Best Kindergarten Picture Books

This adorable picture book congratulates preschool graduates and builds up their confidence ahead of going to kindergarten for the first time. Plus it reminds them of all the fun things they’ve learned leading up to this point. With engaging rhyming text and cute cutout illustrations, it’s a fun way to reassure them that they’re ready, while also preparing them with the basics they’ll need as incoming kindergarteners—from the ABCs and counting to making new friends.

“A told B, and B told C, I’ll meet you at the top of the coconut tree!”

All the letters of the alphabet race up a coconut tree in this silly, zany rhyming book! And this video version is so much fun, you’ll find yourselves laughing to the rollicking words again and again. 

If your kid likes this, they’ll love “Chicka Chickadee’s 1 2 3,” available on Epic in video and audiobook format.

While Sal and her mother are picking blueberries for winter canning, Sal wanders off and discovers a mama bear getting ready for her own long winter. Meanwhile the mama bear’s cub has found Sal’s mother and has taken a liking to her delicious berries. 

This charming, colorfully illustrated tale of a little girl and baby bear hunting for blueberries has been winning hearts for over 75 years.

Clouds can look like many things to different people. Some see animals, others see pictures… and the ancient Greeks thought clouds were the sun’s cattle. This unique picture book introduces kids to some common cloud shapes, as well as the myths and legends inspired by them. With gentle humor and whimsical illustrations, it teaches kids about clouds and weather patterns in a way that captures their imaginations. 

George gets a new bike and learns all sorts of new tricks. He gets so good at it he even starts helping the local paper boy with his deliveries. But when he gets (you guessed it) curious and deviates from his route, he gets into all sorts of mischief, eventually landing him in a traveling circus show! Fans of the ingenious little monkey will not be disappointed as he embarks on yet another wild adventure.

This Read-To-Me version of the beloved classic children’s book about a little boy and his magical purple crayon has been handed down from bookshelf to bookshelf for generations. Adult fans will remember Harold’s fateful moonlight walk when, using his enormous purple crayon, he draws a wondrous world through forests and distant seas and more. 

With it’s soothing, dreamlike tone, this is the perfect tale to share with little ones before bedtime.  

As six baby ducklings follow their mother down the street, they unexpectedly get swept up in a gush of water and washed down a drain. As they go sailing through the sewer pipes from the small town to the big city, the mother duck chases them from drain to drain, trying to keep them calm, until her quacks attract the attention of a kind-hearted man and the little ducks are rescued. This book is perfect for young readers who love accidental adventures with happy endings.

Set against the backdrop of color and dazzling collage illustrations, this book tells the story of the life cycle of a single flower through the adventures of a tiny seed. And this audio version is the perfect companion to your own copy of this beautiful book. 

Carried by the autumn wind, the seed makes a perilous journey across the world. And as larger seeds succumb to the elements, the little seed finally lands on the fertile ground and begins to grow. Threats remain, as one nearby plant is stepped on, a flower is picked and other dangers loom nearby. But the tiny seed continues to grow. Your kid will cheer the little seed on throughout this exciting story and delight in the happy outcome.

A menagerie of animals are all dozing in this house—but will something put an end to their peaceful slumber? This beloved book from Audrey and Don Wood has been sending little ones off to bed with laughter and sweet dreams for over 20 years. Great for bed or just quiet time, it’s filled with delightful repetition, rhyme and descriptive words that help develop the language skills they’ll need to start reading.

This Caldecott Medal-winning picture book follows a little boy named Peter as he pulls on his snowsuit and makes his way through the city during winter’s first snowfall. The story beautifully and sweetly depicts a child’s wonder through Peter’s adventures in the snow, and is the perfect read to snuggle up with on a cold winter day.

In the town of Napville, Officer Buckle knows more about safety than anyone in the town. But whenever he tries to share his safety tips, everyone falls asleep. But when he’s assigned to take a police dog named Gloria to his safety speech at the local school, Gloria does some fun tricks demonstrating his safety tips, making Officer Buckle famous in the town. When he finds out that Gloria is the reason the school children enjoyed his speech, he vows to stop giving safety tips. That is, until disaster strikes. Will Officer Buckle realize his importance and teach safety again? This audio version is narrated by John Lithgow!

Strega Nona, “Grandma Witch,” is known for providing potions, cures, magic, comfort and a magical always-full pasta pot! Big Anthony, who watches over her house and tends to her garden, is hungry for Strega Nona’s pasta, and one day, when she leaves her home to visit Strega Amelia, he sneakily recites a magic verse over the pasta pot, and disaster ensues.

Also available in audiobook format!

Grab your copy of this gorgeously illustrated book and let your kids follow along with the audio version on Epic!

Adult fans of “Where the Wild Things Are” will remember Max, who’s transported far away to a magical forest filled with wild things after he threatens to eat his mother (eek!) and she sends him to bed without supper. 

Fortunately, the wild things don’t eat Max, and instead make him their king. In the end Max realizes that king or not, he still needs the love of his parents. The story teaches kids about love, family and that it’s okay to have strong feelings and still treat others with love and respect.

Bruce the bear likes nothing more than to keep to himself and eat eggs. But he gets a big surprise when his hard-boiled goose eggs turn out to be real, live goslings! And what’s worse, they think he’s their mother. Needless to say, he loses his appetite and tries to convince the goslings to go south, but he can’t convince them to leave. With wry humor and beautiful illustrations, kids love this grouchy-yet-loveable reluctant hero and his silly misadventures.

In this animated version of the acclaimed picture book narrated by Joan Allen, Kitten is hungry, curious, brave and ready for adventure! As the title suggests, it’s Kitten’s first full moon, but when she sees it, she things kit’s a delicious bowl of milk. Then what follows is a night-long quest to get to it. Her efforts leave her bewildered and hungry, but nothing will stop this persistent kit from reaching her goal. This gorgeously illustrated book shows kids the value or taking chances, problem solving and finally, knowing when it’s time to give up. 

Also available in audiobook format! 

Kids can follow along or read aloud with Little Red as she strolls through the woods, encounters a “friendly” wolf and comes out on top after facing peril at Grandma’s house. 

This gorgeously illustrated version of “Little Red Riding Hood,” written by Nadia Higgins, teaches kids about bravery, resilience, keeping your wits about you and the importance of listening to parents and caregivers.