1000 Books

I’d like to read 1,000 different books with my son before his sixth birthday.

I started keeping track December 12, 2009, when he was two years, two months, and five days old. In tracking this list, I won’t count a book twice. Any book counts: picture books, board books, wordless books, audiobooks (the ones for kids), chapter books, adult books I read aloud to him (if I dare try that again). But I’m only counting a book if I read it to him (not my husband) and only if I’ve read him the entire thing or most of it (no skipping pages).

The purpose of this is to introduce my son to both great literature and fun literature. I also want to make reading with him priority, not just a dread before bed (because he wants to read for a long time and I’m always exhausted and ready to move on with my night). Of course, many of the books we read now are repeats. But I think finding new favorites is important too, and I’m looking forward to find them. I’m also going to adopt the reading lists from The ABCs of Literacy (reviewed here) as my own, I’m going to continue seeking out age-appropriate Caldecott winners, and I’m going to browse the library more frequently.

Project Posts on Rebecca Reads

• My introduction to the project
• Project clarification and first 80 books or so
• Kids Corner (1000 Books): Growing Pains
• Kids Corner (1000 Books): Emergent Reader

The List of 1000 Books

Links on this list go to thoughts on Rebecca Reads about the book.

A star * indicates Mommy’s favorite. A plus + indicates Son’s favorite (i.e., he requests it often).  Many of these books he read many times, even thought it wasn’t necessarily a favorite.

If he favorites it later on, I will add a plus to it: this list of his favorites will always be growing as he ages.

1. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss [12/12/2009: age 2 yrs/2 mos/5 days]*
2. Little Red Caboose (Little Golden Book)*+
3. Curious George by H.A. Rey+
4. Dr. Seuss’ ABC
5. The Fire Engine Book (Little Golden Book)+
6. Shapes (Little Scholastic)
7. Alphabet (Little Scholastic)
8. Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Felicia Bond*
9. Madeline in America by Ludwig Bemelmans
10. Going to Bed Book, The by Sandra Boynton *+
11. Let’s Dance, Little Pookie by Sandra Boynton
12. Hippos Go Berserk by Sandra Boynton*+
13. Baby Animals (A Little Golden Book)
14. Big Dog, Little Dog by P.D. Eastman
15. Thomas and the Big Big Bridge (Little Golden Book)*+
16. Snowy Day, The by Ezra Jack Keats*+
17. Hand Hand Fingers Thumb by Al Perkins*+
18. My First Jumbo Book of Things that Go+
19. Love You Forever by Robert Munsch
20. The Snuggliest Snuggle in the World by Sara Nash and Daniel Howarth
21. The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss
22. Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak
23. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss+
24. Horns to Toes and In Between by Sandra Boynton (and again)*+
25. Over the River (Mickey Mouse Club)
26. My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss*
27. What the Baby Hears by Laura Godwin
28. Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton+
29. Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
30. Corduroy by Don Freeman+
31. Mortimer’s Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman [12/25/2009]
32. The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms Taback
33. The Cat in the Hat Comes Back by Dr. Seuss
34. Polar Express, The by Chris Van Allsburg
35. Two Shoes, Blue Shoes, New Shoes by Sally Fitz-Gibbon and Farida Zaman
36. Two Little Trains by Margaret Wise Brown+
37. Peter and the Wolf by Janet Schulman, Sergei Prokofiev, Peter Malone* [audiobook] [1/5/2010]
38. Monster at the End of the Book, The (starring Grover) by Jon Stone (Little Golden Book)+
39. No, David! by David Shannon+
40. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems+ (and again)
41. In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Flemming*
42. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
43. The Belly Button Book by Sandra Boynton
44. Opposites by Sandra Boynton
45. Big Wheels by Anne Rockwell+
46. A Day in the Life of a Firefighter by Heather Andersen
47. Cars and How They Go by Gail Gibbons*
48. Fill It Up! by Gail Gibbons
49. Grover’s Guide to Good Eating (Healthy Monsters)+
50. The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Hughes (illustrated by E.B. Lewis)*
51. Trucks by Byron Baton+
52. Curious George and the Dump Truck (inspired by H.A. Rey)
53. Machines Go to Work by William Low*
54. Caillou: My Birth by Christine L’Heureux+
55. Terrific Trains by Tony Mitton*+
56. Winnie-the-Pooh’s Colors (inspired by art of E.H. Shepherd)
57. Paddington’s Opposites by Michael Bond+
58. Just Like a Baby by Rebecca Bond
59. The Eye Book by Dr. Seuss
60. I Drive a Snowplow by Sarah Bridges+
61. Freight Train by Donald Crews*+
62. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle*+ [audio]
63. And the Train Goes… by William Bee+
64. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak*
65. Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey [1/14/2010]*
66. Color Zoo by Lois Ehlert*+
67. Caillou at the Library by Christine L’Heureux
68. Caillou: My Daddy by Christine L’Heureux+
69. Caillou: Things That Go by Christine L’Heureux+
70. Oh Say Can You Say? by Dr. Seuss
71. Lots of Feelings by Shelley Rotner
72. In My World by Lois Elhert
73. Check it Out: a Book about Libraries by Gail Gibbons
74. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown*+
75. The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper, illustrated by Loren Long*+
76. How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague+
77. Too Big for Diapers (Sesame Street Babies)+
78. Sesame Street’s Baby Love
79. Giggle, Giggle, Quack by Doreen Cronin
80. Trains: Steaming! Pulling! Huffing! by Patricia Hubbell
81. A Red Train: A Colors Book by Bernette Ford and Britta Teckentrup
82. Good Dog, Carl by Alexandra Day+
83. I Love Trucks! by Philemon Sturges+*
84. Curious George’s Opposites
85. Little Boy by Allison McGhee
86. My People by Langston Hughes illustrated by Charles R. Smith Jr.*
87. My Favorite Book of Opposites by Alice Twine
88. Trains by Gail Gibbons
89. Baby Happy, Baby Sad by Leslie Patricelli
90. Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann*+
91. Garbage Trucks by Marlene Brill
92. The Seals on the Bus by Lenny Holt+
93. Hands Can by Cheryl Hudson
94. School Bus Drivers by Dee Ready
95. School Bus Drivers by Melanie Mitchell
96. Yummy Yucky by Leslie Patricelli
97. No No Yes Yes by Leslie Patricelli
98. How Do Dinosaurs Learn Their Colors? by Jane Yolen
99. Pacifiers are Not Forever by Elizabeth Verdick [1/25/2010]
100. Cars by Patricia Hubbel
101. Trucks by Patricia Hubbel
102. Good Night, Little Bear by Patricia Scary*
103. Corduroy’s Party by Don Freeman
104. Corduroy’s Day by Don Freeman
105. Our Children Can Soar by Michelle Cook*
106. Spot Sleeps Over by Eric Hill
107. Oh, the Thinks You Can Think by Dr. Seuss
108. Five Little Ducks by Ivan Bates*
109. Caillou: Just Like Daddy
110. Let’s Eat (Cookie Monster’s Book) by Constance Allen+
111. Trains by Byron Barton*+
112. Our Library by Eve Bunting
113. Adam, Adam, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
114. The Body Book by Shelley Rotner*+
115. Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss
116. Carl’s Afternoon at the Park by Alexandra Day
117. School Bus by Donald Crews+
118. For Every Child a Better World by Louis Gikow
119. Time to Pee! by Mo Willems*+
120. City Signs by Zoran Milich
121. Llama, Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney*
122. Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
123. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson+
124. Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi
125. My Big Boy Potty by Joanna Cole+
126. Corduroy’s Snow Day
127. I’m a Little Tea Pot by Annie Kubler
128. Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae*
129. I Drive a Dump Truck by Sarah Bridges+
130. Buses by Gary Ambroso
131. Duck in a Truck by Jez Alborough*+
132. Click Clack Quackity Quack by Doreen Cronin
133. Chugga Chugga Choo Choo by Kevein Lewis+
134. Planes at the Airport by Peter Mandel
135. Caillou’s Potty Time by Joceline Sanschagirin
136. The Train to Timbuctoo by Margaret Wise Brown
137. Yo! Yes? by Christopher Raschka
138. Rain Makes Applesauce by Julian Scheer
139. Thomas the Really Useful Engine+
140. Fix-it Duck by Jez Alborough*+
141. Pirates! by Vivianne Garofoli
142. Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel*
143. Frog and Toad All Year by Arnold Lobel*
144. Pooh’s I Can Share Too! Book
145. The Stray Dog by Marc Siont
146. Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel*
147. How Do Dinosaurs Play with Their Friends by Jane Yolen
148. The Pigeon Loves Things That Go by Mo Willems+
149. The Pigeon Has Feelings Too by Mo Willems+
150. Machines at Work by Byron Barton*+
151. A Potty for Me by Karen Katz
152. Sputter Sputter Sput by Babs Bell*+
153. Splash, Joshua, Splash by Malacky Doyle
154. The Snow Day by Komako Sakai+
155. Go, Dog, Go! by PD Eastman*+
156. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
157. Little Gorilla by Ruth Bornstein*+
158. Oh, David by David Shannon+
159. David Smells by David Shannon+
160. Brushing My Teeth by Elizabeth Vogel
161. Curious George and the Puppies by H.A. Rey
162. Thomas and Friends: The Special Delivery
163. Climbing Orangutans by Shannon Knudsen
164. Trucks Go by Steve Light+
165. Tugga Tugga Tugboat by Keven Lewis+
166. Thomas and Friends’ Magic Railroad: Little Engines Can Do Big Things
167. Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney*
168. Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney*
169. Animals/Animales by Eric Carle
170. Waddle! by Rufus Butler Seder*+
171. A Reel Fishy Story (Winnie-the-Pooh)
172. Winnie-the-Pooh Tells Time
173. The Bernstain’s B Book by Stan Bernstain
174. Old Hat, New Hat by Stan Bernstain+
175. Caillou and Gilbert
176. Caillou, Good Night!
177. Fire Truck by Peter Sis*+
178. Hug by Jez Alborough*+
179. No More Diapers for Ducky by Bernadette Ford*+
180. Getting a Haircut by Melinda Radabaugh
181. The Colt and the King by Marni McGee
182. Paddington Bear by Michale Bond (abridged and illustrated)
183. In the City by Sheryl McFarlane
184. Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants by J.D. Lester
185. Trucks Trucks Trucks by Peter Sis*+
186. Spot’s Baby Sister by Eric Hill
187. The Daddy Book by Todd Parr
188. Fire Engine Man by Andrea Zimmerman*+
189. Eyes, Nose, Fingers, Toes by Judy Hindley
190. Can You Choo Choo? By David Woytowycz+
191. Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion*
192. The Pigeon Wants a Puppy by Mo Willems
193. Thank You Bear by Greg Foley*+
194. Choo Choo by Virigina Lee Burton
195. If You’re Happy and You Know it by Jane Cabrera*
196. Old Mother Hubbard by Jane Cabrera
197. The Wheels on the Race Car by Alex Zane
198. Good Luck Bear by Greg Foley*+
199. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.*+
200. David Gets in Trouble by David Shannon+
201. David Goes to School by David Shannon+
202. Siesta by Ginger Guy*
203. Tell the Time with Thomas*+
204. I Drive a Freight Train by Sarah Bridges+
205. Tip Tip Dig Dig by Emma Garcia+
206. A Day with a Mail Carrier by Jan Kottke
207. Snow Day by Margaret McNamara
208. Simms Tabacks’ City Animals+
209. Simms Tabacks’ Safari Animals+
210. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback
211. A Visit to the Airport by Patricia Murphy
212. Winnie-the-Pooh’s Opposites
213. Dig Dig Digging by Margaret Mayo+
214. Diapers are Not Forever by Eliabeth Verdick
215. Curious George and the Bunny by H.A. Rey
216. Trains (Mighty Machines) by Mary Linden
217. Fire Trucks (Mighty Machines) by Mary Linden
218. Trucks (Mighty Machines) by Mary Linden
219. School Buses (Mighty Machines) by Kay Manoly
220. Minne and Moo Go Dancing by Denys Cazet
221. Don’t Worry Bear by Greg Foley*+
222. Pigs Make Me Sneeze by Mo Willems
223. Super Duck by Jez Alborough*+
224. Duck’s Key Where Can It Be by Jez Allborough*+
225. 1 Teddy Bear: A Counting Book by Cristiano Sorrentino
226. A Crack in the Track (A Thomas and Friend’s Book)
227. Thomas’ Wonderful Word Book+ [04/12/2010]
228. Love is a Handful of Honey by Giles Andraea
229. No More Pacified for Piggy by Bernadette Ford
230. Mr Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss+*
231. My Body/Mi Cuerpo by Gladys Rosa-Mendoza
232. Count with Maisy by Lucy Cousins
233. Dinosaur vs Bedtime by Bob Shea
234. Where’s My Teddy? by Jez Alborough+
235. I Love You, Little Monkey by Alan Durant+
236. Nonsense! by Edward Lear (illustrated by Valerie Fisher)
237. Seymour Simon’s Book of Trains
238. Mommy Hugs by Karen Katz
239. Liam Says “Hi!” by Jane Whelan Banks*+
240. Loveable Liam by Jane Whelan Banks*+
241. Liam Goes Pooh in the Toilet by Jane Whelan Banks*+
242. Going Potty (Bear in the Big Blue House)+
243. Reading Makes You Feel Good by Todd Parr
244. Carl Goes Shopping by Alexandra Day+
245. Carl’s Christmas by Alexandra Day
246. Watch Out, Big Bro’s Coming by Jez Alborough
247. Wynken, Blynken, and Nod by Eugene Filed (illustrated by Giselle Porter)*
248. Maisy’s Rainbow Dream by Lucy Cousins
249. Opposnakes by Salina Yoon*+
250. You and Me, We’re Opposites by Harriet Ziefert
251. Black? White! Day? Night! by Laura Vaccaro Seeger*+
252. Super Babies on the Move by Salina Yoon
253. Wet/Dry by Sharon Gordon
254. Harry McClairy from Donaldson’s Dairy by Lynley Dodd
255. The Gruffalo’s Child by Julia Donaldson*
256. Dinosaur Train by John Gurney*
257. The Piggy in the Puddle by Charlotte Pomeratz
258. We All Go Traveling By by Sheena Roberts [4/28/2010]
259. Trains by Hal Rogers
260. New Road! by Gail Gibbons
261. Gossie and Friends: A First Flap Book by Oliveier Durea*+
262. Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
263. Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss*+
264. It’s Checkup Time Elmo by Sarah Albee
265. Olivia’s Opposites by Ian Falconer
266. Gossie by Olivier Dunrea*+
267. One Moose, Twenty Mice by Clare Beaton
268. Liam Wins the Game, Sometimes by Jane W. Banks
269. Liams Says Sorry by Jane W. Banks
270. Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox*+
271. Count! by Denise Fleming
272. Mother Goose Numbers on the Loose by Leo Dillon
273. Exactly the Opposite by Tana Hoban
274. The Baker’s Dozen by Dan Andreasen*
275. Vroom Chugga Vroom Vroom by Anne Mirana
276. Ten in the Bed by Jane Cabrera
277. 1-2-3 a Child’s First Counting Book by Alizon Jay
278. Spots Big Book of Colors, Shapes and Numbers by Eric Hill
279. The Red Shoes by Eleri Glass
280. Hello! Good-Bye by Aliki
281. Goodnight Moon 1-2-3 by Margaret Wise Brown
282. Captain Duck by Jez Alborough
283. Alphabet Rescue by Audrey Wood
284. Digger Man by Andrea Zimmerman
285. It’s the Bear! by Jez Alborough
286. My Friend Bear by Jez Alborough*
287. Some Dogs Do by Jez Alborough*
288. Higher Higher! by Lezlie Patricelli*
289. Tall by Jez Alborough* [5/13/2010]