RAR #45: Our Favorite Picture Books
Picture books aren’t just for young kids…They’re companions for our children, and they’re powerful tools that we can use to connect with our kids. In this new episode of the Read-Aloud Revival, the whole RAR team gathers to chat up our favorite picture books (and how we use them).
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- More giggling than usual. (Ahem. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.)
- Kara liken a particular picture book with a big bowl of macaroni-and-cheese
- All our favorite picture books
Scroll down and click “play” to hear it!
Click the play button below:
Books from this episode:
(All links are affiliate links.)
Links from today’s show:
- A *NEW* read-aloud challenge is underway. Find out more here!
- RAR #01: Reading Aloud with Older Kids, a Conversation with Andrew Pudewa
- RAR #36: Christmas and Advent Read-Alouds with Elizabeth Foss
- Elizabeth Foss’s post: Could it Be a Storybook Year?
- Five in a Row
- The RAR Booklist
- That Charlotte Mason quote: “We spread an abundant and delicate feast in the programs (what she called her curriculum) and each small guest assimilates what he can.“


















































Sarah, I am best friends of Sally Clarkson and miss lynn to her Sarah. I have been following you since Sarah was writing for you!! I mentor hs Moms now and say Read Read Read
I have 3 books that a 30something here in Raleigh, NC has written that I would like to share with you. He was hs with my sons and I’m trying to help him get his books out to homeschoolers
Where can I send them ?
Thanks for these lovely recommendations! I love your podcast! You might like to try a couple of British authors too – we LOVE anything by Julia Donaldson. Look out for The Gruffalo or The Gruffalo’s child, The Snail and the Whale, What the Ladybird heard, and The Highway Rat, amongst others. Dogger and Alfie gets in first are two of our favourites by Shirley Hughes. Beautifully written and wonderfully illustrated!
We love The Gruffalo! :)
So many good toddler/preschool books listed here! We love reading aloud. I just started listening to your podcast! Love it.
I may have just spent an hour on the floor of the children’s section of the library reading a few of these, by myself. The librarian told me it was perfectly normal but others didn’t seem to think so. I think Emily may be one of my new favorites
I keep requesting the RAR booklist, sign up by e-mail but nothing comes through to me. What am I doing wrong? Thank you.
Maybe check your spam folder? I can see that we sent it to you, but it doesn’t look like it was opened. I’ll send you another link, as well. :)
Nothing in either my inbox or spam. Not sure what’s happening.
All of Patricia Pollaco’s picture books are beautiful and so well-written.
The Angus books by Marjorie Flack are among my favorites.
This episode ranks up there as a very favorite. Great fun! Great ideas! Great books! Thank you!!
These books are out of print now, but our family has been able to find a significant amount of them on Amazon: Michael Waite’s Building Christian Character books. (http://amzn.to/1szXums) Sir Maggie The Mighty: A book about obedience is our family favorite.
As a bonus, they are silly and they rhyme. We LOVE them for all ages.
Just put a lot of these on my reserve list at the library! Thank you for the list, I’m always inspired listening to your podcast.
I hope the Lamberts will be on your show soon to share more about FIAR … my first and favorite homeschool curriculum. We’re on our third FIAR go-round, and it just gets better and simpler and more natural. :)
We’ll put them on the hopeful list!
This is wonderful, so many great ideas!
My favorite book of Jane Yolen’s is An Invitation the Butterfly Ball. It was my favorite book as a child and my kids love having it read to them now. It’s a beautiful rhyming counting book with such sweet illustrations. I’ve read that there is a companion alphabet picture book called All In The Woodland Early that I’m hoping to buy soon.
Oh, this is a new title to me! I love that meeting of concept book with great text + illustrations. That’s why picture books are so rich–they work on so many levels!
Well …….. you’ve made my Christmas list.
Seven Silly Eaters is a favorite here as well ….. my kids tell me I ‘need’ one more child. :D
Your kids *may* have a point! <3
<—— waves the white flag
Oh my gosh, what a fabulous list! I can’t believe that Three Bears in a Boat hasn’t been mention yet. We love this beautiful illustrated story of the bears on an adventure with a good lesson-learned at the end.
I love this. My girls are 10 and 12 but I want to read more picture books with them. :-) Any chance in the future when there are a lot of books suggested like this you can put them in a list form, just text, to make it easier to just print out? I so appreciate all the book lists you have put out in the past for us, thanks!
Eileen
Eileen–we’ve got printable show notes for every Episode inside Membership. You can learn more about the other benefits right here: https://readaloudrevival.com/membership/
But here’s the pdf of this episode :) https://readaloudrevival.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/episode-45-show-notes.pdf
Glad you’re listening along!
Thank you so much! I am a member, I didn’t even think to check the member area. Have a great day!
Eileen
Ha! I didn’t even check if you were a Member! Sorry I overlooked that!
A lovely resource for finding wonderful picture books is Cay Gibson’s “A Picture Perfect Childhood”.
Also, a great big thank you to the Read-Aloud Revival team for all the hard work and dedication that bring us such great resources and encouragement.
I’ve heard this book mentioned before, but have never read it. Thanks for reminding me!
Oh, Owl Moon. When our oldest was 3ish she loved it so much. I remember one reading where she was so into it, that she actually screamed in fright because she was so startled when I turned the page and she saw the owl in the tree! It was like she was IN the story herself, walking through those woods.
Chills!
I’m a broken record with this book- my favorite picture book of all time- The Maggie B by Irene Haas …..love it!!!…..
When you find a winner, go with it!