Some Favorite Picture Books

One of the most profound influences on our style and philosophy of education was my getting connected with a wonderful group of literature lovers in Northwest Arkansas. Each time I interacted with those ladies, I was introduced or re-introduced to classics. They lived their love for the classics by reading aloud to their children a minimum of two hours per day. I was inspired.

Recently, we began our study of 20th century world history. It's dark. That's all there is to it. (Daily I have to remind myself that God has a sovereign plan, and I cling to His hope.) Along with this study, our book selection has been on the somber side. To counteract that, I decided to bring back some of my favorite picture books and share them with the girls again. Some of them, Amelia is experiencing for the first time, even. This has been a delightful contrast to the hard truths of history.

Here are some of the picture books we have found to be real treasures (i.e. worth reading at any age).

A Hole is to Dig: A First Book of Definitions by Ruth Krauss

The Big Green Pocketbook by Candice Ransom

The Teddy Bear by David McPhail

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Dogger by Shirley Hughes

The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss

Jesse Bear, What will you Wear? by Nancy White Carlstrom

Pete's a Pizza by William Steig (but you must act it out!)

The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton

A Bargain for Frances by Russell Hoban

Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus

The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojcichowski