Bingo's Journal - Great Children's Picture Books

Because I am a cat who likes books, I am an avid reader of the children's picture book genre! This list includes my favorites which span in publication from the 1960's through 2012. These book recommendations are for kids ages 3-8. This children's picture book list is my super fabulous, must read, top 75+ list. Click on pictures to go to Amazon if you want to see more about the book or purchase it.  And don't forget to check your local library!

Bingo the Cat recommends reading the following stories in any order:



Hamlet and the Magnificent Sand Castle - Bravery, face challenges, fun images.

Cowboy Bunnies - Simple story with cowboy "kids" as wranglers.

The Gardener - Beautiful thoughts about transformation and the future during Great Depression times.

The Legend of the Golden Snail - Fun find games and liberating theme.

Oxcart Man - Handmade trade in "olden" days with work hard theme to get reward.

Sailing Home - Tale of time gone by with sailing vessel and ocean life.

My Dog is as Smelly as Dirty Socks - Good silly stinky fun.

Fleas! - Journey in "trades" earns farmer a dog.

The Honeybee Man - Fascinating details on what a bee would do in the city.

Cornfield Hide and Seek - Fun on the farm with hide and seek.

Little Tom Turkey - Rhyming story of turkey polt growth to adult Tom.

Finklehopper Frog - Rhyming tale of jogging frog.

Cesar Takes a Break - Iguana roams the halls at school during vacation.

Way Out in the Desert - Rhyming desert tale with native fauna.

The Color Kittens - Classic Wise-Brown.

Mammoths on the Move - Rhyming migration tale with awesome imagery.

Hotel Deep - Gorgeous illustrations and mini story within book. "Shakespeare" like with story within story."

Go Track a Yak! - Silly story with mean old witch and a baby.

Dex - Little guy proves he's powerful through his hard work.

The Cheese - Fantastic spin on the farmer in the dell.

Hurry! - How hay used to be harvested.

Sugaring - How maple syrup is harvested and processed.

Story Time for Little Porcupine - Three great tales of "why" stuff happens in the universe.

Grumpy Cat - Mean cat learns to be nice with help from kitten.

Cat Kong - Fun parody of King Kong with mice and cats.

Hurry and the Monarch - Life cycle of monarch butterfly told from ancient tortoise view.

Beatrice's Goat - How goats in Africa are helping families raise their standard of living.

Why Mosquitos Buzz in Peoples Ears - Tale of pesky mosquito causing cascade of problems.

Johnny Appleseed - Beautiful rhyming story of the apple pioneer.

The Surprise Family - Chicken raises brood of ducks and faces challenges.

The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes - Bunny mom shows she can do anything.

Clarence Goes Out West and Meets a Purple Horse - Pig goes to dude ranch and rescues an older horse.

The Bee Tree - Adventure on finding a wild bee hive and harvesting honey.

Every Cowgirl needs a Horse - Girl finds a bicycle can be her "horse" and is happy!

Rooster's Revenge - Wordless story with funky characters and cool pictures to make up your own tale.  Dragon eggs involved!

Purplishous - Mean girls tease Pinkalishous but she finds a friend who likes pink.  Pink is a powerful color.

An Egg is Quiet - How eggs look, hide, and hatch into birds, fish, insects or other creatures.  Gorgeous.

Black and White - Four part tale of strange cattle heist/bank robber escape.

The Wonderful House - Funky wonky weird in a good way story about house with animals inside.

The Sleepy Book - How animals get ready for sleep.

The Two Little Gardeners - Detail of how to plant a garden, care for it, and see it grow.

Mister Dog - Boy and dog team up for chow and comfort.

The Friendly Book - ? Just great.

Lost! - Bear gets lost in city. Boy helps him find home.  Boy gets lost.  Bear helps him back.

Iron Horses - Train perils during construction of the transcontinental rail road.

Flat Foot Fox Series
Brambly Hedge Series
Little Rat Series

Elmer - Checkerboard elephant fools herd by painting himself gray.

Luka's Quilt - Girl learns beauty in simplicity.

Conejito - Crazy rabbit story.  Rabbit tricks predators.

Thunder Cake - Grandma teaches granddaughter how to bake during storm to make you feel better.

Max's Chocolate Chicken - Max fools sister Ruby and eats Easter candy.  Silly fun.

When the Moon is Full - Poems about moon cycle.

Twenty-one Elephants - Girl wishes to have elephants go over Brooklyn Bridge to prove it is safe for her family to cross.

Nine for California - Family takes stagecoach ride for 21 days to reach the gold fields of California.

Boomtown - How frontier towns grew during early California history.

Emily and the Golden Acorn - Old oak tree is a sailing vessel.

Steeeeam Boat A-comin' - Mississippi river history in motion.

The Animal Hedge - Father with three sons helps them figure out their future.

Buffalo Music - Frontier woman saves baby buffalo which helps save the species from extinction.

Possum's Harvest Moon - Party at possum's house!!

The Bird's Gift - Birds rescued from early snow and give Easter gift in spring.

Songs of Freedom - Tale of family traveling on the underground rail road.

Rainbowfish and the Sea Monsters Cave - Fish team up to conquer fears and help a friend.

Zella, Zack and Zodiac - Pay it forward story.  Zebra saves ostrich chick.  Ostrich chick pays back the favor.

Kermit the Hermit - Old geezer crab pays back boy who saves his life.

The Pinkish, Purplish, Bluish Egg - Don't fear something just because you have been told tales about it.

Wump World - If we pollute our planet it will be destroyed....

Zen Shorts - Life lessons about "letting it go", "kindness to those less fortunate than you", and "good and bad luck."

Beetle Bop - Simple rhyming about beautiful bugs!

Squirrel and John Muir - Young girl and John Muir in Yosemite talk about natural history, change and mighty glaciers.

The Ant and The Elephant - Classic pay it forward.  Fabulous.

Robert the Rose Horse - Silly story about sneezing horse.

Because a Little Bug Went Kachoo - How little actions can have a ripple effect.

The Three Little Javelinas - Great twist on the Three Little Pigs.

Turtle Bay  - Kids watch for special arrival of turtles on their beach who lay eggs with wise elder.

Sparrow Girl - Story of bird killing in China and how it led to locust outbreaks and famine.  

The Sea, the Storm and the Mangrove Tangle - Life cycle of mangroves in delicate beauty and detail.

Nature's Paintbox - Wonderful descriptions and depiction of seasons with different paint techniques and colors.

Patty's Pumpkin Patch - A, B, C's through the growing season of the pumpkin patch.

Bingo's Big Adventure - Cat explores farm for the first time finding pesky rooster challenging.

Bingo Explores the Farm - Bingo looks for new adventures with cats, horses and a boy.

Stellaluna - Baby bat falls into birds nest and grows up "bird."  Later bat discovers she's a "BAT" and finds her kin but recognizes the friendship the birds provide.