8 Awesome Picture Books for First Graders

This adorable take on the traditional folk tale is the perfect primer for kids preparing for grade school. Asked by her mother to pick some berries, little girl Ruby dons her red cloak and ventures into the dark woods. She tells herself she is not afraid because she is “Super Red Riding Hood!” She’s convinced she’s got nothing to be afraid of, though, because she’s “Super Red Riding Hood!”

Ruby has lots of adventures rescuing dolls and snails, but then she encounters a wolf! Will her superhero skills save the day?

In this read-aloud version of the classic tale of Red Riding Hood, fun and excitement jumps from every page. Your 1st grader will learn to appreciate the value of bravery, generosity and compassion from the words and illustrations of Claudia Dávila.

After Max scares the dog, makes a mess and yells at his mother, Max gets sent to bed without his supper. While still in his wolf costume (though it isn’t Halloween), Max realizes his bedroom is turning into a jungle and soon ends up on an island of fearsome wild things. Will Max run away? Who will save him from the monsters?

This enduring classic children’s book remains one of the favorite books of many adults today. It’s a great story about the vivid imagination of children and the unconditional love of parents. It teaches that monsters are not always bad, being king is not always good and you’re never too tough for your family’s love. 

If you want a more immersive experience, check out the animated version of this great book on Epic.

What happens when Duck gets hold of a pencil? This silly sequel to the award-winning book, “Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type,” will have your 1st-grade kid squirming with laughter. 

Farmer Brown is going on vacation and leaves his brother Bob in charge of the farm . Farmer Brown leaves handwritten instructions and tells him to follow them to the letter, but before he goes, he warns Bob: “keep an eye on Duck. He’s trouble.” Unfortunately for Bob, he didn’t take the warning seriously!

Soon, the hens, pigs and cows are having the time of their lives with pizzas, bubble baths and movie nights. How did Duck do it? Will Farmer Brown find out?

“Giggle, Giggle, Quack” is also available as an animated read-aloud book on Epic.

The big, tough trucks are getting ready to go to sleep after a hard day’s work at the construction site.  Each snuggles down on their dirt heap: Bulldozer and Excavator settle in, Cement Mixer as a blanky and Crane Truck is cozy with his Teddy bear.  Dump Truck starts snoring but soon pipes down. The day is done; turn off the light. Great work today. Now, shh, goodnight.

This children’s book is a rhyming bedtime story that is sure to be a hit with truck-loving tots, filled with fun illustrations, gentle, soothing rhymes to inspire sleep. If the big trucks need sleep, so do energetic kids!

Younger kids who aren’t yet ready to read might enjoy the animated storybook version of “Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site” as well.

It was the first day of school, and Hayley was sure when she stepped off the school bus with her best friend Ryan that first grade would be just as much fun as kindergarten. But right away she saw that things were going to be a lot different, and not in a good way. 

For one thing, there were too many desks, no share time, only one recess and a lot less time to play. Hayley new teacher doesn’t smile as much as her kindergarten teacher did and her stories abruptly stop before they reach the end. Exasperated, Hayley decides she’s had enough. She blurts out in front of the whole class, “First Grade Stinks!” Will she get in trouble? 

Your kid will relate to Hayley’s struggle and learn a valuable lesson about coping with big feelings during times of big change.

There’s a stranger knocking on the door and Sadie’s eccentric Great-Aunt Josephine refuses to go the door. Instead she embarks on a rambling tale of her encounter with a giant frog that swallowed the son of Admiral Rodriguez when she was in the jungles of Peru! Great-Aunt Josephine has been following that frog around the world ever since, but little does she know, he’s the stranger at the door. 

This quirky and ridiculous tale is the third in a trilogy of award-winning picture books for first graders. The illustrations by Matthew Cordell hilariously add to the fun, with details that you and your first grader will love exploring.

This is the story of a little mouse named Owen who brings his blanky, Fuzzy, everywhere. While his attachment to Fuzzy was fine at home, now he’s starting school for the first time, and his parents won’t let him bring Fuzzy with him. Or can he? With gentle humor and sweet storytelling, this charming tale will show kids with comfort objects of their own will see themselves in Owen and take comfort in the cleverly happy ending.

Pig and Cat are great friends, and do everything together. They swim, bike, read and more. But one day, Pig sees that Dog has a kite, and Pig and Dog start playing together. Cat starts to feel left out. What will happen now that Pig has a new friend? Will Cat be all alone, or can they all be friends? This simple take on friendship can teach first-grade readers that making lots of friends is fun.  

If you like this one, check out other Douglas Florian books on Epic for the same age range: “The Wonderful Habits of Rabbits” and “The Curious Cares of Bears.”