Do you have a baby bookworm on your shopping list? Don’t worry if you’re still searching for the perfect gift because we’ve gathered our favorite book picks to share with even the youngest readers in your life. Read on for adorable bedtime read-alouds and sweet stories to share with little book fans all year long!
Arlo the Lion Who Couldn’t Sleep
by Catherine Rayner
★ “Spellbinding…alluringly tranquil… Gentle and gorgeous.” —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
Arlo is a very tired lion, and he’s tried everything to get to sleep. But the grass is too prickly, the trees are too noisy, and his family wriggles awfully too much. Goodness! How is an exhausted lion ever to get a wink of shut-eye? Luckily, owl has a few tricks up her sleeve and Arlo couldn’t be happier to give them a whirl. Perfect for reluctant or troubled sleepers, award-winning Catherine Rayner’s gorgeous illustrations capture a gentle and humorous bedtime story that has a calming, meditative message of mindfulness and centeredness.
Buy Arlo the Lion Who Couldn’t Sleep today through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, or IndieBound!
Eek! A Noisy Journey from A to Z
by Julie Larios
illustrated by Julie Paschkis
“Children ages 2-5 who like a bit of noise with their books will enjoy these bright and buoyant pages.” —Wall Street Journal
Mouse’s journey begins as he selects a flower for someone very dear to him. One sniff of his special flower—Achoo!―and a bee flies out―Bzzz!―and Mouse’s journey through the alphabet begins! Readers will love meeting the colorful parade of characters along Mouse’s trek and will cheer when he reaches his destination and presents the flower to… Well, that part of the story is a surprise! Julie Larios and Julie Paschkis have produced an entertaining combination of clever onomatopoeic text and lively art that’s ideal for fun read-alouds and teaching oral language. It’s sure to delight young fans and inspire them to create imaginary alphabet adventures of their own―letter by letter and sound by noisy sound!
Buy Eek! today through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, or IndieBound!
One Fox
A Counting Book Thriller
by Kate Read
★ “Little ones will eagerly count in subsequent readings as they also learn new descriptive vocabulary and cheer for the brave hens.” —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
One hungry fox with two sly eyes is on the prowl…three plump hens had better watch out! Rich and colorful illustrations plunge the reader into a dramatic and exciting story set in a moonlit farmyard. With something different to count on each page, learning to count from one to ten has never been so thrilling! This surprisingly simple counting book with a gripping tale, from Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honor-Winner Kate Read, is great for early education and read-alouds and has a hugely satisfying ending that’s sure to delight generations.
Buy One Fox today through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, or IndieBound!
Stanley’s Fire Engine
by William Bee
“An adorable hamster, a fire engine, and fireworks: high preschooler appeal.” ―Kirkus Reviews
Stanley’s fire engine is ready for anything. It has a tall ladder, a big water tank, and a long hose. Uh-oh. The fire station has a phone call: Charlie’s barbecue is out of control. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Out of the way! Stanley’s on the job! This brightly colored celebration of everyone’s favorite rescue vehicle is playful and fun and filled with important examples of the way firefighters help their communities. A great book for early fire safety discussions, community helper lessons, and more! Check out the rest of William Bee’s beloved Stanley series for more stories featuring adorable hardworking hamster Stanley and his community of rodent friends as they work different jobs and help each other along the way.
Buy Stanley’s Fire Engine today through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, or IndieBound!