A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

America Reads Challenge: Ready*Set*Read for Families - April 1997

American Library Association's
Suggested Book List for Young Readers

This Suggested Book List for Young Readers provides suggestions for books that you can introduce to children at different ages.* Although some of these books have been developed for a particular age, many are old favorites that can be enjoyed at any age.

BIRTH THROUGH EIGHT MONTHS

The following books have simple rhymes and poems.

Big Fat Hen, by Keith Baker
Ten, Nine, Eight, by Molly Bang
Play Rhymes, by Marc Brown
Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown
Tomie DePaola's Mother Goose, by Tomie DePaola
Eye Winker, Tom Tinker, Chin Chopper: 50 Musical Finger Plays, by Tom Glazer

Rosie's Walk, by Pat Hutchins
Read Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young, by Jack Prelutsky
Have You Seen My Duckling?, by Nancy Tafuri
My First Mother Goose, by Rosemary Wells

EIGHT MONTHS THROUGH EIGHTEEN MONTHS

These books are short with a little text and many rhymes. At this age children really enjoy holding cardboard books and turning pages.

Moon Bear, by Frank Asch
Will I Have a Friend?, by Miriam Cohen
Corduroy, by Don Freeman
Where's Spot?, by Eric Hill
Mama, Do You Love Me?, by Barbara Joose

Peter's Chair, by Ezra Jack Keats
Pat the Bunny, by Dorothy Kunhardt
Clap Hands, by Helen Oxenbury
Seven Blind Mice, by Ed Young
"More, More, More " Said the Baby, by Vera Williams

EIGHTEEN THROUGH THIRTY-SIX MONTHS

These books have more text and an easy-to-follow story that moves along quickly.

The Little Red Hen, by Bryon Barton
Clifford the Big Red Dog, by Norman Bridwell
Wait Till the Moon is Full, by Margaret Wise Brown
Stellaluna, by Jannell Cannon
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle

Millions of Cats, by Wanda Gag
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, by Bill Martin Jr. and Lois Ehlert
Curious George, by H.A. Rey
The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss
The Bunny Planet, by Rosemary Wells

THREE TO FIVE YEARS

At this age children can enjoy more complex stories and understand humor.

Country Mouse and City Mouse, by Jan Brett
Stone Soup, by Marcia Brown
The Three Bears, by Paul Galdone
Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, by Eric Kimmel
The Story of Ferdinand, by Munro Leaf

Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McClosky
Tikki, Tikki, Tembo, by Arlene Mosel
The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, by William Steig
Lyle, Lyle Crocodile, by Bernard Waber

This reading list was developed at the American Library Association (ALA) under the Born to Read Project, which builds partnerships between librarians and health care providers to reach out to new and expectant parents and help them raise children who are "born to read. "

* The U.S. Department of Education recommends that parents review this list and make their own decision on the suitability of the books for their children.
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