We’re often asked “what makes a good book for an emerging reader?” The short answer is, any book that gets kids excited about reading is a good book! In addition to that, we seek out books that represent the readers in our program. We know that kids who can see themselves in a book are more likely to pick it up. We also find that beautiful illustrations make books fun to read again and again, and we look for books that are likely to keep our readers challenged and ready to keep learning. The lists below have some great ideas of books to read with the younger readers in your life.
- This list from Five Books includes award winners and popular favorites.
- Book Riot has a handy list of all the major award winners in children’s literature this year.
- The experts at Brightly always have a beautifully curated list. Check it out here.
- Forbes asked parents and teachers for their recommendations and listed them here.
- National Public Radio has a whopping 381 titles on this year’s Books We Love list. You can filter for kids’ books, or check out the entire list and maybe find a gift or two for yourself as well. The Joy of Reading has no age limits!
Whether you head to the library or your favorite local bookstore, we hope you’ve found something here that you and your loved ones can enjoy!