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Books I’d Keep Stocked if I Had a Little Free Library
18
items (and the executive function to build and maintain it.)
Sections
4
Board Books
Picture Books
Middle Grade & YA
Non-fiction
Board Books
Pro tip: following under the words with your finger as you read aloud helps littles—even droolers!—learn to associate word sounds with written language, giving them a huge head start on reading.
The rightful companion to her better-known Goodnight Moon. Reading this book aloud makes for a lovely anchoring ritual to warm up to the day, and the flaps keep little hands busy long enough to sip your coffee while it’s still hot. Small joys. Illust...
A Child's Good Morning Book, by Margaret Wise Brown
Think aural sensory bins. Poetry for the sound-sensitive. So underrated! Illustrated by Leonard Weisgard and others.
The Noisy Books series by Margaret Wise Brown
An instant classic for a reason! Rhythmic repetition, beautiful illustrations from Jill McElmurry. We’re all in this together, beep beep beep!
Little Blue Truck, by Alice Schertle
Another wonderful book to build repetition/pattern recognition/anticipation. This was the first book my kiddo read along to. “Goooo!” Also, hilarious.
Shh! We Have a Plan, by Chris Haughton
A friend who stocks the Harvard Book Store children’s section gifted us this. We ended up with the entire series. Essential reading. Subtle laughs for parents, too! I recommend them all. Don’t miss BooBoo, Gus, Peedie, or any of these cuties, really....
The Gossie & Friends series, by Oliver Dunrea
A cherished recommendation I’m delighted to pass along. A meditative introduction to the seasons. We used to pause on the butterfly page to pick out our favorites. The longer shape is rather satisfying, too. Illustrations by Richard Scarry.
I Am a Bunny, by Ole Risom
Picture Books
Where kids learn curiosity.
A breathtaking reading experience the first time through; thereafter, a powerful reminder of the importance of mistakes to the creative process. Recommended for creators of all ages.
The Book of Mistakes, by Corinna Luyken
A carnival of words! Playful, magical, enriching for any word lover, but especially for readers in training.
Sparkle and Spin: A Book About Words, by Ann & Paul Rand
Analogical reasoning, key to creativity and problem-solving, shines in this lilting ode to houses; Betty Fraser’s mesmerizing illustrations add visual abundance.
A House Is a House for Me, by Mary Ann Hoberman
A formative favorite from my own childhood; the transcendent “little wandering lost good feeling” still influences the way I think about loving kindness in my daily life.
The Little Brute Family book by Russell and Lillian Hoban
If only Deborah Kogan Ray would illustrate all of my favorite poets. The perfect first thriller with a gleeful ending, this Halloween book feels like glimpsing the mind of this word-playful poet. See also: Little Tree.
Hist Whist, by e.e. cummings
Middle Grade & YA
Books with life-changing, self-defining powers.
Lumberjanes is a graphic novel series that matters to its readers. More of them need access to it.
Lumberjanes Vol. 1: Beware The Kitten Holy
Even more lovely than the ADORABLE romance at the heart of this series is the friend group.
Heartstopper Graphic Novel Series, by Alice Oseman
I could select any of Telgemeier’s books, but this one tackles and represents anxiety with rare clarity.
Guts, by Raina Telgemeier
I am a huge fan of Nelson’s and highly recommend all of her books. (When the World Tips Over is probably my personal favorite.) The way Nelson writes Noah’s interior here, though, is just the kind of word-magic that can spark a lifelong love of langu...
I'll Give You the Sun
Another poetic story with both language and emotional depth—plus, an intergenerational connection we don’t often see. Loneliness illuminated.
Being Toffee, by Sarah Crossan
Non-fiction
I’ve been a fan since the first TED talk, but this book. This should be required reading for all humans. Maybe annually. Includes some excellent distinctions drawn between emotions like awe and wonder or belonging and fitting-in. I’ve linked the hard...
Atlas of the Heart, by Brené Brown
This is more than a thesaurus, cannot be replaced by google, and belongs in every home. Rediscover words and the connections between them.
The Synonym Finder