Ten dogs, big and small, spy a link of ten sausages on a table. Tongues are out before the turn of the first page, and readers will laugh as they follow the dogs’ quest for a tasty treat. From a double-page spread with one dog having all the sausages to another showing only one dog without, readers can count down from ten in this funny, clever counting book. Added numeracy vocabulary such as “all,” “couple,” “more/less” and “half” are included to extend the learning. Adult and child readers will enjoy double checking the numbers as they read and emBARK on a counting adventure!
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A Baker's Dozen: The Best Children's Books for Family Literacy
10 Dogs
(Boxer Books Ltd., trademark of Union Square & Co., LLC., a subsidiary of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.)
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Tips for Using with Children
Using props to tell a story is fun and supports comprehension of the story and numeracy skills. Create ten sausages using paper, playdough, or any other material. Present different scenarios and support children in dividing the sausages into two different categories. (For example, what would it look like if 3 children had sausages and 7 were still on the table? What would it look like if 5 sausages were on the plate, and 5 were in a basket?)
Tips for Using with Families
This book is a lot of fun and presents the opportunity for adults and children to practice counting together. Adults can consider their young reader’s age, interests, and development and decide if they would enjoy counting the dogs on some of the pages or just allowing time for children to take in the illustrations. Some children might take the lead in pointing and counting, and others may appreciate support and modeling from an adult. A fun idea might be for the adult to count one part of each page (ex: 4 dogs guard the sausages) and the child to count the other part (6 dogs not impressed)
ABC and You and Me
(Rocky Pond Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC)
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Readers will stretch their bodies and their minds when reading this unique alphabet book that incorporates movement and letters. Adult and child pairs representing inclusive and diverse ages, skin tones, and abilities, bend their bodies to form each upper and lowercase letter of the alphabet. Upon a closer look, readers can also find objects that start with each featured letter and stretch their vocabulary, too. Occasional verse in gentle rhyme guides the reader through the letters, with a culminating prompt asking readers to consider the shapes they can create. An object key at the end of the book offers another opportunity to see, say, and search for the objects that go with each letter. Pick up this book when you are ready to lean into some movement and learning together!
Tips for Using with Children
After reading the book and identifying the letters and objects together, discuss: which letters seemed hardest to make with our bodies? Which are the easiest? Play some rhythmic music and invite children to walk or dance around the room. Periodically call “Freeze,” and stop the music, instructing children to freeze in position. Invite children to look around and enjoy one another’s frozen poses. Have any of them made an alphabet letter? Have they made any other shapes?
Tips for Using with Families
This alphabet book is bound to inspire movement. Families can make a set of alphabet cards to keep on hand for helping children recognize the letter shapes made by the bodies in the book. Adults can help keep children engaged in this book by encouraging them to find the objects (see key on last page) that begin with each letter and act out the suggested movements sprinkled between alphabet letters.
After reading the book, children will likely want to try making some of the letters with their bodies. Some letters can be easily made, but it can be fun to try the harder ones, even if children simply end up falling over and rolling on the floor. Agile adults and older siblings might want to join in as well!
A less active follow-up game involves both alphabet recognition and remembering and can be played with any alphabet book. Close the book and take turns asking, e.g., “What object was on the letter F page? Then turn to the page to check.
Bear with Me
(Random House Studio, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC)
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This almost wordless book uses the title phrase to illustrate the bond a child shares with their stuffed teddy bear. Since the very beginning, this duo has shared a daily routine and are rarely apart. Readers can relate to the feelings this little child has when facing the first day of school without bear. Their uncertainty at the start of the school day transitions to a story of resilience, as the child carries bear with them, not physically, but in their heart and through their actions. The thought of readers missing the opportunity to read a story filled with examples of love, bravery, and friendship is frankly, well, unBEARable.
Tips for Using with Children
This storybook calls out for expressive reading, even though there are only three printed words in the book! For example, read the words “Bear With Me”--- loudly and tearfully when the father takes Bear to the washer, with great effort when the child tries to fit Bear into the book bag, proudly when the child shows her painting, and joyfully when the child hugs Bear on returning home. Children who are beginning to read can notice that the size and design of letters as well as the punctuation help us decide how to read the words with expression. On re-reading, adults can point to the words, and encourage children to read them dramatically.
As a follow-up activity, invite children to bring a favorite item/toy for ‘show and tell’, perhaps one that they miss when they are at school, or maybe one that they, too, have had “forever.”
Tips for Using with Families
After examining the cover illustration, adults and children can notice that the first pages show a gift arriving for a new baby. Consider together whether that might be the bear and baby from the book’s cover. If so, the child has probably loved this bear since infancy.
When reading this book with younger children, adults can point to each picture and use simple words to describe what’s happening. This POINT AND TELL technique will help children’s vocabulary grow. Children may want to “read” along with adults and label or describe some of the pictures themselves. Simply pointing and saying one word is a good start to becoming a reader.
Older children will be eager to examine the pictures more closely and answer questions about what’s happening in them (e.g. “Oh! Oh! What do you think the Mommy is saying now?”) Help children relate the story to how they feel about their own favorite toys.
The Concrete Garden
(Candlewick Press)
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Amanda and her mom make their way from their apartment on the fifteenth floor to the street below with a box filled with colorful chalk. Amanda not only begins to draw an image, but draws attention from other children, too, as they join and expand the artwork. Soon, the sidewalk is filled with palm trees, clouds, an alien invader, and much more, all overseen by a Queen of Swirls. Even the neighborhood dog takes creative license and adds to the drawing. A rain shower at the end of the day does not dampen the community spirit and creative collaboration. The watercolor illustrations are the perfect choice to highlight the blend of rain and chalk. In this garden, imagination and creativity bloom.
Tips for Using with Children
This is a story about children working together to brighten their world, and the lives of people around them. Relate this to the children’s own lives, giving them examples of how they brighten the world for folks around them, e.g., by sharing their artwork, making greeting cards, giving friendly hellos, being kind and helpful.
This story easily inspires related projects. Children can create their own art by making a mural to display in a hallway or covered area where folks who pass by can admire it. They can also become scientists and engineers by experimenting with adding water drops to chalk drawings, or constructing boats from old boxes, and then testing them out in a water table.
Tips for Using with Families
Families who are not city apartment dwellers, may want to preview the story by looking through the illustrations, talking with children about ways that Amanda’s city living differs from theirs--- concrete surrounding the building, laundry drying on balconies, and SO many nearby children to play with! While reading the story, adults can point out how the children’s artwork brought cheer and happiness to the families in the building—and add, just as your child’s artwork does for you!
After reading, adults can support children’s imaginations by playing the game, “Where are you and What are you doing?” Turn to the double-page spread of the children’s artwork. Then say, “Let’s pretend that we live in that building and want to help make the picture.” Take turns pointing to a spot in the picture where you would like to be, and tell what you would draw there, as well as the colors you would use. Your child might like playing this game with illustrations in other books as well.
How to Count to 1 (And Don’t Even Think about Bigger Numbers!)
(Nosy Crow Inc.)
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This clever counting book teaches readers to count to one, and cautions them not to even think about going higher. Whether they choose to keep this rule or break it, readers won’t be able to keep from smiling as they count to one…or one hundred! Within the pages of the book, as well as the end pages, there is so much to see, name, and count. The temptation to taunt the narrator by pointing out and counting the fish in the sea, noodles in the soup, or rocks in the fishbowl is just too strong to resist -- you can count on that! For some extra fun, readers can scan a QR code on the back of the book to enjoy a free audio reading of the story, complements of Nosy Crow Stories Aloud.
Tips for Using with Children
A dramatic and humorous reading of this book will inspire children to notice as well as to count. After hearing a few pages, children will begin to understand that they are looking for the one thing that is different on each page, and that’s why they will only need to count to one! They may even enjoy studying a picture and guessing what they will be asked to count, and not be “fooled” again! Children can keep the fun going by drawing pages for their own How to Count to One book. Older children could even try their hands at a “How to Count to Two” book! This book delivers fun experiences in listening, counting, language, and playing with number sets!
Tips for Using with Families
Adults may notice ellipsis (…) on several pages in this book. This kind of punctuation sometimes means that words are missing. In this case, an ellipse means that the reader should pause before reading on. When pausing before reading the rest of the question, it is easy to trick the listener into counting further than one. But children soon learn to wait and listen carefully! Adults can scan the QR code on the book’s back cover to provide children with multiple opportunities to listen to the story, turn the pages themselves, and recognize some of the printed words.
During adult-child re-reads, take turns choosing something else to count on each page, e.g., “How many ducks are NOT wearing rollerblades?” This is a good game to use while waiting while out and about with children too: “How many chairs in this room. . . have arms?”
I am a Dragon! A Squabble & a Quibble
(HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers)
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In this story, a cohort of frogs encounters a dragon in their pond. Based on what they see and what they have heard, they decide with certainty that the dragon is, in fact, a frog. When the dragon becomes so frustrated that he emits a burst of fire, the frogs are finally convinced and apologize for their misjudgment. Watercolor illustrations, handwritten text, and honest and expressive characters will draw readers into this tale of listening and understanding. The frogs say this book is a great choice, but don’t take their word for it. You need to find out for yourself!
Tips for Using with Children
To set the stage for reading, adults can talk with children about the characteristics of both frogs and dragons. What characteristics are the same? Which ones are different? One of the frogs in the story thought he fell off a rock when he really fell off a turtle! What characteristics are similar between the rock and the turtle? What are their differences?
Tips for Using with Families
In this story, the dialogue is shared among the dragon, the turtle, and many of the frogs. Reading with expression increases children’s interest and engagement in the story and helps them understand the emotions of the characters. Adults can practice different voices and tones they feel are a good fit for each character in the story. Upon repeated readings, children may want to try voicing one or more of the characters, too.
If I was a Horse
(Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group)
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Imagination runs free in this story of fantasy and fun, as a child imagines what it would be like to become a horse. Readers will delight in the illustrations that depict the majestic horse not only enjoying green pastures and rainy fields, but also interacting with siblings, refusing a wash in the bathtub, and parading through the living room. Creative and fascinating, this story invites readers to come along with the narrator, escape for a while, and enjoy the ride.
Tips for Using with Children
Incorporating movement into the daily routines of both children and adults is a healthy practice for the body and the mind. During transition times, or after periods of sitting, think of ways that children (and adults!) can move like an animal. Can they gallop like a horse? Stretch like a giraffe? Walk like a bear? Leap like a frog? What other movements can they add to the list?
Tips for Using with Families
Adults can visit the local library to look for non-fiction books about horses, or do some online searching to gather some facts about horses to include in conversation when reading with children. Adding information like what horses like to eat, why they sleep standing up, and how they get clean can answer questions children might have and give the opportunity to insert fun facts while reading! Pairing fiction and non-fiction information together about a topic extends learning, supports comprehension, and boosts imagination.
The Kitten Story: A Mostly True Tale
(Minerva, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers, a division of Astra Publishing House)
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Rosie, Tulip, and their parents are ready to welcome the perfect kitten to their family. Unique from many other books, this story is told from Mommy’s perspective. Mommy gently narrates the journey, as she gathers information from her family on whether to seek a young kitten or an older cat and what name might be a good fit. Readers will quickly become invested in the search, and connected to the feelings of excitement, disappointment, waiting, and finally, rejoicing. We are letting the cat out of the bag – this book is one you don’t want to miss.
Tips for Using with Children
Children are curious and observant. They may wonder why Blizzard was not in a nice cage like the other cats at the shelter. Children might enjoy caring for stuffed animals in a classroom pretend play area. What will they need to create their shelter? Creating a list of needs and supplies and then gathering them for the shelter is a great learning activity, and the illustrations in the book can serve as a helpful guide. What did they see in the shelter illustrations, and in the family’s home, that would be necessary for an animal to have?
Tips for Using with Families
This book tells its story through text, but also shares additional details through its illustrations. Adults can pause after reading the text on each page and allow time for younger readers to take in the illustrations and add their thoughts to the story. Adults can ask guiding prompts such as, “Rosie and Tulip really like kittens and cats. What do you see in their bedroom that gives us a clue that they really like kittens and cats?” Children will also like to share what kind of cat they would vote for when Mommy asks, and what they would offer as a possible name for their pet. Do they prefer one that Rosie and Tulip suggested, or something different?
Mr. S
(Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
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When the children in room 2B arrive to school on the first day, they do not see a teacher in the front of the class, but they do see an impressive sandwich. As the morning goes on, the students begin to wonder if the sandwich might indeed be the mysterious “Mr. S” who is charged with leading their class. After all, sandwich begins with the letter “S!” Adults and children with both get a kick out of this comical and mysterious tale, which to the careful observer, also has a second storyline taking place outside the classroom window. Throughout the school day, the children, who are diverse in skin tone, ability, and personality, work to find the answer to their question: Where, and who, is their teacher? This book will whet readers’ appetites for a good story and ends with a surprising and delicious twist!
Tips for Using with Children
Brainstorm a fun list of possible names for the teacher that start with the letters “San” as shown in the teacher photos inside the back cover of the book. How many names can the children think of? Children can also extend the story by doing some of the activities the class did in the book, like sandwich alphabet, painting, and singing “Mary had a little ham.”
Tips for Using with Families
Adults can encourage children to put their prediction skills to work while reading Mr. S. Before reading, adults can ask children to look at the illustrations on the cover and beginning pages of the book. What do they think this book will be about? While reading, adults can pose questions to hear what young readers predict will happen next in the story. Do they think Mr. S could be the real teacher of the class? Who is the man at the beginning of the story who goes outside in the storm? Adults can brainstorm other questions that will support prediction and understanding of the story. It might be helpful for adults to also do their own predicting ahead of reading and consider what questions their child might ask during the story. What answers can support understanding, without giving the ending away?
Night in the City
(Neil Porter Books, Holiday House)
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This book permits young readers to stay up late and visit nighttime in the city. While some people end their day and prepare for bed when evening comes, others are awake and ready to keep the city safe and clean. Cityscape illustrations depict panels with glowing windows, featuring the routines of nurses, bakers, firefighters, and other community members preparing to go to work. Readers will find something new at every re-read, and might even notice some connections among the diverse characters that reinforce the important role each member has in their community.
Tips for Using with Children
Incorporating vehicles, figures, and other props into block play can support children in creating a cityscape of their own. What will happen to the city they create at night time? What happens during the day? Prior to this play, children could also enjoy brainstorming together what types of buildings and services are open throughout the night in their county. What community workers might be preparing to work while others prepare for bed?
Tips for Using with Families
Children who live in or close to a city may make personal connections to what they read in the story. When children relate what they read to their own experiences, it supports their comprehension skills as new readers. Adults can provide time for children to ask questions and share examples that they relate to from their own lives. Children in rural settings can enjoy this window into a new setting, and may make personal connections, too, especially if they have a family member who works a night shift. Adults can ask them what community members are still awake and working at night in their area. Adults can reassure children that while some people are asleep, there are others working hard to keep their towns and cities working.
Ruffles and the Cozy, Cozy Bed
(Candlewick Press)
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Time to settle in for some cozy reading! Meet Ruffles, an adorable little pup who loves sniffing, chewing, sleeping, and all the other good stuff pups love to do. The colorful illustrations convey Ruffles’ expressions and emotions so well that readers will notice that this pup is not a fan of loud noises. When thunderstorms crash, flash, and boom, readers will feel for Ruffles as they skitter and seek cover behind a racket, under a chair, and in a box. Finally, comfort and quiet are discovered in a familiar and cozy place…Ruffles’ own bed! Next time a loud noise ruffles your feathers, snuggle up with this story to feel cozy again.
Tips for Using with Children
This simple story presents a great opportunity to extend children’s vocabulary, and get their bodies moving at the same time. After listening to the story, ask children to act out Ruffles’ movements when he hears loud noises: crouch, creep, skitter (move quickly and lightly), scoot (slide on one's bottom). Adults can encourage children’s learning these words by using them now and then: “Let’s skitter to the rug for circle time!”
Notice that we aren’t told that Ruffles is afraid of loud noises, but rather that he doesn’t like them. This is an important distinction for children who are bothered by, not afraid of, certain sensory experiences. In talking about Ruffles’ experiences, adults can encourage children to talk about things they don’t like. In addition to showing understanding and support, adults can remind children of places in their setting where they can go to relax or be alone.
Tips for Using with Families
This book has several pages that contain 9 smaller pictures of Ruffles engaged in various activities. This layout gives adults an opportunity to model the proper direction for reading, by touching each picture from left to right and top to bottom. Younger children will enjoy acting out and learning names of some of Ruffles’ activities during this story, e.g., sniffing, scratching, creeping, staring. Older children may appreciate a chance to talk about noises or other things that they don’t like. This can extend into talking about where their special cozy, safe place is, or where they would like one to be. On rereading, some children may be able to retell parts of the story, while younger ones might just enjoy randomly pointing to pictures and asking the adult to tell or read the descriptive words.
Simon and the Better Bone
(Balzer + Bray, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
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This story is based on Aesop’s “The Dog and His Reflection”, and cleverly incorporates humor into the antics of this furry, sweet main character. When Simon the dog finds a great little bone, he is perfectly content until he finds a dog with a better bone. By designing the book to be held and read vertically and strategically using the book’s gutter (the the blank space between where the left and right pages of an open book meet) as a division point, the author reveals that Simon is bargaining with his adorable, yet frustrating, reflection in the pond. When this scrawny “other dog” mimics all Simon’s tricks and refuses to share his bone, the situation escalates and Simon pounces into the water. However, being the sweet and compassionate pup that he is, Simon decides that he would rather have a new friend than the better bone. This book is a sure re-read, so readers won’t need a reflection to see Simon again.
Tips for Using with Children
Provide children with materials to create their own vertical book. Changing the layout of the book can extend imagination and possibilities when storytelling, which Corey Tabor does in this book, as well as his 2022 Caldecott Award winning book, Mel Fell. In Mel Fell, the author uses vertical design to create space for a tall tree where Mel, a kingfisher bird, lives.
Tips for Using with Families
It might be helpful to talk about the science of reflections with children prior to reading this story. Adults can explain that water can reflect light, causing the water to act like a mirror if the water is smooth and perfectly calm. Before the story begins, the book shows an illustration of the pond where readers can see how a tree and some flowers near the pond are reflected in the water. Showing this example will support understanding and let young readers in on the joke and the humor of the story. Young readers may also enjoy holding this book open due to its unique vertical perspective.
You Go First
(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division)
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Cat and Duck are great friends, and are excited to visit the playground together. When they notice a big, new, spiral slide, Duck is ready to try it out and Cat is not so sure. Duck listens carefully to Cat’s cautions, and when a decision is finally made, Cat has some thoughtful moments about friendship. Colorful illustrations, expressive text, and a double-paged spread of the setting invite readers into the playground along with the characters. Readers will not be disappointed with how this story ends…weeeeeee promise!
Tips for Using with Children
Some of the print in this book is a narration of the story; but much of it is dialogue between Duck and Cat. Point to the dialogue and speaker while reading with an expressive voice, making sure the children can see the characters and read their expressions and body language. Periodically ask children how Duck and Cat might be feeling.
As a follow up to this story, adults can talk to children about what made Duck and Cat such good friends, (e.g., friends know and understand how the other feels, friends are patient, friends take turns, when someone is afraid friends don’t make fun, friends help you). Invite children to make pictures of people being good friends. Use those pictures to illustrate a class book or poster containing children’s ideas for how to be a good friend.
Tips for Using with Families
This story’s familiar setting gives families and children much to think and talk about. Adults and children can share times when they both have been confronted with a need to be brave. Where possible, adults can introduce ideas of how we decide about doing something we fear. For example, to be sure that the activity is safe, children can ask a trusted grown up or older sibling for advice. They can also watch others do the activity first, or even start by doing just a small part at a time.
This story also presents a good opportunity to point out individual differences in people. Some of us love to try out new things right away, while others need to take our time. Adults can point out that on the Dedication Page, the illustrator Marc Rosenthal declares that he is actually a “scaredy-cat!”