Reading is one of the most important activities children, and their parents can do together. From day one, reading helps children learn words, the cadence of language, and how to construct sentences. Not only that, but reading enhances learning through story and connection with caregivers. This reading list is designed for families to read together, especially to children aged 0-5. In celebration of Read Across America Day, each one is meant to be enjoyed no matter where families are around the country.
Contributed by: Mary Lanni

	Bears Don’t Read! By: Emma Chichester Clark Bored with doing the usual bear activities, George finds a book under a tree and goes to town hoping to find someone who will teach him to read.
	The Book with no Pictures By: B. J. Novak In this book, with no pictures, the reader has to say every silly word, no matter what.
	Don’t Turn the Page! By: Rachelle Burk Illustrated by: Julie Downing In this story within a story within a story, is the little hedgehog and his mother reading a bedtime story about a sleepy bear, or is the little bear and his mother reading a bedtime story about a sleepy hedgehog?
	I’m Not Reading! By: Jonathan Allen Baby Owl agrees to read a story to Tiny Chick, but before he can start reading, Tiny Chick’s numerous brothers, sisters, cousins, and friends join in and test Baby Owl’s patience.
	Inside this Book (are Three Books) By: Barney Saltzberg Given blank books by their mother, Seymour, Fiona, and Wilbur let their imaginations fly, then put their stories, poems, and pictures together in a single, shared book.
	The Jellybeans Love to Read By: Laura Joffe Numeroff and Nate Evans Illustrated by: Lynn Munsinger The Jellybeans–four friends who have different strengths and talents–discover a shared love of reading when Anna persuades the others to go with her to the library.
	Lines, Squiggles, Letters, Words By: By: Ruth Rocha Illustrated by: Madalena Matoso A child who has not yet learned how to read looks out at the world and sees language as lines and squiggles that don’t exactly make pictures but don’t seem to make anything else either. Then, when the child starts to go to school and begins to learn his letters, his way of seeing begins to change.
	Lola at the Library By: Anna McQuinn Illustrated by: Rosalind Beardshaw Every Tuesday, Lola and her mother visit their local library to return and check out books, attend story readings and share a special treat.
	A Place to Read By: Leigh Hodgkinson A young reader has a hard time finding the ideal reading spot that is not too noisy, smelly, hot, or cold.
	Play This Book By: Jessica Young Illustrated by: Daniel Wiseman Illustrations and simple, rhyming text invite the reader to try various instruments and join a band.
	Reading Makes You Feel Good By: Todd Parr Describes the characteristics and various advantages of reading.
	When You Trap a Tiger By: Tae Keller When Lily, her sister Sam, and their mother move in with her sick grandmother, Lily traps a magical tiger and makes a deal with him to heal Halmoni.

The Aesop Prize recognizes exceptional books, for children or young adults, that are based on folklore. The folklore must be accurately presented in the text and illustrations and add to the reader’s understanding of folklore.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

2017 Winner
	Noodleheads See the Future By: Tedd Arnold, Martha Hamilton, and Mitch Weiss Illustrated by: Tedd Arnold Inspired by folktales about fools from around the world, brothers Mac and Mac Noodlehead exasperate Uncle Ziti, are fooled by their friend Meatball, and make a garden for their mother.
2016 Winners
	I Am Pan! By: Mordicai Gerstein A picture book about Pan- the Greek god of the wild, shepherds, music, hunting and misrule.
	Lowriders to the Center of the Earth By: Cathy Camper Illustrated by: Raul the Third Lupe Impala, Elirio Malaria, and El Chavo Octopus are now the proud owners of their own garage–but when a series of earthquakes hit their town and Genie, their beloved cat, disappears they find themselves traveling to the realm of Mictlantecuhtli, Aztec god of the Underworld, who is keeping Genie prisoner.
2015 Winners
	West of the Moon By: Margi Preus In nineteenth-century Norway, fourteen-year-old Astri, whose aunt has sold her to a mean goatherder, dreams of joining her father in America.
	Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes By: Rick Riordan Modern-day demigod Percy Jackson tells the origin stories of major Greek heroes, including Perseus, Bellerophon, and Atalanta, while offering his own personal take on his ancient associates.