Summer 2015 Preview:
The Best Books for Preschoolers
by Devon A. Corneal
Although your littlest ones may not be reading chapter books yet, there’s no reason not to fill their summer with stories. These thirteen books will give sandy hands something to do after a day at the beach or distract them from the sounds of the ice cream truck. (Okay, who are we kidding? The ice cream truck always wins.) Throw one of these magical, colorful, and funny stories in your bag when you need a break from swimming or playing outside.
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What This Story Needs Is a Pig in a Wig
Every story needs a pig in a wig, or a horse, of course. Perfect for early readers, this simple story incorporates rhymes and repetition to capture your preschooler’s imagination.
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Wait
Using only the words “wait” and “hurry,” Antoinette Portis neatly captures the life of a preschooler on his way to school. Where he sees opportunities to meet neighborhood animals and dodge raindrops, his mother sees obstacles to their prompt arrival. Parents and children alike will recognize themselves in these pages.
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Where’s the Pair?
Help your young reader learn about similar and different in this fantastic book of creatures big and small. Your child will delight in finding the matching cats and dragonflies in pages filled with colorful decoys.
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One Family
A counting book and a glorious ode to families in all their complexity and beauty, this book will educate little readers about more than just numbers.
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If you Plant a Seed
If you aren’t in love with Kadir Nelson’s extraordinary artwork, you will be after reading this simple tale that shows us all how a single act of kindness can transform our world.
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Last Stop on Market Street
Available from:CJ spends Sundays with his Grandmother, riding the bus across town to Market Street. Along the way, CJ also gets a lesson in being grateful for what he has and learning to see the beauty all around him, instead of wishing for what he lacks. It’s a timely and lovely message that we all can learn.
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Outstanding in the Rain
This book lives up to its subtitle: A Whole Story with Holes. Your child will enjoy guessing what pictures lie ahead as they turn page after page of strategically placed cutouts that track a young boy’s day at the boardwalk.
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The Tortoise and the Hare
Available from:Another gorgeous cutout book, this version of the classic racing tale will entertain kids as they discover peek-a-boo pictures on every page. You may already know how it ends, but the journey has never been sweeter.
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Duck’s Vacation
In the tradition of There’s a Monster at the End of This Book and Press Here, Duck’s Vacation encourages children to interact with the characters in the story and insists that their actions change the story itself. This poor duck just wants to be left alone, but turning the pages is turning his dream vacation into a nightmare filled with bad weather, pinching crabs, and unexpected pirates. Whatever you do, don’t turn the page!
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Ice Cream Summer
When school lets out, the ice cream truck starts its annual rounds and one little boy can’t get the delicious frozen treat out of his head. Full of colorful and inventive illustrations, fun facts and fanciful dreams, this is a perfect book for those long humid days of summer.
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The Big Princess
Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, lived a king and queen with no child of their own to love. One day, they find a teensy princess on a leaf in their garden and take her in as their own. But the princess is cursed and unless the king and queen can break the spell, their kingdom will be lost forever. With his usual flair and colorful style, Taro Miura has created a book both visually and narratively captivating.
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Over the Hills and Far Away
This collection of nursery rhymes is illustrated by more than seventy artists, and will have you seeing your favorite childhood poems in a whole new light. In addition to gorgeous artwork, the collection contains rhymes from countries all over the world, which means you’ll likely find one you’ve never read before.
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The Cow Tripped Over the Moon: A Nursery Rhyme Emergency
Available from:Once you’ve mastered the original nursery rhymes, turn them on their heads and call for an ambulance! When Humpty falls and the cow trips over the moon, you’re going to need medical attention ASAP.
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