We spend a lot of our time reading to our kids.  Not because we think it will make them smarter, or because anyone says we should.  We do it because both my husband and I love to read.  A lot.  It’s a love that we have so far been able to pass on to our kids.  If you’re tired of the same old Dr. Seuss books, here are a list of some of our new and old favorites.  These books are geared towards kindergarteners and younger, only because that is the age of kids that I have.

1.  Fancy Nancy, by Jane O’Connor

We love Fancy Nancy.  Our four year old is as fancy as they come, she cannot get enough of Nancy and her accessories. 

2.  Pinkalicious, by Elizabeth Kahn

This is a similar concept as Fancy Nancy.  Any little girl would love it.  And for me, I love the line, “You get what you get, and you don’t get upset.”  Good lesson there.

3.  Snuggle Puppy, by Sandra Boynton

I’m a huge fan of Sandra Boynton.  I love her rhymes and silly stories.  They are a good replacement or addition to Dr. Seuss

4.  Llama, Llama, Where is Mamma?, by Anna Dewdney

I haven’t read many of the Llama, Llama books, but this one makes us happy.  It has helped us with our two year old and his stranger anxiety. 

5.  Go, Dog. Go!, By P.D. Eastman

My son loves this book, how many little boys could resist cars and dogs all in one place.  One of the first things he ever said was, “Go, Dog!”  This book was one of my favorites as a child as well.  Tired, tried, and true.

6.  Robot Santa, by Dean Koontz

I’m a huge Dean Koontz fan myself, so I was very excited to see his children’s books.  They are cute, rhyme, and have just enough mischief and mayhem to keep the whole family happy.  Even though this is a Christmas book, we read it year round.  My daughter is particularly fond of the heroines. 

7.  I, Trixie, Who is Dog, by Dean Koontz

Again, an adorable book written from the perspective of a pet dog.  Perfectly silly and fun. 

8.  Mine-O-Saur, by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and David Clark

This is an endearing tale of a dinosaur that takes toys, then no one wants to play with him.  Great book teaching the values of sharing. 

9.  Have You Filled a Bucket Today: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids, by Carol McCloud

A great book reinforcing being nice, and other good behaviors. 

10.  Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown

This book has been read to all of my children every night.  It was both of their first books, and is a total family tradition.  It’s a perfect way to end the night.

So, hit up your local library if you haven’t read some of these books, it’s likely you’ll find your new favorite.  Well, at least we enjoy them! 

-Stephanie Wright