Picture Books
Cordoroy, and A Pocket for Cordoroy, by Dan Freeman (a little girl and her teddy bear.)
Frances series, by Hoban (Bedtime for Frances, A Baby Sister for Frances, and more)
Katy and the Big Snow, by Virginia Lee Burton
Madeline series, by Ludwig Bemelmans
A New Coat for Anna, by Harriet Ziefert
A Pair of Red Clogs, by Masako Matsuno
Loud Emily, by Alexis O’Neill
Mailing May, Michael O. Tunnell and Ted Rand
Miss Rumpious, by Barbara Cooney
Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey
Mirette on the High Wire, by Emily McCully
Fritz and the Beautiful Horses, by Jan Brett
The Finest Horse in Town, by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
A Chair for my Mother, by Vera Williams
Uncommon Traveler: Mary Kingsley in Africa by Don Brown
Stellaluna, Jannel Cannon
Longer Picture Books–
Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie, by Peter and Connie Roop
One Morning in Maine, by Robert McCloskey
Henner’s Lydia and others by Marguerite D’Angeli
First Readers–
Amelia Bedelia (part of a series of Amelia books), by Peggy Parrish
Little Bear books, by Else Holmelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak
The Josifina Story Quilt, by Eleanor Coerr
First Chapter Books/First Longer Read Alouds–
Catwings, by Ursula K. Le Guin and S. D. Schindler (my boys especially loved this one, too!)
The White Stallion, by Elizabeth Shub
Sarah Witcher’s Story, by Elizabeth Yates
Bears on Hemlock Mountain, The Courage of Sarah Noble, by Alice Dalgliesh
Album of Horses, Born to Trot, Misty of Chincoteague, Stormy, Misty’s Foal, and many others by Marguerite Henry
Pippi Longstocking (one of many about Pippi), by Astrid Lindgren
Phoebe the Spy, by Judith Griffin
The Ramona Series by Beverly Cleary (first few in the series)
Great Family Read Alouds/Books for Older Girls to Read Independently–
Little House on the Prairie series, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Album of Horses, Born to Trot, Misty of Chincoteague, Stormy, Misty’s Foal, and many others by Marguerite Henry
In Grandma’s Attic by Arleta Richardson
Toliver’s Secret, by Esther Wood Brady (part of Sonlight year 3; a young girls must become a “spy” during the revolutionary war—dress as a boy, and carry a message to General Washington.)
Ginger Pye and Pinkie Pye, by Eleanor Estes
Janette Oke’s Animal Friends, (series) by Janette Oke
Violet Comes to Stay and others by Jan Karron
Helen Keller by Margaret Davidson OR the Story of Helen Keller by Lorena Hickcock
Amelia Earhart: Young Air Pioneer by Jane More How
Naya Nuki: The Shoshoni Girl Who Ran by Kenneth Thomasma
The Moffets by Eleanor Estes
All of a Kind Family (part of a series) by Sydney Taylor
Tweens and teens—shouldn’t miss:
Anne of Avonlea books by Montgomery (and movies, after you’ve read the books!)
Little Women and others by Louisa May Alcott
Anything by Jane Austen, especially Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Mama’s Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes
© 2010 Susan Lemons all rights reserved. Copyrighted materials may not be re-distributed or re-posted without express permission from the author.
Homepreschool and Beyond 