bowwow Powwow

by Brenda J. Child, Illustrated by Jonathan Thunder

Bowwow Powwow is a fantastic bilingual book by Ojibwe author, Brenda J. Child. It tells the story of a young First Nations girl and the stray dog who becomes her best friend. With the help of her family, dog, and dreams, she learns about the magic and wonder of the traditional powwow, connecting deeply to her cultural roots. The story is also told in the Ojibwe language, thanks to a translation by Gordon Jourdain.
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Yellow Dog Blues

by Alice Faye Duncan, Illustrated by Chris Raschka

An homage to blues music and a pilgrimage through key spots in its history, Yellow Dog Blues is an eye-catching and ear-capturing volume. School librarian and author Duncan says she wrote the story to be read aloud and “experienced like a blues song.” It follows a child named Bo Willie as he searches for his beloved dog through legendary locations from Mississippi’s Merigold Blues Club to Memphis’s Beale Street. The illustrations are stitched, invoking the history of the blues as part of the fabric of American music. Break out the B.B. King and enjoy.
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Rock Star Recess

by Patrick Baggatta, Illustrated by Emily Mullock

Elsie is tired of singing the same old songs in class. She’s ready to rock! So she and two friends form a band to perform their own songs at recess. But as they get swept up in the momentum of fame and the glamor of the rock-star life, they forget to actually practice any songs! Through it all, though, Elsie is ready to let her creativity and love of music lead the way. Even if they lead her astray sometimes, it will all come right in the end. This story is best for elementary school children who are fans of pop concerts and performances.
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Chrysta Naron (she/her) is an early childhood educator, curriculum specialist, and the founder of the education nonprofit Read the Room. She believes everything is better with glitter! Follow her on Instagram.

Many parents are surprised to discover wordless picture books. After all, aren’t the words the point? And, indeed, it is important to expose your child to plenty of words and letters (including using books to draw kids’ attention to print).

But pictures-only storybooks also have their own unique benefits, from sparking imagination and encouraging interaction to allowing near-readers to focus on a story without worrying about text. They give early or struggling readers the opportunity to enjoy books independently without the pressure of decoding. Including them as a part of your collection lets your child luxuriate in the joy of story.

Plus, imagining a story together from pictures also naturally promotes an interactive story time, which is tremendously beneficial for kids (and, incidentally, for parents). For best effect, alternate narrating wordless books to your child and inviting them to tell their own versions. Want some help getting started? This guided reading activity demonstrates how to use wordless picture books with your child.

The Lion and the Mouse

by Jerry Pinkney

Pinkney won the Caldecott Medal and for his presentation of this Aesop fable, which was named a Boston Globe-Horn Honor Book. As a teacher, I most often use Jerry Pinkney’s wordless books. He takes well-known fables and removes the text, letting his rich illustrations tell the story on their own. The Lion and the Mouse is my personal favorite, because of the wonderful emotions played out on the faces of the characters. (For more on the work of Jerry Pinkney, check out our blog post on 13 favorite Jerry Pinkey books.)
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Bear and Wolf

by Dan Salmieri

Step into a beautiful winter wonderland and the beginning of a silent and simple friendship. This story is by Dan Salmieri, the illustrator of the beloved book Dragons Love Tacos, but it’s a departure from the bright and silly illustrations that made the artist famous. In this picture book, a friendship blossoms one winter day between, you guessed it, a bear and a wolf. And in a sweet ending, the friendship returns with the beginning of spring.
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Flotsam

by David Wiesner

Well known for his wordless picture books, David Weisner does not disappoint with this Caldecott-winning beach-day story. It portrays a young boy at the beach who stumbles across a roll of film. Once developed, it turns the day into an exploration of history, magical underwater life, and excitement. Your child will love the lush illustrations and sense of wonder they’ll find within the pages. (Though you may have to explain what a roll of film is.)
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Wallpaper

by Thao Lam

This volume is an enchanting wonder. In it, a shy young girl discovers a world within the layers of wallpaper in her bedroom. She romps through jungles, ponds, cloudscapes, and a flock of sheep! While on her wallpaper adventure, she learns how to make friends by simply taking the brave step of saying “hello” to someone new. This book is imaginative, colorful, and filled with social-emotional learning skills.
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Another

by Christian Robinson

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to meet an alternative-universe version of yourself? Or of your pet? Well, that’s just what happens in Another. A little girl explores another world, where she meets different versions of her cat and of herself. In addition to the great, colorful cues throughout the pages, the illustrations encourage readers to turn and flip them, making the book an interactive delight.
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Flora and the Flamingo

by Molly Idle

Flora loves flamingos. She likes their pink feathers, their elegant moves, and their big webbed feet. So she decides to dress in swim gear to look like one—and then follow a real flamingo around to imitate its motions. Originally annoyed, the flamingo eventually joins Flora and shares the fun with a fabulous flamingo ballet. Pretty and pink, this book is a likely bet for any little animal lovers or dance lovers in your life.

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The Red Book

by Barbara Lehman

Have you ever loved a book so much that you wanted to dive right into its pages? Well, in the story of The Red Book, that dream comes true. Two children on opposite sides of the world are connected by a single book (red, of course). Their ability to see one another in the book’s pages leads one child from the wintery streets of a big city to the warm beaches of an island, through a most unusual means of travel.

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Chalk

by Bill Thomson

Do you have a kiddo that loves to draw? If so, this picture book is one to check out. Three friends take their sidewalk chalk out one rainy day to create pictures on the playground tarmac. Imagine their surprise when they discover that everything they draw comes to life. Enjoy the imaginative illustrations and the pure glee of the story’s chalk magic—but remember to be careful what you draw!
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Pool

by JiHyeon Lee

Going for a swim has never been this fun. Two children show up at the pool, ready for a delightful dip, only to find it overcrowded with other people and their floats. But, then, the two of them dive underneath the crowd … and discover a beautiful sea all their own. They explore a world of coral, fish, whales, and other creatures of the deep. Perhaps it’s only their imagination, but perhaps it’s something even more. A lovely volume to spark creativity and conversation.
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Imagine!

by Raúl Colón

What is it like to experience art for the first time? Illustrator Raúl Colón channels his first experiences visiting an art museum into this captivating wordless picture book. A boy visits the Museum of Modern Art and, to his delight, paintings by Picasso, Rousseau, and Matisse come alive. For one whimsical day, the boy and the paintings adventure throughout New York City, riding roller coasters, dancing, and enjoying hot dogs in the park. This experience then inspires the boy to create art of his own. Perhaps it will inspire you and your child too!
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Truck

by Donald Crews

While not completely wordless, Truck is a book without the text of a story or dialogue. Instead, it focuses on functional literacy, which means learning how to read common words found in everyday life. In the case of this Caldecott-winner, it’s street signs! As they follow a large semi-truck driving through the city, your child will encounter stop signs, street signs, directions, and other examples of everyday literacy embedded in the illustrations. It’s also available in board-book form, making it a winner for kids of all ages.
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The Arrival

by Shaun Tan

A hauntingly beautiful story told through black-and-white illustrations, The Arrival is a tale about what it means to leave your home and immigrate to somewhere new. Australian filmmaker Shaun Tan explores loss, isolation, hope, adventure, and memory in this touching book. It really lets kids create a complex story examining separation from family—a theme children often think about when adults in their lives move, go on trips without them, or even just go to work for the day. Plus, there’s a touch of imagination and magic in this book, and what kid doesn’t love that?
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Chrysta Naron (she/her) is an early childhood educator, curriculum specialist, and the founder of the education nonprofit Read the Room. She believes everything is better with glitter! Follow her on Instagram.

As Beyoncé put it, “Who run the world? Girls!” From art to science to running a country, women and girls have so many wonderful things to contribute. And positive role models help kids realize just what they and their peers can accomplish. If you’re looking to inspire your children and build out your girl power picture book library, introduce them to these 11 amazing women authors and their lovely children’s books.

Juana Martinez-Neal

Peruvian author and illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal earned a Caldecott Honor for her book Alma and How She Got Her Name. (Check out our post Name Graphs Teach Reading for a great activity you can do along with the book!) Her stories are filled with love, strong female characters of color, familial bonds, and South American cultural themes. Her books often have English and Spanish versions, too. Check her latest book, Zonia’s Rain Forest, about an Asháninka girl and her life in the Amazon.
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Yuyi Morales

Yuyi Morales is a Mexican author and illustrator currently living in California. Her books are vibrant, touching, and often very funny. Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book is a perennial favorite of my students. Her books include biographies (Viva Frida), whimsical tales of children’s imagination (Niño Wrestles the World), and explorations of immigrant experience in the U.S. (Dreamers). Her books are often bilingual in Spanish and English.
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Carmen Tafolla

I cannot praise Carmen Tafolla enough. This former State Poet Laureate of Texas is a gift to children’s books. Her stories feature Latinx characters with joy and delight. My personal favorite, What Can You Do With a Paleta?, is a colorful bilingual romp that begs to be read and reread by children. As a fun follow-up, I often teach kids how to make paletas after finishing the book. I also highly recommend What Can You Do With a Rebozo? and That’s Not Fair!: Emma Tenayuca’s Struggle for Justice / ¡No es Justo!: La Lucha de Emma Tenayuca por la Justicia.

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Traci Sorell

Traci Sorell is a Cherokee author who writes books for middle schoolers, elementary age students, and preschoolers. Her books focus on the lives of Native American people. She celebrates the resilience of Indigenous Americans in every book. My personal favorites are We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know and Powwow Day.

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Julie Flett

Julie Flett is an incredible Cree-Métis author and illustrator. Her books are often bilingual in Cree and English, and many come in board-book form, perfect for your youngest book lover. Her simple art heavily features native flora and fauna of Canada and is so simple and emotional, you’ll find yourself smiling at every page. Be sure to check out Black Bear Red Fox, We All Count, and We All Play. (You can read more about Julie Flett, Traci Sorell and others in our post on the value of reading Indigenous authors).
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Grace Lin

What can’t Grace Lin do? Adventure chapter books with incredible Chinese heroines and dragons? Check! Early readers for your five- to seven-year-olds? Check! Picture books about Chinese holidays, traditions, and love of family? Check! Adorable board books? Check! Grace Lin is one of the best authors/illustrators in the game, and everything she writes is magic. She’s on my bookshelf all year round, no matter what my students are learning about. I love A Big Bed for Little Snow, The Ugly Vegetables, and Ling and Ting: Not Exactly The Same. She even has a podcast for kids called Kids Ask Authors! Check out our red envelope story time activity featuring one of Lin’s books.
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Kat Zhang

In addition to “young adult” and middle-school-focused books, Kat Zhang is the author of the delightful Amy Wu picture book series. This collection of books features a small girl learning about her Chinese culture the way kids learn best—hands-on! At the end of each book is a recipe or activity that your family can learn, just like Amy.
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bell hooks

bell hooks was an author, speaker, professor, and social activist. She is generally best known for her essays and writing aimed at adults, but she also produced children’s books as well. Her books (usually written in verse) are a terrific introduction for children to understanding race, gender, and class. They’re written from a child’s perspective and even get my students up and moving! Dive into her works with Be Boy Buzz, Skin Again, and Happy to Be Nappy.
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Nadia L. Hohn

Nadia L. Hohn is a Canadian author and the daughter of Jamaican immigrants. Also an elementary teacher, she really understands how to write for children. Try her sweet Malaika stories. They focus on a young Jamaican girl and her relationship with her family, as well as her experiences immigrating from Jamaica to Canada. They are filled with so much love, color, and happiness. Hohn’s books are a treat for readers of every age!
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Oge Mora

Oge Mora’s books are, simply put, incredible. As an author and illustrator, she uses collage techniques to create the eye-catching artwork that makes her books so distinct. Her works have won numerous awards. Thank You, Omu! is a particularly touching book that exemplifies generosity and community. Mora is a relatively new author, and I eagerly await to see what her future holds.
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Vashti Harrison

In addition to being a stellar illustrator (Hair Love, Sulwe, and Cece Loves Science) Vashti Harrison is the genius behind the Little Leaders series. These books share the biographies of influential people of color throughout history. They are thoughtfully written, serenely illustrated, and a gem for every household. As a bonus, Harrison even has board books in the Little Leader series!

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Next time you’re on a trip to your local library or hunting for a new bedtime story to snuggle with, remember to check out these fabulous female authors. You never know who they might inspire your children to be!

Who are your favorite female children’s authors? Have a suggestion to include in our list? Let us know!

Chrysta Naron (she/her) is an early childhood educator, curriculum specialist, and the founder of the education nonprofit Read the Room. She believes everything is better with glitter! Follow her on Instagram.

Teaching kids how to feed themselves and how to live in a community responsibly is the center of an education.

Alice Waters

As we stumble out from the gray skies of winter into the bluer skies of spring, there seems to be a collective moment to pause and notice the awakening of the world around us. Leaves and buds begin to appear on trees, birds build nests, shoots push their way up through soil and between sidewalk cracks. When we take time to notice life waking up to say “hello,” it’s a great opportunity to introduce the idea of growth to our children.

Research shows that children who spend more time positively interacting with nature end up valuing nature more as adults. This may lead them to make stronger choices about recycling, taking alternative modes of transportation, and becoming active in other conservation efforts.

And if you’re looking for a fun way to encourage outdoor time and mindfulness to the miracle of life all around us, picture books about gardening are a fantastic place to start. They teach children about plants and why they grow, and show kids that they can be a part of growing, cultivating, and eating flourishing gardens! Get ready to be inspired (and maybe just a little hungry) after reading these lovely kids’ books about gardening.

The Ugly Vegetables

Written and illustrated by Grace Lin

This is one of my favorite children’s books of all time. Springtime has arrived, and every house in the neighborhood has a garden going. But while most are filled with beautiful flowers, our young narrator is disappointed that her family’s garden is just full of ugly vegetables! As the gardens continue to grow, we see the main character struggle with her mother’s traditional Chinese garden and her own desire to be like other families. But when it comes time to harvest the vegetables, everyone in the neighborhood wants in on the delicious soup they make!

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Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt

by Kate Messner, Illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal

In this sweet book, author Kate Messner explores the cycle of the seasons and the life of plants through the family of a young girl and her Nana. The protagonist learns about the planting and cultivation of fruit and vegetables, as well as the joy of eating the food they’ve grown. We see how ladybugs, bees, and butterflies also help the garden grow. Simultaneously, we get to explore the world of the garden below the dirt. The reader learns how worms, dead leaves, and pill bugs also contribute to the plant cycle. It’s heartwarming and informative, not to mention dynamically illustrated.

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Summer Supper

by Rubin Pfeffer, Illustrated by Mike Austin

The only thing this book highlights more than gardening is the letter S! Each page is filled with gardening and cooking words, each beginning with this swirly letter. With few words and lots of alliteration, it’s a great volume to help kids learn about letter sounds and make the connection between print and speech that will lead to successful reading, writing, and spelling. It also contains a lot of onomatopoeias, which makes it a noisy and fun read-aloud book. So dive into the world of summer gardening and the silly sounds of S. (Related: See our posts about drawing kids’ attention to print and teaching children the alphabet.)
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Growing Vegetable Soup

written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert

Renowned author/illustrator Lois Ehlert is no stranger to creating children’s books about nature. With simple sentences and bright, bold illustrations, this volume is engaging for the youngest gardeners. You can even get it in board book form. Growing Vegetable Soup is true to its title, following the plot from planting vegetable seeds, through using tools to harvest them, and finally throwing them together in a pot to make the most delicious soup ever! For a complete story time activity, follow up your reading by making vegetable soup together with your child.
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Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood

by Tony Hillery,  illustrated by Jessie Hartland

This nonfiction kids’ gardening book is by Tony Hillery, the founder of an urban-farming nonprofit organization called Harlem Grown. In 2011, Hillery discovered an empty, ignored lot in the Harlem neighborhood of New York. And with a lot of love, and even more hard work, he transformed it into a garden where children could learn about food and try fresh produce. This book follows his story, demonstrating how gardening can truly change people’s lives.
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If You Plant a Seed

written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson

In this lovely book, author/illustrator Kadir Nelson has created a masterpiece of metaphor to inspire little listeners. A rabbit and a mouse plant a seed and are excited to reap the rewards of their hard work—but, when their food is ready, some other animals have other plans. Nelson’s gorgeous illustrations show how a garden grows, while his poetic language illustrates that, just as we plant a seed that grows into a full garden, we can plant seeds of kindness that will grow into more and more kindness and a full life.
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Where in the Garden Series

by JaNay Brown-Wood, Illustrated by Samara Hardy

Where in the Garden is an adorable series of four picture books about different children and their different types of gardens. It includes: Amara’s Farm about all the produce a girl’s family farm produces each fall; Miguel’s Community Garden about healthy food grown in urban surroundings, Logan’s Greenhouse about a family’s greenhouse and the search for wonderful winter vegetables, and Linh’s Rooftop Garden, due out in 2023. Each book explores different produce and flowers, as well as sending kids on a seek-and-find search for specific plants as they read. This series is interactive and shows that you can grow a garden anywhere you live!
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One Little Lot: The 1-2-3s of an Urban Garden

by Diane C. Mullen,  illustrated by Oriol Vidal

Kids love a good counting book, and this one is one of my favorites! Beyond simply counting items in a garden, One Little Lot uses numbers and counting to tell the story of a community working together to transform an abandoned city lot into a thriving garden. What starts off as one lonely lot ends with ten newfound friends enjoying the fruits of their labor together. A sweet lesson, and a fun way to practice numbers as you read aloud to your little ones.
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Yasmin the Gardener

by Saadia Faruqi, Illustrated by Hatem Aly

Ideal for early readers, this book recounts the story of Yasmin, a young Pakistani-American girl with ambition and a fabulous imagination. Yasmin the Gardener is part of a whole series about Yasmin by Saadia Faruqi. In each book, the girl takes on a new and exciting challenge for her career goal of the day. In this edition, Yasmin longs to be (you guessed it) a gardener! Her father explains the importance of caring for plants like you would any other living thing, and Yasmin takes the responsibility seriously. At the end of the book is an Urdu-English glossary, plus a cool gardening craft to do with your child.
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My First Book of Growing Food 

by Duopress Labs,, illustrated by Åsa Gilland

If you’re looking for a way to introduce your baby or toddler to gardening and the concept of growing food, try this board book. My First Book of Growing Food gets into the growing conditions that various vegetables and fruits need to flourish, talks about their different flavors, and suggests ways you can prepare them, as well. The charming  illustrations by Asa Gilland demonstrate that we can raise food in many different places—from a garden to inside a house or even the windowsill of an apartment.

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Chrysta Naron (she/her) is an early childhood educator, curriculum specialist, and the founder of the education nonprofit Read the Room. She believes everything is better with glitter! Follow her on Instagram.

We’ve all heard the phrase “Silence is golden.” Well if that’s true, then the most golden letter of them all has to be silent E!

We often see E at the end of the word, but we don’t pronounce it. That’s silent E. But silent E does more than sit around the ends of words like a bump on a log. It changes whatever vowel comes earlier in the word. The preceding vowel changes from a “short” vowel sound to a “long” vowel sound (meaning the vowel is pronounced as its own name). Here are examples of silent E changing short vowel sounds into the long sounds:

  • Hop ⇨ hope
  • Kit ⇨ kite
  • Can ⇨ cane
  • Cod ⇨ code

We grownups read these words without thinking about it. But for kids, this change can really trip them up. So, how to teach silent E? I often describe it to my students with a cute story, like this. “Vowels like to be the most important letter in the word. When silent E shows up, the first vowel wants to let E know that they’re the boss, so they shout their name.” We practice shouting the long vowel sounds together. (Kids love a good excuse to yell.) And then we practice with a few sample silent E words. I stick to words they know the meaning of, like rope, cake, and made.

After that, it’s just a question of practice. But before you pull out the worksheets and flashcards, consider snuggling up on the couch with your child and some good books instead. Below are some awesome picture books that help parents teach silent E and kids practice reading it. Snag some of these, or keep an eye out during story time for silent E words to point out in the books you already have. (Bonus: Print and make our easy Cake in a Cup Read with Me Recipe for more practice with silent E.)

The Mighty Silent E

by Kimberlee Gard, Illustrated by Sandie Sonke

This book is THE book to help your child learn about silent E. It focuses on little E, a letter in elementary school who is waiting for his day to shine. None of the other letters take much notice of him, until the day he doesn’t show up to school and suddenly there are so many words that can’t be spelled! The story allows your child to read incomplete words and decipher what they would be with a silent E added. It’s funny, informative, and a great way to practice this vital reading skill.
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Stick and Stone

by Beth Ferry, Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

I adore this book for helping kids practice reading silent E. It’s so perfect for this—without even trying to be. It’s easy to read, with short sentences and vocabulary that children know or can quickly grasp. There are lots of silent E words throughout the book, including, stone, alone, and cone. Plus, the story about the friendship blossoming between a stick and a stone is adorable and shows kids how to stand up for those you love.
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This Is the Rope: A Story From the Great Migration

By Jacqueline Woodson, Illustrated by James Ransome

Award-winning author Jacqueline Woodson tells the story of a piece of rope and how it’s used for three generations in one family. The word rope appears on every page, allowing children to practice repeatedly reading silent E without the use of flashcards or drills. Exposing a child to a word multiple times helps them to engage with the phonetic concept more fully and commit it to memory. This is the Rope is a great place to start.
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Homemade Love

By bell hooks, Illustrated by Shane W. Evans

In this book, your child will find silent E all over the place. There is at least one word containing a silent E on almost every single page. (There are even a couple of sneaky compound words, like “homemade.”) Your child will be able to practice reading a variety of words, while being swept up in a relatable story about a little girl who loves her family and learns that everyone makes mistakes. The pictures are bright, the story is sweet, and the silent Es are plentiful!
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Rude Cakes

by Rowboat Watkins

Cake has got to be the best silent E word in the world. Well, unless it’s this cake, that is. The very rude cake that stars in this funny picture book is not so great at all. However, the opportunity for your child to practice reading silent E words over and over again—while learning manners, too, and giggling over silly illustrations—means that this book is still a sweet treat. (Kid loves laughs? Check out these 10 funny books for kids, then read about why funny books for kids make smart choices.)
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Hurry Kate, or You’ll Be Late!

by Janice N. Harrington, Illustrated by Tiffany Rose

Due for release in April of 2023, this book has enough silent Es to make me want to click “preorder!” Here are the outlines of this upcoming release: Kate is on her way to her first day of preschool and she’s running late. But it’s not her fault. It’s surely not because of her strict wishes for styling her afro puffs, or how many cars and trucks she stops and waves to on the way, or how many neighbors she says hello to. Surely she’s running late because of the very long hug her daddy gave her. Your child will get to practice reading silent E as they relate to Kate’s tale, and maybe then they’ll even recognize it in their name or that of someone they know!
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Dem Bones

written and illustrated by Bob Barner

Dem Bones is such a great choice for learning about silent E because it has so many things going for it! For starters, the word bone is used repeatedly, giving your child the chance to commit it to memory and practice the letter pattern. Secondly, the book’s main text is the lyrics to the song “Dem Bones.” Adding music and rhythm to lessons allows children to absorb and remember things more quickly. Lastly, each page has a box discussing a different bone and how it works in human anatomy. So much good stuff in such a small book!
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Tree of Cranes

written and illustrated by Allen Say

This is the beautiful story of a young boy in Japan learning about Christmas from his mother, who grew up in California. Lacking traditional Western Christmas ornaments, they decorate their tree with paper cranes. While most of the books on this list are relatively short with simple sentences that allow young readers to practice somewhat independently, Tree of Cranes differs in that it’s a slightly longer tale with more complex sentences. This offers a great opportunity for you to read to your child, allowing them to relax into story time while you still help them learn silent E. When you run across one of the many silent E words as you read, pause and point to it. Invite your child to read that word aloud. Your child will feel included without it feeling laborious.

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Do you have any favorite books that are great for practicing silent E? Connect on social and let us know!

Chrysta Naron (she/her) is an early childhood educator, curriculum specialist, and the founder of the education nonprofit Read the Room. She believes everything is better with glitter! Follow her on Instagram.

As an early childhood educator, I love to use cooking with kids to teach. I use it to teach math, culture, and reading. And you can do the same at home—use our Read-with-Me Recipes to help your child practice reading skills in a fun way in the kitchen. And you can pair your cooking activities with a great book (or several) to build on the learning and enjoyment. Use this curated list of 11 picture books for kids who love cooking to whip up some great cooking-themed story times. Your child will learn about different cultures and find recipes in each one to boot!

MayaSmart.com has also produced a collection of Read with Me Recipes that are designed to help kids practice reading skills while preparing simple snacks and meals. They’re gathered together in a free printable PDF, along with specific teaching tips for each recipe.

Cora Cooks Pancit

by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore, Illustrated by Kristi Valiant

Cora Cooks Pancit is a darling story about Cora, a young Filipina girl, and her mother. Being the youngest sibling means that Cora never gets to help in the kitchen like her siblings. Today, however, it’s finally Cora’s turn! Enjoy this cooking adventure as Cora learns independence and the family learns to appreciate how much she’s grown. (Recipe included: Pancit)
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The Ugly Vegetables

written and illustrated by Grace Lin

This is one of my favorite children’s books of all time. Springtime has arrived, and every house in the neighborhood has a garden going. But while most are filled with beautiful flowers, our young narrator is disappointed by her family’s garden. It’s just full of ugly vegetables! As the gardens continue to grow, we see the main character struggle with her mother’s traditional Chinese garden and her own desire to be like other families. But when it comes time to harvest the vegetables, everyone in the neighborhood wants in on the delicious soup they make! (Recipe included: ugly vegetable soup)
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Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story

by Kevin Noble Maillard, Illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

This book won the 2020 Robert F. Sibert Medal for the most distinguished informational book for children and was named a 2020 American Indian Youth Literature Honor book. And it’s not hard to see why! This warm story shows children helping an elder to make a traditional Native American dish, fry bread. In the tale, the fry bread is lovingly prepared while given cultural context. Your heart and stomach will be full after this book. (Recipe included: fry bread)
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Sweet Potato Pie

by Kathleen D. Lindsey, Illustrated by Charlotte Riley-Webb

This tale recounts the experience of a black family in the 1900s, close to losing their farm after a terrible drought. How will they ever earn the money to pay the bank when all they’ve grown is sweet potatoes? Never fear, Mama has it under control! With a little help from the whole family, Mama’s mouth-watering sweet potato pies will save the day. (Recipe included: Sweet potato pie)
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Bilal Cooks Daal

by Aisha Saeed, Illustrated by Anoosha Syed

Yum—daal! Bilal loves to cook with his father, especially the South Asian dish of daal. But today, Bilal won’t just be cooking with Abu, he’s going to show all of his friends how to make daal, too. This book is a wonderful way to introduce cooking as a community activity to your child. What’s more, this father-son cooking story offers much-needed representation, since many cooking books focus on mothers and daughters.(Recipe included: Chana Daal)
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Every Night is Pizza Night

by J. Kenji López-Alt, Illustrated by Gianna Ruggiero

Chef, restaurateur, author, and dad J. Kenji López-Alt has written a book about Pipo, a kid who is determined to prove to her whole family that pizza is, in fact, the best food in the world. Her family dreams of trying other cuisine, but it looks like it might be an uphill battle! In the name of science, Pipo visits her neighbors and tries their favorite foods in a bid to demonstrate that pizza is #1. This is a great book for your selective eaters and illustrates that being open to new things doesn’t have to mean giving up the things you already love. (Recipe included: Pipo’s pizza).
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Freedom Soup

by Tami Charles, Illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara

This book packs a punch! It’s a story within a story. A Haitian grandmother tells her granddaughter the story of Haiti’s revolution as they cook together, the family recipe for Freedom Soup. The story ends with the glow of hope and, luckily for us, the recipe for this fabulous dish. (Recipe included: Freedom soup)
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Bee-bim Bop!

by Linda Sue Park, Illustrated by Ho Baek Lee

Told in rhyme, this adorable story is narrated through the eyes of a young Korean girl. We see her family go through every step of the process to make delicious bee-bim bop. From the grocery store to the family table, your child will see the joy of making this meal and how each person can customize it to their unique tastes. Be careful though, after reading this book, I immediately have a craving for bee-bim bop! (Recipe included: bee-bim bop)
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How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

written and illustrated by Marjorie Priceman

You’ve probably heard the expression “as American as apple pie.” Well, in this book, you and your child will go on adventures all over the world to make this classic dessert. From Italy to England to Jamaica and beyond, you’ll get to see just where all of the ingredients come from to make the perfect apple pie. It’s a lovely way of intertwining imagination and cooking together. (Recipe included: apple pie)

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Our Little Kitchen

written and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki

This one is a book for the senses. Filled with wonderful illustrations to gaze upon, onomatopoeias galore, and recipes in the back, you and your little chef will be entranced by this volume. What’s wonderful about Our Little Kitchen is that it is so much more than a book about any one specific dish. It’s a book about community and about food as a way to bring people together and to help others. It teaches about using food that we might otherwise waste and being grateful for all we can do for one another. (Recipe included: apple crumble)
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A Very Asian Guide to Korean Food

by Michelle Li, Illustrated by Sunnu Rebecca Choi

Journalist Michelle Li has created a feast for the stomach and eyes with her book on Korean cuisine. After facing public vitriol from people after she described what foods are eaten for Korean New Year Celebration, Michelle started the Very Asian Foundation. This book furthers the mission by introducing dishes and explaining their flavors, their history, and their pronunciation, plus fun facts. After reading it, I immediately headed out to stock up on all these yummy delights! (Recipe included: Mandu)
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Chrysta Naron (she/her) is an early childhood educator, curriculum specialist, and the founder of the education nonprofit Read the Room. She believes everything is better with glitter! Follow her on Instagram.

Lights! Camera! Reading Action! A huge part of helping children learn to love books is getting them engaged and keeping it that way. By showing children how wonderful a book can be, they’ll want to dive in even more. Why not use every tool in your toolbox? Sharing books by people they recognize or admire is one more way to get them invested in the books they have in front of them. Additionally, introducing children to people they may one day encounter on television, in film, or on the news from a diverse range of backgrounds and careers allows them to envision their own future lives and potential.

C is for Country

by Lil Nas X, Illustrated by Theodore Taylor III

Have a little cowpoke in your family? Then saddle up with this book from beloved singer/rapper Lil Nas X (whose song “Old Town Road” was an instant new classic with kids and grownups). It’s a charming alphabet book that’s set on a farm! It’s particularly adorable because we see the alphabet used with Lil Nas X’s well known sense of style and originality. Why should F stand for farm when it can stand for fringe and feathers instead?!
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Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem

by Amanda Gorman, Illustrated by Loren Long

First U.S. National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman took the country by storm with her poem, “The Hill We Climb” at the 2021 Presidential Inauguration, which brought her immense talent to the spotlight. Her children’s book, Change Sings, teaches kids about tolerance, building equality, and making a difference. After all, the power to change the world does not just lie with adults, but also with children.
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Sulwe

by Lupita Nyong’o, Illustrated by Vashti Harrison

Black Panther actress and Academy Award-winner Lupita Nyong’o has written a beautiful story about a little girl named Sulwe. Sulwe discusses colorism, self-esteem, and learning to love the skin you’re in. With illustrations by Vashti Harrison, the story is lush and moving in both words and pictures.
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The Bench

by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, Illustrated by Christian Robinson

Have you or your little one ever wanted to read a book written by royalty? Here’s your chance! This beautiful poem written by the Duchess of Sussex, aka Meghan Markle, is a gentle and loving ode to her husband and son. Like Love You Forever or Goodnight Moon, it’s destined to become a bedtime classic. And its authorship will instantly engage any little princess and prince fans, as well as offering an opening for meaningful conversations.
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I Promise

by LeBron James, Illustrated by Nina Mata

Legendary basketball star LeBron James has written a children’s book that’s not simply a book—it’s a mantra. Wonderfully and vibrantly illustrated by the very talented Nina Mata, I Promise delivers a list of promises for a child (or even an adult) to make to themselves each day. These vows focus on helping others, taking care of and believing in oneself, and finding ways to make the world a better place. It’s a book of positivity, joy, and encouragement that can help anyone find their greatness within.
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Welcome to the Party

by Gabrielle Union, Illustrated by Ashley Evans

There are hundreds of books about welcoming a new baby to the world. Most of them are filled with soft water colors and poems that tug at a new parent’s heartstrings. What sets this volume from actress Gabrielle Union (who kids may remember from Cheaper by the Dozen or as the voice of Nala in The Lion Guard TV Series) apart is the vibrancy and celebration surrounding the new baby. There are crowns to be worn, red carpets to strut, and dancing to be done.
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My Mom is a Foreigner, But Not To Me

by Julianne Moore, Illustrated by Meilo So

Would your child recognize actress Julianne Moore’s voice as Cora Prescott from Spirit Untamed? Tell them Lucky and Julian’s bossy Aunt Cora is played by a real person who’s an author, too! You may already have seen Moore’s bestselling children’s book series, Freckleface Strawberry. However, I love this book so much more. In it, we see children who are growing up with immigrant mothers. They love and celebrate the uniqueness of their families and getting to be part of multiple cultures. It’s a joyful look at how many American families live their daily lives from this well-known actress.
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Malala's Magic Pencil

by Malala Yousafzai, Illustrated by Kerascoët

This memoir by Nobel Prize-winner Malala Yousafzai, is a touching look at her story of witnessing the injustices of the world around her, especially towards young girls, and becoming a child activist. Wishing she had a magic pencil that could draw the world the way she thought it should be, Malala learned that her voice is even more powerful, especially when joined by the voices of others.

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The Book With No Pictures

by B.J. Novak

THIS. BOOK. IS. GENIUS. True to the title, the book has no pictures. However, it explains to children that the adult reading must say whatever words are printed on the page. It’s simple, smart, and incredibly funny. Everytime we pull out this book, I end up reading it at least three times in a row. You and your kids will be in stitches with this masterpiece by The Office writer/actor B.J. Novak.

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Your Baby's First Word Will Be DADA

by Jimmy Fallon, Illustrated by Miguel Ordóñez

A book full of giggles and smiles? Would you expect anything less from the hilarious late-night host and SNL alum, Jimmy Fallon? I think not. A book that features animal dads trying to get their animal children to say “Dada” will be relatable for all fathers and make every parent and child giggle with glee.
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I Am Perfectly Designed

by Karamo Brown with Jason “Rachel” Brown, Illustrated by Anoosha Syed

Queer Eye actor Karamo Brown has teamed up with his son Jason to write this heartwarming story reflecting their strong bond. The love between a father and his child fills every page, along with the timeless message to children that, no matter what happens, no matter who they are, they are perfectly designed, just as they are.
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Dancing in the Wings

by Debbie Allen, Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Debbie Allen—dancer, actress, choreographer, and star of Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker, which many kids may have seen on Netflix—shares the story of how she got started in dance as a child through this picture-book memoir. It’s a beautiful book with illustrations by the unparalleled Kadir Nelson. Debbie’s story will make readers old and young want to push harder against naysayers and injustice, as well as to put on music and dance around the living room.
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The One and Only Sparkella

by Channing Tatum, Illustrated by Kim Barnes

Does your child love to stand out? Do they simply have to shine wherever they go? Then this is the book for you! Actor Channing Tatum has written a book inspired by his own sparkle-loving daughter. It sends a powerful message that, regardless of what anyone says or thinks, you always have the right to be yourself and sparkle all the time.
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Firebird

by Misty Copeland, Illustrated by Christopher Myers

Misty Copeland, the first African American female principal ballet dancer in American Ballet Theatre, has written an award-winning picture book recounting the story of her struggles and perseverance to become a professional ballerina. Eventually she landed the role of the Firebird in one of the world’s most famous ballets, at one of the world’s most prestigious ballet companies. Cherish this book with any dancers in your family.
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Where Do Balloons Go? An Uplifting Mystery

by Jamie Lee Curtis, Illustrated by Laura Cornell

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis can make her audiences laugh, scream—and, now, process big emotions. Jamie has a long list of children’s books to her name, all about adoption, self-esteem, and discrimination. This one is my favorite. In Where Do Balloons Go? she teaches children about death and grief through the metaphor of letting go of a balloon. It’s relatable, sensitive, and sweet. A great go-to if your family needs help discussing loss.
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Peanut Goes for the Gold

by Jonathan Van Ness, Illustrated by Gillian Reid

Peanut is a unique little guinea pig. In this story by reality TV star Jonathan Van Ness, children learn about staying true to themselves with joy and self-acceptance. They’ll also see a nonbinary character being normalized as the lead character of the story!

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Sebi and the Land of Cha Cha Cha

by Roselyn Sánchez and Eric Winter, Illustrated by Nivea Ortiz

Wife and husband acting duo Roselyn Sánchez and Eric Winter wrote this book for their daughter, Sebi. After seeing that most books about dance were focused on ballet, they decided to create something that focused on the kind of dance their family enjoys, the cha-cha! It’s a great book to get your toes tapping.
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Twintuition (the series)

by Tia and Tamera Mowry

These twin sisters and actresses, originally of Sister, Sister fame and who kids these days may recognize from the Disney Twitches movies, have joined forces again to bring out a delightful early chapter book series. Geared toward children from ages 8 to 12, these books are about twin sisters who discover they have the ability to see the future. But what will they do when they see something not so nice headed their way? Try to change the future and save their friends, of course!

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What celebrity books sparked your imagination? Do you have a suggestion to include in our list? Let us know!

Chrysta Naron (she/her) is an early childhood educator, curriculum specialist, and the founder of the education nonprofit Read the Room. She believes everything is better with glitter! Follow her on Instagram.

Laughter is universal. Just think: we laugh before we can speak. It contributes to our well-being and growth, and its powers are wide-ranging—it’s shown to benefit our bodies and minds, as well as being a catalyst for learning and social connection. 

Whatever stage a child’s sense of humor is at—and this evolves rapidly in the first years of life—most parents would agree that if you can make them laugh, they’ll come back for more. And that’s just one reason why funny books for kids make smart choices for reading together. 

So if your child loves funny reads, or if you think funny children’s books might help spark their love of reading, why not give more weight to light-hearted and humorous titles? For starters, try these 9 funny picture books for kids. Then enjoy the benefits, and especially the laughs together.  

Please, Baby, Please

by Spike Lee & Tonya Lewis Lee, Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Toddlers and parents will see themselves in the hilariously familiar scenarios portrayed in this book, while older readers might also delight in recognizing younger siblings or a younger version of themselves. A mom pleads with her young daughter to behave throughout the day—over everything from not drawing on the walls to sharing her toys, leaving the playground and eating her peas—only to be met with a charmingly cheeky smile in response. The repetitive, lilting text works with beautifully amusing illustrations to create a winsome combination.     

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Poo Bum

written & illustrated by Stephanie Blake

Guaranteed to get little readers giggling with glee, this book serves up a healthy dose of irreverence and turns the classic moralistic children’s story on its head. It’s also a wry observation on the gulf between what parents often wish their children to be and the reality. 

Little rabbit Simon only says one thing—no prizes for guessing what that is—until one day, after a perilous encounter with a hungry wolf, he seems cured of his potty mouth. Or at least we think he is … Subversive, anarchic and bold, the story brings together simple illustration and text to impish—and refreshing—effect.   
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Never Show a T-Rex a Book

by Rashmi Sirdeshpande

A joyful romp of a read that also celebrates the power of books and imagination: win-win! A little girl imagines what would happen if she showed a book to a T-Rex. The dinosaur’s gargantuan appetite for books leads her to learn how to read, then quickly snowballs into ever-crazier consequences. 

The T-Rex graduates from an insatiable bookworm into exploring different careers before eventually becoming her country’s political leader and precipitating a dinosaur takeover of the world. The colorful, lively illustrations work brilliantly with the mounting chaos of the storyline to provoke laughter that will have little readers coming back for more.       

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Sam and Dave Dig a Hole

by Mac Barnett, Illustrated by Jon Klassen

The laughs in this book come from how the illustrations are gloriously at odds with the text. Sam and Dave dig a hole, looking for “something spectacular.” They dig deeper and deeper, hilariously unaware of the ever-larger gemstones they bypass, until eventually they end up falling through the earth—thanks to the persistent digging efforts of their doggy companion—and seem to land right back where they started. Something spectacular indeed. A gem of a choice for children able to grasp more sophisticated, subtle humor.     
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Peeny Butter Fudge

by Toni Morrison & Slade Morrison, Illustrated by Joe Cepeda

An ode to the joys of play between grandparents and grandchildren, this heartwarming story is also very funny. Three kids spend the day with their fun-loving Nana, who ignores the strictly sensible child-care schedule in favor of silliness and spontaneity. The kids have a riot of a time, ending by turning the kitchen upside down in the process of making peanut butter fudge. But what will Mom think when she gets home? The rhyming, rhythmic text will get readers of all ages wanting to join in and support the rule-bending shenanigans depicted.  

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The Book With No Pictures

by B.J. Novak

This riotously laugh-out-loud book hangs on a radically simple conceit. Instead of the usual picture book format they’ll be used to, kids get text in different fonts, colors, sizes and layouts. How utterly boring. Except… the text makes the grown-up reading it do silly voices and say ridiculous things. And what could possibly be funnier than seeing an adult forced to be silly? 

If you can tempt your child to break the rules and try a “picture” book without pictures (and this may take some persuasion), the rewards should be hysterical laughter and a uniquely dramatic and dynamic shared reading experience, with little ones gleefully chiming in at every opportunity. A surefire read-aloud hit. (It’s also fabulous for making kids aware of print—learn more in our post about books for building print awareness.)
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Finders Keepers

written & illustrated by Keiko Kasza

In this amusing, circular story, cute woodland creatures meet silly scenarios—all topped by a witty twist at the end. Squirrel uses a little red hat to mark the place where he’s buried his acorn. But when the wind blows the hat away, the other animals all want a piece of it, using it as everything from a nest, to a boat, to a clown nose. A great choice for younger readers, who will be tickled by the hat’s adventures and its temporary keepers alike, and will laugh along with the comedic suspense and repeated refrain.
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The Day the Crayons Quit

by Drew Daywalt, Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

A vivid and playful exploration of color, creativity, and challenging expectations, this book cleverly flips typical picture book perspectives and storytelling conventions with highly amusing results. Duncan just wants to draw. But what he finds, instead of his crayons, are messages—each one written by a different color, complaining of the hardships, slights, and rivalries upsetting them. 

Red is overworked, beige is woefully underused, and black only ever gets chosen to be the outline of things. Yellow and orange both believe they are the true color of the sun. How will Duncan resolve his crayons’ unhappiness? A longer read with lots to linger over in both text and illustration, this satisfyingly comical story is likely to appeal to younger and older readers time and again.    

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Rocket Says Look Up!

by Nathan Bryon, llustrated by Dapo Adeola

This inspiring and highly entertaining story for all kids, while not purely humorous, owes a lot to its hilarious and spunky central character Rocket, and her big brother Jamal. Chatterbox Rocket loves science and space and can’t wait to watch a predicted meteor shower alongside as many people as she can gather to join her. Readers will love following her efforts, sprinkled with many laugh-out-loud moments, from jokes at the expense of Jamal—who’s too busy staring at his phone to look up at the stars or his surroundings—to Rocket’s infectious dance moves. 

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What children’s books sparked your imagination? Let us Which funny kids’ books spark laughs in your family? Have a suggestion to include in our list? Let us know!

Andrea Hunt is a writer, editor, and storytimer who shares and reviews picture books in the margins of work and family life (@hellobookcub on Instagram).

Bodies come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and capacities. Would you like your child to learn to love their own body and accept others the way they are? Picture books are a wonderful tool to foster body positivity and tolerance, as well as to spark valuable conversations with your little one. (Plus, reading stories can actually lower levels of stress and pain and build emotional intelligence, setting children up to better navigate whatever life sends their way.) 

Children begin to develop self-esteem as early as age five, and positive representation is tied to higher self-esteem. That’s why we’ve put together a list of empowering stories that feature kids who look or feel different. Check out these beautiful picture books that encourage self-love and acceptance.

Jacob’s Eye Patch

by Beth Kobliner Shaw & Jacob Shaw, Illustrated by Jules Feiffer

This story follows Jacob, a young boy who wears an eye patch, as he hurries to visit a science shop and purchase the last light-up globe. Along the way, Jacob meets lots of people who are interested in his eye patch. While Jacob doesn’t usually mind explaining, today he is afraid that if he spends time talking with people, someone else will get the globe first. When he finally reaches the store and finds the globe, Jacob is more than happy to tell everyone about his eye patch!

In addition to providing great representation, Jacob’s Eye Patch is a wonderful tool to show children that sometimes people get frustrated because of outside reasons—not because they’re upset with the person they’re speaking to. It also teaches kids that it’s okay to set boundaries with curious strangers, a valuable but often overlooked lesson.
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Sweety

by Andrea Zuill

As a child, it’s easy to feel like the odd one out. Peer pressure can cause kids to feel self-conscious about the very things that make them special. In this book, we meet Sweety, an awkward mole rat who struggles to identify social cues, has hobbies that other kids find odd, and always seems to stick out. Sweety considers changing her hobbies and appearance so she can fit in, but when she visits her Aunt Ruth, who enjoys her hobbies, she realizes that being herself isn’t so bad—it’s actually great! If you’re looking for a book that teaches kids to unapologetically embrace their quirks, Sweety is a great role mole-del!
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Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You

By Sonia Sotomayor, Illustrated by Rafael López

When you’re self-conscious, it often seems like everyone else fits in and you’re the one who doesn’t, when in fact others may be feeling exactly the same way. Kids, in particular, often don’t realize that everyone else has their own uncertainties and struggles. In this title by the Supreme Court Justice, a character named Sonia and her friends build a garden.

Each friend explains their differences—Anthony can’t walk, so he uses a wheelchair; Anh has a stutter and struggles to talk to people—and each page encourages children to think about their own experiences and emotions. With so many positive portrayals of different experiences, the book supports children to feel confident about their own and to consider how other kids might struggle.
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It’s Okay to Be Different

by Todd Parr

Todd Parr’s beloved classic It’s Okay to Be Different sets babies and toddlers on the road to self-love, body positivity, and acceptance. This colorful book for very young children explains potential differences in simple terms, assuring little readers that it’s okay to “come from a different place,” “be a different color,” “wear glasses,” “have wheels” (i.e., use a wheelchair), be a variety of sizes, and so much more. It’s a beautiful way to teach kids early to accept others and themselves.
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Not Quite Snow White

by Ashley Franklin, Illustrated by Ebony Glenn

Sometimes, insecurities come from teasing or gossip. Bullying and mean comments can strip away a child’s confidence, but that doesn’t mean that they’re true! In Not Quite Snow White, we follow a little girl named Tameika who loves to dance and sing. When Tameika’s school hosts auditions for the school play, she’s excited to try out for Snow White. But the other kids soon begin to gossip that she’s too tall, too chubby, and too brown to be the princess.

Fortunately, Tameika realizes that she’s just tall enough, just chubby enough, and just brown enough to be a princess—and to be herself! Not Quite Snow White offers a powerful lesson in embracing what makes us special rather than trying to fit into a cookie-cutter mold.
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Juan has the Jitters

by Aneta Cruz, Illustrated by Miki Yamamoto

 

Sometimes, kids may feel insecure about their bodies; other times, they may feel insecure about what they do with their bodies. In Juan has the Jitters, Juan is dreading his school’s sports day, so he claps anxiously and organizes his room to attempt to cope with the stress.

When the big day rolls around, he’s excited to see that all of the events are well-suited to his skills. He still continues to clap to comfort himself, but that’s okay—everyone manages nervousness a little differently! Juan has the Jitters is an excellent book for children who might feel anxious about future events or worry about how their quirks could become embarrassing. Juan does not have to stop clapping to have a good day—he can be happy while embracing his individuality!
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Her Body Can and His Body Can

by Katie Crenshaw & Ady Meschke, Illustrated by Li Liu

In Her Body Can, Katie Crenshaw and Ady Meschke describe all the wonderful things that a girl can do—run, play, sing, smile, and so much more! This sweet rhyming story for young kids encourages readers to focus on what their bodies can do, rather than on what they’re not. It also teaches them to ignore unkind words and never let others’ opinions stop them from doing what they love. If you like Her Body Can, the duo recently released a follow-up book called His Body Can that celebrates what boys can do.
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Skin Again

by bell hooks, Illustrated by Chris Raschka

Skin Again is an abstract and poetic little tome that promotes the lesson that, while skin tells part of a person’s story, you have to look inside the person to really find out about them. It also reminds kids that some of our stories are real, while others are made up, but that’s okay—we all create a little bit of our personality.

Be aware that Skin Again may be a tougher read for some younger listeners to comprehend without help from you, but it offers a powerful springboard to talk with kids about the concept of self and others. It’s a lovely opportunity to chat about the fact that everyone has complicated stories that aren’t visible on the outside but are worth celebrating.
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Sulwe

by Lupita Nyong’o, Illustrated by Vashti Harrison

In the modern classic Sulwe, a little girl is bullied because of her dark skin. Her family all has lighter skin, leading her to feel that she can’t even relate to them. Instead, she tries to lighten her skin tone. One night, a shooting star visits Sulwe and tells her about two sisters, Night and Day, who were treated very differently. People always complained about Night, so she ran away, but then everyone soon realized that Night and Day had to balance each other. Both were needed, both were equally important.

From that night on, Sulwe realized that she too was very beautiful. In Sulwe, Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong’o has created a lovely tool that can teach children not only to love and value all skin tones, but also that it’s okay to not always relate to their family—and that their family will ultimately support them.
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Hello, Goodbye Dog

by Maria Gianferrari, Illustrated by Patrice Barton

Hello, Goodbye Dog follows a young girl in a wheelchair, named Zara, and her dog Moose, both of whom love each other very dearly. Moose always gets upset when he has to say goodbye to Zara (and frequently causes mischief while trying to reunite with her). So Zara thinks of a plan to keep them from having to part: Moose goes to therapy dog school and is registered as a therapy dog!

Hello, Goodbye Dog is a wonderful book that encourages finding the unconventional upsides to difficult situations. It’s also a great way to introduce children without therapy dogs—especially those who are afraid of dogs—to the concept.
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Looking for more recommendations? Check out our Bookshop.org page for curated reading lists!

Demetra Nikolakakis is an avid reader, writer, and coffee drinker based in Toronto, Canada.