Grow a Reader: Staff Recommended Booklists
Find a great book in these lists created by library staff especially for ages 5 and under. For even more choices, see our complete booklist archive. 🦒
Animal Tales 🐷
Moo, honk, squeak, oink! Is your little learner really into animals? Check out these booklists with fun books to get to know all different kinds of animals.
GAR Booklists: Animals
Grow a Reader: Books on Bears
Some bears are gruff and others are mild, but most are beloved in this selection of picture and board books.
Grow a Reader: Do Like a Duck Does!
Ducks go "quack." Ducks waddle. But what else do ducks do?
Grow a Reader: Dog Tails & Stories
Enjoy these dog themed picture and beginning reader books with your growing reader.
Grow a Reader: Fish in the Deep Blue Sea
Fun and creative books to introduce your little learner to fish! Includes Board Books and Beginning Readers.
Grow a Reader: Books on Bears
Some bears are gruff and others are mild, but most are beloved in this selection of picture and board books.
Grow a Reader: Do Like a Duck Does!
Ducks go "quack." Ducks waddle. But what else do ducks do?
Grow a Reader: Dog Tails & Stories
Enjoy these dog themed picture and beginning reader books with your growing reader.
Grow a Reader: Fish in the Deep Blue Sea
Fun and creative books to introduce your little learner to fish! Includes Board Books and Beginning Readers.
Creativity & Imagination 🎨
From dancing, to coloring, to expressing themselves through imagination, these books help harness your growing reader's appetite for fun!
GAR Booklists: Expressing Creativity
Grow a Reader: Beep, boop, beep! Robot Reads
Books filled with silly and adventurous robots!
Grow a Reader: Bubbles that POP!
Other than bubbles, think about things that go pop-- bubble gum, buttons, and even books-- this list includes a variety of them.
Grow a Reader: Colors Are Fun!
Noticing all the colors and learning their names is fun and beautiful way to interact with the world.
Grow a Reader: Imaginations Run Wild
Books about the power of imagination, and how much fun you can have with it!
Grow a Reader: Beep, boop, beep! Robot Reads
Books filled with silly and adventurous robots!
Grow a Reader: Bubbles that POP!
Other than bubbles, think about things that go pop-- bubble gum, buttons, and even books-- this list includes a variety of them.
Grow a Reader: Colors Are Fun!
Noticing all the colors and learning their names is fun and beautiful way to interact with the world.
Grow a Reader: Imaginations Run Wild
Books about the power of imagination, and how much fun you can have with it!
Family & Friendship Tales 🍼
Are you expecting a change to your child's life such as a new baby? These tales can help your child make adjusting to big family and friend-related events a little easier.
GAR Booklists: Family & Friendship Tales
Grow a Reader: All Kinds of Families
From single moms and dads to LGBTQ+ parents, these picture books celebrate love and diversity in every family.
Grow a Reader: Best Babysitters Ever
Are you leaving your little one with their first babysitter? Try these silly and fun books to help them understand why.
Grow a Reader: Friendship Tales
Help your little one learn and grow in friendships with others with these picture books.
Grow a Reader: Love, Kindness, & Respect
Preschoolers will develop skills for being a good friend and treating others with love, kindness, and respect through these gentle stories.
Grow a Reader: All Kinds of Families
From single moms and dads to LGBTQ+ parents, these picture books celebrate love and diversity in every family.
Grow a Reader: Best Babysitters Ever
Are you leaving your little one with their first babysitter? Try these silly and fun books to help them understand why.
Grow a Reader: Friendship Tales
Help your little one learn and grow in friendships with others with these picture books.
Grow a Reader: Love, Kindness, & Respect
Preschoolers will develop skills for being a good friend and treating others with love, kindness, and respect through these gentle stories.
Health & Self-care 🧼
From learning to get dressed to going to the doctor, browse these booklists that are perfect for your growing reader learning about hygiene and daily routine skills.
GAR Booklists: Health & Self-care
Grow a Reader: All Dressed Up
Try these books on the topic of the importance of getting dressed in many different cultures.
Grow a Reader: Feelings
Board books and picture books that express different forms of emotions.
Grow a Reader: Good Night, Sleep Tight
Tuck your little one into bed with these sweet and gentle tales that will lull even the most resistant into dreamland.
Grow a Reader: Hooray, Potty Training!
Use these books -- some with favorite characters! -- to help your child make an easier transition using the potty.
Grow a Reader: All Dressed Up
Try these books on the topic of the importance of getting dressed in many different cultures.
Grow a Reader: Feelings
Board books and picture books that express different forms of emotions.
Grow a Reader: Good Night, Sleep Tight
Tuck your little one into bed with these sweet and gentle tales that will lull even the most resistant into dreamland.
Grow a Reader: Hooray, Potty Training!
Use these books -- some with favorite characters! -- to help your child make an easier transition using the potty.
Holidays & Celebrations 🎉
Learning about different holidays and celebrations? Look no further! These themed booklists will help you celebrate.
GAR Booklists: Holidays & Celebrations
Grow a Reader: Christmas Time with Your Favorite Characters
Christmas Time is here! Celebrate with your favorite book and movie characters with these board books, picture books, and beginning readers.
Grow a Reader: Father's Day
Let's celebrate dads with these picture books about all kinds of fathers in every shape and size.
Grow a Reader: Giving Thanks with Favorite Characters
Celebrate Thanksgiving with your little one's favorite storybook characters.
Grow a Reader: Holiday Stories & Traditions
Check out one of these picture books for growing readers that highlight multicultural winter holiday traditions and tales.
Grow a Reader: Christmas Time with Your Favorite Characters
Christmas Time is here! Celebrate with your favorite book and movie characters with these board books, picture books, and beginning readers.
Grow a Reader: Father's Day
Let's celebrate dads with these picture books about all kinds of fathers in every shape and size.
Grow a Reader: Giving Thanks with Favorite Characters
Celebrate Thanksgiving with your little one's favorite storybook characters.
Grow a Reader: Holiday Stories & Traditions
Check out one of these picture books for growing readers that highlight multicultural winter holiday traditions and tales.
Seasons & Weather 🌦️
Is it raining? Is it snowing? Find out about all kinds of weather with these seasonal booklists.
GAR Booklists: Seasons & Weather
Grow A Reader: Autumn Is Awesome
Help your little one learn about autumn and the changing of the seasons! Includes board, picture, and beginning reader books.
Grow a Reader: Gardening & Flowers
Introduce your budding reader to these books on gardening and flowers. Includes Board Books and Beginning Readers.
Grow a Reader: Rain, rain, (don't) go away!
Rainy day inside? Try these picture and board books to share on stormy afternoons.
Grow a Reader: Spring Titles for Growing Readers
Spring is on the way, hooray! Find the perfect book to celebrate the season with your little learner.
Grow A Reader: Autumn Is Awesome
Help your little one learn about autumn and the changing of the seasons! Includes board, picture, and beginning reader books.
Grow a Reader: Gardening & Flowers
Introduce your budding reader to these books on gardening and flowers. Includes Board Books and Beginning Readers.
Grow a Reader: Rain, rain, (don't) go away!
Rainy day inside? Try these picture and board books to share on stormy afternoons.
Grow a Reader: Spring Titles for Growing Readers
Spring is on the way, hooray! Find the perfect book to celebrate the season with your little learner.
Starting School & Other Educational Lists 🍎
Help your little learner transition easier with these booklists about going to school, along with other booklists that will help with specific school subjects.
Starting School
Animal School Days
Why should human children have all the fun in school?!
Grow a Reader: Are You Ready for Kindergarten?
These books will help your kiddos feel ready to enter the world of kindergarten, addressing some of their fears and building confidence.
Grow a Reader: Starting Preschool
Soothe little one's fears with books that explore the transition and delight in the new experience.
Grow a Reader: Cars & Trucks, Vroom Vroom!
For growing readers who love cars, trucks, and other moving vehicles on the road.
Grow a Reader: Easy and Engaging Beginning Readers
Is your child ready to take on reading? Try these books that are filled with easy words, fun rhymes, and more to get them started.
Grow a Reader: Fun with Numbers
Want some fun books about counting and numbers? Then, try some of these books. Includes Picture and Board Books.
Grow a Reader: Introduction to Baby Sign Language
Check out these books that can get babies to start signing away! Note: some of these are adult books for caregivers to use only.
Grow a Reader: Cars & Trucks, Vroom Vroom!
For growing readers who love cars, trucks, and other moving vehicles on the road.
Grow a Reader: Easy and Engaging Beginning Readers
Is your child ready to take on reading? Try these books that are filled with easy words, fun rhymes, and more to get them started.
Grow a Reader: Fun with Numbers
Want some fun books about counting and numbers? Then, try some of these books. Includes Picture and Board Books.
Grow a Reader: Introduction to Baby Sign Language
Check out these books that can get babies to start signing away! Note: some of these are adult books for caregivers to use only.
Grow a Reader Skills: Focusing on Reading
Read books about reading with your young one.
Grow a Reader Skills: Focusing on Print Motivation
A list of books that are great promoters of print motivation, an interest in and the enjoyment of books and reading.
Grow a Reader Skills: Focusing on Print Awareness
Print awareness is one of the first ways that children begin to fall in love with books.
Grow a Reader Skills: Focusing on Vocabulary
Here are a few favorite books to read aloud that also have great words to talk about.
Grow a Reader Skills: Focusing on Reading
Read books about reading with your young one.
Grow a Reader Skills: Focusing on Print Motivation
A list of books that are great promoters of print motivation, an interest in and the enjoyment of books and reading.
Grow a Reader Skills: Focusing on Print Awareness
Print awareness is one of the first ways that children begin to fall in love with books.
Grow a Reader Skills: Focusing on Vocabulary
Here are a few favorite books to read aloud that also have great words to talk about.
