BY SOPHIA
It’s been awhile since we’ve shared a roundup of books we recommend for other people, and with the holidays coming up, I thought it would be fun to show you a few books that my kids have been loving recently.
Before I jump in, though, I want to let you know that when it comes to encouraging literacy in your kids, it really doesn’t matter what you read. JUST READ. Sit together and read the back of a cereal box if that’s what your child is drawn to. Read aloud while they’re playing with toys in the corner of the room. Do whatever it takes to be intentional in your time together with books and I promise you will see progress!
ALL BETTER!
This first book is one that I purchased through Usborne books so you might be not be able to find this readily on Amazon or other retailers. If anyone wants help purchasing Usborne books reach out to me on Instagram @sophiaksays or @penandpagegals and I can help you!
Anyway, All Better! is a super cute reusable sticker book that ALL my kids love (yes, even my 5th grader). It tells a really sweet and simple story of animal friends that have little booboos and you get to attach a reusable sticker onto their ouchie! It’s interactive, so a great option for squirmier or younger kids.
poke-a-dot! old macdonald’s farm
Speaking of interactive books, the Poke-A-Dot! series are SUPER popular with all three of my kids (yes, again – even the 5th grader). These combine a sensory element as readers can actually poke the plastic dots for a satisfying POP! as they read! My kids love this one in particular because I sing aloud the words of the story when I read it to them 😉 Singing is optional if you choose to get this.
la la la
Buuuuut if singing is not something that scares you then you HAVE to check out La La La by Kate DiCamillo. I discovered this book pre-COVID from my kids’ school librarian (we’re tight like that). There is literally only ONE word in this entire book: La. I make it all sorts of goofy when I read sing this book aloud. It’s been so well loved in my home that we lost the book jacket and the cover is just plain purple which is why I didn’t take a picture of the front.
the day the crayons quit
The Day The Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt is a CLASSIC … if you are pregnant or have kids and haven’t heard of this one yet, you need it. It’s a super cute story about a box of crayons that writes individual letters to their owner explaining reasons why they all QUIT. It’s hilarious! I read it a few times out loud to my kiddos but my 2nd grader has officially adopted it into his bedroom library and I will hear him reading it to himself/his little sister without me now. Mom win!!
The twinkly, twinkly, bedtime book
I cannot share our favorite kids’ books without sharing another Usborne books title: The Twinkly Twinkly Bedtime Book. This is such a sweet story of little bear asking about the stars at bedtime… and the best part is THIS BOOK LIGHTS UP! It has actual twinkly lights!! We’ve had this book for about two years and the lights still work but if the batteries ever run out you can totally change them if need be. This is such a special book to have in your collection.
this is the gospel
And of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t also include a favorite Bible-related book. I am loving these super simple Bible-based books by Kids Read Truth (an offshoot of She Reads Truth if you’re familiar). This one is called This Is The Gospel and it has really bold but simple graphics that I think are appealing to the eye. The story itself is NOT wordy, it’s actually super straightforward but I love that it also includes scriptural references if you want to know WHERE in the Bible the story points are coming from. I grew up in the church but didn’t fully understand WHAT the gospel was until I was 21. Nobody ever really explained it to me other than that I was a sinner and Jesus died for my sins. This book ties everything together! If you’re a Jesus loving family, you need this one, especially for this Christmas season!
Happy reading, everyone!