Claire's and Sarah's Favorite Books
2-4 years
Runaway Bunny by Margaret Brown. A little bunny runs away from his mother. This is an imaginative game of hide and seek in which the small bunny is comforted by his mother's constant love.
Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell. Clifford is bright red and bigger than a house. Despite his size, Clifford is the best pet ever for Emily Elizabeth.
The Carrot Seed by Ruth Kraus. A young boy knows his carrot seed will grow even if everybody tells him it won't. With loving care, the seed becomes an enormous carrot.
Corduroy by Don Freeman. Corduroy is a little bear that lives in a department store until a little girl named Lisa discovers that he is not only a bear but also a friend.
5-6 Years
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans. In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines. The smallest was Madeline who bravely faces a trip to the hospital.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. A classic tale of naughty Peter Rabbit's escape from Mr. McGregor's garden.
Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McClosky. Mrs. Mallard thought that the quiet island in the Boston Public Garden would be a perfect place to lay her eggs.
The Little Engine that Could by Watty Paper. "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can" is the motto of the engine who is not very big but does her best.
7-8 years
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney. When Miss Rumphius was a little girl she wanted to grow up and travel to far-away places and then return to her home by the sea. She was true to her dream but there was still one more thing she had to do to be truly happy.
The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Fairy Tales by Jon Scieska. These stories are almost fairy tales but not quite. They are humorous and delightful tales such as "Goldilocks and the Three Elephants."
Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary. Ramona Quimgy enters kindergarten with rare five-year-old spirit. A believable read for children who will enjoy looking back on the things they did when they were "little."
Charlotte's Web by E. B. White. This is the story of a girl named Fern who loves a pig named Wilbur and Wilbur's dear friend Charlotte. This is a magical tale of a child's life on the farm.
9-11 years
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. The Tuck family is confronted with a dilemma when they discover that 10 year-old Winnie has discovered their magic spring whose water prevents them from growing old.
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. Harriet roams her Manhattan neighborhood spying on everyone and writing her comments down in a notebook until her fellow sixth graders discover the notes. This leads to some funny but dramatic situations.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Only five children are allowed into Mr. Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. What happens when they enter the factory doors and what happens when one by one they disobey Mr. Wonka's orders? Read the book and find out!
Shiloh by Phyllis Naylor. When Marty finds a lost beagle in the hill behind his West Virginia home, he tries to hide it from his family and the dog's owner who is known to mistreat dogs.