As any parent or caregiver will tell you, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to getting kids excited about reading. There’s a world of wonderful books out there, but which ones will excite kids to pick up their next book? A potential solution to this conundrum is to start with books that celebrate the fantastic world of reading itself: the journeys it can take the reader on, the lessons it can impart, and the way books become treasured friends. In this spirit, we’ve gathered some of our favorite picture books that celebrate the joy of reading.
Little Red Reading Hood and the Misread Wolf by Troy Wilson, Illustrated by Ilaria Campana
A clever twist on the classic fable, Little Red is a girl who loves three things: the color red, her Grandma, and reading books. Receiving the news that her Grandma is under the weather, she ventures through the forest to her house, only to be met by a wolf! Knowing how to scare off predators from her reading, she chases the creature away. Yet when she arrives at Grandma’s, she is met with an even bigger surprise. In part a love letter to reading, this story also offers a lesson in the importance of not judging a book by its cover, and that to judge based on appearances can deprive us of new friends with shared interests.
When You Open a Book by Caroline Derlatka, Illustrated by Sara Ugolotti
Upon opening a book, the two child protagonists of this charming title are whisked away on a journey that defies imagination. Fairy dragons, giant hares, mouse pirate kings, and plenty more await them with each page turned, leading them to far-off destinations and into extraordinary adventures, all from the comfort of their bedroom. This sweet story does a wonderful job of capturing the ability of books to transport the reader into worlds unknown, be they ones of fact or fiction, and will leave little readers with a thirst for seeing what hides between the pages of the next title they pick up.
A Child Of Books by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston
A breathtaking homage to the power of the written word, this story starts with a child using the words of the books they’ve read to build a raft, then inviting another child to join them as they set sail. From there, the tides of tales, plots, and narratives pull their vessel through a myriad of new locations, some that will look very familiar to those who are children on books themselves. Jeffers and Winston masterfully weave the poetic text of the story with its stunning artwork, which reworks the words of classics such as Frankenstein, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and even Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star into environments for the two children — and the reader — to explore.
The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce
This title by beloved author-illustrator Joyce is a fantastic and lyrical ode to the relationships we form with books. After a natural disaster destroys the home and belongings of the bookish Mr. Lessmore, he embarks on an odyssey that leads him to become the caretaker of a magical building filled with sentient flying books. Mr. Lessmore develops a deep bond with the books as he looks after them and their home, and delights in learning the secrets and stories they offer him as thanks. This story inspired an Academy Award-winning animated short, and it’s easy to see why: it gorgeously captures the transformative power of books once we invite them into our hearts.
Read! Read! Read! by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, Illustrated by Ryan O’Rourke
A perfect pick for poetry lovers, this collection features 23 poems dedicated to capturing the love and joy of reading. The titular poem is particularly effective, as it encourages little ones to read whatever brings them joy — books, magazines, cereal boxes, road signs — as long as it gets them reading. Other standouts are an ode to the childhood joys of reading under the covers with a flashlight and a beautiful poem about how reading Charlotte’s Web helps a child process the grief of losing a loved one. O’Rouke’s illustrations are equally lovely, and the bite-sized length of the poems makes them ideal for beginning readers.
How To Read A Story by Kate Messner, Illustrated by Mark Siegel
Sometimes, all a newcomer to reading needs is a set of simple instructions on how to get started. Step one to reading a story: find a story to read. Next, find a suitable reading buddy, like a loyal pet or a cuddly toy. Always important to find the perfect reading sport, preferably somewhere cozy and comfortable. Readers are taken through all the critical steps of learning to read a story with Messner’s playful text and Siegel’s delightful illustrations, all leading to the most important step of all: when this story is done you can always start again, either with an old favorite or something brand new.
A Walk in the Words by Hudson Talbott
Talbott invites little readers into his early struggles and insecurities surrounding reading in this touching autobiographical tale. While little Hudson loved stories and art, he struggled to read at his age level; while friends and classmates would fly through their pages, he favored a slow and steady approach that prevented him from feeling overwhelmed by the abundance of words or length of sentences. Talbott poignantly captures the feeling of reading anxiety through books artwork and narrative, giving advice to children who may be facing similar struggles that is not only encouraging but practical. The book even highlights brilliant minds who were slow readers themselves, such as Sojourner Truth and Leonardo di Vinci.
How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills
The first title in a series that celebrates literacy, the story begins with quiet pup Rocket set to take a nap under a shady tree, when he is interrupted by a friendly yellow bird setting up a school for reading. While Rocket is initially not interested, he is quickly drawn into the stories he overhears and becomes determined to gain the skill to read himself. Not only a charming and gentle story, this title also serves as a practical guidebook for children on the process of learning how to read — recognizing shapes of letters and the sounds they make, piecing together words, turning words into sentences, etc. — lessening the mystery of how they will develop their own comprehension.
Just Read! by Lori Degman, Illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov
A book that celebrates the electric feeling that new readers taste when they grow confident in their abilities and unlock a treasure trove of fact and fiction. A diverse and inclusive group of children are shown checking books out of the library, reading on the bus, and building a community library in a shared treehouse, all while endorsing the enjoyment of reading alone, as a group, and with friends or family. The watercolor illustrations are gorgeous, rich with color, and full of details to pick out. The triumphant tone of this title will certainly give those learning to read something to look forward to, as it approaches the act of reading as something jubilant and gleeful — and who could disagree?
How to Read a Book by Kwame Alexander, Illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Alexander and Sweet — both award winners for their individual works — join together in this title to create a lyrical and visually wondrous ode to the reading experience. Alexander’s poetry is soulful and engaging, singing from the page with phrases like “Don’t rush though: Your eyes need time to taste. Your soul needs room to bloom,” and capturing the tactile and emotional experience of connecting deeply to a story. Sweet’s mixed-media artwork fits the vibe perfectly, creating cozy visuals with familiar materials that give the illustrations a childlike wonder and whimsy. The result is a book that feels like a love song, and one that any reader already knows the beat of.
We hope this list helps you find a book to encourage the youngsters in your life to give reading a try or, even better, find one that lets you connect over enjoying the story together. Happy reading!
To see more of our picture book recommendations, check out this article on the Best Picture Books of 2024.
To see all of our recommendations for mini bookworms, check out our Bookshop bookshelf.
