Pre reader books

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A reader asked me to make a summer reading list of picture books for pre-readers that included good variety. I’ve compiled some of my favorites and broken the list into three sections: read-aloud favorites, funny picture books, and picture books with lessons. I hope you and your kids enjoy many new picture books this summer! 🙂

SUMMER READING: Read Aloud Favorites

• Paletero Man by Lucky Diaz
• Looking for a Jumbie by Tracey Baptiste
• The Book with No Pictures by B. J. Novak
• The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round by Wendy Wan-Long Shang
• Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
• The Bear’s Song by Benjamin Chaud
• It’s So Quiet: A Not-Quite-Going-to-Bed Book by Sherri Duskey Rinker
• Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee
• Silly Sally by Audrey Woods
• Atticus Caticus by Sarah Maizes
• 100 Dogs: Playful Pups to Count by Michael Whaite
• Knight Owl by Christopher Denise
• Group Hug by Jean Reidy
• Everybody in the Red Brick Building by Anne Wynter
• Mina by Matthew Forsythe

SUMMER READING: Funny Picture Books

• The Little Butterfly That Could by Ross Burach
• Unicorns Are the Worst by Alex Willan
• The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming
• Here Comes the Big Mean Dust Bunny by Jan Thomas
• This Is a Moose by Richard T. Morris, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
• The Bear Who Wasn’t There by LeUyen Pham
• I Am Not a Penguin: A Pangolin’s Lament by Liz Wong
• Pizza with Everything on It by Kyle Scheele
• I Can Only Draw Worms by Will Mabbitt

• Z for Moose by Kelly Bingham, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky

• Not Now Cow by Tammi Sauer
• Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea
• The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
• Those Darn Squirrels by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri

SUMMER READING: Picture Books with Lessons

• Outside, Inside by LeUyen Pham
• Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho
• Lulu the One and Only by Lynnette Mawhinney
• The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen
• The Tale of the Valiant Ninja Frog by Alastair Chisholm
• When Charley Met Emma by Amy Webb
• Kaia and the Bees by Maribeth Boelts
• Hippos Can’t Swim and Other Fun Facts by Laura Lyn DiSiena and Hannah Eliot
• I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes
• Chopsticks by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
• One of These Is Not Like the Others by Barney Saltzberg
• Pigeon Math by Asia Citro, illustrated by Richard Watson
• The Donkey Egg by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel
• Your Name Is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
• How to Apologize by David LaRochelle

Do you have older children who need really awesome, totally engaging summer book ideas? Visit my summer reading book lists for kids ages 6 – 18.

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top interesting books that you can't put down

There are books that you need to read slowly and thoughtfully, gradually getting used to the characters and what is happening. And there are those that capture from the first pages and make you forget about everything until the last lines. When you need to pass the hours on a long drive or keep yourself occupied on a cold evening, the best choice is books that are read in one breath. It can be a dynamic detective story, a cult fantasy, an action-packed drama or a humorous story.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray is the most famous and relevant work of all time by the English writer Oscar Wilde.

Dorian is a handsome and vain young man. He is afraid of old age and ugliness. One day, admiring his own portrait, he voices a secret desire: that instead of him the image would grow old, and Gray himself would forever remain beautiful. And so it happens ... Long years of depraved and criminal life pass, but time leaves no trace on Gray's fresh face. And he already regrets his gift.

The book is written in a lively and ironic manner. Watching the gradual and inevitable degradation of the main character is frighteningly interesting.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, John Boyne

John Boyne is a contemporary Irish author of children's and adult literature. He became famous thanks to the novel "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas". The book was nominated for several prestigious awards and successfully filmed.

The story tells about little Bruno. In the background is World War II. A naive boy knows nothing about fascism, military operations, concentration camps. His family moves to the Auschwitz neighborhood because his father has been promoted. While exploring new territories, the boy finds a friend, Shmuel. He lives on a "farm" behind barbed wire. One day Bruno decides to visit Shmuel "on a visit", and it turns into a tragedy...

Behind the touching story is a harsh reality. The book is small, it can be read in one evening, completely immersed in experiences. And the result is a rethinking of the terrible pages of history.

Zapovednik, Sergey Dovlatov

"Reserve" is a short ironic story by the Soviet-American writer Sergei Dovlatov. It is ideal for the first acquaintance with the author.

The divorced writer Boris Alikhanov gets a job as a tour guide in the Mikhailovskoye Museum-Reserve. He mockingly and cynically describes local orders in the form of anecdotal stories. Gradually life in the museum fades into the background. The sad and difficult past of the hero comes to the front. "Reserve" is very aphoristic and has long been sold in quotations. Dovlatov's characteristic humor makes you laugh on almost every page.

Stephen King Rita Hayworth

The famous film "The Shawshank Redemption" is included in the list of the best pictures of world cinema. It is an adaptation of the book of the same name by Stephen King, also known as Rita Hayworth. The story is written in the genre of psychological realism, unusual for the "king of horrors". Like the movie, the book draws you in from the very beginning.

The protagonist Andy Dufresne, an intelligent and cold-blooded banker, is convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, which he did not actually commit. In Shawshank High Security Prison, he tries to get justice. Strikes up relationships with powerful prisoners, helps the administration with financial matters and plans an escape for 27 long years. "Rita Hayworth, or The Shawshank Redemption" is a capacious, concise book that keeps you in suspense until the last pages.

Dummies Guy de Maupassant

French writer Guy de Maupassant is a master of the short story. His first short story "Pyshka" was recognized as a masterpiece and glorified the author overnight.

The story takes place during the Franco-Prussian War. Several gentlemen from the upper strata of society, two nuns and a good-natured plump courtesan nicknamed Pyshka leave the occupied city on a stagecoach. The road is long and difficult. Pyshka has to learn from her own experience how hypocritical and cruel seemingly decent and virtuous people can be. Maupassant depicted locations, characters and relationships in detail and realistically. Despite the small volume of the work, you are completely immersed in what is happening.

Ten Little Indians (There Were Ten), Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie's best-selling detective story "Ten Little Indians" is not like the measured investigations of Poirot and Miss Marple. This is a creepy psychological thriller. According to the author, the novel was the most difficult to write. By the way, in France, for reasons of political correctness, the book is now published under the title "There were ten of them."

Ten strangers gather on a small island off the English coast. Some received an invitation to rest, others were called for work. During lunch, the gramophone plays a recording of the accusations of murder. The guests understand that they have fallen into a trap ... Someone starts killing them one by one, as in an ominous counting rhyme found by each of them in the bedroom. There is not a soul on the island anymore - it remains to suspect each other.

Agatha Christie perfectly conveyed the gloomy atmosphere of fear and distrust. A dynamic narrative keeps you in suspense until an unpredictable and spectacular denouement.

The Fault in Our Stars, John Green

John Green is a popular American writer and best-selling author for teens. One of his most famous works is the novel The Fault in Our Stars, about terminally ill lovers.

The book tells about the meeting and relationship of sixteen-year-old Hazel and seventeen-year-old Augustus. Both do not have long to live, but they know how to enjoy life, joke and love. Despite the heavy themes of illness and death, The Fault in Our Stars is a bright and life-affirming book. Easy to read and quick - great for the weekend. But paper handkerchiefs can come in handy.

Chocolat, Joanne Harris

British writer Joanne Harris rose to fame with her third book. It was a mystical melodrama "Chocolate". The novel won several literary awards, hit numerous best-seller lists, and formed the basis of a successful film that was nominated for five Oscars.

A young woman, Vianne Rocher, arrives in a fictional French town to open a chocolate shop. She has magical powers and uses them in the art of confectionery. Thanks to her sweets, the neighbors once again felt the taste for life. But the local priest is unhappy with the situation. A desperate confrontation begins.

Island in the Sea, Annika Tor

An Island in the Sea is the first book by children's author Annika Thor. The novel was noted by the jury of the Janusz Korczak International Literary Prize. A small instructive story suitable for family reading.

The plot takes place during the war. Two Jewish girls - Steffi and Nelli - are forced to leave their parents and move as refugees from Austria to Sweden. In a foreign country without loved ones is not easy. The heroines will have to cope with fear, powerlessness, despair and shame. But life goes on, and there will always be a place for hope, friendship, love and mutual assistance. A touching story makes you empathize with the characters and follow the fate of the girls with excitement.

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

The cult novel by American writer Daniel Keyes was born from the short story of the same name. For both works, the author received two of the most prestigious awards in the genre of science fiction: "Hugo" and "Nebula".

The book is written in the form of reports compiled by mentally retarded janitor Charlie Gordon. He participates in an experiment to increase the level of intelligence. The brain surgery was successful. Charlie is getting smarter every day. Soon, his IQ becomes higher than that of the professors who conducted the experiment ... The first parts of the novel are written in clumsy, illiterate language, which improves as Charlie's intelligence grows. It is fascinating to follow the success of the hero, the development of his personality and emotions about what is happening.

French Lieutenant's Woman John Fowles

John Fowles is an outstanding English writer, a prominent representative of postmodernism. He created the immortal novels The Collector and The Magus. One of his most popular books was The French Lieutenant's Woman, a mysterious and intriguing work. The brilliant Meryl Streep played in the film adaptation.

The characters and scenery of the novel resembles a Victorian one. However, the author deliberately narrates from the position of his contemporary, who already knows about the sexual revolution, the theory of psychoanalysis and postmodern ideas. The main character, a poor young gentleman Charles Smithson, meets an outcast woman. She is called the mistress of the French lieutenant. For her sake, Smithson leaves the bride. Whether this story has a happy ending depends on the reader, with whom Fowles masterfully plays throughout the novel.

Fried Green Tomatoes at Stop Stop Café by Fannie Flagg

The world-famous and beloved book by American writer Fanny Flagg.

In the story, the cheerful and charming resident of the nursing home, Ninnie Threadgood, tells her new friend Evelyn about her past. Her quiet provincial life in the town of Half Station was full of events. Conversations charge Evelyn with enthusiasm and energy. The book has the same effect on readers. Charismatic characters, a warm atmosphere and a pleasant simple style - all that you can appreciate.

Stranger, Max Frei

"The Outsider" is the first volume of the famous series of science fiction books "Labyrinths of Echo". By the way, if you didn’t know, Svetlana Martynchik writes under the pseudonym Max Fry.

The book consists of several stories that introduce readers to the story of Sir Max. He got into the magical world of Echo and began a career in the Secret Investigation. Together with his boss, the powerful magician Juffin Halli, he investigates strange cases. At the same time, he studies a new world and becomes more and more sympathetic to it. The amazing events in Echo are so addictive that you don’t want to return to the real world.

Secret Place Tana French

Irish writer Tana French is the author of popular detective novels that have been highly acclaimed by critics and juries of literary awards. The Secret Place is the fifth installment in the Dublin Police series. But this is a self-sufficient, holistic book that, in addition to intrigue, reveals many important topics.

A student is killed in a prestigious private school. An anonymous note on the bulletin board for girls' secrets becomes a new lead. The author immerses the reader in a day of investigation painted by the minute. In parallel, we are witnessing the prehistory of the tragedy.

"Viy", Nikolai Gogol

The case when a book from the school curriculum is read in one breath. The mystical story "Viy" stands out among the rest of Gogol's works with fascinating twists and an eerie atmosphere.

The hero of the story is a student of the Kyiv Theological Academy Khoma Brut. He must read prayers in a locked church over the body of a dead girl for three nights. The deceased turned out to be a witch. She came to life and began hunting for Khoma, calling for help from the evil spirits, led by the monstrous Viy. It's scary to read, but hard to put down.

10 interesting books to read on the weekend: what to read on the weekend

• 1

  Oscar and the Pink Lady

  Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt is a world celebrity, one of the most widely read French writers. Many of his novels and short stories are short and easy to read in a weekend. However, it is best to start acquaintance with the writer's work with his little masterpiece "Oscar and the Pink Lady", which made him famous all over the world.

  "Oscar and the Pink Lady" is a touching, beautiful and poetic philosophical parable about a seriously ill boy who writes letters to God. In funny, sometimes sad, but very life-affirming messages, Oscar tells how his adult life could have turned out. This story is about the inspiring power of friendship, about faith, about the value of absolutely every day lived, and about how much love and kindness even a short life can contain.

• 2

  Woman with paper flowers

  Donato Carrisi is known to readers as one of the most brilliant modern detective writers. To get to know the Italian writer from a new perspective, pay attention to his short novel Woman with Paper Flowers. This is not a detective story at all, but the plot in it is so exciting that it is in no way inferior to other works by Carrisi.

  The novel takes place during the First World War. A captive soldier waits in a cold alpine cave for dawn, when he is to be shot. He is visited by a military doctor, hoping to convince the prisoner to speak and thus save his life. The doctor does not yet guess what an amazing story the captive will tell him. A story in which the lives of these two people who met by chance will be connected in the most extraordinary way ...

• 3

  A year in Provence

  Once an English couple decided on a risky act: discarding all prudent arguments, they bought an old farmhouse in the south of France. Since then, they have begun a completely new life, full of gastronomic adventures, funny discoveries and unexpected, but pleasant acquaintances. The first year lived in Provence turned out to be so eventful that Peter Mayle decided to write a book about it.

  "A Year in Provence" immediately became a world bestseller and brought the author not only world fame, but also the respect of the French. The work is still considered the best travel book about France, thanks to which the flow of tourists to the south of the country has significantly increased. For outstanding services to the French Republic, Peter Meil ​​was even awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor.

  You can not only read the charming “A Year in Provence” over the weekend, but also, inspired by the book, plan a whole trip to this beautiful region.

• 4

  Patrick Melrose. Book 1

  In the UK, the Patrick Melrose novels have cult status, and their author Edward St Aubyn is considered a modern classic. In his works, a rich language, and an easy and relaxed manner of narration is combined with deep psychologism and subtle British humor. He is often placed on a par with Britain's greatest writers: as Zadie Smith so aptly remarked, Edward St Aubyn's books have "the wit of Wilde, the lightness of Wodehouse and the causticity of Waugh."

  When Edward was 8 years old, his parents divorced, but the psychological trauma received in childhood affected his entire future life. In his youth, he suffered from a severe form of drug addiction. After undergoing treatment, St. Aubin gave himself an ultimatum: either he would write a book about his difficult life, or he would commit suicide. So he came up with Patrick Melrose, his literary alter ego.

  There are three novels in the first book about Patrick Melrose - It's OK, Bad News and Timid Hope. If desired, all three parts can be read over the weekend. Or stop only at the very first novel, "It's OK," which has just over 140 pages. In this book, we learn about Patrick's childhood, his relationship with his tyrannical father and alcoholic mother, his experience of violence and its consequences.

• 5

  Time noise

  Booker Prize winner and one of the most elegant stylists of modern British literature Julian Barnes is a big fan of Dmitri Shostakovich. It was to him that he dedicated his novel The Noise of Time, written for the 110th anniversary of the world-famous composer. The book cannot be called a fictionalized biography of Shostakovich.

  Barnes is well versed in Russian literature and culture, therefore, having an excellent command of the context, he builds his own narrative based on Soviet history and events from the life of Shostakovich. If you're thinking about reading on your day off, Barnes's novel is a great choice to not only get to know the writer's work, but also perhaps look at familiar events in a new way.

• 6

  The Great Gatsby

  Francis Scott Fitzgerald is one of the iconic prose writers of the 20th century. His main novel, The Great Gatsby, is a sparkling story that tells the world about the "roaring" twenties of the last century and the great "American dream". The image of the mysterious protagonist Jay Gatsby, a millionaire who arranges chic parties and is quixotically in love with his old friend Daisy, is one of the brightest in world literature. Despite the fact that Fitzgerald described his contemporaries and the well-known atmosphere of the Jazz Age in the novel, The Great Gatsby is a timeless book about broken destinies and the senselessness of a man's pursuit of an unattainable dream.

• 7

  Breakfast at Tiffany's

  Breakfast at Tiffany's is Truman Capote's most famous work, not least thanks to the adaptation of the book starring Audrey Hepburn. The main character of the story, Holly Golightly, is one of the brightest and most unusual women in American literature. Capote admitted that he imagined Holly a little differently when he wrote "Breakfast at Tiffany's": according to him, the prototype of the main character was a platinum blonde, more like Marilyn Monroe. But all over the world, the image of Holly Golightly is associated primarily with Audrey Hepburn.

  In Breakfast at Tiffany's, the eccentric, vibrant young Holly is drawn to the world of the rich, sparkling with bright lights. Combining childish naivety with charming charm, she embodies the very essence of New York - a city where dreams lie at arm's length, right behind the glass of an expensive shop window.

  "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is worth reading over the weekend to finally find out how Capote's famous work differs from the no less famous film adaptation.

• 8

  Call of Cthulhu

  Howard Phillips Lovecraft did not publish a single book during his lifetime, but thanks to his short story "The Call of Cthulhu" he became a recognized master of horror literature and an idol for both the general readership and refined intellectuals. His influence on his work was recognized by such masters as Borges and Stephen King. The writer's stories were repeatedly filmed, and his name became a household name. Lovecraftian horrors are now called works in which the fear of the unknown is much stronger than the fear of vampires, zombies or other monsters that are familiar to us. "The Call of Cthulhu" is a short work that can tickle your nerves on a day off.

• 9

  Moscow-Petushki (with comments by Eduard Vlasov)

  Venedikt Erofeev is a bright and ambiguous phenomenon in Russian literature. His famous poem "Moscow - Petushki", written back in 1970, is a kind of philosophical parable, a timeless work, because Erofeev created his own world, his universe in the book, in the center of which is a man and his journey to amazing, utopian Petushki. First published in the pages of Sobriety and Culture magazine, the book became a real revelation for readers, and later acquired a cult status.

  When choosing what to read on the weekend, we advise you to opt for Erofeev's poem and go from the Kursk railway station along the Moscow-Petushki route, following all the stops along the Venechka route.

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