26 Big Things Small Hands Do

"26 Big Things Small Hands Do"
By Colleen Paratore, Illustrated by Mike Reed

Ages: 3-5 years, 5-7 years

A fun way to review and/or introduce the alphabet!

The Handiest Things in the World

"The Handiest Things in the world"
By Andrew Clements, Photographs by Raquel Jaramillo

Ages: 3-5 years, 5-7 years

I really enjoyed this book. On each page the author and photographer draw a contrast between solving a problem using our hands vs. using a tool or another object. I especially liked the photography in this one!

Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb

"Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb"
By Al Perkins, Illustrated by Eric Gurney

Age: 3-5 years, 5-7 years

This is fun! My kids still walk around the house shouting out rhymes about monkeys beating on drums. Great for early readers. Enjoy!

Zinnia's Flower Garden

"Zinnia's Flower Garden"
By Monica Wellington

Age: 3-5 years, 5-7 years

This was our favorite garden book. Last year it inspired a flower growing activity which eventually ended in two newly sprouted zinnia plants being uprooted, torn apart, and re-planted. Note to mothers with children under 4 years old: Do not try planting flowers unless you have space in your house or yard where young toddlers cannot reach them.

I'm not sure what it is about this book, but the kids are drawn to it. It's a pleasant book to read several times a day, which helps parents as well. Enjoy!

Our Community Garden

"Our Community Garden"
By Barbara Pollak

Age: 3-5 years, 5-7 years

Colorful and fun! We've enjoyed checking out this book about community and yes, vegetables, a number of times.

Bridges

Bridges
By Etta Kaner

Age: 5-7 years; 7-10 years; 11-13 years

Informative and particularly interesting for kids who love man-made structures, I liked how this book taught about the different types of bridges. We skimmed most of it because it was packed with information (and many more words than a preschooler can generally sit through), and we still learned a lot. If you have a bridge enthusiast in your family, I recommend this book.

I Drive a Dump Truck

I Drive a Dump Truck
Written by Sarah Bridges
Illustrated by Derrick Alderman and Denise Shae

Age: 3-5 years; 5-7 years

This book will teach you all kinds of things you never knew about how dump trucks work. If you and your children like this book, you might also enjoy I Drive a Bulldozer and similar books by Sarah Bridges.

Let's Try It Out with Towers and Bridges

Let's Try It Out with Towers and Bridges
By Seymour Simon and Nicole Fauteux
Illustrated by Doug Cushman

Age: 3-5 years; 5-7 years; 7-10 years

I'm putting the younger age category on here because if you have a preschooler who is really into building things, this book is a great resource. We checked this out one time and did the simple activities with paper. The second time around we actually tried building a suspension bridge with kitchen chairs, heavy books, yarn, and cardboard. Next time I'll try that project at a different time of day - 4pm is about the worst time to attempt anything and this proved to be a disastrous bridge-making endeavor. Joshua (4 years old) loved it, though, and can't wait to try it again.

The Airplane Book

The Airplane Book
By Cheryl Walsh Bellville

Age: 5-7 years; 7-10 years

As part of preparing for our around-the-world trip to Australia, we checked out this book about airplanes. Actually, Hannah (3 years old) stumbled across it on the library shelves and had to check it out. In the end it was too long and wordy for her, but she and Joshua (4 years old) had a good time looking at all of the pictures. Maybe when they're older they will appreciate this book more. In the mean time, I'm still glad we found it.

Out and About at the Fire Station

Out and About at the Fire Station
Written by Muriel L. DuBois
Illustrated by Anne McMullen

Age: 3-5 years; 5-7 years

Simple and engaging book about fire safety. Abby (15 months) liked pulling this one off the shelf to "read" on her own.

Emergency!

Emergency!
By Gail Gibbons

Age: 3-5 years; 5-7 years

As always, Gail Gibbons does a great job in this book about emergency vehicles. This one was less wordy than some of her other books but just as informative. When Joshua first saw this book tucked away on the shelf in his preschool classroom he shouted out "That's the book we have at home!". Doesn't it feel good when you're one teeny, tiny step ahead of the preschool pro's. :)

The Firehouse Light

The Firehouse Light
Written by Janet Nolan
Illustrated by Marie Lafrance

Age: 5-7 years; 7-10 years

Again, I'm recommending a slightly older audience for this book, but both Joshua (4 years old) and Hannah (3 years old) enjoyed reading this book. If you have a kiddo with a short attention span, maybe wait a bit before checking this one out.

This is based on a true story of a light bulb that has been burning in a California firehouse for over 100 years. I like the historical aspect as the author tells the story of time passing as the little light bulb keeps burning. You can learn more about the Centennial Bulb and even see footage of their live webcam by visiting their website.

Fire! Fire!

Fire! Fire!
By Gail Gibbons

Age: 5-7 years; 7-10 years

I'm recommending this for elementary school ages and not preschoolers because it is wordy. That said, we've checked it out two or three times since Joshua was 3 years old, and he's only 4 now. For younger kids, I ask them to pick one section - there are sections about fires in the city, country, forest, and water - and then I skip over some information if I start to lose their attention.

All of that said, this book is just as good as you would expect from Gail Gibbons. Packed with information, simple but detailed illustrations, and an exciting topic, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in fire trucks. I liked that this one discusses lesser-known fire emergency vehicles such as helicopters and fire boats. I'm sure we'll be getting this one many more times before the kids outgrow the children's room at the local library.

Firetrucks

Firetrucks
By Peter Brady

Age: 3-5 years; 5-7 years

It's always fun to check out non-fiction books about trucks! This one was informative, simple, and had real-life photographs.

Note: We did not read this in Spanish, although it would have been a fun exercise to try. I could only find a photo of the Spanish edition.

Twenty-One Elephants and Still Standing

Twenty-One Elephants and Still Standing
Written by April Jones Prince
Illustrated by Francois Roca

Age: 5-7 years; 7-10 years

This became a favorite even before we checked it out. Joshua (4 years old) absolutely loves architecture - buildings, bridges, if it's man-made he's fascinated by it! Living just outside of NYC, he is especially inspired by the many monumental skyscrapers and bridges in the area.

Over the summer we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge - a free activity that I highly recommend to anyone visiting or living in the NY area. So, when I ran across this book about elephants AND the Brooklyn Bridge in my search for books on elephants, I was excited. And this book did not disappoint our high expectations. The illustrations are beautiful, with some spectacular ones of the bridge itself. The story is interesting, chronicling a true story of P.T. Barnum Bailey's stunt of walking his 21 world-famous elephants over the newly constructed bridge. I'm sure you and the kids in your life will enjoy this book!

Big Little Elephant

Big Little Elephant
By Valeri Gorbachev

Age: 3-5 years; 5-7 years; 7-10 years

This is the second book by Valeri Gorbachev that we have checked out, and it is the second book of hers that we have liked. There's something about her style that is inviting. In this book, Little Elephant learns about being a friend - a lesson that most children love (and need) to hear.

A Quick Note About Age

Our children are still young: Joshua (4), Hannah (nearly 3), and Abigail (11 months). Hence all of the board books and picture books posted!

You will find that nearly all of the current posts will range in age from 0-5 years. My apologies to anyone with older children. If I find any resources for older kids, I'll try to put some links here.

Also, my estimate of appropriate age is far from infallible. I'll do my best to be as accurate as I can, but please use your own discretion when searching by age.