ADDITIONALLY - one thing we've been doing that my kids love is "The Book Fairy." She occasionally leaves new books in silly places, especially if the kids have been good! Highly recommend!! It's fun and it's a great way to reinforce kids seeing books as special treats (rather than just toys or candy!!)
Hands down, this is my #1 favorite book for young children. I actually consider it to be the single most important book my kids have yet read. It is a simple yet spot-on analogy that teaches kids about kindness, happiness, empathy, and community. Young children are concrete thinkers so giving them a visual (the bucket) is a highly effective way to show them how their words and actions impact other people. It's also an excellent tool to help them process how others' actions have impacted them - good and bad. As early as preschool I found myself using the bucket analogy when kids weren't always nice - the book calls that "bucket dipping" and talks about how you can never fill your own bucket by bucket dipping; rather, you fill your own bucket by filling other peoples' buckets. Seriously - amazing!! You can grab a copy on Amazon by clicking here.
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| Grab a copy - and check out the outstanding reviews - on Amazon, click here. |
(2) Rosie Revere, Engineer (and Iggy Peck, and Ada Twist)
This trio of books is a must, must, **must** have. Each is a rollicking, action-packed tale of empowerment featuring a child inclined toward a STEM type of calling (engineering, architecture, and science). Rosie Revere, Engineer is our favorite of the three - it's even my son's favorite, which says a lot since he avoids all things related to girls (*sigh*). In it, young Rosie learns to overcome her fear (and embarrassment) of failure when her fabulously eccentric aunt arrives and teaches her that failure is great because it's the first step toward success. The phrase "The only true failure can come if you quit!" is now a permanent part of my kids' worlds. Iggy Peck and Ada Twist are similar books; heavier on the fun, lighter on the lessons. I love that this trio of STEM stories features two girls, one boy, and a child of color (Ada).
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| You can grab a copy on Amazon here. |
(3) The Snow Queen (Barefoot Books)
If you **at all** like fairytales, Barefoot Books' "The Snow Queen" is the ultimate. It's a hauntingly beautiful recounting of the 19th century Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale that inspired such classics as "The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe" and Disney's Frozen. The illustrations are downright enchanting - I'll post a few below. Surprisingly for such an old fairytale, this story involves a girl saving a boy. When reading through the story with my kids, I like asking them about what the heroine's actions show us about her character. She is courageous, loyal, open-minded, humble, and idealistic. Final bonus - The book comes with an audio CD that even my husband enjoys in the car - a great and fun way to build vocabulary on the go! This book can only be ordered through Barefoot Books - click here to get there!
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| Breathtaking. Enchanting. Hauntingly beautiful. The entire book. Sold only at Barefoot Books - click here. |
(4) "Secrets of The Apple Tree" (Usborne Books)
Hello autumn magic! I hide this book all year until our apple picking day and my kids greet it with squeals of delight. It follows a seemingly-simple apple tree through its growth and seasonal changes. But kids learn to look beyond the surface when shining a flashlight behind each page reveals hidden images that teach us more about the inner workings of the tree and the nature around it. A perfect way to introduce a little science (and like I said, magic!) to your orchard traditions. This book can only be ordered through Usborne Books - click here to grab it! It makes a fabulous gift, too, especially if you add a cute flashlight!! Check out the Melissa & Doug "Buggy" flashlight by clicking here - it's perfect!
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| (Photo Credit - and awesome youtube video!) |
(5) Snowmen At Christmas (and Snowmen At Night)
It's so hard to limit a list of amazing children's books to just five, but these really are the five that are most magical for us. Snowmen at Christmas (or, if you don't celebrate Christmas, check out Snowmen at Night) is once again a book where the storyline is simple but perfect. Top that with truly dreamy, captivating illustrations and this book really whisks you away to a sweet, cozy Christmassy world. I want to read it every year at least once ... even after my kids are grown! You can grab a copy on Amazon by clicking here.
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| Click here to grab it on Amazon. |
So there you have it! My top 5 must-have children's books for ages 3-7. If you have any other suggestions, I'd love to hear about them! And if you want more product recs and coupon codes to get them on the cheap, join my Facebook group "Claire's Closet Finds"!
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Married to Medicine Blog has no financial affiliation with Usborne Books or Barefoot Books. Married to Medicine Blog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to amazon.com where products carried on Amazon are mentioned.
