Publisher’s note: In these days of social distancing, many parents may be looking for ways to keep their kids engaged at home. Edmonds resident and retired teacher Barbara Chase offered to share her own list of reading recommendations for children of all ages.
Ever since I started teaching many moons ago, I noticed that schools seemed to discourage parents with the idea that teachers know best, and parents…not so much. But really the people closest to the child from birth have a tremendous effect on kids’ learning.
It starts with the mother eating carefully and exercising while pregnant to ensure that a child has the best health possible. When a child is born the father supports Mom by giving her some breaks and helping with the child from birth.
While I lived in Japan in the 1970s, I noticed some practices which help children. Mothers had their children on their backs. It was a rarity to hear a child cry. That physical closeness promotes security, which in turn helps children develop to their potential. Children in Japan were exposed to books at a young age.
I hope to encourage those who work with children, especially parents, but brothers and sisters, grandparents and friends can also take part in the effort to encourage reading from an early age.
Reading for enjoyment is a lifelong skill. Often it opens children to the many worlds which are available to them. Remember the ages are suggestions. And many authors like Dr. Seuss have more than one good book. I hope the lists will help you choose good books for your children, grandchildren and friends.
Birth to Age 2
Many good board books
Good Night Moon, Margaret Wise Brown
Freight Train, Donald Crews
Alphabet Books,Number books with many different themes
Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric C
Where’s Spot, Eric Hill
Going to Bed book, Sandra Boynton
Peek a Who, Nina Laden, short simple rhymes, good for baby
Your Baby’s First Word Will be Dada, Jimmy Fallon
You are not Small, Anna Kang
Snowy Day, Ezra Jack Keats
Ages 3 to 5
Many wonderful books including picture books 4
Millions of Cats, by Wanda Gag; Olivia, Ian Falconer
Incredible Book Eating Boy, Oliver Jeffers
Gruffalo, Julia Donaldson
The Story of Ferdinand, by Munro Leaf
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom , by Bill Martin & John Archambault
Real Mother Goose, classic book of poems kids love
Farmer Duck, by Irish writer Martin Waddell
Little Engine that Could, Watty Piper
Cars and Trucks and Things that Go, Richard Scarry
Go Dog go, P.D. Eastman; Curious George, H.A. Rey
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No good,very bad day J. Viorst
Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak
Ages 5-7
Books for Beginning Readers Ages 5-7 5
Cat in the Hat , Horton Hears a Who & others by Dr. Seuss
Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh, A. A. Milne
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl-other great books
Stuart Little. E. B. White
Where the Sidewalk Ends, clever, hilarious poems, Shel Silverstein
Ramona the Pest, Beverly Cleary and other books by Cleary
Tomie dePaola has many good choices, great illustrations
Magic Tree House, Chapter books, fun for beginning readers
Madeline, Ludwig Bemelmans
Pinocchio, Carlo Collodi
The Day the Crayons Quit, Drew Daywalt
The Incredible Book Eating Boy, Oliver Jeffers
Hidden Figures, True Story of Four Black Women and Space Race, Shetterly
Ages 7-9
Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls, story of boy & his coon hounds
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes,story of Japanese girl after WWII
Hundred Dresses, Rufus M. Eleanor Estes
Blueberries for Sal, Robert McCloskey
Misty of Chincoteague, Marguerite Henry
Little House in the Big Woods, Laura Ingalls Wilder
Harry Potter and Sorcerer’s Stone, J. K. Rowling
Lion, Witch and Wardrobe, C. S. Lewis
Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
Charlotte’s Web, E. B. White
Stephen Biesty’s illustrated books, Incredible Cross-Sections Great non fiction books
The Children’s Book of Virtues, William Bennett
Series books: Nancy Drew, Captain Underpants, Diary Wimpy Kid
Astro Boy,Japanese manga series, Osama Tezuka, adventure of robotic boy
Grimm’s Fairy Tales and other fairy and folk tales
Ages 9-12 7
Anne of Green Gables, by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, by Robert C. O’Brien
Island of the Blue Dolphins. Scott O’Dell, native girl & 18 years on island
Hatchett, by Gary Paulsen, story of 13 year old boy who crashes in the wilderness and survives when the pilot of a small plane dies.
The Cricket in Times Square, G. Selden, story of friendship
The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Eliz. Speare. Girl accused of witchcrat
Mary Poppins, by P.L. Travers
Bad beginning: Series of Unfortunate Events, cliff-hanging story of three orphans, by Lemony Snickett, hard to describe, read it and find out
Percy Jackson & Olympians, Rick Riordan, fantasy adventure novel
Comeback Kids, Mike Lupica, football & sports books
Gandhi, books by and about his non violence and home rule
Tail of Emily Windsnap. Liz Kessler, world of mermaids ruled by Neptune
Books by Christopher Mathews
Ages 13-18
Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe
Boys in a Boat, Daniel J. Brown, great story U.S. rowing in 1936 Olympics
Books by Russell Freedman, such as Photobiography of Lincoln
Endurance, Shackleton’s Antarctic Expedition, Caroline Alexander
Sarah, Plain and Tall, Patricia MacLachlan,Sarah helps after mother dies
Carry on Mr. Bowditch, J L. Latham, his book on sea navigation in use now
Kidnapped, Robert Louis Stevenson, orphan makes his way in danger
Watership Down, Richard Adams: survival & adventure novel
Call of the Wild, Jack London
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
*Wizenard : Training Camp, Wesley King w. insights from Kobe Bryant
Usagi Yojimbo,,Samurai Rabbit, Stan Sakai
My Friend Flicka and Black Beauty, classic horse stories
— By Barbara Chase
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