Building a library of books for kindergarten classes takes time, and teachers are always on the lookout for new reading material to help little ones develop a love of reading. Here are some of the most popular types of books for kindergarten storytime.
Big, Bright, and Colorful
Illustrations help young readers follow a story—it’s one reason why personalized children’s books like My Very Own Name are illustrated by award-winning artists. During storytime, you’ll be showing children the pictures as you read. Large, simple illustrations are easier to show to a class rather than complex, intricate pictures—think of the simple, evocative painting from The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Paperbacks or Hardcovers?
Hardcover books may be more durable, but softcover children’s books are less expensive so you get more bang for your limited classroom buck. The choice is yours, of course, but a larger selection of paperbacks is more useful over the long term than one or two hardcovers.
Shop by Category
When buying books for kindergarten, it helps if you know what you already have. Shopping by category helps you build a library quickly without winding up with too many of one type of book. Possible categories include:
- Adventures
- Alphabet
- Animals
- Biographies
- Chapter books
- Culture
- Fairy tales
- Families
- Numbers
- Poetry
- Seasonal books
- Singalong books
- Science
- Transpiration
Used Book Stores are Your Friends
Used bookstores are wonderful places to find books for kindergarten classes, and offer an opportunity for you to build your library quickly. Public libraries often host book sales as well. With a little time, you can quickly build a library of books for kindergarten classes that will bring young students joy and an introduction to the joy of reading, year after year.
