There’s something magical about unwrapping a book during the holidays. Books are a gift filled with adventures, lessons, and a lifetime of memories, making them a perfect present to put under the tree this year. Get ready to go on a reading adventure this season with these tips on picking the right book for the special kids in your life!
Kindergarten
Kindergarteners will love books that invite them to participate fully in a story, with eye-catching illustrations and themes that speak to them, like animals and nature. Look for books that focus on basic concepts like the ABCs, emotions, repetition, and phonics.
Try these: “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle; “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak; “How Do Dinosaurs Go to School?” by Jane Yolen; “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” by Bill Martin; “Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise; “Kindergarten, Here I Come!” by DJ. Steinberg; “The Cat in the Hat” by Dr. Seuss; “The King of Kindergarten” by Derrick Barnes; “Wemberly Worried” by Kevin Henkes; and “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” by Mo Willems.
First Grade
Some children may begin reading a little on their own by first grade. Look for books that will nurture their growing interests with more complex plots and rich language. Books with fun words and silly sounds will keep them entertained and make reading aloud fun.
Try these: “The World Belonged to Us” by Jacqueline Woodson; “Blue Sky White Stars” by Sarvinder Nabehaus; “The Book Hog” by Greg Pizzoli; “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs” by Jon Scieszka; “There’s an Alligator Under My Bed” by Mercer Mayer; “Freckle Juice” by Judy Blume; “The Boy Who Loves Words” by Roni Schotter; “There Is a Bird on Your Head!” by Mo Willems; “Ramona the Pest” by Beverly Cleary; and “Little Cliff’s First Day of School” by Clifton L. Taulbers.
Second Grade
In second grade, students are starting to put ideas together in new ways. Stories featuring characters dealing with the emotions they will experience and nonfiction that introduces them to history and science are great options. Chapter books with pictures will challenge them appropriately and prepare them for more advanced reading standards.
Try these: “You Are Home” by Evan Turk; “Wishtree” by Katherine Applegate; “Ocean Meets Sky” by The Fan Brothers; “Double Bass Blues” by Andrea J. Loney; “Rosie Revere, Engineer” by Andrea Beaty; “Charlotte’s Web” by E B White; “If I Built a Car” by Chris Van Dusen; “Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude” by Kevin O’Malley; “Could you? Would You?” by Trudy White; and “Once Upon a Time” by Niki Daly.
Third Grade
Third graders benefit from books that tackle tougher topics and teach them to handle challenges. Find stories that prompt conversation, test their vocabulary, and build on their knowledge.
Try These: “The Book of Boy” by Catherine Gilbert Murdock; “Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night” by Joyce Sidman; “Babe” by Dick King-Smith; “The Adventures of Paddington” by Michael Bond; “The Penderwicks” by Jeanne Birdsall; “The World According to Humphrey” by Betty Birney; “Bad to the Bone” by Lucy Nolan; “The Marvellers” by Dhonielle Clayton; “The Magic Thief” by Sarah Prineas; and “Crenshaw” by Katherine Applegate.
Fourth Grade
Fourth graders are becoming more fluent and stepping further out of their comfort zones. They can take on thought-provoking themes that encourage them to think about how they relate to the characters and ideas in their books. This is a great age to start reading book series.
Try These: “Nic Blake and Remarkables” by Angie Thomas; “Funny Girl” by Betsy Bird; “The Last Mapmaker” by Christina Sootornvat; “Playing the Cards You’re Dealt” by Varian
Indian; “No More” by Charlene Willing McManis; “Wings of Fire Series” by Tui T Sutherland; “Fables” by Arnold Lobel; “The Phantom Tollbooth” by Norton Juster; “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by JK Rowling; and “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll.
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