Here you will find links to all the picture books that the Ablaze Preschool Literature program provides lessons for. This list contains over 130 of the greatest preschool level picture books ever written, encompassing a large variety of genres, cultures, and styles. We’ve provided this list with the accompanying links in order to help families minimize their homeschooling costs. Almost every book in the Preschool Literature Lesson Plan can be read for free on-line at Open Library. You will need to sign up for a free Open Library account, just as you would a physical library, but our links will take you directly to the appropriate book. We provide affiliate links to Amazon, should you wish to purchase your own copy of these amazing books. Additionally, if there are any other free resources available (such as YouTube videos of people (legally) reading these books), we include them below as well. And, while we encourage families to buy our lesson plan, which contains over 75 pages of questions to engage your child with these books, the benefits of simply reading aloud to your child every day, even without any lesson plans, are astronomical. A multitude of studies indicate that simply reading aloud to your child is one of the single best things you can do to positively influence your child’s future educational success. Finally, as the links below leave our website and our control, we cannot guarantee that the site we point you to will not change things in the future, so please let us know if the links break or otherwise have issues. Happy reading!
K4 Literature Lesson Plan
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty
Ada loves to find answers. In this story, walk with her to discover the source of a very stinky smell.
Ananse’s Feast by Tololwa Mollel
Spider tricks Turtle in order to not have to share his meal, but Turtle finds a way to get even in this African Trickster folktale.
Anansi and the Tug of War by Lesley Sims
Can Spider beat both Elephant and Rhino in a game of tug-of-war?
Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
A baby bird seeks out his mother, encountering many interesting things along the way.
Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel
Is Kitty going to be a good, good, good kitty, or a bad, bad, bad kitty? Find out as Kitty dreams of going all out four times over in alphabetical chaos!
Bears in the Night by Berenstain
A series of bear cubs sneak out, down, across, through, around, and over the countryside to investigate a strange sound.
The Berenstain Bears and the Missing Dinosaur Bone by Berenstain
A museum is missing a dinosaur bone and the Bear Detectives are on the case!
Biblioburro by Jeanette Winter
A true story of a man determined to bring books to remote villages in Columbia.
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
Two very different mothers and their young go to collect blueberries in this classic tale.
The Bossy Gallito by Lucia M. Gonzalez
A Cuban folktale of a proud rooster on his way to a wedding. A bilingual book.
The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss
A boy plants a seed and everyone said it wouldn’t sprout up, but that little boy is persistent and patient.
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
A strange cat comes to play and creates a huge mess in one of the most popular children’s books of all time.
A Chair For My Mother by Vera B. Williams
A family that lost everything in a fire begins to carefully save their coins in order to buy a soft chair.
The Chalk Box Story by Don Freeman
Each of the eight pieces of chalk contribute to a story about a boy on an island and his rescue.
Charlie Needs a Cloak by Tomie dePaola
A shepherd shears his sheep and then goes through all the steps to make that wool into a warm cloak.
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.
Each letter of the alphabet climbs up a tree in this rhyming upbeat story.
Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman
Every day of the week someone in the family needs help and who is there? The chickens!
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
Chrysanthemum loves her name, at least until the first day of school.
Cinderella by Max Eilenberg
The most well known fairy tale in the world - a story about a poor girl who, with some magical help, catches the eye of a prince.
Click, Clack, Moo Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin
Cows want electric blankets. So they write to the farmer, who is at first outraged. Negotiations via letter commence.
Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
A little girl takes care of her (very) big, (very) red dog, while that dog in turn takes care of her.
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
Imagine a world where it rains different types of food. Imagine what would happen if the food stopped fitting on your plate, but was the size of your house!
Corduroy by Don Freeman
A plush bear has always wanted a friend and this is his adventure to find one.
Courage by Bernard Waber
See people use all sorts of everyday courage to do everyday things.
Coyote: A Trickster Tale from the American Southwest by Gerald McDermott
Coyote insists that the crows teach him how to fly, but his demands do not get the results he expected.
Curious George by H.A. Rey
A curious little monkey finds trouble and adventure wherever he goes.
Dick Whittington by Russell Punter
Poor Dick can barely scrape together food to fill his belly, but through wise and lucky choices, ends up Mayor of London!
Don’t Spill the Milk! by Stephen Davies
A young girl carefully carries a bowl of milk on her head to her father. Can she make it across the obstacles to reach him without spilling?
Elizabeti’s Doll by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen
A Tanzanian girl finds the perfect baby doll to love - a stone she names Eva.
The Elves and the Shoemaker by Freya Littledale or Jacob Grimm
A poor shoemaker, down to his last bit of material to make a pair of shoes finds surprising help and in turn finds a way to help his helpers.
The Emperor’s New Clothes by Susanna Davidson
A prideful Emperor is told that only wise people can see his new clothes. Unwilling to admit he can see nothing, he pays the price for his pride with humiliation.
The Empty Pot by Demi
The Emperor demands that all children grow the seeds he gives them. All the children produce beautiful flowers, except one child who, despite his effort, can only show the Emperor an empty pot.
Festival of Colors by Surishtha Sehgal
A peek into a colorful Hindu festival.
The First Strawberries by Joseph Bruchac
In this Cherokee myth, a woman is mad at her husband and walks away. As her husband chases her, the sun creates berries to slow her pace.
For You are a Kenyan Child by Kelly Cunnane
A Kenyan boy is supposed to keep track of his family’s cows, but life is so full of distractions!
The Gingerbread Man by Eric Kimmel
A classic fast-paced story of a run-away Gingerbread and all those who are chasing him.
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble
A Native American tale of a girl so devoted to the wild horses that she became one of them.
Good News, Bad News by Jeff Mack
Using just four words, this story shows two very different friends and how they approach life.
The Greatest of All by Eric Kimmel
A mouse will not let his daughter marry anyone but the best, so he seeks out the greatest of all in this Japanese fable.
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
A remarkable rhyming classic about trying new things and discovering that they are worth the effort.
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
Is a Gruffalo the scariest thing in the forest? Owl, Snake and Fox think so, but perhaps in the end it will be a clever mouse who outwits them all.
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
It is hard to measure how much a son loves his father, but even harder to measure how much a father loves his son.
Hair Twins by Raakhee Mirchandani
A Sikh father and daughter bond over their similar hair.
The Hare and the Tortoise by Helen Ward
An Aesop Fable of an arrogant, lazy Hare and a clever, persistent Tortoise.
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
A boy goes on an adventurous walk with his trusty purple crayon to meet (and make) a creative path back home.
Harry by the Sea by Gene Zion
Harry the dog goes to the beach and is mistaken for a sea monster.
Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion
Harry the dog avoids a bath and becomes so dirty his people no longer recognize him!
The Hatmaker’s Sign by Candace Fleming
A story within a story demonstrates how perhaps the advice of others may not improve an original idea.
Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold
Does a fly make a good pet? Buzz is about to find out!
The House that Jack Built by J.P. Miller
This rhyming, rhythmic book tells of all the connections to Jack and the House he built.
How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman
The ingredients for an apple pie come from all across the globe! Join our cook as she travels the world to find just what she needs.
Hug Machine by Scott Campbell
In this sweet story, everyone deserves a hug and the Hug Machine is ready to deliver.
I Really Like Slop! by Mo Willems
Piggie creates ‘delicious’ slop, and Gerald is very hesitant to try it, but for the sake of friendship, he bravely will do so.
I, Too, am America by Langston Hughes
This simple poem affirms that diversity of peoples are all part of America.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
If something happens, then something else will always happen next. An Allegory for a young child’s energetic day.
Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty
Iggy loves architecture, but his teacher does not. Despite that, he still uses his skills to help his class escape danger when they need it.
It Could Always Be Worse by Margot Zemach
In this Yiddish folktale, a man learns that his circumstances can always be worse, and in so doing learns to be content.
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback
Every time Joseph’s clothing gets old and worn, he remakes it into something else that’s useful in the ultimate recycling project.
Journey by Aaron Becker
In this wordless book, a girl enters a wonderous world and works to rescue a captured bird.
King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood
No one can seem to budge the King out of his bathtub!
Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
Kitten finds a big bowl of milk in the dark sky. But how can she get it?
Lala Salama by Patricia Maclachlan
A baby accompanies his mother through a Tanzanian day.
Liang and the Magic Paintbrush by Demi
A boy with a paintbrush that can bring his drawings to life is brought before the Chinese Emperor. But will the boy do as the Emperor demands?
Life on Mars by Jon Agee
An astronaut is sure there is life on Mars, and he eventually finds a flower! ...but who ate his cupcakes?
The Lion and the Mouse by Bernadette Watts
A lion shows mercy to a tiny mouse and much later the mouse returns the favor.
The Little House by Virgina Burton
A small house watches the seasons come and go and the city, once distant, grows up around it. Eventually the little house finds her way home.
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Audrey Woods
How can a mouse prevent the Big Hungry Bear from getting his strawberry? Perhaps the reader can help him out.
The Little Red Hen by Paul Galdone
An industrious hen asks for help as she makes a cake, yet no one will help her. So she’ll do it herself!
The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde Swift
A proud lighthouse is dismayed when a great bridge appears, feeling now unneeded. But a fog arises and proves the Lighthouse is still important.
Widget by Lyn McFarland
Widget pretends to be a cat in order to be adopted by a lady who only has cats, but when that lady injures herself, being a cat won’t help her and Widget must make a hard choice.
Watch Me Throw the Ball! by Mo Willems
Gerald can throw the ball pretty far, but can he throw it all the way around the world? Either way, it’ll be fun!
The Ugly Duckling by Susanna Davidson
A classic fairytale of a duckling who is mocked for being ugly, but then turns into a beautiful swan.
Tumford the Terrible by Nancy Tillman
It is very hard to apologize. Here Tumford learns that sometimes it is necessary.
Traction Man is Here by Mini Grey
A brave action figure goes on a series of quests and adventures.
Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel
Two brothers, one with a short name, one with a very long name. What happens when one brother falls down the well and the other needs to go get help?
The Three Little Kittens by Paul Galdone
A nursery rhyme of kittens who lost their mittens.
The Three Bears by Paul Galdone
A Classic fairy tale about Goldilocks and her encounter with the three bears.
This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers
A boy claims a moose as a pet. It doesn’t always obey the rules, but it is otherwise a good pet. Until the boy discovers the moose might not be his pet after all!
Tattered Sails by Verla Kay
A long journey from Europe brings three children and their parents to a New Land in this poetic retelling of Pilgrams arriving at Plymouth.
The Story of Little Babaji by Helen Bannerman
An Indian boy outwits the tigers who want to eat him.
The Story about Ping by Marjorie Flack
A little duck misses getting on his boat, so goes on an adventure instead.
Something Beautiful by Sharon Wyeth
An inner city girl is determined to find beauty around her.
The Snowy Day by Ezra Keats
A young boy ventures out to play in the snow that blankets his city.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by Freya Littledale
In this well known fairy tale, Snow White finds refuge with seven dwarves, but her wicked step-mother refuses to leave her alone.
Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton
Three friends have a plan to catch a brightly colored bird. The fourth boy, however, may have a better idea.
Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young
There is a ‘strange something’ by the pond. In a lesson on perspective, each mice believes it is something different. But what is it really?
Rumpelstiltskin by Mara Alperin
A classic fairy tale where a young lady is required to spin straw into gold and a little man helps her, but at what cost?
Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas
They rhyme! All the time! Except, strangely, for Bob. He never seems to rhyme, but the other Dust Bunnies better pay attention anyway…
The Raven and the Loon by Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley
In this Arctic myth, we learn why Raven is solid black while loon has lovely patterns.
The Poky Little Puppy by Janette Lowrey
This is the best selling picture book of all time about a pup who digs under a fence to explore and thus misses dessert.
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin
Pete’s new white shoes keep getting dirty with different colors, but he doesn’t get upset. He just keeps on singing his song.
Pancakes, Pancakes! by Eric Carle
Jack wants a pancake for breakfast. Walk with him through all the steps to get one.
One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree by Daniel Bernstorm
Oh no! A boy gets swallowed by a snake, but he cleverly finds a way to escape.
My Mexico - Mexico Mio by Tony Johnston
A series of bilingual poems about life in Mexico.
A Mother for Choco by Keiko Kasza
What makes a mother? Do your feet have to match? Your cheeks need to look the same? Choco searches for a mother in this sweet allegory about adoption.
The Mitten by Jan Brett
A boy loses a mitten, but a series of animals find it and snuggle right on in. A Ukrainian folktale.
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
Steam shovels are becoming old-fahsioned. But Mike finds a town that needs a basement dug and bets that he can finish it with his steam shovel in just a single day.
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Mr. and Mrs. Mallard must find the perfect spot to raise their ducklings. But even the best places have their hazards.
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
Young, fearless Madeline wakes up one night with a severe case of appendicitis.
Lon Po Po by Ed Young
When a wolf comes knocking on the door, three young Chinese children dash to a tree and then try to trick the wicked animal.
The Littlest Frog by Sylvia A. Rouss
God brings a plague of frogs to rebellious Pharaoh in the rhyming tale.
Little Red Riding Hood by Gaby Goldsack
The Classic fairytale of a clever wolf and observant young girl. This version is one of the most child-friendly versions.
Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
Baby Llama should be going to bed, but he wants his mama.
The Water Hole by Graeme Base
With beautiful pictures, this book counts increasing numbers of animals and sees a shrinking amount of water. Hidden pictures on nearly every page.
Verdi by Janell Cannon
Verdi doesn’t want to grow up and turn from yellow to green. He doesn’t want to become like the older, slower snakes. But time still marches on.
The Twins’ Blanket by Hyewon Yum
Twins who have shared everything, now must sleep in separate beds. But what about their special blanket?
Tuesday by David Wiesner
In this nearly wordless book, swarms of frogs go on a flying adventure all over town.
Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens
Clever Rabbit offers to do all the work on Bear’s farm if they split the results. But how is it that Rabbit always seems to get the best parts?
The Three Little Pigs by Mara Alperin
The famous tale of three little pigs building houses and the Big Bad Wolf who huffs and puffs and blows them down.
The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Paul Galdone
The goats want to reach the sweet grass across a bridge, but a mean troll guards that bridge. How will they get across?
Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts
Jeremy desperately wants the same shoes as all the other kids, but can only find a pair that’s too small at a thrift store.
This is not my Hat by Jon Klassen
A fish steals a hat and thinks he’s gotten away with it. But has he?
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Peter sneaks into Farmer McGregor’s garden to gorge on the crop, but then he encounters several difficulties trying to get back out.
The Story of Ferdinand by Muro Leaf
A peaceful bull is mistaken for a fierce fighter, so is taken to an arena to face the matador, but Ferdinand is more interested in the flowers than any fight.
Stone Soup by Ann McGovern
A poor beggar shows a stingy woman how to make soup from a stone.
The Sock Thief by Ana Crespo
When a Brazilian boy wants to play soccer, but doesn’t have a ball, what is he to do?
Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner
Ever wonder what your snowmen do all night that leaves them tired and slumped in the morning?
A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip Stead
Amos McGee always has something nice for each of his animal friends, until one day he can’t make it to the zoo because he is sick. So the animals go to visit him instead.
The Seven Chinese Sisters by Kathy Tucker
Each sister has a unique super-power, but they must all work together to rescue their youngest sister from a hungry dragon.
The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer
How can a young boy make the perfect home for a pet salamander?
Ron’s Big Mission by Rose Blue
Ron loves the library, but he can’t get a Library Card based on the color of his skin. So Ron peacefully protests this injustice. Based on a true story.
Rechenka’s Eggs by Patrica Polacco
In this Russian folktale, a kind woman rescues an injured goose and finds her generosity repaid.
The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen
A fish thinks his lot in life is to spread dreary-wearies all over the place, but this something changes his mind as he realizes he isn’t a pouty after all.
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
A mother and daughter plant a colorful garden.
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin
With simple math, Pete loses each button. What happens when he loses the last one?
The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear
A poem about two animals sailing away in a boat.
The Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore
Classic Christmas poem.
Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Mice discover colors! But watch out for the cat...
The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone
Grover hears there’s a monster at the end of the book and pleads with the reader to stop turning pages.
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
A lady by the sea wishes to make the world a more beautiful place.
Mei-Mei Loves the Morning by Margaret H. Tsubakiyama
A young girl and her grandfather have a full morning together.
Mailing May by Michael O. Tunnell
A true story of a young girl who wanted to visit her grandma, so her parents stuck some stamps on her back and sent her through the mail!
The Lost Horse by Ed Young
A Chinese folktale recounting how not all misfortune is bad and not all good luck may, in the end, actually be good.