Classic Picture Books
Snuggle on the couch with these classic story books
This list of classic picture books have stories and pictures that have been treasured for over 50 years by several generations.
Good Night Moon
Margaret Wise Brown
This classic bedtime story lulls children to sleep with its bright colors, soothing rhythm, and gentle message.The Little House
Virginia Lee Burton
This is not the pioneer series, but the story of a little house in that country that slowly finds herself trapped in the middle of an urban area. The sad, abandoned house has a happy ending when the granddaughter of the man who built her finds her in the city.The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter
From an era of proper manners, comes this tale by a British gentlewoman. An old fashioned story with its now famous pictures is read around the world by children hoping Peter will not get caught by Mr. McGregor.Baby Farm Animals
William Garth
Can you find a child that doesn't like baby animals? Kids love the fuzzy, furry farm friends on every page of this book.The Story of Babar
Jean de Brunhoff
Babar is baby elephant who flees the jungle to return as an adult to become king of the elephants. First written in the 1930's, over 50 titles await the fans of the elephant king, although only six were written by the original author.
White Snow, Bright Snow
Alvin Tresselt
Even the sound of the title suggests the quiet of a snowy winter evening. Get a nice cup of hot chocolate and read this book on a dark, cold night.Come Over to My House
Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss)
One of my favorite of the Dr. Seuss books, this is a classic that is hard to find. In addition to a cheerful rhyme, it has the educational value of introducing children to homes and cultures from around the world. If you have a copy, hang on to it - some copies are going for $250. I'm not sure I would pay that much for it, but it is a gem of a book.Little Bear
Elsa Holmelund Minarik
One of the first books written as an "I Can Read Book" for early readers, Little Bear's exploits have been entertaining several generations of children. Enjoyed by toddlers as a read aloud or as a first book by beginning readers. Four other books in the series all express the family's love toward their little bear.Corduroy
Don Freeman
Who can resist this gentle, old fashioned teddy bear in his corduroy overalls? Additional titles with Corduroy have appeared over the years, but even the newer books reflect a 1940-1950 culture.Little Toot
Hardie Gramatky
The little tugboat becomes a hero when he does a job at sea that no one else can. For 70 years Little Toot has taught that little people have a big role. One of the oldest of the classic picture books, it was recently restored with the author's original pictures.Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel
Virginia Lee Burton
A favorite story of many, many litle boys; the outdated steam shovel still has a special job in the town of Popperville. And so does Mike Mulligan.The Story About Ping
Marjorie Flack
A story about a Chinese family on their river boat on the Yangtze River, and the ducks that must come back on board every evening.Make Way For Ducklings
Robert McCloskey
Mr and Mrs. Mallard need a suitable neighborhood to raise their family; and so they settle in Boston. An accurate portrayal of Boston in the 1940's (albeit from a bird's perspective) has led this to become the official children's book of Massachussets.Blueberries for Sal
Robert McCloskey
What happens when a mother and little girl get mixed up with a mother bear and her cub on Blueberry Hill? One of the classic picture books that depicts family life in the 1930's.Where's Spot
Eric Hill
Since Spot is only 30 years old, he is one of the youngest characters in the list of classic picture books. However, thousands of toddlers have squealed with joy as they searched for the spotted puppy.Sam and the FireFly
Philip D. Eastman
Sam, a wise owl, teams up with a naughty firefly. An easy reader that shows the power of words and the bond of friendship. The author wrote several other classic first reading books.Winnie the Pooh
A.A. Milne
From the Hundred Acre Woods comes the characters of one of the most endearing classic picture books: Winnie the Pooh. The original illustrations by Ernest Shephard and text by A.A. Milne allow children to explore the woods with their friends Winnie, Tigger, Rabbit, Eyeore, and company. Your children can enjoy an entire library of stories and poem from this sunny, happy time.New and Notable Picture Books
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
as told to Jon Scieszka
A fractured fairy tale told by none other than the big bad wolf, who declares his innocense. Those who like the story will be humored by his tellling of how he was framed in this picture book.
