Reading aloud to your toddler who’s learning to read can make for a delightful, interactive experience. They may ask (or demand) that you turn the pages more quickly as they excitedly guess what happens next. They may pull the book close to their little noses and marvel at the colorful pictures. They may even build a blanket fort or time machine out of boxes and share their adventure story over dinner that evening. (They went to Mars; can you believe it?!)
When your preschooler, Kindergartener, or first grader starts predicting the plotline, memorizing repeating phrases in stories, and sounding out words on the pages, they’re well on their way to learning to read. And the best books for kids learning to read are picture books with plenty of context clues and imaginative storylines. So climb up on the couch and tuck your nose into our list of the best picture books to help your child tumble head over toes in love with reading.
Dragon Post
If your little one has ever wanted to receive a letter of their own, invite them to open their very own Dragon Post. In this fun tail—err, tale—little Alexander discovers a red dragon in his basement and embarks on a mail-service mission to educate the whole town on how to handle his scaly friend. Letters with dragon-handling tips arrive throughout the story for kids to unfold and read aloud, making it ideal for young minds that thrive on interactive learning. With memorable, poetic language and cartoon-like illustrations, Emma Yarlett weaves an approachable fantasy for vocabulary expansion and reading confidence.
Little Children’s Nature Activity Book
Calling all leaf-pile divers, bug catchers, and butterfly chasers! With Little Children’s Nature Book, your backyard or neighborhood park becomes a whole world of literary exploration. Lace up your sneakers and tackle stimulating activities like mazes, puzzles, dot-to-dots, and drawing—each with the goal of providing your child an up-close experience of nature and new concepts. In an environment your child is ecstatic to be in, they won’t hesitate to confidently turn each page and soar through challenges as smoothly as the kites in the sky. Gifting your child a lasting love of reading and our beautiful planet? We can’t think of a better win-win.
The Cool Bean
This title is a wonderful introduction to puns and wordplay, and captures the hearts of any kid who’s ever wanted to be the coolest bean in school. But what makes a bean cool? Kindness, of course. When this lovable bean starts to feel like an uncool “has-bean,” the resident Cool Beans in school show him that being cool means making people feel included and special. This heartwarming tale will teach your little reader valuable lessons about inclusion and friendship. You might notice them start to share the way stories like this one make them feel—complete with a punny joke or two.
Memoirs of a Hamster
Elementary-school readers will enjoy the humor, art, and thrills aligning in this enriching tale packed with learning opportunities. Life is pure bliss in hamster Seymour’s cage. But when Pearl the Cat comes knocking, he leaps into life outside his home. In this diary-style tale, readers are exposed to the first-person format to build comprehension and empathy with plenty of helpful illustrations in between. Your child won’t be able to resist grabbing their own helmet (and maybe even their diary) and hopping on Seymour’s FuzzyBoy 360 hamster wheel to enjoy the ride!
Wild Honey from The Moon
Brace yourself for a wild ride as Mother Shrew sets off to save her son from an unexpected illness. The cure? Wild honey from the moon, of course. This picture book contains seven exciting chapters full of twists and turns that’ll take you and your little one on a fantasy-filled adventure. Pace yourselves as Mother Shrew overcomes numerous adversaries on her quest to find the wild honey. As you read, your preschooler can use the book’s vibrant watercolor illustrations to make thoughtful inferences and connections. Wild Honey From the Moon is captivating and creative —and might just be a story you pass down for generations.
Mold Your Little Learner into a Confident Reader With Literati Book Clubs
Toddlers who are first learning to read have boundless potential waiting to be unlocked. One of the best learning tools you can hand them are books for kids learning to read. Books like the titles above help them channel their imagination into a lifelong commitment to reading, learning, and creativity.
As a Literati Kids Book Club member, you can keep the bookshelf forever full of books curated for your child’s learning stage—at every stage. No more guessing or letting books gather dust in the playroom. Just take our personalization quiz to tell us what your child loves, and we’ll take care of the rest. Start your subscription today and watch the remarkable journey of your child learning to read tomorrow.
