Preschool Book Line-up and Give-away

One of the benefits of being a homeschool blogger with four kids in different stages of life (preschool through high school) is book reviews. I haven’t ever met a homeschool mom who doesn’t have a book addiction… and most homeschool moms, even if they are long past the elementary and preschool days, remember with a nostalgic fondness all of their favorite books they read to their older kids when they were little.

I’m no different. I love preschool and elementary books and secretly, I’m thrilling to get to read all of my favorites over again with my new pupils, who are just 4 and 2 at the moment.

This list of books contains preschool and elementary books that we got for review over the past year or so. I like to gather them up and share them all in a showcase so you don’t have to go hunting through archives for a million posts when you need a book list for school or gift purposes. I’m all for giving books as gifts and for most of my older children’s lives, they always had at least one book on their Christmas list each year.

Take a look at the short review on these books and click over (on the image) if you are interested in purchasing one from Amazon. I’m an affiliate, so if you do buy them from me, I will get a few pennies towards my next Amazon purchase.

If you read to the end of the post and want to participate in a give away, you can leave a comment and I’ll send you a few books in this list (some publishers have offered an extra copy for me to give away)! *Note: the books which have an asterisk by their title will be given away!

PRESCHOOL BOOK SPOTLIGHT:

Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep
~ Kathy Stemke

This book is perfect for the 4-5 year old who is soon to become an older sibling. I enjoyed reading it with my then three-year-old who never wanted to nap at the same time his little baby brother did! From the author: “When Zachary puts on his thick black glasses, he becomes a super hero. This enables him to protect his new baby sister from all kinds of problems. In the process he learns how much he loves her. This action-packed book with clever rhymes focuses on teaching consonant blends.”

Create with Maisy
~ Lucy Cousins

Easy preschool craft ideas are popping off each page of this fun, colorful book. I particularly love the cookie “craft” because you can eat your artwork when you finish. This book is one we plan to use for weekly arts and crafts projects this year with my two boys! From Amazon: “Children as young as two will be thrilled to follow her lead, thanks to a brand-new Maisy format featuring both familiar illustrations and photographs by Lucy Cousins. Here are crystal-clear steps for creating seventeen simple crafts, highlighted by photos of the end result. Enjoy making things from painted pebbles to paper lanterns, food collages to feathered masks, and wax-relief paintings to wonderful vegetable animals.”

The Adventures of Little Nutbrown Hare
~ Sam McBratney (author of “Guess How Much I Love You”)

Such a cute little set of stories. My favorite of the stories is about safety – about Little Nutbrown Hare remembering the warnings he was told and heeding them. I also like the way the Big Nutbrown Hare could fit any generic parental or big sibling figure in Little Nutbrown Hare’s life (especially sweet in our family, because my two toddlers often feel like they have 2 sets of parents with my oldest kids being as tall as we are). From the book’s publishers: “Just like young children everywhere, Little Nutbrown Hare likes to explore, play, venture out into the world, and sometimes just savor the comfort of being at home with loved ones. But whatever he does, and wherever he goes, Big Nutbrown Hare is always there to cheer him on. In a beautiful jacketed Guess How Much I Love You storybook, here are four heartwarming new stories that little readers (and their bigger companions) will instantly relate to.”

Charley’s First Night *
~ Amy Hest

A perfect book for young dog lovers. From Amazon: “On Charley’s first night, Henry carries his new puppy in his old baby blanket all the way to his house. He shows Charley every room, saying, “This is home, Charley.” He says that a lot so that Charley will know that he is home. Henry’s parents are very clear about who will be walking and feeding Charley (Henry will, and he can’t wait). They are also very clear about where Charley will be sleeping: Charley will be sleeping in the kitchen. But when the crying starts in the middle of the night, Henry knows right away that it’s Charley! And it looks like his parents’ idea about where Charley is going to sleep may have to change. With warmth, humor, and endearing simplicity, Amy Hest tells a tale familiar to everyone who has loved a puppy, while Helen Oxenbury renders each tender gesture and charming detail in a beauty of a book that children will be eager to take home.”

Amazing Animals Series
(only Dolphin cover shown above, but there are quite a few of these)
~ Kate Riggs

I got my copy of Dolphins in a meal at Chick-fil-A and my little boys love it. Chick-fil-A only offered 8 of the 30 available titles in their kid meals. They suggest first grade as a reading level, but if you have animal lovers, it’s never too early to introduce these picture-rich books. I love the suggestion in the back of the Dolphin book: “Build your own zoo!” Collect them all! From the publisher: “From fleet-footed cheetahs to howling wolves, and from playful dolphins to earth-shaking elephants, the world of animals is wonderfully diverse. This popular and newly expanded series continues traveling the planet to study these and other fascinating animals. Beautiful photos are paired with accessible text to examine the featured animal’s appearance, behaviors, and life cycle. Each book also presents a folk story that helps explain a defining feature or behavior.”

The Sparkle Box
~ Jill Hardie

I love this book and the entire idea behind it! From the PR company promoting the book: “Sam is so excited about Christmas! He’s thinking about his Christmas list, anticipating holiday parties and puzzling over one very mysterious gift—a sparkly box sitting on the mantel above the fireplace. In the midst of the festivities, Sam and his family participate in various acts of kindness to others. On Christmas morning, when Sam finally opens the Sparkle Box, he finds only slips of paper that record the family’s good deeds. Sam’s parents explain that the things they’ve been doing for others are, in fact, a gift for Jesus.” They shared with me that the author and her husband and two kids began this tradition eight years ago and each year they place a “Sparkle Box” under their own tree as a gift for Jesus on His birthday.

Mom & Me *
Hallmark Conversations to Keep Recordable Book

Toddlers love hearing their own voice. These books are so sweet as keepsakes and such a great idea for helping to entertain the tots when they want to read the same story over and over! From Amazon: “This book is designed to spark your child’s imagination. They will give answers that only they can give. Perfect keepsake gift for a mother.”

All the Ways I Love You *
Hallmark Conversations to Keep Recordable Book

Another Hallmark recordable book, this one is more of a mom reading to a child – recording your voice reading the story so the story continues as they turn the pages. From Amazon: Tell them how much you love them-even when you’re far away-with this best-selling Recordable Storybook. Record yourself reading each page of this Hallmark original starring Big Bear and Little Bear as they show all the ways a child is loved and cared for, “quicker than a minute” and “longer than an hour.”

God Gave Us Love
~ Lisa Tawn Bergren

I have a thing for Polar Bears. The artwork by Laura J. Bryant is spectacular in this little board book. I couldn’t find any prior emails on this book, but it was sitting on my review pile and I just love it, so I’m sharing it with you anyway! From WaterBrook Press… “In answering her questions, Grampa Bear gives tender explanations that teach Little Cub about the different kinds of love that is shared between families, friends, and mamas and papas. Grampa explains that all these kinds of love come from God and that it is important to love others because… “Any time we show love, Little Cub, we’re sharing a bit of his love.” This sweet tale will warm the hearts of young children as they learn about all the different sorts of love, while the gentle explanations of each provide a valuable opportunity to encourage children to share with others a “God-sized love.”

Mercer Mayer’s Little Monster FUN AND LEARN BOOK
~ Mercer Mayer

This is a monster-ific early education learning book! Who doesn’t love Mercer Mayer? I adore his illustrations and creativity. From Mr. Mayer’s publishing team: “Little Monster Fun and Learn Book” emphasizes early education and provides readers with learning fun in ABC’s, counting, enjoying bedtime and traveling through the neighborhood. Readers will join Little Monster as he plays and learns about numbers, letters and words with Mayer’s entertaining illustrations.

Amy Giggles: Laugh Out Loud *
~ Coy Bowles

This is a book about being OK with who you are, being yourself, and not worrying about what other people think of you. From Amazon: “The debut children’s book by Zac Brown Band member Coy Bowles is a story of self-confidence and reassurance, accepting who you are and the realization that our differences make each of us beautiful and unique. The reader is taken into a world of imagination through the eyes of Amy Giggles and her boisterous laugh. A portion of the proceeds of sale of this book will be donated to Camp Southern Ground, Inc., a non-profit organization.”

Bunny Loves to Read *
~ Peter Bently

Beginning readers need a little encouragement when it comes to the reasons why they should give up valuable “hands-on” time to sit down and open a book. In Bunny Loves to Read, Bunny teaches his friends a thing or two about why reading is one of his favorite things to do. From Parragon Books: “Children can learn to read along with Bunny and friends in this charming picture book ideal for beginning readers.”

Baby Baby Baby!
~ Marilyn Janovitz

Little ones that bounce on the lap will love this repetitious book with all the fun VERBS baby can do. Clapping, dancing, scurrying, crawling, splishing, splashing, giggling, chasing, hugging, and finally SLEEPING. The fun doesn’t end until mama kisses baby and turns off the light. Perfect bedtime book for a bouncing baby who is old enough to listen to a short and animated story. My little guys loved this book and my two year old likes to read it, still.

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?
~ Bill Martin, Jr (Illustrated by Eric Carle)

I love the colorful artwork of Eric Carle and this story has so many amazing animals you might see in the zoo – brought to life by Carle and the cute and quick story by Martin. This is a perfect first book choice because it moves fast and has a lot of eye-candy. My little boys love this board book and my two year old, who can’t quite sit still for a longer book yet, lets me read this whole book to him in one sitting. I love to hear him trying to read it to himself.

The Way I Feel
~ Janan Cain

Another board book we love is The Way I Feel. Getting in touch with your feelings and learning how to control them is a hefty subject to master for the sandbox set. I love the illustrations in this book – they make my little ones laugh and the story serves as a springboard for a lot of great discussion that expands their little minds. The book even comes with talking points by the author in the back, to help you guide your kids through their emotions and discuss actions they can take to change circumstances that cause negative feelings. For a tiny book, it certainly is deep; and it is a much-needed topic for preschoolers!

100 ~ Lift the Flaps and Learn to Count
~ David Carter

I like to save the best for last. OK OK, it might not be the best for you guys, because with books, everyone has their own favorite… but my boys are gaga over this book (they make me read it nearly every day). All I can say is I wish they had sent me 5 of these instead of one. The way we use it, I can’t imagine it will last the year. I’m not sure why my toddlers love this book so much, but Koko thinks David Carter hung the moon. He counts to 100 ALL DAY LONG some days, and always pauses after each set of 5 or 10, just like you would if you were reading the book. The little one (only 2) loves to lift the flaps himself, and he likes it when I name everything on each flap. 100 flaps + 100 numbers = 200 reasons to add this book to your preschool library!

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OK, so originally, I said I was going to list the elementary books with this post, too, but DUDE, y’all. I’m tired. I’ll have to get to those tomorrow after church. I have to make sweet potato casserole for our Thanksgiving potluck and get these munchkins bathed and presentable. I like to pack a little bag to keep them busy while we sit in service, too. Maybe I’ll take a few of these books with me tomorrow and see if I can make it through communion before we wind up in the nursery (my boys are noisy).

*Want to win a few of these fabulous books?

Leave me a comment listing 3 favorite preschool books and you’ll be entered! Entries end this Friday at midnight. Winner announced next weekend.

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{ Hope you are having a super Saturday! }

In Him,

Heather

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