Preschool Books Archives -Imaginations Running Wild-

Owl Stories

September 7, 2023September 3, 2023 Jennifer

Owls are one of my favorite animals! I always enjoy the owl week at storytime because I get to share some of my favorite owl stories and crafts with the library’s storytime children. The children love making owl hoots throughout the books 🙂

10 Owl Stories:

1. Little Owl’s Snow by Divya Srinivasan–

Little Owl is so cute! In this Little Owl story, the forest animals are preparing for winter. Some gather and store food, some hibernate, and some stay awake to play in the snow. Soon winter arrives and leaves a blanket of snow in Little Owl’s forest home. Even though Little Owl misses his hibernating friend, hedgehog, he enjoys the snow with his other friends. Preschoolers will love this bold, bright pictures and gentle story.

2. Little Owl’s Colors by Divya Srinivasan —

We love all of the Little Owl stories! The stories are always cute and the we really like the bright, bold pictures. In this book, Little Owl explores the world around it, find all sorts of beautiful colors. Each color is just the right hue to be easily identified. The colors are given several examples. At the end of the story is a beautiful rainbow and Little Owl asks what colors you can name. Be sure to check out Little Owl’s Night and Little Owl’s Day too!

3. Bear’s New Friend by Karma Wilson–

Bear heads out to enjoy the day and hears a sound. Is it his friend mouse? Nope, not mouse. One by one, Bear and his friends end up in a guessing game trying to figure out who this new creature is. They keep asking “Who?” Turns out to be a shy owl. Will owl want to be friends too? Read this one and find out!

4. I’m Not Scared by Jonathan Allen–

Baby Owl explains to the other forest creatures why owls are perfectly designed to be in the forest at night. For one, owls are nocturnal so they are awake at night. And two, owls can see great in the dark. Thirdly, Baby Owl says being in the woods at night is what owls do! Read this one to find out who else is awake at night.

5. Good-Night, Owl! by Pat Hutchins–

Owl, who sleeps during the day and is awake at night, is trying to go to bed. Unfortunately for owl, it picked a very noisy tree. So many animals call this tree home and each one makes its own special sound. Preschoolers will enjoy making all of the different animals sounds and will laugh at the ending!

6. Owl Babies by Martin Waddell–

This is one of my favorite books! It is about three young owls who try and be brave in the night while their mother is out hunting. Preschoolers can relate to the owls’ fear of the dark and the anxiety that comes when a parent is away. But not to worry, because mother owl returns to happy flaps and boasts of bravery from her little owls.

7. Good Night Owl by Gregg Pizzoli–

This is a funny story about owl who wants to go to sleep, but a noise keeps him up. What can be making the noise? Preschoolers will love spotting the culprit before owl does! Get ready for giggles as owl looks all over the place, trying to figure out the source of the noise while your child tells owl over and over again that there is a mouse!

8. I’m Not Sleepy by Jane Chapman–

In this story, a young owl named Mo is not sleepy. His grandma flies up and down tree, getting snacks, water, and trying to satisfy other bedtime demands. Still Mo is not sleepy. Since it is bedtime, grandma decides that she will go to bed and Mo can stay up late. Now grandma has a list of bedtime needs and Mo leaps into action. After flying up and down so many times to get grandma everything she needs, little Mo is finally sleepy!

9. Owl Sees Owl by Laura Godwin–

This book is so innovative! It chronicles baby owl’s first adventure into the forest. Written with just a few words per page, the words reverse in the middle when the baby owl is sees its reflection in the water. My son was amazed when I showed him that the its the same words as the first half of the story just in reverse order!

10. Don’t Blink by Amy Krouse Rosenthal–

This is a cute, interactive bedtime book for preschoolers. Here’s the deal, if you can keep from getting to the end of this book, then you don’t have to go to bed. But, if you blink, then you have to turn a page. The little owl in the book offers lots of ideas on how to keep from blinking for preschoolers to try. This book does bring on the giggles, but its continuous sleep suggestions do in fact sink in. By the end, your child should be ready to go to bed.

Thank you for checking out my list of owl stories for preschoolers! I hope you enjoy these books! I joined Amazon’s Affiliate program to try and help cover the costs of this site. If you buy something through one of my links on Amazon, then I may get a small percentage of the sale (no extra cost to you). Thank you for your support! Happy reading 🙂

More Owl Fun!

-Make a cute pompom owl craft!

–Owl You Need is Love — an adorable owl made with cupcake wrappers!

–Spot the Differences between these two owl pictures.

Animals

Stories about Whales for Preschoolers

August 31, 2023August 30, 2023 Jennifer

Life under the sea never fails to fascinate preschoolers. From mythical mermaids to real life narwhals, and all of the ocean creatures in between, there are so many amazing things to learn about the oceans. Among the largest ocean animals are whales. In fact, the blue whale is the largest mammal in the world! Here is a list of 10 awesome stories about whales to read with your preschooler to learn more about these amazing creatures.

Whale Books:

1. Little Whale by Jo Weaver–

You will love this sweet story about a mother and child gray whale who lovingly migrate to northern waters. Preschoolers will appreciate the way the mother whale keeps her baby safe. While enjoying this story and its beautiful pictures, you’ll learn more about the lives of gray whales, what they eat, dangers they face in ocean, the long journey they must make.

2. I’m a Narwhal (Little Golden Books) by Mallory Loehr–

Little Golden Books keeps coming out with super cute book! Your preschooler will love this narwhal book. It has adorable illustrations and is packed with interesting information about these mysterious whales. Read this one together and learn all about the narwhal’s tusk, its habitat, and its family.

3. Oona in the Arctic by Kelly DiPucchio —

Oona, a mermaid, finds a lost baby beluga whale and sets out to help reunite the baby with its family. Heading north to the icy waters of the Arctic, Oona, her best pal, Otto, and the baby whale brave storms and other dangers. Illustrator Raissa Figueroa does a fantastic job of showing the underwater plants, and real life animals who inhabit the artic. Seals, orcas, and narwhals can be seen in the cold northern waters, as well as on the floating ice. The land pictures are just as stunning as the underwater portrayals, showing the beautiful northern lights and the snowy landscape.

4. The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson–

In this rhyming book, snail yearns to explore, but is hindered by its size. When a whale offers to help snail take a journey, it is a dream come true. But whale gets stuck and it is up to the small snail to help its new friend. It goes to show that no matter who small you are, you can still help others.

5. Baby Beluga by Raffi–

Raffi turned some of his best-loved songs into books, including Baby Beluga! This book, illustrated by one of my favorite illustrators, Ashley Wolff, features a busy little beluga whale and many other animals that live in the Arctic Ocean. Read this book and find out what the little whale and its friends do all day! The picture of the baby beluga back with its pod for nighttime snuggles is especially sweet.

6. Amos & Boris by William Steig–

A mouse named Amos and a whale named Boris become the best of friends after Boris saves Amos who is stuck at sea. This story is really funny and your preschooler will love that Amos returns the favor and figures out a way to rescue his giant friend!

7. Little Narwhal, Not Alone by Tiffany Stone —

A young narwhal goes off adventuring in the ocean and ends up lost. Where is it’s pod? There are no narwhals to be seen, but the little narwhal does find a pod of beluga whales. This book does a great job at explaining the differences between the whales, as well as their similarities. In a lovely, rhyming take about acceptance and overcoming differences, the little narwhal makes new friends and sets a good example for young children. I love that the book introduces the readers to other animals that live in the northern, icy waters. The book , based on a true story, includes facts at the end.

8. The Fisherman and the Whale by Jessica Lanan–

In this beautifully illustrated, wordless picture book, a fisherman and his son find a whale trapped in fishing line. Even though the father wants to just return home after a long day fishing, he stops to help the whale. The book switches between the humans and the whale and lovingly illustrates the interconnectedness of the world. This is a great starting point for a conversation about ways we can all help care for the environment.

9. Rainbow Fish and the Big Blue Whale by Marcus Pfister–

When a huge blue whale moves into the reef where Rainbow Fish and his friends live, a misunderstanding standing leads to big trouble. Th whale loves watching the glittering scales on the fish as they play, but the whale’s size proves to be very intimidating and the fish get worried that the whale is going to cause trouble. This makes the whale angry. It is up to Rainbow Fish to make peace with the whale so that both Rainbow Fish’s friends and the whale can enjoy the reef together.

10. Rory: An Orca’s Quest For The Northern Lights by Sarah Cullen and Carmen Ellis–

Follow along with this cute little orca named Rory as he goes on an adventure in search of the beautiful northern lights. The rhyming text and lovely illustrations will get your preschooler interested in this book about the power of friendship and following your dreams. I really like that this story shows other animals that live in the snowy, icy northern waters.

More Whale Fun!

Spouting Whale Craft

–Make a cute Spouting Whale Craft out of construction paper and tissue paper!

—W is for Whale letter tracing and coloring worksheet.

—Ocean Graphing: record how many times an ocean animal picture shows up each time you the roll the di on the bar graph included in this free, downloadable activity set. Once you have completed your graph, count how many times you rolled each animal.

Disclaimer:

Thank you for reading stories about whales with us! I hope you enjoy these books as much as we do. Check your local library for these and other great whale books to read together. To help cover the costs of this site, I joined Amazon’s Affiliate program and I provided affiliate links to the books I listed. If you buy an item through one of my links, I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for support. Happy reading!

Animals

Narwhal Stories

August 20, 2023September 2, 2023 Jennifer

Ready to learn about narwhals? These whales are fascinating! While often nicknamed the unicorn of the sea, narwhals don’t actually have a horn. They have a long tooth that sticks out, which looks like unicorn’s horn. Narwhals live in the icy northern waters with many other interesting, snow-loving animals. Here are 6 fantastic narwhal stories to share with your preschooler to learn more about these whales.

Narwhal Stories:

1. Wendell the Narwhal by Emily Dove–

The ocean is full of musical sea creatures! Wendell the narwhal wants to make music too, but he can’t clap, pop, go tweedly dee, or whoosh like the other creatures. While they are making music together, Wendell is feeling sad and like he doesn’t belong. One of the jellyfish comes up with a great way to include Wendell in the musical fun — Wendell can be the conductor! His tusk is perfect for leading the undersea musicians. Now everyone is in harmony and Wendell is happily taking part in the lovely symphony.

2. Not Quite Narwhal by Jessie Sima —

Is it a unicorn or a narwhal? A young unicorn named Kelp lives under the sea with a group of narwhals. Kelp feels like he doesn’t quite belong under the sea. One day, he meets a bunch of unicorns on land and they are just like him! These unicorns teach him all kinds of cool unicorn stuff. So while being with unicorns is awesome, Kelp misses his narwhal family. He returns home to tell them that he is actually a unicorn, not a narwhal. His family knew that the whole time, but it didn’t stop them from loving him! In a beautiful display of love, family, and friendship the narwhals and the unicorns all get together at beach where Kelp can be with everyone at the same time. Preschoolers will love the beautiful illustrations throughout this book.

3. I’m a Narwhal (Little Golden Books) by Mallory Loehr–

4. Baby Narwhal: finger puppet book by Yu-Hsuan Huang–

This series of finger puppet board books is so much fun to read with your preschooler! My family has several and they keep coming out with more. The baby narwhal puppet is adorable and the short story will keep your child engaged. Explore the icy ocean with baby narwhal and learn what activities narwhals like, the sounds this whale makes, and who is in this baby’s family.

5. Little Narwhal, Not Alone by Tiffany Stone —

6. Probably a Narwhal by Shelley Moore Thomas–

Get ready for some giggles when you read this silly book! A girl blames her messy room on a narwhal, and then a real narwhal shows up to defend itself. In this hilarious back-and-forth between the girl and the narwhal, an unlikely friendship forms between the two. Your child will want to read this one over and over again.

Disclaimer:

Thank you for reading narwhal stories with us! Check your local library for these and great books to read together. To help cover the costs of this site, I joined Amazon’s Affiliate program and I provided affiliate links to the books I listed. If you buy an item through one of my links, I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for support. Happy reading!

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Mermaid Stories

August 9, 2023August 8, 2023 Jennifer

Get ready for some adorable and fun reading! We’ve rounded up a list of 12 fintastic mermaid stories for preschoolers! There’s rhymes, underwater adventures, cute animals, and plenty of adorable mermaids.

12 Mermaid Stories:

1. The Mermaid by Jan Brett–

Jan Brett has created a beautiful under-the-sea retelling of Goldilocks featuring Kiniro, a young mermaid. Uh-oh, the octopus family is coming home and Kiniro is still asleep in their home! The octopuses are not happy to have a stranger in their home. Kiniro awakens, quickly gives them a gift, and dashes safely off for her own home. Phew! We love Jan Brett’s trademark visual storytelling in borders on every page. The illustrations throughout this book are fantastic! The story takes place off the coast of Japan and showcases beautiful shells, sea creatures, and ocean plants.

2. How to Catch a Mermaid by Adam Wallace–

This book is great for preschoolers. It has a mermaid, awesome pictures, silliness, and a rhyming story! A couple of kids and dog try and catch a mermaid. They have shiny bait and lots of traps, but the mermaid is quite clever and escapes. Oh no, one of their plans backfires and the kids and the dog find that they are the ones trapped. Yikes, a bunch of sharks are coming! What are they going to do? Mermaid to the rescue! Whoo-hoo, everyone is safely returned to shore.

3. Mermaid Dreams by Kate Pugsley–

On a trip to the beach with her family, Maya, a shy girl, wants to play with some of the other children. She falls asleep and dreams she is mermaid! Maya goes on a fantastical underwater adventure in search of a friend. She discovers lots of fun sea creatures before coming across another mermaid! The new mermaid wants to play with her. Maya awakens, but finds that the fun doesn’t have to end because here is a little girl who wants to play! A cute, imaginative story 🙂

4. Mermaid School by Joanne Stewart Wetzel and Julianna Swaney–

Finally, a book with boy mermaids (mer-boy?)! My son was so happy to see that boys could be mermaids too. Join Molly on her first day of mermaid school in this sweet book about starting school. This story shows what little mermaids can expect on their first day of school, including some jitters and making new friends. The rhyming text and cute illustrations will entertain your mermaid-loving child.

5. Little Mermaid (Ten Minutes to Bed) by Rhiannon Fielding–

My son loves the “Ten Minutes to Bed” series! We have read every single one published so far. The stories are adorable and Chris Chatterton’s illustrations are magical! In this story, a little mermaid named Splash just can’t fall asleep. She swims out to explore the under water world around her. Your child will love looking at all of the cute sea creatures and will enjoy Splash’s curiosity. While adventuring, her father’s voice rings out, counting down how many minutes left until bedtime. Will she make it to back home to bed on time? Check this one from your library to find out!

6. The Mermaid Counting Book by Suzanne Diederen–

My son loves counting books and has so much fun looking for all of the objects on the page! In this adorable counting book, little Umi the mermaid explores her underwater world, counting shells and sea creatures. Each page has something new count as the reader makes their way from one to ten. Preschoolers will like the cute pictures and the rhyming text in this book.

7. I’m a Mermaid (Little Golden Books) by Mallory Loehr–

This book has really cute illustrations and short rhymes that teach young readers all about mermaids. Your preschooler will love seeing the mermaids ride seahorses and settle into bed in a seashell. I like that there are both boy and girl mermaids with various skin tones.

8. Oona by Kelly DiPucchio–

You are going to love this treasure hunting duo, Oona the mermaid and her best friend Otto the otter. They go on adventures and search for treasures! There is one treasure that they just can’t reach — the golden crown. The golden crown is stuck in the deep, dark, scary rift. But when the grandest treasure yet is stuck in a deep, dark rift. Oona comes up with all sorts of clever ideas to get this crown, however, each time she falls short. Preschoolers will sympathize with Oona’s frustration at not achieving her goal and the feeling of despair that follows. However, this little mermaid is not going to give up! Read this book and find out how Oona and Otto finally capture the golden crown. There are 2 more books in the Oona series to read too!

9. Can I Give You a Squish? by Emily Neilson–

Kai, a little mer-boy, loves to give hugs, which he and mama call a squish! He hugs all of his ocean friends with exuberance. But one friend, a puffer fish, doesn’t want to be squished! Kai learns that everyone shows affection in different ways. Turns out puffer fish likes to give fin-bumps! This is a sweet story that helps little ones understand that we have to respect our friends’ boundaries.

10. The FurFins and the Mermaid Wedding by Alison Ritchie—

This an adorable book featuring mermaids and furfins, a cute little animal with a mermaid tail. Today the mermaid princess is getting married and furfins are so excited! When distaff strikes and the cake goes missing, the furfins have to find it! On the way they learn a valuable lesson about making sure everyone feels included.

11. Pearl by Molly Idle–

In this beautifully illustrated story, mermaids are the guardians of the ocean. Some watch over the coral reefs, others the kelp forests, and the ocean animals. Young Pearl wants a job too so her mother gives her a grain of sand and instructs her to care for it. one tiny grain of sand? Pearl is so disappointed. However, Pearl soon learns that even something that’s starts out small and seemingly insignificant can grow to make a huge impact!

12. Aqualicious by Victoria Kahn–

While enjoying a fun family trip to the beach, Pinkalicious and her brother, Peter, find a mini mermaid ( a “merminnie’) named Aqua. Pinkalicious and Peter show Aqua how much fun there is to be had on the shore. But when a seagull snatches Aqua, Pinkalicious and Peter must help her get back home.

Thank you for reading mermaid stories with us! Check your local library for these and great books to read together. To help cover the costs of this site, I joined Amazon’s Affiliate program and I provided affiliate links to the books I listed. If you buy an item through one of my links, I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for support. Happy reading!

Mermaid Craft!

Make a cute mermaid tail craft out of construction paper and paint!

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Summer Books for Preschoolers

June 22, 2023June 27, 2023 Jennifer

The changing of the seasons is always an exciting time! Let’s read some summer stories and find out what happens in the summertime (at least in North America). Here are 7 books for you and your preschooler to read together.

1. Summer Song by Kevin Henkes–

Henkes asks readers to open themselves up to nature’s summer song. It is a song of wind blowing through tall grass; the hum of air conditioners and fans; and the clicking and clacking of sprinklers. Summer’s song is made up of birds chirping, and rain and thunder from summer storms, as well the buzzing and humming from bugs. The summer song isn’t just something you hear — it is also something you see. The lovely illustrations by Laura Dronzek feature iconic summer scenes of children laying in the tall grass, playing at the beach, and exploring ponds. The song is also something you feel outside on a hot day, lounging in the shade, or cooling off in a pool. This book is a great introduction to the joys of summer and good conversation starter with preschoolers about their favorite parts of summer!

2. One Hot Summer Day by Nina Crews–

This story takes place in an urban setting and features a young girl looking for a way to beat the heat! It is too hot to play on the swings and slide, but the sand box feels nice and cool and making chalk art on the sidewalk in the shade of a tree is lots of fun. And nothing beats a popsicle on a hot day! The photographic collage style of illustrations captures the girl’s enthusiasm and joy of enjoying a summer day.

3. And Then Comes Summer by Tom Brenner —

This book is an ode to the carefree summer days of childhood! It’s a time for bike riding, lemonade drinking, and pushing back bedtime. It is also a time to celebrate the Fourth of July, eat lots of ice cream, play in the sprinklers, and go camping. There is so much fun to be had in the summer!

4. Mouse’s First Summer by Lauren Thompson–

Mouse and Minka investigate a Fourth of July picnic. What are these yummy foods and yellow drink, wonders Mouse? Preschoolers will love telling Mouse about watermelon, lemonade, and sandwiches! Mouse and Minka explore a little past the picnic blanket. They discover a kite and fireflies! This short, but sweet story ends with Fourth of July fireworks lighting up the sky. Hooray for summer!

5. Summer Color by Diana Murray–

School is out and time it is time to explore outside! Follow along with these 2 children and see what lovely summertime colors they discover outside. This might even inspire your little one to go on a color adventure too! The fantastic pictures and rhyming text are just what preschools want in their stories!

6. I See Summer by Charles Ghigna–

This short story, with simple text, is great for young children who can’t sit still for long stories. Preschoolers will love the rhymes and the bright pictures. It features lots of iconic summer images and activities, such as sunshine, trips to the lake, summer thunder storms, playing in the shade, lemonade, ice cream, and fireflies. This is great starting point for preschoolers to start thinking about summertime and what changes warm weather brings.

7. Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day by Jean Van Leeuwen —

In these short stories, Amanda and her friends and family look for ways to keep cool on a hot day. How is a young pig supposed to cool down on a very hot day? She tries cold water, lemonade, and an ice pop, but nothing is doing the trick. She seeks advice from her dad, who is tending to the garden outside. Dad knows just what to do. He sprays Amanda with the hose! Now she feels so much better. On hot days, it is nice to sit in the shade and relax. Amanda invites her friend over and they under an apple tree, drinking lemonade and enjoying each other’s company. Everyone likes lemonade on hot days. Amanda and her friend decide to sell lemonade at a lemonade stand. They had lots of fun making and selling lemonade! When it is really hot, it can be hard to fall asleep. Dad tells Amanda a story that takes place in the snow. He includes polar bears, cold treats, ice, and lots of snow, which helps Amanda take her mind off of the heat. A nice cool breeze starts to blow and Amanda is able to go to bed.

Thank you for reading summer stories with us! Check your local library for these and great books to read together. To help cover the costs of this site, I joined Amazon’s Affiliate program and I provided affiliate links to the books I listed. If you buy an item through one of my links, I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for support. Happy reading!

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Fourth of July Books

June 21, 2023July 2, 2023 Jennifer

Preschoolers want to join in on the Fourth of July celebrations too! Parades, picnics, and fireworks are so much fun for everyone! Here are 8 Fourth of July books to help get your child excited about the holiday, learn about some of the traditions, and what the holiday means.

8 Fourth of July Books:

1. Fourth of July Mice by Bethany Roberts

My son really enjoyed this cute little Fourth of July story! The adorable illustrations feature mice doing lots of traditional Fourth of July activities — a patriotic parade, picnic, sack race, and of course fireworks! The rhyming text makes this especially fun for preschoolers and overall a really fun way to introduce Fourth of July celebrations.

2. God Bless Our Country by Mike Berenstain–

It’s summertime in Bear Country and the Berenstain Bears are getting ready to celebrate the Fourth of July. The cubs get a simple overview of why we celebrate Independence Day on July 4th. Finally it is time for the Fourth of July parade! The cubs rode their red, white, and blue-decorated bikes, the veteran bears marched in their uniforms, bands played, and floats cruised down the street. Following the patriotic parade, the town celebrates with fireworks and the Bear family gives a special thanks to God for the freedoms they enjoy.

3. F is for Flag by Wendy Cheyette Lewison–

This book is all about the American Flag. It gives a simple overview of what the flag stands for, the reason for the stars and stripes, the colors of the flag, and nicknames for it. You’ll find a short and easy to understand history of the flag in this book. Included is the Pledge of Allegiance, and what it means to make this pledge. This book is a nice overview for learning about the America Flag with text written at a great level for children to understand.

4. Mouse’s First Summer by Lauren Thompson–

5. You’re My Little Firecracker by Nicola Edwards–

Oh my goodness, this is such a cute board book! It has short, rhyming text that is really a love poem between a parent and child. It includes lots of Fourth of July celebratory symbols such as fireworks, the American flag, hot dogs, and pie. The bright colored pictures and the die cuts make this book really visually appealing to young children.

6. My Fourth of July by Jerry Spinelli–

An enthusiastic young boy is so excited that it is the Fourth of July! He loves parades, picnics, pies and watching the fireworks with his family. Set in a country, idyllic setting, complete with a train draped in red, white, and blue bunting, this book is loving ode to enjoying a beautiful holiday with one’s family.

7. Apple Pie Fourth of July by Janet S. Wong—

It’s the Fourth of July and young Chinese American girl wants to go out and celebrate, but is stuck at her family’s general store, which is open on the holiday. Her family makes lots of fresh Chinese food to sell even though she tries to explain that Americans don’t eat Chinese food in the Fourth of July. However people begin pouring into the store at dinner time for Chinese food. The girl learns that America is a melting pot and that there is no right or wrong food to eat on the Fourth of July. After the rush, it is time to close the store. The family goes up to the roof to watch the fireworks show and eat their apple pie!

8. McDuff Saves the Day by Rosemary Wells—

McDuff, a little white dog, and his family are headed out for a Fourth of July picnic. Once at the picnic spot, McDuff takes guard of the picnic basket. Despite his watchfulness, sneaky bugs steal the food right out of the picnic basket! Oh no! Now what will they eat? It’s McDuff to the rescue! The little dog makes a new friend who kindly shares his picnic. Preschoolers will enjoy the family’s and McDuff’s silly antics during the drive to and from the picnic, as McDuff somehow always gets the front seat!

Thank you for reading these Fourth of July books with us! Check your local library for these and great books to read together. To help cover the costs of this site, I joined Amazon’s Affiliate program and I provided affiliate links to the books I listed. If you buy an item through one of my links, I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for support. Happy reading!

Animals

Ocean Animal Stories

June 15, 2023June 14, 2023 Jennifer

There are so many amazing ocean animals that we usually don’t get to see unless we go to an aquarium. Some of these animals live in the icy, cold waters at the North and South Poles, while others live in the warm ocean waters. Visit your library and check out these ocean animal stories to discover who lives in the ocean and whether they like warm or cold habitats.

10 Books about Ocean Animals:

1. The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen–

My family loves this is fun rhyming story (with great pictures) about a grumpy fish who realizes that friendship can really brighten our day. It’s written sing-songy and in our house, we really get into this story, with the whole family singing the refrain and acting out the “blubs.” The Pout Pout Fish has many sequels so you can continue to read about Mr. Fish and his underwater friends. The original is my favorite, and I love reading this one out loud at storytime 🙂

2. Over in the Ocean: in a Coral Reef by Marianne Berkes–

My son got this book for his birthday and it is AWESOME! It has fantastic pictures that were formed from clay by artist Jeanette Canyon that perfectly compliment Marianne Berkes’ sing-songy text. You and your little one will want to study these pictures over-and-over again to get all of the details incorporated onto each page. This book introduces a variety of cool sea creatures. It also lends itself well to movement activities that preschoolers will love to do. At the end, there is a seek-and-find activity to search for all of the sea creatures

3. Nugget and Fang by Tammi Sauer —

This is great story about best friends who just happen to be a shark and a minnow. The minnow, Nugget, starts school with the other little minnows and learns that sharks are big, scary predators out to eat minnows and they most definitely cannot be friends. Fang is devastated by the news, and tries his hardest to keep their friendship in tact. It doesn’t look good for their friendship, until Fang saves the little minnows and teaches them that sharks and minnows can be friends. What is 10 minnows plus 1 shark = 11 awesome friends!

4. The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister–

In this beloved children’s story, the Rainbow Fish learns what it means to be a good friend. The Rainbow Fish has the most beautiful sparkly scales and it was so very proud of its shimmery scales. Other fish want a sparkly scale too, but Rainbow Fish doesn’t want to part with them because they make it such a pretty fish. Hesitantly, the Rainbow Fish shares just one sparkly scale with a little fish. Soon everyone wants a pretty scale. Turns out Rainbow Fish likes sharing. Now the ocean is full of fish with glimmering scales! Even though the Rainbow Fish has only one sparkly scale left, it feels happy having shared and being a good friend.

5. I’m Getting a Shark by Brady Smith —

We discovered this book at our library and it is perfect for young shark fans. It is a cute story about a girl who is obsessed with sharks and she is convinced that she is getting a real one for her birthday! She shares all of her favorite shark facts with her dog as she weighs the pros and cons of which shark species would make the best pet.

6. Oona in the Arctic by Kelly DiPucchio —

7. Shark Kiss, Octopus Hug by Lynn Rowe Reed —

This is a super cute picture book about a shark and an octopus looking for some love. You will giggle your way through the story reading the silly ideas these two friends come up with to get the beachgoers to give them hugs and kisses. In the end, the two friends realize that they don’t need hugs and kisses from the beachgoers because they have each other to exchange hugs and kisses with — awww!

8. Baby Beluga by Raffi–

9. Commotion in the Ocean by Giles Andreae–

I love this rhyming story about ocean animals! Each animal gets its own little poem that tells something interesting about them. This book covers so many different types of sea creatures, from huge blue whales to small barnacles! Which one is your favorite?

10. Inky’s Amazing Escape by Sy Montgomery —

My son loves this book! It is a true story about an octopus named Inky, who escapes from an aquarium in Australia and makes its way back to the Pacific Ocean. We learned a lot about octopuses from this non-fiction picture book, and we were fascinated by Inky’s journey. My son was so excited when he learned that Inky liked playing Legos just like he does! Out of all of the books written about Inky, this one is our favorite. Sy Montgomery is a gifted storyteller and we were absolutely fascinated by this amazing octopus. I check out lots of library books for my son and I to read together, but this is one book that we felt that we needed to own. We truly love this story and read it over-and-over again.

Disclaimer:

Thank you for reading ocean animal stories with us! Check your local library for these and great books to read together. To help cover the costs of this site, I joined Amazon’s Affiliate program and I provided affiliate links to the books I listed. If you buy an item through one of my links, I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for support. Happy reading!

Animals

Flamingo Books

May 31, 2023May 29, 2023 Jennifer

Flamingos are amazing birds! My son loves them so much and always wants to read about these beautiful pink birds. We had a great time learning about flamingos in these 8 great flamingo books!

Flamingo Books:

1. The Fussy Flamingo by Shelly Vaughn James —

In this cute story, Lola, a young gray flamingo refuses to try shrimp. But shrimp are good for you, and delicious, and will turn your feathers pink, and that’s what flamingos eat, her parents say. Nonetheless, Lola believes that she won’t like the shrimp, so when her parents are distracted, Lola sneaks away and eats an assortment of fruits. Lola changes colors with each new food she tries turning a whole bunch of different colors! Finally, Lola agrees to try a shrimp and it turns out that shrimp are super yummy! Now Lola eats all of her shrimp and her feathers are a lovely pink color.

2. Mingo the Flamingo by Pete Oswald–

A young flamingo named Mingo, gets separated from his parents and crash lands into a farm. Oh no, Mingo has forgotten who he is! The farm animals take Mingo in and promise to let him stay as long as needs. when Mingo suddenly remembers that he is a flamingo and needs to fly and rejoin his flock, his new friends come up with a clever idea to get the injured flamingo home!

3. Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Schaar Idle —

In this wordless picture book, Flora, a young girl, puts on her pink swim suit, her flippers, and a diving cap. She silently tries to copy the flamingo’s graceful movements. After a few struggles with the movements, the flamingo takes Flora by the hand and leads her through a beautiful dance that ends with great leap into the water. Preschoolers will enjoy lifting the flaps scattered throughout the book and looking at the lovely illustrations.

4. Pinky Got Out by Michael Portis–

Pinky, a flamingo at the zoo, sees a girl dressed in pink touring the zoo with her class, and he decides to join in the fun. The girl and her classmates spot Pinky trying to blend in with the other animals. Readers will have fun spotting Pinky too! This books is tons of fun to read; both children and adults will enjoy the humor.

5. Pinky Crashes the Party by Michael Portis—

Pinky the zoo flamingo is back in another story. This time he is helping Penny celebrate her birthday! Penny has a tropical themed birthday and Pinky fits right in with the décor. Young readers will love spotting Pinky trying to blend in with the stuff at the party supply stores, at the miniature golf course, and at home with the birthday decorations.

6. The Foodie Flamingo by Vanessa Howl–

Frankie the flamingo enjoys shrimp, but wants to try some new foods too. She becomes a “foodie.” Her eating adventures turns her feathers into different colors! Soon her friends want to join in on the fun and they make different tomato dishes to eat. The friends strut into the Pink Flamingo restaurant with their redish-magenta feathers and create quite the stir. Now all of the flamingos want to try new foods! My son loved the list at the end on how to be a “foodie” and he was inspired to try foods 🙂

7. Sylvie by Jennifer Sattler —

Sylvie is a great story about being yourself! After looking at the colors all around her, young Sylvie asks why flamingos are pink. Her mother tells her that flamingos’ feathers are pink because of their diet. Sylvie decides to eat different foods and she turns different colors. At first it is pretty fun to change colors, but Sylvie learns that it is best to be herself. In addition to the book’s positive message, adults and children will enjoy the cute illustrations and humor.

8. My Pet Flamingo by Mariana Galvez–

This is a cute rhyming story about all of the things you need to know if you want a pet flamingo. For example, did you know that pet flamingo’s favorite meal is breakfast or that they love to bake? Also, they love to visit the library and check out lots of books! Pet flamingos seem like a lot of work. They want to dance ballet and need you to make them a tutu and they hate to clean up after themselves. And just like children, they want a kiss good night! We checked this out from our library and found out that this book is bilingual and has the text printed in both English and Spanish.

Disclaimer:

Thank you for reading flamingo books with us! Check your local library for these and great flamingo books to read together. To help cover the costs of this site, I joined Amazon’s Affiliate program and I provided affiliate links to the books I listed. If you buy an item through one of my links, I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for support. Happy reading!

Animals

Zoo Books for Little Readers

May 25, 2023May 24, 2023 Jennifer

Preschoolers love animals and learning all about them! Here are 12 great zoo books to read together to learn about the animals at the zoo. I’ve also included some zoo actvities at the end too. Be sure to watch John Lithgow read his book, Never Play Music Next to the Zoo — this read-aloud is fantastic!

Zoo Boks collage — Zoo Books for Preschoolers

12 Zoo Books:

1. Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann–

It is bedtime at the zoo and the night watchman walks around the zoo, checking on each animal and wishing them a good night. But the watchman is so tired that he doesn’t realize the gorilla has stolen his keys and is letting out all of the animals! One by one, the animals follow the night watchman through the zoo and all they way to his home. Then they creep undetected into the bedroom and settle down for the night. It looks like everyone is going to sleep indoors tonight, until the gorilla wants a bedtime cuddle. Hey, gorillas don’t sleep in beds! Now its back to the zoo for everyone. This sparsely worded book lets preschoolers tell what is happening in the story and is sure to bring on a case of the giggles!

2. What the Ladybug Heard at the Zoo by Julia Donaldson–

In this sequel to the What the Ladybug Heard, the ladybug is visiting the zoo when it overhears two robbers’ plan to kidnap Monkey Joe, They want to use him to steal the Queen’s jewels! Yikes! Ladybug comes up with a plan to foil the bad guys. All of the zoo animals and the Queen’s pups help out and stop the robbers.

3. Ellie by Mike Wu–

We read Ellie by Mike Wu, a story about a sweet elephant who shows that it doesn’t matter what old or how big you are, everyone can help in their own way. All of the animals are worried about losing their home as word spreads that the zoo is closing. Ellie, a baby elephant is worried too, but what can she do? Ellie puts her painting talents to use to help the zoo. Soon people are buying her paintings and the money made goes to keeping the zoo open!

4. Fiona’s Train Ride by Richard Cowdrey–

The animals at the zoo are so excited about the new baby red panda! Fiona and her friends (a sloth, tortoise, cardinal, and skunk) want to visit the baby, but the zoo is a big place and its too far for the tortoise and the sloth to walk. The zoo train passes by giving Fiona a great idea! That night after the zoo closes, Fiona and her friends decide to take the train to see the new baby. Who is going to drive the train? Fiona will! Uh-oh, Fiona is a little too wide to fit though train door (cue the giggles from my son!) and gets stuck. With a little help from her friends, she gets free and is able to take her place as the engineer. All aboard! The animals gather into the train and off they go to see the baby. The cute little baby is sleeping next to its mother, so Fiona and her friends whisper, “hello,” before leaving, careful not to wake the baby.

5. The Underpants Zoo by Brian Sendelbach–

The Underpants Zoo was always a hit with my library preschool storytime group! They would giggle the whole way through and we had to stop reading multiple times so the kids could talk about the pictures (an anteater with ants in its underpants — whaaaaat?!?!?). My son loves this book too and he really enjoys pouring over the silly pictures.

6. 1 Zany Zoo by Lori Degman–

This book is so much fun! Find out what happens at the zoo before all of the people arrive. The excitement and silliness from the rhyming text and the bold, emotive illustrations make this book lots of fun to read. Not only does the reader get to learn the names of animals at the zoo, but we get to count along too! Your preschooler is going to ask to read this one over and over again!

7. King of the Zoo by Erica S. Pearl–

Carlos, a chameleon, is the self proclaimed king of the zoo. Chameleon’s color changing ability is pretty amazing! However, Carlos’ friends point out that other animals at the zoo are amazing too. Just look at how big the elephants are and how well the kangaroos can jump! Everyone has something amazing about them. Carlos is starting to feel blue and wonders if maybe he isn’t so great after all. Just then, a little girl sees Carlos and is so excited because he is her favorite animal at the zoo. That’s right, Carlos is the favorite! He perks right back up and realizes that he doesn’t have to be everyone’s favorite animals to still be amazing.

8. A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip Stead —

I love, love, love this book! My son and I have read this several times together and I have shared it at library storytime because it is such a sweet story about the power of kindness. Amos McGee works as a zookeeper, where he befriends an owl, a turtle, an elephant, and a penguin. Each animal has its own special needs, which Amos beautifully takes into account as he interacts with them. When Amos gets sick, his friends return the kindness he gave them, and the animals travel to Amos’ house to take care of him. The soft illustrations are perfect for this gentle story.

9. Bizzy Bear: Zookeeper by Benji Davies–

This interactive board book is so cute! My son has several of the Bizzy Bear books and he loves all of the things to touch and move on every page. These stories are great for young children to become interested in books. In this story, Bizzy Bear is helping out at the zoo. He gets to give the crocodile a bath, help the hippo brush its teeth, and feed the penguins! My son loves penguins and was so excited to see them in this book. He got to turn the wheel and make the penguins and fish swim around. The awesome pictures are accompanied by short rhyming text, making this books an ideal choice for children who can’t sit still too long.

10. Zoogie Boogie Fever!: An Animal Dance Book by Sujean Rim–

What animals do at night after all of the people have left? They have a dance party! Suddenly a disco ball appears and the giraffes spread the word that it is time to dance. Learn about different styles of dance with zoo animal friends. This book is funny, fast paced, rhyming and full of great illustrations. Little readers will love watching each type of animal show off their moves. The animals’ ability to avoid detection from the zookeeper will leave you laughing. The conga line with all of the animals brings the dance party to a fantastic conclusion.

11. Pinky Got Out by Michael Portis–

12. Feeding Time at the Zoo by Sherry Shahan–

We borrowed this book from the library and were immediately captured by the great photographs of animals. While we enjoyed the illustrations of animals in our other stories, it was nice to see what they really look like! Read this zoo book together and learn what animals eat.

Thank you for reading zoo books with us! Check your local library for these and great zoo books to read together. To help cover the costs of this site, I joined Amazon’s Affiliate program and I provided affiliate links to the books I listed. If you buy an item through one of my links, I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for support. Happy reading!

More Zoo Fun!

Paper Bag Tiger Puppet: using puppets to act out stories is tons of fun! Here is a template to make a tiger puppet out of a paper bag that your preschooler can use to tell their own zoo stories 🙂

Zoo-themed I Spy: how many of each zoo animal can you spy?

Spring

Earth Day Books

April 17, 2023April 17, 2023 Jennifer

Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22. Learn about all of the ways that we can help our planet. These stories show that no matter how old we are, all of us can make a difference. We can turn off lights when we leave a room, participate in a neighborhood clean up, plant some flowers, and reuse items! Check out this list of Earth Day books for more ideas! As part of Earth Day studies, my son also made a tissue paper Earth craft that turned out so cute: https://imaginationsrunningwild.com/2022/04/18/earth-day-tissue-paper-craft/

Earth Day Books for Preschoolers:

1. Every Day is Earth Day by Jane O’Connor —

Learn all about Earth Day with Fancy Nancy. In this story, Nancy teaches young readers that there are lots of little things all of us can do everyday to help our planet. Nancy is so enthusiastic about helping the planet, that she takes things a little too far. Her parents teach her (and the readers) that a bunch of little things add to big help, so it is ok to have the light on while we are reading, but not to waste electricity by leaving the light on when no one is in the room. Nancy has other great tips to share too!

2. Biscuit’s Earth Day Celebration by Alyssa Satin Capucilli–

Biscuit learns all about Earth Day in this sweet book. The little girl and her cute pup, Biscuit, help clean up around in their community and plant new plants. It is important to help all of the creatures, big and small, and that is why we need to take care of our planet, Biscuit learns. Simple, short text and adorable illustrations will keep your preschooler engaged.

3. Peppa Pig and the Earth Day Adventure by Candlewick Press–

Preschoolers love Peppa Pig and Peppa loves the planet! Peppa and her family help the planet by sorting their recycling and composting food waste. To celebrate Earth Day, the family goes to the botanical gardens, where they get to see beautiful flowers and learn about the plants. Peppa’s appreciation for all that the planet has to offer, from flowers and animals, to muddy puddles, will inspire your child to take a look at the natural world and find stuff to appreciate too.

4. Earth Day Birthday by Pattie L. Schnetzler —

This beautifully illustrated, rhyming book is a celebration of the animals found on Earth. Each animal is important to our planet. The illustrations capture the beauty of nature and the lyrical text (set to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas) will capture your preschooler’s attention. The book also includes ideas on how to help the planet. I’ve read this one with my preschool storytime group many times over the years and they always love it!

5. It’s Earth Day! by Mercer Mayer —

My son loves the Little Critter stories! They are sweet, humorous, and he can relate to Little Critter’s struggles to do everything by himself. In this story, Little Critter learns about recycling on a class field trip. He is so excited to tell his family what he learned and start recycling as a family so that they can all do their part to help protect the environment.

6. Katie Saves the Earth by Fran Manushkin —

Katie Woo stories are so cute! In honor of Earth Day, Katie organizes a yard sale because it is important to reuse items. Katie is helping keep stuff out of landfills and cutting back on the use of new resources by helping others to reuse items. Are there places to donate your old items? Can you think of ways to reuse them?

7. The Earth Book by Todd Parr-

We love Todd Parr’s illustrations! His use of bold colors and silly illustrations really appeal to us. Parr has the fantastic ability to break down big subjects and present them at a preschool level. In The Earth Book, preschoolers learn how they can help the planet too! There are so many little ways that we can help, such as using both sides of a sheet of paper when we draw. Your preschooler will be inspired to do their part after reading this one!

Thank you for reading Earth Day stories with us! I hope you and your preschooler will be inspired to take up some Earth Day projects together. Check your local library for these and other Earth Day books. To help cover the costs of this site, I joined Amazon’s Affiliate program and I provided affiliate links to the books I listed. If you buy an item through one of my links, I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for support. Happy reading!