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.
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
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.
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!
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.
Twenty-One Elephants and Still StandingWritten 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
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.
I Drive a Bulldozer
By Sarah Bridges
Illustrated by Derrick Alderman and Denise Shae
Age: 3-5 years, 7-10 years
There are a few books in this series and every one of them is great! Like Huge Earthmovers you'll most likely find this in the Children's Non-Fiction section. Joshua (4 years old) was really excited to find this in the library bag last week.
Huge Earthmovers
By Meish Goldish
Age: 7-10 years (but our 4-year-old loves this)
Joshua (4 years old) has started taking an interest in anything that is big, fast, and/or potentially destructive. He has checked out this book a couple of times and enjoys it more with each read. If you have a boy who loves construction trucks and wants to see just how impressive the biggest trucks can be, then this is a great book to check out! Look for it in the Children's Non-Fiction section of your local library.
Nascar ABC's
By Paul DuBois Jacobs and Jennifer Swender
Illustrated by Aaron Zenz
Ages: 3-5 years, 7-10 years
What could be more exciting to a little boy than a rhyming ABC book about Nascar! :) Even I enjoy this book and I'm not real big on the car thing. The text has a nice rhythm to it and the illustrations are bright and cheerful. A good tool to reinforce the alphabet letter seqence.
The Enormous Carrot
By Vladimir Vasil'evich Vagin
Age: 3-5 years, 7-10 years
We LOVED this book! Each time we visit our library we find good books, but it's still a rare to find a book that is so engaging for all of us and has the kids talking about it during their free play. That said, I'm not sure what drew us to this book. Just check it out for yourself and find out if you enjoy it as much as we did. :)
How a Seed Grows
By Helene J. Jordan and Loretta Krupinski
Age: 3-5 years, 7-10 years
I'll admit that we only read this once, but that was because we were really excited about one of the other carrot books. I really liked the teaching aspect of this book. Check it out if you're considering teaching your kids about how plants grow - it even has a great activity which allows children to see the different stages of seed growth as it happens. Fun!
"Marge's Diner"
By Gail Gibbons
Age: 3-5 years, 7-10 years
When Hannah (nearly 3 years old) pulled this from the library shelf I wondered if it would be too wordy for her. It turns out that I was wrong. Both she and Joshua (4 years old) sat through this entire book more than once during the week. As always, I liked Gail Gibbons' clear and simple style of explaining how things work in the world around us.
"Up Goes the Skyscraper"
By Gail Gibbons
Age: 3-5 years, 7-10 years
Joshua (4 years old) loves this book! We check it out often and never get tired of it. There is a lot of information, but most of it can be skimmed for kids with a shorter attention span. A great book for the budding architect or construction lover!
"The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree"
By Gail Gibbons
Age: 3-5 years, 7-10 years
I always like books by Gail Gibbons. I enjoy the simple illustrations, straight-forward text, and all of the information packed into a picture book that kids enjoy.
There is a mention of Halloween.
"Apples, Apples, Apples"
By Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
Age: 3-5 years, 7-10 years
This is the second time we have checked out this book. It is also the second time we have enjoyed it! It is informative but not overwhelming. We had fun following the applesauce recipe in the back of this book. :)
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.
