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Preschool: 50 Recommended Reads

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best books for preschoolers

Best Books for Preschoolers (Ages 3-4)

We’ve put together a list of 50 recommended books for 3- and 4-year-olds. Top up your preschool or nursery book collections with our hand-picked selection of classic stories, laugh-out-loud picture books, animal tales, poetry books, non-fiction for curious minds and more…

As parents and teachers, we know how important it is to foster a love of reading in children from a young age. Reading with nursery and preschool children not only helps with language development but also encourages imagination and creativity. Our booklist includes popular preschool stories such as Owl Babies, Aliens Love Underpants and The Tiger Who Came to Tea, as well as some lesser-known storytime delights that we highly recommend, like Pip & Egg and Eat Your Peas.

Our preschool reading list is handpicked by experts, ensuring that you’ll find the best quality and age-appropriate books to engage and delight your little ones. Join your little ones on a journey through some of the best books for preschoolers available right now.

As well as the booklist below to browse, we’ve also got a printable poster and downloadable checklist for you, and schools can purchase full sets of the books via Peters.

Scroll down to find more purchasing options and printable resources.

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Favourite Storytime Books for Preschoolers

Nicola O'Byrne
Picturebook
If bedtime is a battle, then this hilarious, inventive picture book from international bestseller, Nicola O'Byrne, is exactly what you need. Rabbit has had a very good idea. He does NOT want to go to bed and so he puts The Dark in the biscuit tin so that he won't have to. Now he can stay up all night long! But The Dark gently reminds Rabbit of all the reasons why the dark and night are needed. What about all the nocturnal animals? And surely you can't have a yummy breakfast of toast and honey and fresh orange juice unless you've been to bed? But the very BEST thing about nighttime has to be a bedtime story, doesn't it? Rabbit is finally persuaded and lets The Dark out of the biscuit tin . . . the moment the story starts, Rabbit falls fast asleep. Goodnight, Rabbit! A funny and original bedtime story with fabulous surprise fold-out pages! From the bestselling author of Open Very Carefully, winner of the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2014.
Oliver Jeffers
Picturebook
This is the endearing story of a boy and the journey he undertakes to return a lost penguin back to its home. This simple story with beautiful illustrations has also been made into an animated movie.
Julia Donaldson
 & Lydia Monks
Picturebook
Join everyone's favourite crime-busting ladybird on a trip to the seaside! With a cast of wonderful sea creatures, including a magical mermaid, and plenty of beach fun, What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside is a brilliant rhyming adventure from the bestselling picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks. A big hit for storytime in KS1 and EYFS.
Caroline Crowe
 & Cally Johnson-Isaacs
Picturebook

A joyful picturebook tapping into the power of finding positivity in the world around us.

When a little girls wants to know whether rainbows are painted, Grandad explains that instead they are made with hope and kindness to others. The story visits each of the the rainbow’s colours, listing associated things that bring hope, joy or kindness. Red is tulips or jam on toast, orange is kicking autumn leaves or dressing up as tigers, yellow is feeling sand on your toes or tasting zingy lemons, and so on. Many of the activities mentioned are those shared between friends or family members, and others focus on giving or being a blessing to others. Others still are just personal pleasures (like dying your hair a punk-rock shade of purple!).

I love the emphasis on finding joy in everyday things, and it’s hard to read the story without thinking of your own rainbow of joyful activities that bring colour into life. After months of lockdown, this story could be an excellent springboard into conversations and activities with children about being mindful of small pleasures, about finding positivity and about drawing on the ways in which love, friendship and community can bring joy.

Cheerful in concept and also in its bright illustrations and bouncy rhyme, this is a happy read that is perfectly timed for readers aged 3-7 as they approach the ease of lockdown and beyond.

Alex Latimer
 & David Litchfield
Picturebook
From standout author, Alex Latimer, and bestselling illustrator, David Litchfield, comes a beautiful picture book about finding - and holding on to - friendship. One bright afternoon, Pip met Egg.Pip is a seed from a glorious tree, and Egg is a bird's egg from a nearby nest. When Pip and Egg first meet, they are almost the same size and shape - like two peas in a pod.But as their friendship grows, so do they - for Pip this means growing roots, but for Egg?Well, Egg grows wings, and she can't wait to use them. Though Pip wishes he can follow Egg on her adventures, his roots are strong.So he watches his friend fly away.But true friends always find their way back to one another, and there are no truer friends than Pip and Egg.And if there's one thing they learn, it's that the circle of life will always lead them back to each other.This lyrical, reassuring story that children will love features lush illustrations filled with warmth and emotion, and teaches children about the value of friendship.

Claire Freedman
 & Ben Cort
Picturebook
"Aliens love underpants, in every shape and size, But there are no underpants in space, so here's a big surprise...." This zany, hilarious tale is delightfully brought to life by Ben Cort's vibrant illustrations. With a madcap, rhyming text by award-winning Claire Freedman, this is sure to enchant and amuse the whole family! Perfect for joining in, this story is fantastically fresh and funny - you'll laugh your pants off!

Classic EYFS Picturebooks

Jill Murphy
Picturebook
Jill Murphy's bestselling classic Peace at Last has delighted young children for almost forty years, and is equally beloved by tired parents who are all too familiar with the plight of poor Mr Bear. With a snoring Mrs Bear, an excitable Baby Bear and a house full of tapping and dripping and ticking, peace is hard to come by - will Mr Bear ever get a decent night's sleep? The familiar noises, repetition and beautiful illustrations make Jill Murphy's delightful Peace at Last an all-time favourite bedtime story with children and adults everywhere. This is a beautiful refreshed edition of a much-loved picture book classic.
Martin Waddell
 & Patrick Benson
Picturebook

Owl Babies is a classic book for preschool that has been entertaining children for generations. A favourite preschool choice in both classrooms and homes, Owl Babies is the story of three baby owls – Sarah, Percy and Bill – who awaken from their daytime sleep to find that mother owl is missing. As the baby owls huddle together on their branch to wait, the night gets darker and the noises get scarier. Will mummy come back soon? This is a beautiful storytime favourite with a cosy ending, and one that anyone who has ever longed for a parent to return will immediately relate to.

Benedict Blathwayt
Picturebook
When Duffy Driver leaves the brakes off, the Little Red Train sets off down the track without him! Duffy tries everything he can think of to catch up with the train, with a little help from a tractor, some horses, a boat and a helicopter! An enjoyable story to read over and over again.
David McKee
Picturebook
Bernard's got a problem: he's found a monster in the back garden but his mum and dad are just too busy to notice. So Bernard tries to befriend the monster... and that doesn't go quite to plan. Loved by children, monsters and adults for forty years, David McKee's iconic picture book is celebrated in this special anniversary paperback.
Judith Kerr
Picturebook
The classic picture book story of Sophie and her extraordinary teatime guest has been loved by millions of children since it was first published more than fifty years ago. Now an award-winning animation! The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? What they certainly don't expect to see at the door is a big furry, stripy tiger! This warm and funny picture book story is perfect for reading aloud, or for small children to read to themselves time and again. First published in 1968 and never out of print, it has become a timeless classic enjoyed and beloved by generations of children. The magic begins at teatime!

Maurice Sendak
Picturebook

In this gorgeous picture book we go on a journey with Max, who’s been sent to his room for chasing the dog with a fork, and being an all-round wild thing. But somehow his room becomes a forest, and when he travels across the sea by boat he finds more Wild Things and becomes their king.

This book is such a classic and, as such, means so many different things to so many different people. For me, it teaches a young child that it’s OK to feel angry; it’s OK to take some time out. Your family will still love you. They’ll still be waiting for you when you come back. When Max stomps off to visit the wild things, he’s angry and frustrated. He’s so mad that he sails off “through night and day and in and out of weeks and almost over a year”. When he calms down, he realises he misses home and, to the disappointment of his new Kingdom, he heads back to his bedroom where his “still hot” supper is waiting for him. This story is really the embodiment of an emotion and the power of those final lines – the release of them – still brings me to (happy) tears.

 

Animal Stories for Preschoolers

Petr Horacek
Picturebook
Tom and Mot are best friends. On their birthday, Tom gives Mot a feather – but could it be a feather from the most spectacular bird in the world? Mot gives Tom a marble – or is it the smallest planet in the universe?Tom would like to give a whale, a dolphin, a sea monster, an elephant, while Mot would give rivers, mountains, forests and even the sun!But after a joyful day playing together, what is the best present of all? This beautiful story of imagination and friendship is perfect for sharing.
Pippa Goodheart
 & Anna Doherty
Picturebook
Jaguar is feeling very lonely being all on her only! Why doesn’t anyone else look like just like her? When clever Ladybird comes to play, she points out that they have more in common than Jaguar might think – they both have simply spectacular spots! Snake and Rockhopper are dotty too, and so the top secret dotsy club is formed! Zebra is so sad when he can’t join the club because of his stripes. The club will just have to become a PATTERNS club so he can join in the fun too! But wait! What is a game that all the animals can play together? No one can think of anything! Monkey has an idea, but he’s all plain – he can’t join the patterns club! Yet, Monkey doesn’t mind one bit. He is part of the best secret club of all, the Everybody Club, and anyone can join – the badge of honour is in your heart! The animals agree that the Everyone Club is the best of all.
Lucy Cousins
Picturebook
Follow four adorable insect friends as they look for a good place to live. A delightful picture book from the award-wining author and illustrator Lucy Cousins. Four insect friends are looking for a place to live - one that has flowers for Bee, leaves for Ladybird, a pond for Dragonfly and dead wood for Beetle. But - oh no! - with dangers all around, a good place is not so easy to find. This story brings the natural world to joyful and vibrant life for young readers, inviting them to consider what they can do to help make our planet a good place for all living creatures
Alice Hemming
 & Nicola Slater
Picturebook
A fantastically fun springtime picture book from the creators of The Leaf Thief. Hello sunshine! Hello lovely leaves. Nice to see you back.Squirrel is so excited. It's spring and the most perfect flower has started to blossom - and Squirrel has decided the flower is HIS.After what happened to the leaves in autumn (THEY ALL DISAPPEARED), Squirrel's not taking any chances. . . He MUST keep the flower safe, and he needs his best friend Bird to help him!But perhaps Squirrel wants to protect the flower a little too much. . . After all, even flowers want a little space sometimes.Join Squirrel and Bird as they discover and explore the wonderful nature of spring . . . and learn a few things along the way.A laugh-out-loud book about the changing seasons, with extra information in the back for especially curious minds.Perfect as a companion reader to children learning about seasons in school.A brilliant picture book that explores feelings, moods and times where we feel out of control.
Karl Newson
 & Duncan Beedie
Picturebook

A sweet and charming story about the different ways to say I love You. Bush baby wants to find a special way to show somebody special his love for them. Should he sail to sea or climb the highest mountain? Should he buy flowers or make a special card? Or perhaps he can simply find a way to explain the special sparkly feeling that his unconditional love gives him. This is a wonderful book for Valentines Day, with a story that tries to encapsulate the puzzle of expressing one of the biggest feelings of all.


Catherine Rayner
Non-fiction Picturebook
A charming Nature Storybook all about looking after goldfish – inspired by the author's own pet fish.My Pet Goldfish is a delightful picture book with facts by the Greenaway Medal-winning author-illustrator Catherine Rayner. The child narrating this story has been given their first ever pet: a tiny fish with shimmering scales and bright beady eyes… Their very own goldfish! Sitting alongside the gentle narrative and dynamic illustrations, the subtext introduces facts about goldfish and their care – some gentle, some funny, some fascinating – making this a perfect choice for first-time owners.

Recommended Funny Books for Preschoolers

Clare Foges
 & Al Murphy
Picturebook
At night when you are sleeping There's a party in your house, It's a pumping, jumping, funky bash When all the lights go out . . . When the sun goes down, the Kitchen Disco starts up - and all the fruit in the fruit bowl come out to play. There are lemons who break-dance, tangerines who twirl and some very over-excited apples. Kitchen Disco is a zany and hilarious rhyming picture book for young children, featuring a stunning holographic foil spread in the middle of the book.
Philip Ardagh
 & Ben Mantle
Picturebook
The bunnies are back! And this time, they've commandeered a BOAT! Watch out, Sunnytown beach, the Bunnies are dashing and a-splashing on a speedboat frenzy. They w hoosh past the sail-boats, and zoooom across the sand, then it's up on to the jetty where silly billy Bunnies get all covered in spaghetti! But watch out, oh no, where are the bunnies off to now? To the airport, across the tarmac ... it's bunnies on the PLANE. Here we go again...
Steve Smallman
 & Ada Grey
Picturebook
"There was tiger poo, lion poo, prickly porcupine poo, Plummeting giraffe poop that landed with a splat. Dollops of gnu poo, bouncy kangaroo poo, A trail of drippy droppings from a fat wombat!" Zoo Keeper Bob is exhausted. There's too much poo in the zoo - and he's the one who has to scoop it up. Then one day, a mysterious glowing poo appears! Could it be alien poop from outer space? And what on EARTH will Bob do with it? Perfect for fans of The Dinosaur who Pooped Christmas , children will laugh out loud at this gloriously poopy, funny picture book! Packed with humour, the romping rhyme and deliciously cheeky wordplay is a joy to read aloud. From the author of Dragon Stew, Steve Smallman and illustrator, Ada Grey ( Shh! Don't Wake the Royal Baby) . If you like this book, then you'll LOVE Cock-a-Doodle-Poo , also by Steve Smallman
Suzy Senior
 & Claire Powell
Picturebook
The perfect pants are hard to find for someone shaped like me. Could Octopants be just the job? Why not dive in and see . . .? There are all-in-ones for urchins and slipper-socks for eels... but will Octopus ever find a pair of pants to fit? A hilarious rhyming romp, packed with underwater underwear!
Caryl Hart
 & Tony Neal
Picturebook

Meet the Mini Monsters, four adorable characters who are learning valuable lessons about friendship and how to get along, in a pre-school setting. In this story, Sparkle is putting on a magic show with Arthur, but when Scout wants to join in, Sparkle is not happy. After some heartache, Sparkle soon learns that playing together is much more fun. Hooray!

Author Caryl says: “I am in love with the design of this book, the colour scheme, backgrounds and illustrative details are really, really clever and Tony Neal has done a great job of capturing the personalities of these loveable characters.”


Emma Yarlett
Picturebook
A hilariously funny, read-aloud story with cut-through reveals, from an internationally celebrated author-illustrator.Once there was a mysterious thing. Nobody knew how it got there, it just was. ""It's mine, all MINE!"" say Mouse, Frog, Fox and Bear. But is it a piece of fruit, a wheel, a ball, a chair or something else altogether? And who will get to keep it in the end?

Stories For Joining-in With

Nick Sharratt
Picturebook
A special edition of this much-loved classic to celebrate 20 FIN-TASTIC years!Timothy Pope, Timothy Pope, what can you see through your telescope? Is there really a shark in the park? Go on, be brave, open the book and see!Timothy Pope has a brand new telescope and he's testing it out at the park. Peep through the die-cut holes in this book to see if you can spy a shark. Is that really a shark? Turn the page and find out . . .A delightful, entertaining story - with its rhyming text and ingenious die-cut pages, it's a book children will want to read again and again.
Michael Rosen & Polly Dunbar
Poetry

Michael Rosen is a master of the word. He is a master of rhythm and rhyme and a master of the engagement of young children. This book is full of poems specifically aimed at the youngest children. It recognises that enabling children to hear and feel words in an enjoyable and engaging way, is not just a foundational skill for learning to read and write, but a fundamental entitlement for all children to be able to be introduced to the joy of playing with words.

The poems and rhymes follow the loose structure of a child’s day from the rhyme “Up” at the start to “Goodnight” at the end. In between comes rhymes that can accompany all sort of activities such as “On the swings” and feelings, like the rhyme “Happy”. The rhymes are simple and easily recalled but the joy for the child will also be in the illustrations by Polly Dunbar. Pictures of children illustrate each rhyme – my particular favourite is the illustration of the child ‘putting on’ her pyjamas to accompany the rhyme, “Jimmy Jams”.

This is a great book for a parent to share with a very young child and for teachers in the early years to read to their class. Children will quickly know their favourites and in no time will be reading along with the adult.

Reviewer: Jane Carter

Chris Haughton
Picturebook
It's hard work being good all the time - and it's especially hard for a dog like George! A laugh-out-loud, visual romp from the acclaimed author-illustrator of A Bit Lost and Shh! We Have a Plan.In this hilarious read-aloud by the multiple award-winning author-illustrator of A Bit Lost and Shh! We Have a Plan , Harris is off to do some shopping. "Will you be good, George?" he asks his dog. George hopes he can. He really wants to ... but chocolate cake is just so very delicious and he does love to chase cat... What will George do now? Shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal and the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, Chris Haughton's distinctive artwork perfectly accompanies the innocent charm of affable George, a dog trying to be good - with hilarious results!
Kes Gray
 & Nick Sharratt
Picturebook
Here comes trouble! A super-dooper Daisy picture book - from Kes Gray, author of the bestselling Oi Frog and Friends , and Nick Sharratt, award-winning illustrator of You Choose and Pants !Daisy does NOT like peas. And there is NOTHING that will get her to eat them.Mum says she can have an extra pudding, a chocolate factory or a space rocket with DOUBLE RETRO LASER BLAMMERS - but it just won't work! Can quick-thinking Daisy save her tea time and come up with a cunning plan to turn the tables on Mum?This wickedly funny story will appeal to cheeky children everywhere (especially fussy eaters!).
Rashmi Sirdeshpande
 & Rikin Parekh
Picturebook
Yes, you can, Cow! We believe in you! READY . . . STEADY . . . GO . . .It's the Nursery Rhyme's big performance, but Cow is having second thoughts. She's too scared to jump! What if she crashes? Will everyone laugh?The curtain's almost up and the audience are waiting. Can Cow overcome her fear of failure and become the star of the show?A gorgeous, heartwarming story about believing in yourself and doing your best based on the ever-popular nursery rhyme 'Hey Diddle Diddle'.

Marjoke Henrichs
Picturebook
An everyday battle of wills between a mother and child where everyone ends up a winner! Rabbit is happy doing his own thing, and he doesn't want to listen to his mum telling him to get up, get dressed, have breakfast, play outside, come inside and least of all... have a bath! NO, NO, NO! he says. But at last they hit on something they both love doing together. Perfectly pitched and re-assuring for parents whose child is being contrary, and interactive as children will love to join in with all Rabbit's 'Nos' and will want to read the book again and again. Shortlisted for the Booktrust Storytime Prize.
Joseph Coelho
 & Nicola Killen
Poetry
A beautifully illustrated anthology of forty-four short poems by award-winning Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho, designed to be shared together. Blow a kiss, catch a kiss when we are apart. Blow a kiss, catch a kiss put it in your heart. From Eye Caterpillars to The Journey Game, and from Dancing Families to Dreamtime, this collection of fun and heart-warming poems from award-winning children's poet Joseph Coelho are perfect for sharing everyday feelings and experiences.

Recommended Storybooks With Child Characters

Michaela Dias-Hayes
Picturebook
A joyful book that shows children how their wonderful features, traits and heritage can be lovingly passed down from biological and chosen family members. As a young girl explores the idea of her family tree, she notices all the beautiful physical features she has inherited from her black and south Asian family lines. Not only that, she realises how their love and nurture bring our shared interests, passions and personality traits. From Nanny’s nose for a good recipe, to Grandpa’s melanin skin, a sense of belonging and pride rings through in the most pure and joyful way.
Eva Wong Nava
 & Li Xin
Picturebook

This picture book provides a beautifully illustrated introduction to Chinese New Year.

The night before the celebrations, Mai-Anne explains that the Lunar New Year is about to arrive and that her family enjoys a special set of traditions. Mai-Anne helps to clean and decorate the house and is excited when her grandmother (Nai Nai) arrives in time for the most important dinner of the year – fish for good luck, noodles for a long life, dumplings for blessings and nian gao for success. After dinner, Mai-Anne and Nai Nai settle down together and Nai Nai recounts the important story of the Great Race. Along with Mai-Anne, the reader learns about the story of the twelve animals who race to cross the river. Then Mai-Anne enjoys a special family Dragon Dance, eats sweet tangerines and wears a special red outfit for luck.

This is a lovely picture book to read at Chinese New Year but also all year round too as a book that celebrates family moments, bonds with grandparents and the joy of special traditions. The illustrations and text are both warm and celebratory in tone. It also features a non-fiction section on the final pages with more information about Chinese New Year and the dragon dance.

Anna McQuinn
 & Rosalind Beardshaw
Picturebook
Lulu is going to pre-school for the first time. She has visited school before with Mummy, but this time she will go on her own. She's excited, but a bit nervous. She gets dressed, packs her bag and makes sure she has her cat Dinah with her. When Lulu gets to school, she quickly settles and makes a friend with Mummy watching close by. When Mummy leaves, Lulu is nervous. Will she find the courage to head off to play again? And how will she feel when Mummy returns to pick her up?
Tom Percival
Picturebook

In Tilda Tries Again, Tom Percival once again displays his trademark style of using fantasy situations to explore real-life feelings.

We have all heard the phrase ‘to turn someone’s world upside down’. In this book, this is what literally and metaphorically happens to Tilda. At the beginning of the story, we meet a typical young girl who loves to do things that young children do. She has a happy life spending time with her friends, books and toys in and around her family home. Then one day, for no particular reason, everything turns upside down. Suddenly, Tilda can’t accomplish everyday tasks anymore- she can’t reach any thing or work anything out and happiness escapes her. Even spending time with her friends seems impossible and Tilda withdraws from her world .

Just when it seems that Tilda is destined to remain in this topsy-turvy state, she meets a ladybird who has itself been turned upside down. The reader joins Tilda in watching the ladybird (a source of such joy when found by little children) as it refuses to resign itself to its situation and repeatedly tries to set itself the right way up- until it succeeds. Inspired by the tenacity of the tiny creature, Tilda decides to try again and -little by little- she conquers the upside down situation that she believed herself to be stuck in and manages to turn things the right way up again. This book gives an excellent way in to discussions about mental-health topics such as low-mood and anxiety and also the power of not giving up.

Mike Henson
 & Barbara Bakos
Picturebook
All the Nonsense in my Teeth is a fantastical, dream-like story about teeth brushing, that takes readers on a journey into the narrator’s imagination and encourages good personal hygiene and following a daily routine.Tonight I brushed my teeth. They really needed a good clean! Oh, let me tell you about all the things that I found in them… There were breakfast hoops and ice cream scoops An aeroplane doing loop the loops An aeroplane, now that’s absurd! Then to my shock... a flock of birds!The charming artwork and sing-song rhyme scheme take readers on an adventure filled with fantastical imagery, as all kinds of things from cyclists doing stunts to an animal brass band are revealed inside the protagonist's mouth as they brush their teeth!With entertaining illustrations from Barbara Bakos, let this wonderful picture book transport you and your children to another world before they go to sleep.

Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie
 & Ashleigh Corrin
Picturebook
Seven-year-old Layla loves life! So she keeps a happiness book. What is happiness for her? For you?Spirited and observant, Layla is a child who's been given room to grow, making happiness both thoughtful and intimate. It's her dad talking about growing-up in South Carolina; her mom reading poetry; her best friend Juan, the community garden, and so much more. Written by poet Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie and illustrated by Ashleigh Corrin, this is a story of flourishing within family and community.

Stories on Popular Topics for Preschool Children

Laura Baker
 & Nina Dzyvulska
Picturebook
Tall monsters, small monsters, monsters here and there. Hairy monsters, scary monsters... in TRUCKS everywhere.Children will love this super-fun title packed with hilarious monsters in incredible trucks! Follow the monsters as they build a city and watch out for a monster thief on the loose!There is plenty to spot on every page, with playful, bright artwork and lots of amusing mishaps.Energetic, whacky and characterful monsters are drawn in a vibrant, contemporary style by Ukranian illustrator Nina Dzyvulska - spot Grin monster in a forklift truck, Brainy monster busy building, and Jiggly monster who might need the loo!The simple narrative with fun wordplay and a gentle rhyme is perfect for reading aloud, ideal for preschoolers and early readers as they build up their vocabulary and reading confidence.This bold, bright and playful book is sure to be enjoyed time and time again by young readers as they are thrilled by the wild escapades of the monsters in trucks!
Morag Hood
Picturebook
It is a day like any other at the roadworks when Digger decides she no longer likes digging down into mud, dark and worms – she wants to dig UP! Although up is quite tricky to get to, with some ingenuity and balloons, Digger goes off on a grand adventure. But adventures aren't as fun without friends, so Digger must dig her way home.With a witty text, bright colours and a finger trail to follow from the award-winning Morag Hood, young children and adults will love reading Dig, Dig, Digger! together.
Caryl Hart
 & Nick East
Picturebook
Pasta Man has run out of Pasta Power. . . Can our young hero help him to get his powers back and defeat evil Madame Chilli, who wants to rule the world with lashings of chilli sauce?With action-packed adventure and bright, detailed artwork, this is the ultimate fun-filled counting storybook!
Rachel Bright
 & Chris Chatterton
Picturebook
A reassuring tale about coping with overwhelming feelings and frustration, The Stompysaurus is the latest book in the DinoFeelings series by Rachel Bright and Chris Chatterton, creators of The Worrysaurus.One morning, Stompysaurus wakes from a happy dream, feeling excited for the new day, until things start to go a bit wrong. His brother's being a tease, his breakfast isn't his usual favourite and NOTHING is going right. His STOMPS and ROARS start rising inside him, until they EXPLODE!But a tricky start doesn't have to mean a stompy finish. Can Stompysurus find a new way of looking at things and turn his day around?The perfect picture book to help children learn to overcome feelings of anger and annoyance when it seems like everything is going wrong. From the author of the bestselling The Lion Inside.

Recommended Non-Fiction Books for Preschoolers

DK
Non-fiction
A charming children's encyclopedia that takes you back in time to discover the prehistoric world! The world is so much bigger than young minds can fathom and there is always more to learn. My Encyclopedia of Very Important Dinosaurs is a vibrant encyclopedia for curious 5-9 year olds, who want to know everything there is to know about dinosaurs! Easily accessible to young readers through a balance of striking images and conversational, age-appropriate text, this dinosaur encyclopedia will tap into every child's natural curiosity and answer all their biggest questions about this amazing lost world. Bursting with up-to-date facts and discoveries, this exciting kid's encyclopedia includes everything from an in-depth exploration of the triassic, jurassic, and cretaceous periods and how fossils are made, to detailed profiles of popular dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and Stegosaurus, to more unfamiliar species such as Microraptor, Guanlong, and Spinosaurus .
Polly Faber
 & Klas Fahlén
Non-fiction
Building a Home is a beautifully illustrated picture book guide to exactly how an old building can become a brand-new home.Now available in paperback, with action-packed artwork from Klas Fahlen and a gentle narrative text by Polly Faber, find out all about the people, machines, processes and tools involved in breathing new life into an old building. Packed with builders, cranes, diggers, cement mixers and a host of other exciting tools and machinery, follow a crumbling old factory on the edge of town as it goes from being an empty shell to something entirely new . . . a home.
Moira Butterfield
 & Jesus Verona
Picturebook
Discover a world of wonder on a farmyard walk, with this beautiful picture book from the National Trust.Today we're on the farm. Let's go! Past the gate where daisies grow . . . Look what I found! A tuft of sheep's wool, soft as a woolly jumper.Set off on a farmyard adventure to find natural treasure, from a fluffy chick feather to a broken eggshell, then learn more about the found object with irresistibly illustrated and informative nature notes.Packed full of fascinating facts alongside a gentle rhyming narrative and encouraging children to get outside and explore their surroundings, this is a nature treasure hunt series for the whole family to treasure!
Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
 & Janna Morton
Non-fiction
When Mae Jemison was a little girl, she dreamed of blasting off into space on a rocket ship. She was so excited as she watched the Apollo Moon landings, but she wondered... why none of the astronauts were women?Mae loved science and was so bright that she started college at just 16, and was training to be a doctor by the age of 20. She joined the Peace Corps, using her medical knowledge to help people in countries all around the world. Upon returning to the United States, she was accepted into NASA's astronaut program.After hard work and training, in 1992 Mae became the first Black woman to travel into space! This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the groundbreaking astronaut's life.

Sophy Henn
Picturebook

All Kind of Families, written and illustrated by Sophy Henn, is a wonderful book to use across various opportunities in the primary classroom. It is an excellent resource to promote discussion and understanding of family diversity in humans and animals. By making links to animals, children gain a wider experience of different families, all underpinned by the theme of love. The book explores and promotes families with different parents, varying numbers of siblings and family sizes, roles of other individuals and adoption. Each is done sensitively to help children understand and embrace the naturally different shapes of families. The book would be most suitable for KS1 or lower KS2 but could be adapted for any age. Each theme is linked to a different animal and the final pages of the books give more information about each of those animals.

Jon Burgerman
Picturebook
We all have feelings and that's okay! How are YOU feeling today? With fun characters and eye-popping artwork, Jon Burgerman's entertaining book introduces over twenty feelings, putting each one in relatable context and providing young children with the vocabulary they need to talk about feelings.
Julia Donaldson
 & Sharon King-Chai
Non-fiction Picturebook
A stunning book about colours full of gorgeous, breathtaking landscapes, with amazing flaps to lift and holes to peep through. From Julia Donaldson, bestselling author of The Gruffalo, and Sharon King-Chai, who together created the award-winning Animalphabet and Counting Creatures.Follow a little girl as she paints her own adventure with her bright blue tree frog companion. With luscious green trees to climb and red hot air balloons to sail away in, children will delight in the rhyming text and vibrant artwork while learning about different colours.

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Guidance: About the Preschool Booklist

How important is reading in the Early Years?

Sharing books with preschoolers is as important as it is joyful. At this age, books can leave a lasting impression on young imaginations, form a key part of language and literacy development and provide young children with important insights into the world around them and the experiences of others.

Storytime is often a favourite part of the day – whether in the classroom or snuggled up at bedtime – and early positive experiences with books can be the foundations of a lifelong enjoyment of reading.

At the ages of 3 and 4, many children are just beginning to recognise letters and words and there is no need to pressure children to read books for themselves at this age more than they want to. Providing children with the opportunity to simply enjoy lots of different types of books and stories together with an adult is one of the best ways to give children a head start with their own reading journeys.

What kind of books should preschoolers read?

The best books to read with preschoolers are picturebooks, where the words and pictures work together to create meaning and tell the story.  This helps children to kick start their language development ready for school, gain basic comprehension skills and develop an early enjoyment of books. Give preschool children books with bright and bold illustrations that complement clear storytelling, like Oliver Jeffers’ Lost and Found or Julia Donaldson’s What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside.

Preschool children also love books with a memorable story. Many people can fondly remember their own favourite picturebooks from the preschool years – and sometimes off by heart! We’ve picked out 50 recommended books for today’s children in the nursery and preschool years (ages 3-4), designed with shared storytimes in mind. From stories with repeated verses to join in with (like Nick Sharratt’s Shark In the Park), to laugh-out-loud favourites (like Poo at the Zoo or Octopants) to sincere stories about animals trying to figure out the world around them (like Lots of Dots or The Perfect Present), we’ve got something for all tastes.

For books about being kind or managing emotions, try Everybody Has FeelingsLayla’s Happiness or Kindness Makes Us Strong. If stories to prepare children for starting school or making friends are what you’re looking for, try Lulu’s First Day or Caryl Hart’s Mini Monsters series. For a read-aloud with the extra wow factor, we recommend The Rabbit, The Dark and the Biscuit Tin, guaranteed to produce ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ at storytime.

Some of the stories on our booklist are classic books that have been entertaining children for generations, like Owl Babies or Jill Murphy’s Peace at Last. Others are inspired by very recent events, such as How Do You Make a Rainbow?, which reflects colourfully on the joy of finding positivity through community and kindness during difficult times.

Which are the best non-fiction books for preschoolers?

We’ve also included a selection of non-fiction books suitable for this age group, from books about nature (like Building a Homes and the bright and playful All Kind of Families), to the space-themed inspirational story of Mae Jemison.

If you are looking for books themed around a particular topic, be sure to check out our EYFS topic booklists.

Where can I purchase the books on the Preschool Booklist?

What other booklists for preschoolers are available?

If you are looking to diversify your reading collection with diverse books for Early Years children, we’ve put together an additional special collection of Diverse and Inclusive Books for EYFS, which has been specially curated to help schools and parents to select more diverse books for young children.

If you are looking for more picturebooks that young children will love listening to over and over again, our EYFS Storytime Favourites list will help you to build a quality story collection for children aged 3 to 5.

We know how big the step of preparing to start primary school for the first time can feel to some children, and to help preschoolers to prepare for their journey to Reception, we’ve also put together a list of children’s books about starting school.

Many preschool and nursery children become fans of the most popular picturebook characters like Supertato and the Gruffalo, and to help with inspiration to find even more story characters to love, parents and teachers might find our Branching Out booklists useful with Books for Fans of Julia Donaldson and Books for Fans of Supertato.

Be sure to check out our EYFS topic booklists if you are looking for children’s books themed around a particular topic – whether it’s books for an Early Years curriculum theme like Weather & Seasons or Growing Plants or a story to match a special interest for an individual preschooler, like books about Dinosaurs or Superhero books for children.

Can I download a printable version of the Preschool Booklist?

All of our Year Group Recommended Read lists come with a printable poster and checklist. Schools are very welcome to display the posters or to share the printable resources with their community.

Printable Poster – Best Preschool Books PDF

preschool recommended reading list poster

 

Printable Checklist – Best Preschool Books PDF

preschool recommended reading list checklist

 

Where can I find recommended read lists for other primary school year groups?

We can help! Our team of experts at BooksForTopics has poured hours of careful work into curating lists of the best books for each primary year group. Each booklist contains 50 recommended reads and includes a printable poster and checklist. Schools can purchase full packs of each Year Group list from our partners at Peters.

Here are the quick links to our primary school booklists:

Preschool: 50 Recommended Reads

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?

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