7 Picture Books Preschoolers Will Love

I didn’t realize the wide scope of picture books until after I had children of my own. I didn’t realize some are geared toward toddlers, others to preschoolers, and still others to elementary age kids. Most picture books skew toward the older crowd, so I wanted to feature some for preschoolers and kids in that 2-5 age range.

These seven books are perfect for preschoolers. They are light on the words, and heavy on the cute. Trust me, your child will love these!

Love Always, Everywhere by Sarah Massini

This precious picture book explores love in the different ways preschoolers feel it and express it. It’s not so much a story as it is an exploration of the concept of love. Whether it’s quiet or loud, a kind gesture, or simply a feeling, love fills every page of this adorable book.

My kids love this book, even though they’re a little too old for it. It’s very sweet. I fully expect my toddler to love it as she gets older, too.

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Max and Ruby’s Preschool Pranks by Rosemary Wells

I don’t know how Rosemary Wells does it. She manages to put out consistently charming books that kids love. My kids are ALWAYS excited to see another Rosemary Wells book in our house and this was no exception.

Max and Ruby are playing school, but Max is having a hard time behaving himself and things get worse once Lily shows up. Miss Ruby and Miss Louise try establishing rules and teaching a lesson, but Max and Lily manage to pull one prank after another until things literally blow up.

This is such a cute book. Kids play school all the time and this is exactly how it goes. My kids love the flaps in the book and all the funny pranks that Max and Lily pull. If your kids like Rosemary Wells, they’ll definitely like this book.

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This is NOT a Cat by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka

At mouse school, a teacher instructs her students on what is and is not a cat, until a real cat shows up in class. I like several things about this book. The first is the simple text. The author used a limited number of words in the book, rearranging them and adding emphasis in the right places. I’ve always loved books that rely on wit.

I also like the illustrations. They tell half the story, and my kids love looking for the clues in the pictures to fill in what the words don’t tell them. Of course, the bright colors and expressive drawings don’t hurt either.

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Where do Pants Go?

Since I know you’re wondering, pants go on your legs.

Now that we have that cleared up, this is such a cute book for toddlers and preschoolers learning to dress themselves. It’s illustrated by Chris Robertson, who has a retro style to his artwork. I’ve loved everything he’s illustrated, so I’m not surprised that I liked this book.

Where Do Pants Go? is geared too young for my older kids, but with just a few words on each page, it’s perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. It teases the reader by asking where various items of clothing should go, trying them on random parts of the body, and eventually landing on the right one.

This would be great at a preschool or for home use when your kids are in that stage of learning to get dressed on their own.

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The Black and White Factory by Eric Telchin, illustrated by Diego Funck

Welcome to the Black and White factory where everything they make is black a white: dominoes, checkered paint, zebra stripes, and bar codes. Oh no! Is that COLOR in the black and white factory?! But the rules forbid color, messes, and surprises explicitly. What will they do?!

This is a cute book that my kids have made me read several dozen times. It starts off very formal and stiff as a panda, penguin, and zebra start walking you through their spotless, colorless factory. It takes a tool from the Press Here toolbox as the reader is asked to interact with the book several times. As color starts to leak into the factory, the book gets more and more chaotic, until it’s a swirl of bright colors.

The Black and White Factory is a celebration of color, mess, and letting loose. It encourages readers to let their hair down, make some mess, and appreciate the beauty of a colorful world.

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Cockatoo Too? by Bethanie Deeney Murguia

I love books that play on words, and this one is a charmer. The illustrations are bright, colorful, and simply adorable. I particularly love the use of white space and the bold watercolors. The text is very simple and introduces the reader to words that sound the same, but mean different things.

The text and the illustrations work together to tell the story. You couldn’t have one without the other, and that’s the way a picture book should be. I love picture books that are written and illustrated by the same person because their entire vision comes to life before your eyes.

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Bad Dog Flash by Ruth Paul

What a cute book! It accurately portrays the experience of owning a puppy and all the chaos that comes with it.  Flash gets into trouble time and again, but in the end, the thing that matters most is the love between a child and her dog.

The illustrations are very cute and well executed.  I really like the author/illustrator’s style and I hope to see more of her work in the future.

The simple, easy to read format works well for young children and independent readers alike.

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What are your favorite books for preschoolers?

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