Reading a book to a child is one of the most intimate and loving experiences. There are so many beautiful children’s books to read, but it can be especially poignant to share some of your own childhood favorites. For most parents of young children, that means looking for awesome ’90s children’s books to add to your children’s library.
Now you might be thinking, won’t my childhood favorites be dated? For the most part, the answer is no. The beauty of children’s picture books is that often the most obsolete items will be objects in the illustrations, such as a rotary telephone or an old computer. But for the most part, the books focus on pretty evergreen items or featured animals for which a phone isn’t a necessity.
Just think about Good night moon. Of course, your child may not recognize a “bowl full of porridge,” but did you know what it was like when you were a kid? Probably not until your parents explain it. In the end, the moral of the story is all that matters and these books didn’t become classics for no reason. These 90s children’s books all have a great story, great pictures, and a message that will stay in your little one’s mind long after you’ve said “the end.”
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1
“Guess how much I love you?” by Sam McBratney, illustrated by Anita Jeram
Reminding a child that they are loved is a job that a parent must repeat every day. It happens in both word and deed, but if you want to help them fully understand the extent of your love, consider reading the 1994 classic. Guess how much I love you? In the story Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare go head-to-head to profess their love for each other, one going beyond the other each time. The moral of the story? A parent’s love for their child is limitless.
2
“Oh, the places you’ll go” by Dr Suess
Virtually a graduation gift requirement, since 1990 Dr. Seuss’s Oh the places you’ll go has become a shortcut to giving a child a vote of confidence in anything he or she will do. In it, Seuss follows a character as he leaves the nest and tackles the world on his own. Are there tough days? Sure. But there are also incredible days and great victories and giant discoveries. It’s a metaphor for the life told in classic Seuss rhyme with his iconic illustrations.
3
“The Kissing Hand” by Audrey Penn, illustrations by Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak
For many families, it is difficult to say who has the most trouble on the first day of kindergarten, the parent or the child. This separation can be difficult. That is why, time and time again, families and educators turn to The kissing hand. This 1993 version is a story about Chester Raccoon who feels very anxious about going to forestry school. His mother, Mrs. Raccoon, alleviates his fears by sharing that he can take her kissing hand and feel her there with him. Yes, be prepared for a lump in your throat when you read this one.
4
“Tuesday” by David Wiesner
In 1992, this super silly book won the Caldecott Medal for Illustrations, one of three Caldecott medals from illustrator and author David Wiesner. As soon as you pick up the book, you will understand why it was recognized. Simply named Tuesday, it’s a story about how on a Tuesday night frogs suddenly start floating in the sky. Almost wordless, the illustrations say it all as frogs float in the laundry, above houses and beyond. Children are invited to imagine what is at the origin of this wild phenomenon, a sleight of hand through the fantasy of an author.
5
“The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Stories” by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith
Do you have a child who prefers wobbly endings to happy endings? Then they need to read and laugh until the years 1992 The Stinky Cheese Man and other pretty silly stories. This irreverent riff on fairy tales finds new directions for some of the best-known stories in children’s literature. For example, what if the ugly duckling turns into an ugly duck? Then what ? Or how about if the giant on top of the bean ate the little red hen. Perfect for older and more demanding elementary readers, your child will love the chaos of this book.
6
“No, David! »By David Shannon
“No.” It is something that children hear a lot. In fact, it can sometimes feel like they can’t do everything right. And David, the star of this story, reflects that sentiment as he fails again and again to get it right. While parents may shudder to see a messy illustration of a boy breaking things up and wreaking havoc, kids tend to find the story liberating, and a prime example that they’re not the only ones who sometimes have to. wrong to do it right.
7
Dav Pilkey’s “The Hallo-Wiener”
Halloween may be over, but you’ll likely find yourself reading this story again to your kids when these 90s kids books are added to your kids’ library. Basically, a sausage dog faces the greatest embarrassment when his loving mom insists he go as a hot dog for Halloween. Ashamed of his costume, he is mercilessly teased. Until a random encounter with ghost cats gives him the opportunity to prove his bravery and show the evil little bullies that he is. hot dog after all.
8
“Good night, Gorilla” by Peggy Rathmann
Some stories do not require words. This is almost entirely the case with “Good Night, Gorilla”. Almost completely silent, this story follows a pack of sneaky zoo animals who manage to steal the keeper’s keys and escape their enclosures. Where does this menagerie want to go? The caretaker’s cozy bed is there. Guaranteed to send your kid into hysteria, get ready to read this one over and over again.
9
“If you give a moose a muffin” by Laura Numeroff, illustrations by Felicia Bond
The original If you give a cookie a cookie – which inspired this later sequel – was released in 1985, but writer Laura Numeroff knew she had a good thing in 1991 when she dated If you give a moose a muffin. Great for kids who can’t get enough of the first story, this book follows the same pattern: a moose shows up at a kid’s house and they need to entertain and feed him. Naturally, hijinks ensue, from a puppet show to a stretched sweater situation. And the kids will love it thanks to the book’s latest paylines.
ten
“The Magic School Bus and the Solar System”
Ms. Frizzle and Her Crazy Tricks began in the 1980s, but author Joanna Cole continued to publish a lot more on the series throughout the 90s. And since these books are all about science, they did. aged. So much so that a spin-off of a television series is currently on Netflix. Basically, Ms. Frizzle runs an elementary classroom. But rather than just learning science lessons, the kids set off on an adventure in his transforming school bus. In this case, straight out of the stratosphere into space.
11
“Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus” by Barbara Park, illustrations by Denise Brunkus
If you haven’t introduced your kindergarten child to Junie B. Jones yet, walk on it. This series, written by Barbara Park and illustrated by Denise Brunkus from 1992, includes 29 books following the adorable and precious Junie B. Jones. In the first half of the series, she is in kindergarten, while in the second half, she enters first grade – a perfect time for young readers to test their mettle with chapter books. But even more of a selling point, this series is hilariously legitimate, both for kids and adults. Junie B. is always in trouble and your child will find her antics a lot of fun.
12
“Falling Up” by Shel Silverstein
Shel Silverstein has written three books of silly rhymes and his third and final is the big one Publication date. Kids love rhyming words especially when the topics are completely ridiculous like in this great tome. For example, he presents poems about Allison Beals and her twenty-five eels; Danny O’Dare, the dancing bear and the human balloon. Best of all, Silverstein’s illustrations of simple pen and ink affairs accompany his verses and are just as wild as the words on the page.
13
“Farmer Duck” by Martin Waddell, illustrations by Helen Oxenbury
What does a duck do when his farmer is too lazy to cook, clean and tend the fields? He does it himself in this beloved tale called Farmer Duck. “It’s a very simple book but it is lifelong learning despite its few pages,” writes an Amazon reviewer. When the exhausted duck almost collapses from exhaustion and a farm animal uprising takes place, the farmer finally comes to his aid. After reading this, your family will say, “How’s the work going? »Answer: charlatan.
14
“The True Story of the Three Little Pigs” by Jon Scieszka, illustrations by Lane Smith
Tell a child that this is the true story of something and watch their eyes widen. See this as your child’s entry point to understanding stigma. Here, the big bad wolf has his turn to tell his side of the story. And what a story it is. Not only is this a reimagining of the Three Little Pigs tale, but the story goes beyond the storybook itself, as other fairy tales appear and come out and things break up and fall apart. confuse.
15
“A Bad Case of Scratches” by David Shannon
In 1998 David Shannon published A bad deal of scratches, the story of a little girl who wakes up one day covered in multicolored stripes. The cause? It’s hard to know for sure, but the day before she refused to eat lima beans, something she adores, because her friends told her they don’t like them. Do you see where this is going? A playful metaphor on accepting differences, the little girl finds a cure only after accepting lima beans and accepting that she loves them.
These 90s children’s books to add to your kid’s library will take you straight back to your elementary school library or your bedroom library. Travel through time by reading them to your children.