“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body”
Richard Steele
The gift of reading is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your child.
Reading is a highly effective way to promote your little one’s cognitive development and fosters a love for language and stories, which serves them well throughout life. In addition, early reading skills set your little one up for success in school.
Reading helps 5-year-olds, also known as early readers, build their vocabulary, improve comprehension, and expand their imagination.
Below we’ve included seven popular, fun, and memorable books for 5 year olds that are sure to quickly become your little one’s favorite way to pass the time.
Seven best books for 5 year olds
Below you’ll find seven of the best-loved books for five-year-olds.
There are so many wonderful books for your little one, so make sure to stock up the library before you finish these books!
1. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
The Cat in the Hat is a long-standing kid favorite. Dr. Seuss‘ classic rhyming tale with the mischievous cat in the hat tells the hilarious story of two children stuck at home on a rainy day.
Our mischievous cat shows up to entertain them with toys and tricks and promises their Mom won’t mind, but mess and chaos ensue. Cat cleans his mess just before Mom gets home, leaving the children almost speechless.
Playful language, rhyming text, and fun illustrations make Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat an excellent book for 5-year-olds. It also creates a valuable opportunity to discuss trust, expectations, and personal responsibility.
2. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight moon is another classic kids’ book that has been around for decades and instills a genuine love for reading in beginning readers.
The story is about a young bunny who wishes goodnight to everything he can see from his bed, from the moon outside the window to the socks on his feet to the three little bears sitting in chairs.
This book is a special one.
Brown uses simple, calming language to help your young reader get ready for bed, complemented by sweet illustrations. The repetitive, rhyming text familiarizes young readers with the vocab and grammar used—a perfect addition to any 5-year-old’s bedtime routine.
3. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers, is a witty children’s book to entertain your 5-year-old.
The story is a series of letters from young Duncan’s box of crayons. Some of them feel underappreciated or bored of being used for one purpose, so they decide to speak up and make their feelings known, ultimately leading to a crayon strike!
The Day the Crayons Quit is funny, witty, and charming. It also highlights essential themes for 5-year-olds, such as creativity, individuality, and different perspectives.
4. Curious George (series) by Hans and Margaret Rey
Hans and Margaret Rey’s Curious George has entertained young readers and parents for over 75 years.
The Curious George series follows the adventure of George, a curious monkey who can’t seem to stay out of trouble.
George’s curious and mischievous nature appeals to 5-year-olds exploring their own curiosity and sense of mischief.
There are seven books in the original series published between 1941 and 1966.
In 1998, a new series of Curious George books began to be released and remained faithful to the original style, so there’s plenty of Curious George for curious kids!
5. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar tells the tale of a caterpillar who munches through various foods to fuel his later transformation into a butterfly.
This very hungry caterpillar eats more and more food, from apples and pears to chocolate cake and ice cream, to satisfy his hunger until he eventually eats too much and feels sick.
Finally, after eating enough food, he enters his cocoon to emerge weeks later as a beautiful butterfly.
The language in this classic kids’ book is easy to understand, with simple sentences exploring basic numbers, foods, and days of the week.
Bright illustrations hold attention, and the use of sight words, nature, and math concepts makes The Very Hungry Caterpillar an enjoyable read and an educational book for kids.
6. The Pigeon Has To Go to School! by Mo Willems
Pigeon is stubborn. Why should he have to go to school? Doesn’t he know everything already?
The Pigeon has to go to school! is an entertaining picture book in which the Pigeon tries to convince us of all the reasons he shouldn’t have to go school, from not being a morning pigeon to possibly not liking school to there is just too much stuff to learn!
This simple book features minimal text, and each page features a wonderfully expressive pigeon. Not only is it easy to understand and fun to read, but it also encourages kids to talk about their fear of starting school and ease their worries.
7. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
First published in 1963 and warming young and old hearts ever since Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are tells the story of a young boy named Max who travels to a land of magical wild creatures.
Sendak’s heart-warming children’s book is known for its beautiful illustrations and inspiring themes.
What makes a good book for 5-year-olds?
What are the elements of an excellent book for beginning readers? What should parents and teachers keep in mind when looking for 5-year-olds?
Several qualities make an excellent book for five years olds, such as:
1. Engaging illustrations
Books for 5-year-olds should include beautiful, engaging, and colorful illustrations. The more engaging the illustration, the more attention a child will pay to the book, encouraging more reading.
Strong images capture attention and bring the book to life, which makes reading an even more enjoyable and memorable experience.
2. Simple language
Language in books for 5-year-olds should be relatively simple.
Kids of this age already have an extensive vocabulary and a vivid imagination, so they can handle a little more complex material than younger readers.
Still, language should be easy to read and follow an age-appropriate narrative.
3. Relatable
Characters in books for 5-year-olds should be relatable.
Children tend to engage with characters of their own age or slightly older in settings they find themselves in, such as the classroom, the bedroom, the garden, etc.
At the same time, kids of this age have an incredibly vivid imagination to keep up with the fantastical and other-worldly.
Successful 5-year-old storybooks often feature relatable characters who go on a fantastic adventure.
4. Interactive
Interactive books are famous for beginning readers, bridging the gap between learning and play.
5-year-olds may enjoy books without any interactive elements, but some book interaction can encourage reading.
Torchlight books – those with images explored by moving a card ‘flashlight’ that illuminates different parts of the page – are a popular type of interactive book for 5-year-olds.
Consider also books with unfolding pages such as treasure maps or scenery. Picture books can be interactive if you can guide your little one to explore the pictures with simple but leading questions.
5. Age-appropriate length and themes
Books for 5-year-olds should be short and sweet. Sentences and paragraphs should be easy to read and understand.
Themes such as friendship, animals, emotions, family, and school should also be relatable and age-appropriate.
6. Lessons
5-year-olds can learn moral and value-based lessons from the stories they read with the support of parents and teachers.
Some of the best books for 5-year-olds teach our young readers about kindness, confidence, empathy, compassion, and the importance of trying your best.
How to encourage a 5-year-old to read
You know about the benefits of reading for 5-year-olds and want to encourage your little one to read as much as possible.
However, as every parent of a 5-year-old knows, getting them to do what’s good for them isn’t always easy. Try the following tips if you’re struggling to get them excited and engaged for reading time.
1. Create a reading space
Consistency is key in teaching children (and ourselves) to form new healthy habits.
One way to encourage your child to read and enjoy their reading session is to create a cozy reading space at home.
Set up comfortable seats (bean bags work great), soft lighting, and a mini-library of engaging and age-appropriate books to choose from.
2. Read daily
Keeping with consistency, encourage your child to read at home at the same time every day.
They will do some reading at school but establish a daily reading time for parent-child bonding and a chance to read their favorites.
Before bed is an excellent option because it helps kids wind down before sleep and feeds their imagination for a night full of colorful dreams.
3. Let your little one choose
One of the most effective ways to get kids to love reading is to let them choose the book. That’s why it feels less like a chore and more like a fun way to bond, pass the time, and even have fun by entering their favorite world!
Before choosing a book for reading, visit the library or bookstores and let them follow their natural interests.
Conclusion
“A book is a gift you can open again and again.”
Garrison Keillor
5-year-olds don’t read a book once and then put it away. They want to revisit the stories, characters, and fairy tales that set their imagination alight.
Even though repetition can be boring for us parents, it’s a great way to help our little ones remember vocabulary and grammar, solidifies their understanding of the stories, and learn about themselves and the wonderful world around them.