Announcing Our Updated 100 Best Books for Early Literacy

Waseca-Le Sueur Regional Library System has created an updated list of The 100 Best Books for Early Literacy. Originally created in 2015, this list has been updated to include some of the great books published in the years since the original list was developed. Early literacy is everything that children know about reading and writing before they can read or write. The books on this list are the most effective in preparing kids to read–helping them hear the sounds in words, develop their vocabulary, describe things and tell stories, learn their letters, know how books work and follow words on a page, and enjoy books. Reading is the cornerstone of knowledge and kids can start learning from birth! 

These books feature a wide range of stories, from laugh-out-loud scenarios to bedtime stories, from exploring emotions to learning how to navigate a child’s world. This list is part of the Library System’s Romp and Rhyme curriculum, designed to create a standard of excellence for early literacy education.

The Library System is issuing The Romp 100 Challenge, encouraging kids and their grownups to read all 100 books. Kids and their grownups can keep track of what books they read by using the checklists available at their local public library. Once all 100 books have been read, kids can turn in their checklist to receive a stuffed animal character from one of the books they’ve read. 

All of the books on the list are stocked in all nine of the Library System’s libraries (including a few Tonies for our Tonieboxes). The Library System is also hosting special events at its libraries which feature the books from The Romp 100 Challenge, including upcoming Edible Story Times, Rabbit Stories, and Kiddie Yoga events.  

“We hope our community falls in love with these books like we have. Reading picture books with a child is a creative, bonding experience for everyone involved. It also is critical for a child’s future success,” said Stacy Lienemann, Director of Waseca-Le Sueur Regional Library System. “This project is a deliberate effort to ensure that the prereaders in our communities will be better prepared to read when they reach kindergarten and can succeed in all subjects going forward.”

Waseca-Le Sueur Regional Library System’s 100 Best Books for Early Literacy

I Love My Body Because by Shelly Anand

Ten Pigs: An Epic Bath Adventure by Derek Anderson

Fire Engine No. 9 by Mike Austin

Alphabuddies: G Is First! by Beth Bacon

Chloe and the Lion by Mac Barnett

Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett

A Bedtime for Bear by Bonny Becker

Even Superheroes Have Bad Days by Shelly Becker

Song in the City by Daniel Bernstrom

Moo, Baa, La La La! by Sandra Boynton

Woo Hoo! You’re Doing Great! by Sandra Boynton

The Mitten by Jan Brett

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown

This Book Just Ate My Dog by Richard Byrne

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

One-Dog Canoe by Mary Casanova

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow

Ten Tiny Toes by Caroline Church

Click, Clack, Peep! by Doreen Cronin

Sleepy Sheepy by Lucy Ruth Cummins

Little Elliot, Big City by Mike Curato

The Cow that Laid an Egg by Andy Cutbill

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

The Great Googly Moogly by Courtney Dicmas

The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen

Twinkle Twinkle Little Car by Kate Dopirak

Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry

Oh, No! by Candace Fleming

I Live in a Tree Trunk by Meg Fleming

Ribbit! by Rodrigo Folgueira

Where Is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox

Rapunzel by Sarah Gibb

I Spy with My Little Eye by Edward Gibbs

Monkey and Me by Emily Gravett

Poopsie Gets Lost by Hannah E. Harrison

Oh No, George! by Chris Haughton

Big Chickens by Leslie Helakoski

A Good Day by Kevin Henkes

Some of These Are Snails by Carter Higgins

Duck & Goose by Tad Hills

Flight School by Lita Judge

Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake by Michael B. Kaplan

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock by Eric A. Kimmel

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

Big Little Brother by Kevin Kling

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star by Annie Kubler

Moo! by David LaRochelle

It’s a Tiger! by David LaRochelle

T. Rexes Can’t Tie Their Shoes by Anna Lazowski

Drawn Together by Minh Lê

Moo-Moo, I Love You! by Tom Lichtenheld

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin

Otis by Loren Long

Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard

Out of a Jar by Deborah Marcero

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr.

Me . . . Jane by Patrick McDonnell

Chester van Chime who Forgot How to Rhyme by Avery Monsen

The Button Book by Sally Nicholls

The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff

It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr

No No Yes Yes by Leslie Patricelli

Quiet Loud by Leslie Patricelli

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

I Really Want the Cake by Simon Philip

The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

A Ball for Daisy by Christopher Raschka

Me and You in a Book Made for Two by Jean Reidy

On Account of the Gum by Adam Rex

Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds

Construction Site Mission: Demolition! by Sherri Duskey Rinker

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker

The Problem with Problems by Rachel Rooney

Flip, Flap, Fly! by Phyllis Root

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin

Chengdu Could Not, Would Not, Fall Asleep by Barney Saltzberg

All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

Silly Doggy! by Adam Stower

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

Mel Fell by Corey R. Tabor

Beep! Beep! Go to Sleep! by Todd Tarpley

We Are Going to Be Pals! by Mark Teague

Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas

Little Quack by Lauren Thompson

Dojo Daycare by Chris Tougas

Press Here by Hervé Tullet

Q & U Call It Quits by Stef Wade

This Book Is Gray by Lindsay Ward

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems

There’s a Bird on Your Head! by Mo Willems