There are SO many children’s books. Right? Shelves and shelves of picture books and early readers and board books on every subject you can imagine. It’s magical…and also a little overwhelming.
So what are the best picture books for preschoolers?
What are the best picture books for babies?
For toddlers?
What are the very best children’s books of all time?
How do you narrow it down and figure out which ones to borrow or buy?
That’s what we have here. A growing list of the books we love. The very best picture books for different ages and different subjects. Your guide to the shelves and shelves of books.
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A Booklist for Every Need & Age
Top Books for Each Age
- 10 Best Picture Books for Baby’s First Year
- Bookish Baby Shower Gifts for New Moms
- 10 Best Children’s Books for Preschoolers
- Best Graphic Novels for Kids Ages 5-10
- Books New Readers Can Actually Read
- Children’s Books First Graders Will Love to Read
- 10+ Wonderfully Illustrated Early Chapter Books
Best New Books of the Year
- Must Read Children’s Books from 2023
- Must Read Children’s Books from 2022
- Books Released in 2021 You Don’t Want to Miss
- New Must Read Children’s Books of 2020
- Best New Children’s Books Released in 2019
- New Children’s Books We Fell in Love with in 2018
Booklists for Everyone
- Ultimate List of Non-Fiction Books about Amazing Women
- 10+ Picture Books That Will Actually Get Your Kids Ready for Bed
- 10+ Bicycle Picture Books about Bikes, Trikes and Learning to Ride
- Children’s Books for Kids Who Love to Dance
- 10 Roooaringly Good Books about Dinosaurs
- 10+ Children’s Books about Disabilities
- Children’s Books for Kids with Dyslexia
- Picture Books That Travel Through Fairy Tales
- 10+ Delectable Children’s Books about Food
- 20 Beautiful Children’s Books about Kindness
- 10 Interactive Books to Read if You Love Press Here
- 10 Side Splitting Children’s Books to Make You Laugh Out Loud
- 10+ Children’s Books Full of Love for Libraries
- Picture Books about Books
- How to Pick the Perfect Mo Willems Book for Any Age
- 10 Most Beautifully Illustrated Picture Books
- 15+ Poetry Books + Collections for Kids
- Awesome Audiobooks for Kids
- 100+ Children’s Books to Read This Summer
- 10+ Most Stunning Wordless Picture Books
- 20+ Children’s Books about Love & Friendship
- 15+ Children’s Books about Refugees and Immigrants for Kids Under 9
- That Sounds Yummy! Children’s Books to Read and Cook
Animal Booklists
- Antarctica Storytime and Booklist
- Bats and Spiders Children’s Books
- 30+ Ocean Picture Books for Preschoolers
- Unforgettable Picture Books about Whales
- 15 Awesome Picture Books about the Zoo
- Polar Bear Story Time Booklist
- Tweet Tweet! Birds Story Time for Preschoolers
- 10 Farm Books to Make Your Kids Quack, Cluck and Moo
- Ultimate Children’s Book List for All Things Up in the Trees
- 30 Children’s Books about Hibernation
- 20+ Awesome Children’s Books about Sharks
- Best Children’s Books for Kids Who Love Dogs and Puppies
Adventurous, Active, Outside Kids Booklists
- 10 Best Children’s Books about Adventure
- Best Picture Books about Camping
- Picture Books about Climate Change for Kids
- Picture Books to Put You in the Garden
- Picture Books to Inspire Kids to Move
- Children’s Books about the Olympics
- Children’s Books to Carry You Around the World
- 10 Best Picture Books about Winter Sports
- Ultimate Children’s Book List for All Things Up in the Trees
Art Booklists
Author and Illustrators Booklists
- Place to Start if You Want to Expand Your Bookshelves to Include More People of Color
- Booklist Inspired by the Global Read Aloud and Mem Fox
- How to Pick the Perfect Mo Willems Book for Any Age
Basic Concepts Booklist
- Best Picture Books about the Colors of the Rainbow
- Let’s Learn Shapes Picture Books
- Best Alphabet Books to Read Aloud
Fairy Tales Booklist
- Little Red Riding Hood Story Study Ideas
- Fairy Tale Picture Books and Rachael Isadora
- 10 Best Children’s Books about Princesses
- Ultimate List of Alternative Fairy Tales
- Picture Books That Travel Through Fairy Tales
Holidays Booklists
- Best St. Patrick’s Day Books for Kids
- New Halloween Books for Kids age 3-10
- 15+ Ideas for Bats and Spiders Storytime
- 5 Best Children’s Books about Being Thankful
- Christmas Picture Books about the Nativity
- 24 Best Christmas Books for Kindergarteners
- Ultimate Guide to Christmas Picture Books for All Ages
Life Events Booklists
- Picture Books about Illness, Death and Loss
- Best Books to Discuss First Day of School Worries
- 12 Great Children’s Books about Moving
Me, Home, & Family Booklists
- 10+ Warm, Witty and Wonderful Books about Dads
12+ Children’s Picture Books about Families of All Kinds - Best Children’s Books for Kids Who Live in Apartments
- Dads and Literacy & Our Favorite Books about Fathers
- Best All About Me Children’s Books for Preschoolers
- Food Themed Picture Books for Preschoolers
- Children’s Books about Big Emotions
- Children’s Books to Read Together for Mother’s Day
- Picture Books about Siblings
Monthly National Themes
- Black History Month Author Study
- Heart Filled Children’s Books for Black History Month You Don’t Want to Miss
- Women’s History Month
- Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
- Children’s Books to Read Together for Mother’s Day
- How to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Children’s Books
- Children’s Books about Voting and Presidents for an Election Year
Places
Pretend & Imagination Booklists
- Picture Books to Inspire Imagination
- The 10 Books Your Little Pirates Will Love
- The Best Not-So-Scary Monster Books for Kids
Seasons Booklists
- Children’s Books about the Four Seasons
- Best Picture Books about Summer
- Summer Reading Recommendations for the Whole Family
- Best Books to Read Aloud about Winter Clothing
- Sledding Picture Books Everyone Should Know
- 10 Best Picture Books about Winter Sports
- 30 Children’s Books about Hibernation
STEM Booklists
- 30 Best STEM Books for Preschoolers
- 15+ Picture Books about Astronauts and Outer Space
- A Week’s Worth of Weather Read Aloud Books
- Ultimate Children’s Book List for All Things Up in the Trees
- Best Picture Books for a Rainy Day
- 10 Fun Counting Books for Kids
Transportation Booklists
- Best Children’s Books about Riding the Subway
- Wheels on the Bus Story Study for Toddlers
- Construction Site Story Time for Toddlers
- 10 Best Books about Fire Fighters for Toddlers
- Ultimate List of Picture Books about Trains
- 10+ Picture Books about Airports and Airplanes
