Kindergarten Read-Aloud Set

The Important Book by renowned children's author Margaret Wise Brown is a lovely little book that teaches young readers what is important about certain things. It discusses daisies, spoons, grass, snow, apples, and other commonplace, everyday items. But the most important thing about The Important Book is what it has to say about you. Vivid illustrations by Leonard Weisgard accompany the lyrical, rhythmic words of the text and beautifully display the many important things described in the book.

A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry won the Caldecott Honor Medal in 1957 and continues to be adored by young readers for its joyful recounting of the many reasons to love trees. Throughout the pages of the book young readers learn that you can climb a tree, or pick apples from it, or hang a swing in it, or have a picnic under it. Trees protect houses, drop sticks and leaves to play with, and provide shade. For all of these reasons and many more, children learn to love and appreciate trees because a tree is nice.

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman tells the story of a little girl who wants to make an apple pie. When she discovers that the market is closed, she travels around the world to find the best ingredients while sharing her recipe with readers. First, find semolina wheat in Italy. Then, travel to France to find an elegant chicken egg and Sri Lanka for cinnamon. In England you'll find cows to get fresh milk, and you can get sugar in Jamaica. And you must get apples in the state of Vermont! This book also includes a much simpler recipe for apple pie that can be made with ingredients from your very own grocery store. No travelling required!

Frederick by Leo Lionni won the Caldecott Honor Medal in 1968 and continues to delight young readers today with its lesson about the power and beauty of words. A family of field mice live in a wall near a barn and a granary. While most of the mice work very hard to prepare for the winter by gathering grain and nuts, Frederick sits by himself in the sun. He says he is gathering sun for the winter. When the other mice ask him why he is staring at the meadow, he tells them he is gathering colors. Another day he says he is gathering words. Winter comes and the mice are well-fed and happy for awhile. But when they run out of grain, nuts, and berries, Frederick keeps his friends warm and happy during the long winter days with his supply of poetry and stories.

Follow the Dream: The Story of Christopher Columbus by Peter Sis tells the story of Christopher Columbus through simple, elegant prose and fantastic map-inspired illustrations. Beginning with Columbus' birth in Genoa, Italy, Follow the Dream describes his days reading The Travels of Marco Polo and dreaming of becoming an explorer, his diligent work studying navigation, and his persistent quest to fund an expedition west. The book goes on to tell about Columbus' voyage across the ocean on the Santa Maria in 1492 and his discovery of an entirely new world. The spectacular artwork of Peter Sis immerses young readers in the exciting world of exploration, navigation, and discovery as they learn about the life of one of history's most famous dream-followers.

Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall was the winner of the Caldecott Medal in 1980 and tells the delightful story of a farmer and the cycle of providing for his family. In the spring, the farmer hitches his ox to a cart and loads up all the things his family grew or made throughout the year. The family loads maple syrup, honey, cabbages, turnips, wool, birch brooms, candles, shingles, linen, and more. Then, the man travels to Portsmouth and sells everything, including his cart and his ox. The man buys what his family needs for the winter and walks back home. Throughout the year, the family makes and grows and prepares all kinds of things to be loaded up and carried to town on an ox-cart again in the fall. The Ox-Cart Man introduces young readers to life on a 19th century farm and immerses them in the cycle of the seasons through the poetic rhythm of the story.

In Pumpkin Moonshine by Tasha Tudor, Sylvie Ann is visiting her grandparents and wants to make a pumpkin moonshine (or jack-o'lantern) for Halloween. She goes out to the field and finds the biggest pumpkin she can. It's so big she can't even pick it up! However, when she starts rolling it, she has a hard time getting it to stop. Though the pumpkin makes a bit of a mess, all ends well, and Sylvie Ann gets a pumpkin moonshine just like she wanted. The colorful illustrations of two-time Caldecott Honor artist Tasha Tudor sweetly depict the story of little Sylvie Ann and her Halloween pumpkin.

The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, a little bull named Ferdinand is born in Spain. While all the other little bulls run, jump, and butt each other, Ferdinand prefers to be by himself, sitting under a tree and smelling flowers. Though his mother worries about him, Ferdinand is quite happy. One day, when Ferdinand is all grown up, he is chosen to be a part of the bull fights in Spain. The Banderilleros, Picadores, and Matador are terrified of Ferdinand. But Ferdinand does not want to fight! He sits down in the middle of the arena and smells all the flowers the ladies are wearing in their hair. Since he won't put up the fight the crowd was hoping for, Ferdinand is taken back home to live happily smelling flowers under his favorite tree.

In Pancakes, Pancakes!, Jack wants pancakes for breakfast, but he has to get all the ingredients before his mother can make them. This book goes into the detail of not only how pancakes are made, but how a variety of foods we take for granted get on our plates.

In Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban, the musical little badger, Frances, does not like trying any new foods at all and decides she only wants to eat bread and jam. When she eats bread and jam she knows what she is getting, and she knows she likes it. The next day, her parents give Frances only bread and jam for breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. After a day full of nothing but bread and jam, she decides it's nice to eat different kinds of food after all!

This First Thanksgiving Day: A Counting Story by Krauss Melmed tells the story of the Pilgrims and Wampanoags celebrating the first Thanksgiving. With short, rhyming verses and number words, this delightful book helps young readers practice their numbers while also teaching them about the life of the early settlers in America. The colorful illustrations bring history to life and also hide fun surprises! Can you spot the turkey on every page?

In The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Wise Brown, a little fir tree grows in a field by himself away from the other trees. One day, a man comes and carefully digs him up. The man carries the tree back to his home where he becomes a Christmas tree in the room of the man's bedridden son. Each spring the man replants the tree, and each winter he brings the tree back to his home to help his son celebrate Christmas. One year, winter comes and the snow falls, but still the man does not come. The little tree is sad and lonely until he sees a light coming through the woods, and the joy of Christmas returns as the tree sees his boy walking towards him. Illustrations by award-winning artist Jim Lamarche elegantly capture the wonder and purity of this classic Christmas story.

Jan Brett's The Twelve Days of Christmas illustrates the classic Christmas carol with magnificent detail. From the pudgy little partridge in his leafy green pear tree to the lively and colorful twelve lords a-leaping, Jan Brett's iconic artwork perfectly captures the spirit of this whimsical Christmas carol.

In Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree by Robert Barry, Mr. Willowby finds that his Christmas tree is just a bit too tall. He cuts off the top and gives it to his maid, Miss Adelaide. From there, the trimmings of the treetop travel from person to person and eventually even from animal to animal, spreading Christmas cheer everywhere!

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon tells the story of a little fruit bat who is knocked away from her mother when an owl attacks them. After a long night of clinging weakly to a twig, Stellaluna drops down into a bird’s nest full of baby birds. The little fruit bat is adopted by the bird family and learns their bird-like ways even though they are unnatural to her. Eventually, Stellaluna is reunited with her bat family and learns all about how bats live. This book includes two pages of fun and informative notes about bats.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen is the Caldecott Medal winning story of a young girl and her father who go owling one winter's night. The two walk along silently through the snow covered woods as the father calls out for owls. When one lands above them, the girl is awed by the magnificent creature. This soft, rhythmic story illustrates the special bond between a young girl and her father and explores the beauty of the natural world. This nighttime tale is wonderfully accompanied by the watercolor illustrations of artist John Schoenherr. Owl Moon is a book to be treasured and one that is sure to be asked for often at bedtime.

This special new edition of Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening features the full text of the iconic poem by one of America's most celebrated poets and four-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Robert Frost. In this charming book, Frost's poem has been illustrated by Susan Jeffers with spectacular depictions of the snowy New England landscape. A vellum jacket mimics a frost-covered windowpane as it wraps around the book, inviting young readers into the serene rhythm of this classic poem.

In Gregory's Shadow by Don Freeman, Gregory the groundhog keeps his Shadow close by to help him feel brave when he is shy. When Gregory and Shadow go to find food one day, Shadow gets left outside! Shadow and Gregory are both lonely and look everywhere for one another. What makes the situation even more scary is that tomorrow is Groundhog Day, and all the farmers will be waiting to see whether or not Gregory has Shadow with him. This whimsical book about a groundhog and his shadow is accompanied by loosely-drawn illustrations that perfectly mimic the whimsical nature of the story.

Walter the Baker by beloved children's author Eric Carle tells the story of Walter, the best baker in his duchy. Everyone loves Walter's sweet rolls, especially the Duke and Duchess. One day, when Walter's sweet rolls don't live up to their usual tastiness, the Duke gives Walter a challenge to "invent a roll through which the rising sun can shine three times." After a night of frantically trying to make a roll that meets the Duke's challenge, Walter accidentally invents...the pretzel! The Duke and Duchess love the invention, and so do all the townspeople. This charming story about the discovery of a well-loved snack is perfectly accompanied by Carle's unique and colorful illustrations.

In Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton, the town of Geoppolis gets buried under feet and feet of snow after a huge storm. Thankfully Katy the red crawler tractor has her snow plow and can dig the city out! Follow Katy as she tunnels through snow to the police station, post office, railway station, telephone company, water department and more. Katy chug chug chugs along, clears the roads, and saves the day with her snowplow.

The Frogs and Toads All Sang is a new collection of short poems about frogs and toads by Caldecott Medalist Arnold Lobel. This collection is illustrated by Adrianne Lobel, daughter of the author, and is full of the warmth and humor for which Lobel was so well-known. Young readers will enjoy the clever illustrations and the joyful rhyming stories found in this handsome edition of The Frogs and Toads All Sang.

Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran describes a scraggly hill across the street that the children called Roxaboxen. The sandy hill was littered with wooden boxes, ocotillo plants, and cactus, but in the minds of the children who played there it was a magical place. For the children, Roxaboxen was a town with white stone-lined streets, a town hall, and ice cream shops. There were cars, and a jail, fierce wars between boys and girls, and plenty of stick horses. Roxaboxen was a hill in the desert, but it was also a place that lived on for a lifetime in the memories of the children who played there. In hues that evoke the desert landscape, artist Barbara Cooney captures the power of imagination and the magic of Alice McLerran's story of Roxaboxen — a place that was real and always will be.

Pack rats scurry, jackrabbits nibble, birds flutter, and a saguaro cactus slowly grows in the desert in Cactus Hotel by Brenda Z. Guiberson. As the cactus grows, woodpeckers, doves, and elf owls dig holes in the cactus and make it their hotel. After 150 years, the cactus is finished growing and lots of animals live in it. When the cactus finally dies and topples over, new animals that live on the ground move into. This brightly colored book will teach young readers about life in the desert and the importance of the saguaro cactus.

In the Caldecott Honor winning children's book Hide and Seek Fog, a thick fog from the sea covers a tiny village for three days. The grown ups grumble and complain about the fog while the children revel in it, playing hide-and-seek and getting lost in familiar places. Beautiful, hazy illustrations by Roger Duvoisin capture the mystery of the fog as it transforms the everyday into the strange and wonderful.

Cecil Frances Alexander's classic hymn calls young and old to celebrate the beauty and wonder of nature. Artist Bruce Whatley offers a new imagining of this hymn in All Things Bright and Beautiful. Through his vibrant and realistic paintings, readers follow a little girl's day in the country as she appreciates all the bright and beautiful things around her and shares that joy with others at the end of the day.

A Tale for Easter by two-time Caldecott Honor artist Tasha Tudor explores a child's dreams on Easter Eve. Fawns, ducklings, bunnies, and little lambs adorn the pages of this book that so sweetly captures the magic of Easter.

The Caldecott Honor winning book What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page tells young readers all about what animals do with their noses, ears, eyes, mouths, and tails. An anteater, chameleon, mountain goat, platypus, mole, and more are all beautifully illustrated in cut-paper collage.

In A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle, the hermit crab has outgrown his shell. He finds another, bigger shell but thinks it is very plain. As hermit crab travels around, he looks for ways to decorate his shell. He ends up with many friends this way including a starfish, a snail, a sea anemone, a coral, a sea urchin, and a lanternfish. Hermit crab is happy with his home, but one day he outgrows that shell too and must say goodbye. This vibrantly illustrated book is perfect for helping young readers learn to deal with change and say goodbye while teaching them about fun and fascinating sea creatures.

In An Extraordinary Egg by Leo Lionni, three frog friends find an egg that they are sure belongs to a chicken. However, when the egg hatches a little alligator emerges. Since the frogs don't know the difference, they continue to call the baby alligator a chicken. The "chicken" becomes friends with the frogs, and they all enjoy playing and swimming together. Then one day, the "chicken" is returned to his mother and the frogs all laugh when she calls him an alligator. This silly story is sure to delight young readers with its colorful illustrations, kind characters, and sweet story.

In The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman, Peter likes milk, Lucy wants lemonade, and Jack's favorite food is applesauce. As new children are born, Mrs. Peters gets more requests for special food. Her seven Peters are picky eaters! Mrs. Peters does everything she can to keep everyone happy, but the day before her birthday she is exhausted from cooking for her crew. That night the children get together to whip up a meal for their mother, but it doesn't turn out quite how they thought. The hilarious surprise they cook up makes their mother feel celebrated, and it satisfies all seven of the picky eaters!

Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse describes the joyful and freeing experience of a rain shower on a sweltering summer day. Tess looks at the sky and eagerly waits for rain while her mother works on their small garden. When she sees big rain clouds rolling in, Tess goes and gets her friends. Together, they put on their swimsuits and wait for the rain. When the rain finally does fall, the girls' mothers are so excited that they join their daughters in a joyful dance through the puddles. The simple and subtle watercolor illustrations by John J Muth perfectly portray the anticipation and refreshment that comes with a summer rainstorm.

The Wonders of Nature childhood book has been hand selected to be a part of both the Kindergarten Read-Aloud program along with the Simply Classical Level 1 Science and Enrichment Supplement set.

Hubert's Hair-Raising Adventure is a hilarious rhyming story about Hubert the lion and his luxurious mane. When he loses his hair in an accident, Hubert tries to hide from his friends, but Mrs. Hornbill tells everyone that Hubert has lost his mane. Hubert's friends come and try to help him by providing a concoction of crocodile tears. Hubert rubs the tears on his head and he and his friends wait and wait and wait. At last, Hubert's hair begins to grow, and grow, and grow. It grows so much that it tangles up all the animals! Bill Peet's poetic tale of friendship and his colorful illustrations will delight young readers as they listen to the story of the animals and their hilarious antics.

In Abe's Fish, Jen Bryant recounts a childhood tale of Abraham Lincoln. During the war of 1812, six-year old Abe has an encounter with a soldier that causes him to ponder freedom and deeply impacts the young boy who will one day become the sixteenth president of the United States. One day, young Abe goes fishing for his family and catches a fine perch. However, on the way home he meets a wounded soldier coming back from the front. Abe's mother and father have always told him to be kind to soldiers, so Abe gives the man his fish. At home that night, Abe thinks about the soldier fighting for freedom and the importance of that word.