Children’s author, Rosemary Wells, penned a poem about encouraging new readers, which states:
“Read to your bunny often. It’s twenty minutes of fun. It’s twenty minutes of moonlight and twenty minutes of sun. Twenty old favorite minutes. Twenty minutes brand new. Read to your bunny often, and your bunny will read to you.”
Both the musical feel and message of this poem capture what we hope to accomplish when we read with our children. We want them to have every advantage that reading well provides, and we understand this is best achieved by meeting our kids where they are and sharing with them in the joy of reading. Here are some recommendations to help you select a great kindergarten read aloud book.
Experiment with books that tap into musical language.
Children have an inherent feel for music which naturally finds expression in many ways. Beyond banging out beats and singing and dancing, children also learn to read along with stories whose lyrical lines entertain the ear. Some favorite poetry and prose selections include:
- Poetry collection, The Frog Wore Red Suspenders by Jack Prelutsky.
- Edward Lear’s classic poem, The Owl, and the Pussycat.
- The calming sounds of The Vegetables Go to Bed, by Christopher King, which aptly illustrates the connection between all living things that need to rest to grow.
- The sing-song Down By the Station, as rendered by Will Hillenbrand.
- Jamberry by Bruce Degen.
- The classic Madeline series in verse, by Ludwig Bemelmans.
Read books that encourage your child to engage the alphabet.
Emerging readers will benefit from experimenting with the alphabet in many ways. Some enjoyable alphabet books that find inventive ways to engage the letters include:
- The Construction Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta.
- Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr.
- Curious George’s ABCs by H.A. Rey, which envisions the shape of each letter as a creature or scene.
Inspire your child with beautifully illustrated books.
So many children’s books are real works of art. Illustrations not only help us get lost in the story, but they bring out the artist in our children. Some visually stunning children’s books include:
- Maine artist, Dahlov Ipcar’s vibrant creations, such as Stripes and Spots, The Calico Jungle, and The Cat at Night.
- Work by prolific illustrator, Garth Williams, which has become an integral part of many stories. In addition to the pen and ink drawings which help tell E.B. White’s and Laura Ingalls Wilder’s classic stories, he also created the iconic scenes from Margaret Wise Brown’s Home for a Bunny and The Sailor Dog.
- Eric Carle’s artwork in The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
- Jan Barrett intricate retellings of classic stories, such as The Three Snow Bears and Town Mouse Country Mouse.
- Beatrix Potter’s beautiful illustrations, which bring Peter Rabbit and her other tales to life.
Chapter books make wonderful Kindergarten read aloud books.
Children can enjoy following more complex stories long before they are able to read these longer works independently. There are many fascinating chapter books you and your kindergartener can explore together. Some favorites include:
- E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little.
- Beverly Cleary’s The Mouse and the Motorcycle.
- The magical animal adventures in Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows.
- Roald Dahl’s Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.
Engage your child’s sense of wonder about the world.
Children are naturally fascinated by the world around them and by how people lived in the past. They love learning new skills through authentic literature. Explore your interests together. Here are some suggestions to get you started:
- Learn about nature through books like From Seed to Pumpkin by Wendy Pfeffer, or The Very Best Bed by Rebekah Raye.
- Encourage your child’s exploration of numbers with fun books like Ten Apples Up On Top by Theo LeSieg.
- Open discussions about good sportsmanship and other social skills through books like You’re A Winner, Tractor Mac by Billy Steers.
- Laura Ingalls Wilder’s classic Little House series has an uncanny ability to entertainingly inform children about life in America during a particular historical era.
As you are choosing books to read aloud, don’t forget your favorite books and their favorite characters. Some perennial favorites include Goodnight Moon and other books by Margaret Wise Brown, Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, and The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne. Children love to revisit the familiar, and they will invent their own ways to engage their books. Whether you are enjoying classics or checking out new stories, follow their lead and see where it takes you both.
