FROM THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS:
Children entering our kindergarten program should be able to listen quietly and
enjoy the gift of sharing a book with others. All reading-readiness skills that
rising kindergartners need can be gained through the rich selection of children’s
literature available at the public library or at your local bookstore. In addition to
the bond that comes with reading aloud with your child , you are sure to discover
that doing so creates wonderful memories for you both. Your child’s life -long
love of reading begins now, with you.
There are no specific summer reading requirements for entering kindergartners—
simply allow some time each day to enjoy as many books as possible!
GENERAL READING (WHILE THESE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVORITE
AUTHORS, PLEASE DO NOT CONSIDER THIS LIST EXHAUSTIVE.)
Books by Ludwig Bemelmans, Jan Brett, Margaret Wise Brown, Jean de
Brunhoff, Eve Bunting, Eric Carle, Donald Crews, Doreen Cronin, Pat Cummings,
Alexandra Day, Lois Ehlert, Jules Feiffer, Denise Fleming, Mem Fox, Don
Freeman, Vivian French, Wanda Gag, Kevin Henkes, Russell Hoban, Mary
Hoffman, Crockett Johnson, Keiko Kasza, Ezra Jack Keats, Elisa Kleven, Steven
Kellogg, Leo Lionni, Bill Martin, Mercer Mayer, Robert McCloskey, Laura Joffe
Numeroff, Jane O’Connor, Margie Palatini, Patricia Polacco, Bill Peet, Beatrix
Potter, Peggy Rathman, H.A. Rey, Cynthia Rylant, Jon Scieszka, Maurice
Sendak, Dr. Seuss, David Shannon, Janet Stevens, Nancy Tafuri, Bernard
Waber, Martin Waddell, Rosemary Wells, Mo Willems, Vera B. Williams, Audrey
and Don Wood, Taro Yashima, Jane Yolen, Gene Zion, and Charlotte Zolotow.
WORDLESS BOOKS (You/your child can tell the story—great for vocabulary)
Carle, Eric Do You Want to be My Friend
Day, Alexandra Good Dog, Carl and others
Lehman, Barbara The Red Book
McCully, Emily Four Hungry Kittens
Newgarden, Mark Bow-Wow Bugs a Bug
Tafuri, Nancy Have You Seen My Duckling? and others
Wiesner, David Tuesday and others
BOOKS FOR BEGINNING READERS (Often these are one in a series--look for
other books by these authors)
Berenstain, Stanley Old Hat, New Hat
Dunrea, Olivier Gossie and Gertie
Eastman, P.D. Go, Dog, Go
Henkes, Kevin A Good Day
Hoff, Syd Chester
Hood, Susan Pup and Hound in Trouble
Perkins, Al The Ear Book
Rylant, Cynthia Puppy Mudge series
Seuss, Dr. Cat in the Hat series
Shannon, David No, David!
Willems, Mo Today I Will Fly, and other Elephant and Piggie books
CONCEPT BOOKS
ALPHABET
Andreae, Giles K is for Kissing a Cool Kangaroo
Carle, Eric Eric Carle’s ABC
Cronin, Doreen Click, Clack, Quackity-quack
Demarest, Chris Firefighters A to Z
Ernst, Lisa The Turn-Around Upside-Down Alphabet Book
Inkpen, Mick Kipper’s A to Z
Johnson, Stephen Alphabet City
Kalman, Maira What Pete Ate from A-Z (Really!)
Martin, Bill Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
McLeod, Bob Superhero ABC
Shannon, George Tomorrow’s Alphabet
Spirin, Gennadii A Apple Pie
Van Allsburg, Chris The Z Was Zapped
Williams, Laura ABC Kids
COUNTING
Bang, Molly Ten, Nine, Eight
Curious George Learns to Count from 1 to 100
Falwell, Cathryn Turtle Splash: Countdown at the Pond
Grossman, Bill My Little Sister Ate One Hare
Harper, Dan Telling Time With Big Mama Cat
Hoban, Tana Count and See
Leedy, Loreen Fraction Action
Root, Phyllis One Duck Stuck
Sierra, Judy Counting Crocodiles
Wells, Rosemary Max Counts His Chickens
COLORS
Ehlert, Lois Planting a Rainbow
Hoban, Tana Is It Red? Is It Yellow? Is It Blue?
Hubbard, Patricia My Crayons Talk
Lionni, Leo Little Blue and Little Yellow
Walsh, Ellen Mouse Paint
SHAPES AND BOOKS WITH MULTIPLE CONCEPTS
Crews, Donald Ten Black Dots
Emberley, Ed The Wing on a Flea: a Book About Shapes
Ehlert, Lois Color Zoo
Hoban, Tana 26 Letters and 99 Cents
Lobel, Anita One Lighthouse
Rogers, Paul The Shapes Game
NURSERY RHYMES AND POETRY
Brown, Marc Hand Rhymes
De Paola, Tomie Tomie dePaola’s Mother Goose
Dyer, Jane Animal Crackers
Long, Sylvia Sylvia Long’s Mother Goose
Moses, Will Will Moses Mother Goose
Opie, Iona My Very First Mother Goose
Prelutsky, Jack Ride a Purple Pelican
Whipple, Laura Eric Carle’s Animals, Animals
Yolen, Jane Here’s a Little Poem: a Very First Book of Poetry
Zemach, Margot Some From the Moon, Some From the Sun
***Jim Trelease’s The Read-Aloud Handbook is an excellent resource for
children’s literature. You will find marvelous suggestions for longer read-alouds
and chapter books for family reading there as well.
HAPPY READING!