The Best Children’s Books for Early Elementary On Up!

The best children’s books make storytime magical and meaningful. When my boys were born, I felt a compelling desire to share the world with them through books. I felt, and still feel, that there is no better way to instill significant values in children — values such as kindness, compassion, generosity, respect and empathy — than by reading with intention. By consciously curating their bookshelves, I was confident I could make this happen.

When my boys were little, reading the best children’s books made storytime a favorite part of the day — for all of us.

I loved nothing more than snuggling up with my boys and reading wondrous stories together. Watching their eyes light up as they fell in love with new books was priceless, and we have created so many memories as a direct result of the stories we have read together.

Whether it’s important conversations sparked by a book’s plot or funny children’s books that have us clutching our stomachs as tears flow down our checks with reckless abandon, storytime in our house has become the most valuable part of our day.

The best children’s books helped our trio thrive by nurturing connection and intimacy, and they also helped my boys create positive associations with stories.

Yet, even beyond these intimate moments you’ll be creating at home, when you read with your kids, you’ll also impact their developing brains in the most phenomenal ways.

The benefits of reading with your children from the time they are just infants include:

• development of language skills and language processing,
• exposure to nearly 78,000 words annually if read to every day, which boosts vocabulary and gives kids a huge advantage before beginning school,
• stimulation to the part of the brain that helps with imagery and comprehension, as well as visual stimulation by presenting little ones with images and colors,
• introduction to sounds and emotion, as well as the idea that particular words have meaning and connotation,
• preparation for reading independently by learning the rhythm, tone and inflection in your voice, and
• continuous exposure to your voice, which is both soothing and stress relieving.

The best children’s books will help you create magical moments right in your own home.

And the best part? Your kiddos are now old enough that the world is your oyster. Board books are out. Picture books are so in. And I’m here to tell you that your kids will never outgrow them.

Some people have a misconception that picture books are only suitable for very young children, but I beg to differ. In fact, some of the books my kids adored when they were young are some of my older students’ favorites — and mine too. The stories resonate more, kids are able to make incredibly thoughtful and mature connections, and they are so rich with important discussion topics and life skills.

So here you’ll find the best children’s books for kids in kindergarten and beyond — the picture books you’ll never outgrow, and the ones that may resonate even more with you than they do with your own children.

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? 

These are some of the best children’s books for kindergarteners on up!

Find more of the best children’s books with our awesome lists and blog posts!