10 Children’s Books for World Book Day
Children do love reading. You just need to find the right book and hand it to them. But what children’s books are the best?
There’s no easy answer to such a question. Of course, you will feel tempted to hand your children those famous children’s books that have thrilled your childhood. You can do that. You can also research some of the latest released titles and best-sellers, so the topics are more current and modern.
Or, you can mix the old with the new and make a list of 10-20 age-appropriate children’s books and let your children decide which ones they love.
To make things a little easier for you, here’s our selection of 10 classic and modern books for children aged 0-15 years old.
1. Grumpy Bird – featuring one of the most exciting children’s book characters
Reading age: 0 – 3 years old
This is one great book to read to your children and look at the fun illustrations together.
Grumpy Bird is probably one of the best children’s book characters that your little ones can relate to. When they’re misbehaving, you can simply ask them: “Are you being a grumpy bird again?” and they’ll know.
The story follows a bird who’s just woken up feeling too grumpy to eat, play or fly. So, she’s taking a walk, meeting different animals, getting grumpier and grumpier, until…well, you read it.
Your children will love and enjoy it.
2. The Box Turtle – best children’s book about acceptance
Reading age: 3 – 5 years old
This is an emotional story of a little turtle born without a shell. He is mocked for his disability and searches high and low for someone to accept him as he is. He finally finds acceptance in his best friend.
The book is emotional and sprinkled with humour, so the concept is fairly easy to be picked up by a child.
The illustrations are adorable, and your little one will just love to look at them.
Related Read: How to Help Your Children Develop Emotional Intelligence
3. It’s Okay To Make Mistakes – the perfect confidence booster
Reading age: 3 – 6 years old
This children’s book has one of the best and simplest lessons we can teach our children – it’s okay to mess up sometimes.
In a world that values perfection more and more acutely, it’s necessary to teach your children that they should embrace life’s accidents, be bold and confident, and colour outside the lines.
The illustrations are also superb, and it’s an all-around mood-booster, especially for when your little one is feeling down.
4. The Hundred Decker Bus – remarkable illustrations
Reading age: 3 – 6 years old
This is a very entertaining story about a bus that one day decides to take a different route and pick up all sorts of people along the way.
The more people it picks up, the bigger it grows, and the underlying story will fascinate the little ones.
Moreover, the illustrations will keep your children glued to the book, and they’ll have a massive surprise at the end when they’ll fold out a giant picture with the huge hundred decker bus.
5.The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess – best adventure book
Reading age: 3 – 7 years old
The little wooden robot is a brave brother going on a perilous adventure to find his missing sister.
The illustrations are so intricate and structured that they draw you in, even as an adult.
The story is full of twists and spins, and your child will love every second of it.
6. Leonora Bolt: Secret Inventor – best modern children’s books
Reading age: 6 – 9 years old
Leonora is an inventor spending her days in a top-secret laboratory, working on her great projects, until one day…
This is how the story starts, and it gets more and more interesting with each page. Girls interested in a career in science or modern technology will love Leonora’s curious and inquiring mind.
7. Accidental Trouble Magnet: Book 1 (Planet Omar) – best message
Reading age: 9 – 11 years old
This is an illustrated book touching on a few sensitive issues such as bullying and racism while also keeping it lighthearted and fun.
Omar’s stories are hilarious, and the little messages hidden inside the book will make children think and ask questions.
It’s sort of a “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”, but more entertaining and opens up the kind of deep discussions that you need to have with your children at this age.
8. Ballet Shoes – a good read recommended and movie
Reading age: 9 – 12 years old
This is a classic children’s book, especially for children who want to become actresses, singers or Hollywood stars when they grow up.
The book will hold the little reader on the edge of their seat from the first page ‘till the last one, as they read about three sisters wanting to become ballet stars.
The language might be a bit theatrical and slightly dated at times, so we recommend you give it to your children when they are at least 9-years-old.
9. Shadow Jumper – best mystery children’s book
Reading age: 9 – 14 years old
This adventure book is woven with mystery, action, and cliffhangers in every chapter.
It reads much like watching a film, as the reader will follow Jack jumping on the rooftops of buildings at dusk because he’s allergic to sunshine. And from then on, the mystery begins.
10. Eragon – the perfect book to get your children started with the fantasy genre
Reading age: 12 – 15 years old
Just like Harry Potter or Tolkien’s saga, Eragon is a fantasy world that draws you in. The film is not good enough. We recommend the book.
A young fifteen-year-old boy finds a blue stone in the forest that turns out to be a dragon egg. From there, the story unfolds a magical world of heroes, courage, glory, power and dragon riders.
11. Little Dress Up Activity Book – Bonus book to keep your children occupied
Recommended age: 3 – 5 years old
This Little Dress Up book is an activity book that you can gift your children to keep them occupied and stimulate their imagination.
The book features more than 250 stickers, 30 stencils and about 52 colouring pages full of colourful clothes, accessories and other fashion items.
So, this is our selection of children’s books you should consider for World Book Day and beyond.
As you can see, we have left out a few famous children’s books like the Harry Potter saga. But you already know those, right?
We wanted to dive into some recent illustrated children’s books from the 2020s and uncover some hidden, old gems.
Happy World Book Day, tomorrow, today and every day!
