ParenthoodNJ Recommended Reading

Featured Books

Tea Party Rules- by Ame Dyckman; an adorable story of a bear cub who wanders into a little girl's pretend tea party and gets more than he bargains for.

For kids in preschool and older, especially little girls who love tea parties

Spring Holiday Books
(Easter, Spring & more)

Winter Books Review

Raise a Bookworm
(October 2010 Baby Talk article)
Best Books Lists
(Young Adult Library Association)

General Fiction by Age Group

Fables & Twisted Fairy Tales

For Infants & Older

A Birthday for Cow! by Jan Thomas (ages 4-8)

Horton Hears A Who! by Dr. Seuss (ages 4-8)

Who's Hiding? At the Beach: A Lift-the-Flap Book (infant & up); a lift-the-flap series including the farm, beach & zoo

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (ages 4-8)

Snappy Little Monsters (pop-up book series; baby/preschool)

Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw (ages 4-8)

Chicken, Pig, Cow by Ruth Ohi (Pre-K; part of a series)

Mommy Loves Me by John & Wendy (infant & up)

Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett (ages 4-8)

Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (baby-preschool)

Hey Diddle Diddle (Nursery Rhyme Mini Books) by Moira Kemp (infant & older)

Maisy Goes to the Museum by Lucy Cousins (baby/preschool; part of a series)

Curious George Rides by H.A. Rey (baby/preschool)

Toddlers, Pre-K & Early Elementary

Inside-Outside Book of New York City one of several "inside-outside" books by Roxie Munro (ages 2 & older)

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin
Fancy Nancy & the Posh Puppy by Jane O'Connor (4-8)
I am Invited to a Party by Mo Willems (ages 4-8)
Olivia by Ian Falconer (ages 4-8)
Usborne Book of Princess Stories by Heather Amery (ages 4-8)
Move Over Rover by Sandra Beaumont
If you Give a Pig a Party by Laura Numeroff (Pre-K to Gr 2)
Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester (K to Gr 2) - a whole series of books
A Penguin Story by Antoinette Portis
The Sergio the Penguin series by Edel Rodriguez
What's a Penguin to Think When He Turns Pink? by Lynne Richards
Pigs to the Rescue by John Himmelman (Pre-K to Gr 2)

Porcupining: A Prickly Love Story by Lisa Wheeler (Pre-K to Gr 2)

The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas (Pre-K & older)

Elementary/Middle School

Warriors #1: Into the Wild part of the Warriors series by Erin Hunter (Gr 5 & up)

Coraline by Neil Gaiman (Gr 6 & up)

Castle Roogna (Xanth Novels) by Piers Anthony; book 3 in the Xanth series (Gr 6 & up)

Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R.L. LaFevers (Gr 4 to 8)

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (Gr 6 to 10)

Teen & Young Adult

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (Gr 9 & above; part of a series)

Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern (Gr 9 & up)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1) (Paperback)by J.K. Rowling (ages 9-12; part of a series)

Chronicle Books - 30% + Free Ship Banner

Great Concept & Skill-Building Books

Counting

How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
One, Two ,Three! by Sandra Boynton
Ten Little Ladybugs by Melanie Gerth
Twelve Little Race Cars by Scott and Judy Pruett

One Drowsy Dragon by Ethan Long

Math Concepts

How Do You Count a Dozen Ducklings? (Albert Whitman Prairie Books) by In Seon Chae (Pre-K to Kindgergarten)

What's a Pair? What's a Dozen? by Stephen R. Swinburne (Pre-K to Gr 1)

Early Reading Skills (Easy Readers)

The Complete Adventures of Big Dog and Little Dog by Dav Pilkey

The Alphabet

A to Z by Sandra Boynton

The Sleepy Little Alphabet: A Bedtime Story from Alphabet Town by Judy Sierra

AlphaOops!: The Day Z Went First by Alethea Kontis

K Is For Kissing A Cool Kangaroo by Giles Andreae

Opposites, Shapes & Colors

Maisy's Colors by Lucy Cousins (baby-preschool)

Patrick Paints a Picture (ages 4-8; colors)

Olivia's Opposites by Ian Falconer
Mup's Days of the Week by Wendy Body

Special Subjects

For Parents

General Parenting

What to Expect When You're Expecting: 4th Edition by Heidi Murkoff, Sandee Hathaway and Arlene Eisnberg

For Fun

Babyhood by Paul Reiser

Activities

Check out our Activities page, which includes suggested books and other resources

Separation/Sleep Issues

See "Separation/Getting Ready for School" for some books to read to your child
Sleeping Through the Night by Jodi A. Mindell, Ph.D
The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp, M.D.

See Sleep Issues or Getting Ready for School for related books to read to your child