A child’s first years are formative in their development of literacy, and parents and caretakers have a crucial role to play. Reading aloud with your child builds phonological awareness and expands their understanding of the world around them. By reading with your child, you are also strengthening important early literacy skills and sowing the seeds of a lifelong love for reading.
Our Early Literacy librarians have selected these picture books for you and your child to read together. They feature catchy rhymes, lift-the-flap surprises, and funny, relatable stories that are perfect for beginner readers. We hope that you will discover some new favourites to enjoy as a family!
A Thank You Walk
Author: Nancy Loewen
Publisher: Lake Forest, CA: Words and Pictures, an imprint of the Quarto Group, 2019
Call No.: English LOE
Summary: Duke's tail wag-wag-wags. 'He's telling us thank you for walking him,' says Mummy. Did you know that children as young as one or two are capable of complex feelings? A Thank You Walk helps develop gratitude in children, and is part of Bright Start, a new series of board books that nurtures emotional intelligence.
Dragons Are Real!
Author: Holly Hatam
Publisher: New York: Random House Children’s Books, 2019
Call No.: English HAT
Summary: Moonlight and courage and sparks, oh my! That's what dragons are made of. Did you know that dragons don't just breathe fire...they sneeze it? Or that they love to barbecue--even their vegetables? Fantasy lovers will be tickled to learn all sorts of "facts" about these Mythical Creatures in Holly Hatam's unique new series. Look for Unicorns are Real, too!
Poor Little Rabbit
Author: Jörg Mühle
Publisher: Wellington, New Zealand: Gecko Press, 2018
Call No.: English MUH
Summary: Oh no, Little Rabbit has hurt his arm. And there's blood! Can you help him? Blow gently three times, try a bandage, a rhyme, but he's still crying... Let's give his ears a stroke and wipe his tears. There, all better! Off you go, Little Rabbit!
My Day
Author: Alice Melvin
Publisher: London: Tate Publishing, 2018
Call No.: English MEL
Summary: My Day follows a young child and their family through a typical day, from waking up to settling down with the perfect bedtime story.
The Littlest Family’s Big Day
Author: Emily Winfield Martin
Publisher: New York: Random House, 2018
Call No.: English MAR
Summary: Who is only under 5 inches tall and has just moved to the woods? The cutest and littlest bear family you have ever seen--and their adopted teeny tiny fox tot! What happens when they venture out to explore their new world... With an easy-to-read story and the careful brushstrokes of Emily Winfield Martin's illustrations, The Littlest Family's Big Day captures the mystery and magic of the woods.
Hello, Love!
Author: Taro Miura
Publisher: San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books LLC, 2018
Call No.: English MIU
Summary: How do animals show their love? By touching trunks, beaks, and noses! Toddlers will delight in adorable pairs of fish, ducklings, elephants, and monkeys as they splash, swim, dance, and swing, all while showing affection. Author-illustrator Taro Miura brings a playfulness and verve to this love-affirming board book, which culminates in the ultimate celebration of love: a child embraced by loving parents.
One Patch of Blue
Author: Marthe Jocelyn
Publisher: Victoria, B.C.: Orca Book Publishers, 2019
Call No.: English JOC
Summary: One patch of denim escapes from a pair of pants and becomes a stained-glass window, an ice-cream truck, a Ferris wheel, a fish tank and many other square surprises in this delightful board book by celebrated paper artist Marthe Jocelyn. Jocelyn's paper collages in this wordless search-and-find adventure will encourage little ones to look closely at the world around them and explore what they see.
Where Do Pants Go?
Author: Rebecca Van Slyke
Publisher: New York: Sterling, 2019
Call No.: English VAN
Summary: Where do pants go? Do they go on your head? Do they go on your neck? No! This humorous story shows kids how to put on their clothes – from the underwear on their bottoms to the hats on their heads and everything in between. But sometimes getting dressed doesn't happen without a few fun missteps! These adorable toddlers and their trusty dogs are sure to tickle every young reader.
Hello Ninjas!
Author: Joan Holub
Publisher: New York: Little Simon, 2018
Call No.: English HOL
Summary: Perfect for reading out loud, Joan Holub's hilarious text and Chris Dickason's lively illustrations will have little ones learning and laughing as they try to find all the sneaky ninjas.
Let’s Go Outside
Author: Kate Riggs
Publisher: Mankato, MN: Creative Editions, 2018
Call No.: English RIG
Summary: How many opposites do children encounter every day? Dark and light, small and big, inside and outside are just a few. In this illustrated, conceptual board book, young readers will learn pairs of opposite words in context by following a narrative about taking a dog for a walk. The tail-waggingly friendly illustrations work with the evocative text to further encourage readers and listeners to observe both the differences and similarities present in their surroundings.
The summaries and book covers are the copyright of the respective publishing companies.