You may have wondered what teachers recommend your kids read at home to grow their literacy skills. After all, they're experts at curating collections of fantastic books for their classrooms!
In general, they recommend that you try to collect a variety of book genres for your home library, including fiction, nonfiction, comic/graphic, and classic books (start with these timeless chapter books). Here are specific books that top their lists — some individual titles and some series — that they hope you have at home, too.
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1. How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You? by Jane Yolen (PreK-K)
A laugh-out-loud story about love and prehistoric pals, How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You is a must-have for early readers (here are more expert-approved books for beginning readers). “This is a wonderful book to read with little ones at home,” says Amanda Smith, a mom and teacher in the Montessori program at Latta Elementary in Latta, South Carolina.
Even when little dinosaurs are naughty, this book shows them that they are loved — and is a sweet way to end the day with a bedtime story. Shop all How Do Dinosaurs books.
2. BOB Books by John R. Maslen and Bobby Lynn Maslen (PreK-2)
Often the first books children learn to read on their own, BOB Books were created by a teacher and feature carefully-chosen letter sounds, words, and short sentences.
“These are wonderful books for children just learning to read,” says Smith, adding that she has several sets of of BOB Books at home. Shop all BOB Books.
3. Pete the Cat (PreK-3)
No home library would be complete without Pete the Cat hanging out on its shelves. “Many of these books have a great lesson within the story but are also entertaining,” says Smith.
Have a major Pete fan on your hands? You can also get a Pete plush to go with the books! Shop all Pete the Cate books.
4. Refugee by Alan Gratz (Grades 3-7)
Perfect for children with a passion for historical fiction, this book tells the story of three refugee children from three different times in history who go on harrowing journeys.
“Gratz does a beautiful job weaving the lives of these three refugees together in their common strength and resilience in the face of adversity,” says Katie McCrary, a 7th-grade English and language arts teacher at Rugby Middle School in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Shop all historical fiction children's books.
5. Wonder by R.J. Palacio (Grades 3-7)
An uplifting, accessible read that teaches kids about acceptance and the importance of being kind to one another, Wonder tells the story of a boy with a facial deformity who goes to public school for the first time.
Smith says it’s a favorite of hers, especially for older elementary students. Younger students (ages 4 to 8) will enjoy the picture book edition of the book, We’re All Wonders.
Shop these teacher-recommended books below now! Plus, explore our Scholastic Parents book lists to discover the best children's books by age, interest, and more. You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store.
