Words come in many forms, including poetry, descriptive text, narrative text, and dialogue. Images, too, appear in varied forms: drawings, paintings, photographs, and more. Books capture moments in time through images and words. They present the past to help us get a clearer view into the future. Writer Pearl Buck once said that “If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday.”
You’ll meet the past in these moving books about people, places, and events that continue to have an influence today. A few of the books listed here were written for teens and adults, but can be shared together with mature readers of younger ages. Discover many more related titles with Book Finder.
Few things have ignited imaginations like the Moon. People have looked up to see the Moon wax and wane over millennia, inspiring poets, scientists, and everyday people. It continues to do so.
July 20, 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of man’s first Moon landing. Has that diminished the Moon’s mysteries or its pull on the imagination? Not at all. It took both skill and a great deal of imagination to land on the Moon then return to Earth.
Read about the Moon in fact and fiction as we celebrate this important anniversary.
A kid’s belly laugh makes everyone want to laugh. Join in the fun and you’ll chuckle, giggle, and groan with this list of recommended books for kids ages 0-9 that are full of jokes, riddles, and supreme silliness. LOL (laugh out loud) and ROTFL (roll on the floor laughing) with Jez Alborough, Shel Silverstein, and other authors who know just what it takes to tickle a kid’s funny bone.
Introduce young readers to the spunky Louisa May Alcott. Louisa began to write as a child. Her books, especially Little Women, continue to be read and loved. Louisa lived during changing, often charged times. Meet Louisa May Alcott, learn a bit about the era in which she lived, glimpse what she might have seen around her home called Orchard House, and meet some of her contemporaries in fact and fiction. Discover many more related titles with Book Finder.
Love and affection are seen in many ways — from sending a card to singing a song or sharing a bedtime tale. Read how love is shown in school and at home in the books recommended here. They’re certain to demonstrate that love is in the air — especially when shared with a young reader.
Meet Charlotte, Soo, Horton, and the other characters in this booklist recommended for kids ages 0-9. Whether they care about someone, have the courage it takes to act, or stand up for what they believe in, the characters in these books all have something in common — they’ve made a difference.
March is a month filled with celebrations like Dr. Seuss’ birthday, observed by Read Across America Day. It’s also Music in Our Schools and Women’s History Month. March’s wind sometimes brings about an almost magical change with the start of spring — a salute to green. So, mark March with books and make everyday a day to celebrate reading!
Spring is in the air and with it comes a bit of magic. Seeds begin to poke open, gardens teem with activity, birds abound. Read about these and other signs of a new season and perhaps become inspired to dance, look around, or even begin a spring garden!
There’s change in the air. Frogs sing and so do birds. Boys imagine, invent and recycle. Trees bloom. Schools plan field trips. Listen and look at changes all around!
Welcome in the New Year with new friends! You’ll meet the woman whose mathematical interests helped lead to the modern computer, share the excitement of a storm on Ferris’ original “observation” wheel, discover who started the first community center for the poor, and more fascinating life stories. Each of these books is not only well sourced (and documented), but also made to be shared by reading aloud. So open a book and curl up with a friend in hand on a cold January day.
Why May is called a merry month is no longer a mystery! That is, if you read slightly offbeat, often laugh-out-loud stories. You can meet a boy who befriends odd aliens, a young mouse who has a song to share, dancing dinosaurs and a swan ballerina.
These books for kids ages 9-12 celebrate the everyday lives and unique strengths of kids on the spectrum. For younger kids (ages 3-9), browse this list: Picture Books Featuring Characters with Autism or Asperger’s.
Some monsters seem scary, some sympathetic, while others can only be described as supremely silly. Whether they’re hiding under the bed, or going bump in the night, monsters may be all around! Get crazy with some monster madness using this list of recommended books for children ages 0-9.
Take a look around! You see birds, insects, dogs and other animals in cities, in the country, by and in the sea. Some are seen at night, others during the day. Some are small, others are huge, and some may even need your help. And some you’ll only see in a zoo or in an aquarium. But use your eyes and your ears to listen and see what animals may live near your home!
There are birds, bugs, and animals in fact and fiction, in words and pictures. You can count them, classify them, and imagine what it might be like to be them. You can visit them in a zoo or even find out more about zoos of old — and all in the books suggested here.
Have you ever wondered why hot summer days are called “dog days?” The name comes from the ancient belief that Sirius — the brightest star in the night sky (also called the Dog Star) — was the cause of hot weather. Dogs know what to do when the temperature rises — curl up in a shady spot. And what’s better for kids on a hot day than to curl up with a cool book? From joke-cracking hens to a letter-writing dog, you’ll meet some fetching characters, who will be remembered long after the dog days of summer have passed.
Poetry is for all ages and for all occasions. There are poems about nature, about sports, about people; some poems rhyme, others don’t; some inspire art, some are inspired by art. Some poetry is music whether a rap or a ditty for a young child. All poetry is best when shared. Certainly most poems deserve to be read aloud. So celebrate words and art this month and every month! Discover many more related titles with Book Finder.
Some really lived extraordinary lives while others were imagined by their authors. But each of the girls and women you’ll meet in these books share things in common: their creativity and imagination, or their bravery and willingness to take on challenges. Whether that means facing an angry crowd while trying to get to school, admitting a wrongdoing, or learning to pilot a plane, you’ll enjoy their stories. Take some time to meet and read all about a few noteworthy women (and girls!). Discover many more related titles with Book Finder.
Mothers, and the families they nurture, fill this fun and touching selection of recommended books for kids ages 0-9. From the classic Are You My Mother? to the fascinating How My Parents Learned to Eat, here are stories about the adventures and routines of very special families.
Share the season’s bounty with these great books about Mother Earth. From poems of autumn, to the life cycle of a pond, to the tale of the first strawberries, these books celebrate the sights and sounds of nature. Read one of these recommended books with a youngster from ages 0-9, and together appreciate the world that surrounds us.
Moving to a new home, new school, and new friends is a turning point experience a kid never forgets. The recommended books in this list for kids ages 0-9 touches on the whole mix of emotions from trepidation to excitement that moving day brings. You’ll want to enjoy these warm, funny, empathetic books with your children, whether they’re the ones moving or staying behind.
Sharing music with children has delighted parents and caregivers throughout the ages. Music is one of the first ways we communicate with babies, and its rhythm and rhyme help develop early language skills. This collection of books for children ages 0-9 combines two wonderful ways to spend time with children: sharing music and sharing stories. Teach children about jazz greats, folk song legends and international rhyming games with these lyrical tales.
This list recognizes selected children’s books that have received the American Indian Youth Literature Award since 2006. The award identifies and honors the very best writing and illustrations by Native Americans and Indigenous peoples of North America. Books selected to receive the award present Indigenous North American peoples in the fullness of their humanity. The awards are chosen by jurors selected by the American Indian Library Association (AILA), an affiliate of the ALA.
Native American culture is rich and diverse. Some of the stories in this list are about people who lived — or might have lived — long ago; others are about real children who you may know as a friend or neighbor today. Meet them all between the pages of the books recommended here. Discover many more related titles with Book Finder.