For many, our earliest or perhaps most stubbornly lodged memories are those in which we are reading books with our parents.
Before bedtime, after bath time… whenever it took place, the act itself was a calming exercise that both caretaker and child could enjoy properly, together, on somewhat the same wavelength — a rare and happy sweet spot in the early years.
Parents get to slow their kids down to a manageable pace, and they get to impart — in small, bite sizes — the values that they one day hope to see in their grown children. Kids get to sit in the comfort of their caretakers and listen to their voice telling them a magical story spun out of foreign creation and imagination.
Reading aloud to children stimulates their own imagination, expands their vocabulary, helps them develop language and listening skills, and also strengthens valuable character traits like empathy by hearing and caring about the struggles and lives of other beings. It’s one of the best ways for children to learn to understand other emotions — a necessary building block of EQ. Stories play a vital role in the growth and development of children — characters and storylines begin to feel like personal friends. As they get older, these books become not only an important and positive bonding tool, but also pave the way for them to expand their vocabulary, build up confidence, and excel in school for the rest of their lives.
There are a lot of books out there, and not every kid is going to love the same ones — except, perhaps, for those die-hard classics that time and time again remain atop the best-sellers lists. Though you might not be able to pick the winning horse out of the vast selection of new children’s books out there, you really can’t go wrong with the best-loved, time-worn classics that form not only our cultural reference points, but also inform new and old members of society what it is that we value — sharing, selflessness, love, and kindness.
If you’re looking to grab a great kid’s book for a gift or for your own home, below are the 20 most popular children's classics on Amazon to remind you that square one isn’t really a bad place to start at all.
1. "OH, THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!" BY DR. SEUSS
2. "GOODNIGHT MOON" BY MARGARET WISE BROWN
3. "BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE?" BY BILL MARTIN JR.
4. "THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR" BY ERIC CARLE
5. "LOVE YOU FOREVER" BY ROBERT MUNSCH
6. "DR. SEUSS'S HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY!" BY DR. SEUSS
7. "THE THREE LITTLE PIGS" BY RH DISNEY
8. "THE STORY OF FERDINAND" BY MUNRO LEAF
9. "THE GIVING TREE" BY SHEL SILVERSTEIN
10. "A WRINKLE IN TIME" BY MADELEINE L'ENGLE
