Some of these books we enjoy electronically, while others we read the old fashioned way. We acquire ebooks from the comfort of home via our library card and gift cards from friends and family. And thanks to a few new friends here in Perth, we have a lovely collection of borrowed books to keep the kids entertained.
Enjoy and happy reading!
Chloe's Favorite Books
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Charlotte's Web
Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte’s Web, high up in Zuckerman’s barn. Charlotte’s spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur’s life when he was born the runt of his litter.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Willy Wonka’s famous chocolate factory is opening at last!
But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. And the winners are: Augustus Gloop, an enormously fat boy whose hobby is eating; Veruca Salt, a spoiled-rotten brat whose parents are wrapped around her little finger; Violet Beauregarde, a dim-witted gum chewer with the fastest jaws around; Mike Teavee, a toy-pistol-toting gangster-in-training who is obsessed with television; and Charlie Bucket, Our Hero, a boy who is honest and kind, brave and true, and good and ready for the wildest time of his life!
James and The Giant Peach
After James Henry Trotter’s parents are tragically eaten by a rhinoceros, he goes to live with his two horrible aunts, Spiker and Sponge. Life there is no fun, until James accidentally drops some magic crystals by the old peach tree and strange things start to happen. The peach at the top of the tree begins to grow, and before long it’s as big as a house. Inside, James meets a bunch of oversized friends—Grasshopper, Centipede, Ladybug, and more. With a snip of the stem, the peach starts rolling away, and the great adventure begins!
Corduroy
Corduroy has been on the department store shelf for a long time. Yet as soon as Lisa sees him, she knows that he’s the bear for her. Her mother, though, thinks he’s a little shopworn—he’s even missing a button! Still, Corduroy knows that with a bit of work he can tidy himself up and be just the bear for Lisa. And where better to start than with a nighttime adventure through the department store, searching for a new button!
The Day the Crayons Came Home
I’m not sure what it is about this kid Duncan, but his crayons sure are a colorful bunch of characters! Having soothed the hurt feelings of one group who threatened to quit, Duncan now faces a whole new group of crayons asking to be rescued.
The Gruffalo's Child
Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler team up again to create this funny and adorable sequel to The Gruffalo. One night, the Gruffalo’s child wanders into the woods to search for the Big Bad Mouse. But instead, she comes upon a small mouse in the woods . . . and decides to eat him! But wait, what is that? A shadow of a very large, scary creature falls on the ground. Could it be the Big Bad Mouse after all?
Room on The Broom
This rollicking, rhyming tale from master storyteller Julia Donaldson is the perfect Halloween read-aloud for the youngest listeners. A friendly witch, hungry dragon, and muddy monster learn about friendship, and readers will delight in the surprising (and not too scary) ending.
Camden's Favorite Books
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Make Way for Ducklings
Mrs. Mallard was sure that the pond in the Boston Public Gardens would be a perfect place for her and her eight ducklings to live. The problem was how to get them there through the busy streets of Boston. But with a little help from the Boston police, Mrs. Mallard and Jack, Kack, Lack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack arive safely at their new home.
Little Blue Truck
Little Blue Truck is a joyful cacophony of animal and truck sounds that will have youngsters beeping and quacking—and begging for one more go-round! Along the way, readers see that it pays to be kind to our animal friends . . . if we show a friendly respect to others, we’re more likely to get help when we’re, say, stuck in the muck in a truck
A Fish Out of Water
In this beloved Beginner Book written by Mrs. Dr. Seuss (aka Helen Palmer), a young boy hilariously learns the consequences of not following instructions when he feeds too much to his goldfish—causing it to grow as big as a whale! With delightfully retro illustrations by P.D. Eastman (Go, Dog. Go!),
the message of the book—that getting a pet is a big responsibility—is as true today as it was when the book was published in 1961. Perfect for beginning readers and read-alouds—and anyone getting a pet, especially a fish
The Gruffalo
A mouse is taking a stroll through the deep, dark wood when along comes a hungry fox, then an owl, and then a snake. The mouse is good enough to eat but smart enough to know this, so he invents . . . the gruffalo! As Mouse explains, the gruffalo is a creature with terrible claws, and terrible tusks in its terrible jaws, and knobbly knees and turned-out toes, and a poisonous wart at the end of its nose. But Mouse has no worry to show. After all, there’s no such thing as a gruffalo. . . .
Goodnight Moon
In a great green room, tucked away in bed, is a little bunny. “Goodnight room, goodnight moon.” And to all the familiar things in the softly lit room—to the picture of the three little bears sitting on chairs, to the clocks and his socks, to the mittens and the kittens, to everything one by one—the little bunny says goodnight.
One of the most beloved books of all time, Goodnight Moon is a must for every bookshelf and a time-honored gift for baby showers and other special events.
Blossom Possum - The Sky is Falling Down Under
This retelling of a favourite folktale has a delightful Aussie twist and a refreshingly positive ending. The author has used typically Australian animals to create a cast of quirky characters. Rocky Cocky is a cheeky cockatoo, Echo Gecko is an old hippie lizard, and Toey Joey is a lively young kangaroo.
And there you have it, 13 books to captivate the minds of young kids. We hope this post gave you some new ideas to bring into your home library!
If you enjoyed this post and you are looking for more things to do at home with your kids, you might also enjoy reading 13 Easy Recipes to Make with Your Kids
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11 thoughts on “13 Books That Captivate Young Minds”
My favorite books as a kid were The Chronicles of Narnia, The Boxcar Children, The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew … lots of series! When I was little it was the Beatrix Potter books.
Ooooh, good ones! I remember The Boxcar Children! I’ll add these to our list– thank you so much. 🙂
What a wonderful list. I love Room On A Broom and The Gruffalo. They are so fun to read and fun for kids to hear. They really do capture imaginations and teach about kindness and sharing. Great post!
Thanks for your comment, Keri! Yes, Julia Donaldson certainly is a magician with words. 🙂
I’ve been trying to encourage my two year old to read more books with me instead of so much screentime while we’re stuck at home. These are some great suggestions! I had forgotten about Make Way for Ducklings (we live outside of Boston). Will have to get that one so we can take a trip to see the duck statues sometime this summer!
Great idea! I especially enjoy Make Way for Ducklings because I had it when I was a kid.
Take care and stay safe, and thanks for being a nurse! 🙂
So many great book picks for young kids! Most of these are favorites in our house, too! Roald Dahl and Julia Donaldson are on regular rotation for sure. Will have to check out your recommendations that we haven’t read yet!
Thanks, Maureen! Happy reading!
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What a great list! We’ve read the Roald Dahl doll series, and the crayons series! But I’m excited to try the Grufollo series! Thanks for the share!
Thank you Katherine! Yes, we loved the Grufollo! Our kids really enjoyed ‘Room on the Broom’ which is by the same author. Excellent books!