MUST READ PICTURE BOOKS

A number of parents that I've met over the summer have asked me for book recommendations for their kids.

The following picture books are wonderful for kids between the ages of 3 and 7. They offer kids rich and layered narratives, a sophisticated vocabulary, and an introduction to a range of important themes. I also think that these picture books are wonderful tools to help children develop empathy and compassion.

-       Grandfather Gandhi, by Arun Gandhi

-       The Last Kappa of Old Japan, by Sunny Seiki

-       Fly Free, Fly Free, by Roseanne Thong

-       Silent Lotus, by Jeanne M. Lee

-       How Full is your Bucket?, by Tom Rath

-       The Secret River, by Marjorie Rawlings

-       Zen Ties, by Jon Muth

-       The Daruma Doll, by Sunny Seiki

-       Amos and Boris, by William Steig

-       Norman the Doorman, by Don Freeman

-   The Why Why Girl, by Mahashweta Devi

-       Kali and the Rat Snake, by Zai Whitaker

-       Bon Bibi’s Forest, by Sandhya Rao

-       Each Kindness, by Jacqueline Woodson

-       The Adventures of Riley (series, Science), by Amanda Lumry

-       Tacky in Trouble (series, humor), by Helen Lester

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