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Are you looking for favorite picture books that even you as a mom will keep on loving to read to your kids? I have a few books that each time my boys ask me to read it, I groan inwardly. Ha Ha! Lets just say they are not my favorite picture books! Before I started homeschooling, I thought all books were created equal, and a book was a book. I thought that as long as my kids were reading, it didn’t matter what they were reading. 

I have since learned that I was so wrong and not all books are created equal. There are treasures of books out there waiting to be added to your home library. You don’t have to take your kids to a museum to become cultured in art. All you have to do is find books with these beautiful illustrations.

My suggestion to you is to be really picky about what books you allow in your home. Pick books that are good and beautiful and carry a message that you want emulated in your own home. I recently went through all of my kid’s picture books and realized that I didn’t love most of them. They weren’t full of beautiful pictures, or taught a value in the story. I wanted to change that.

I have since started out on a quest for beautiful, creative, uplifting, educational and fun books to add to my favorite picture books library. In conversations with other moms, I try to find out their favorite books that they love to read to their kids. Reading time should be an enjoyable time for both you and your kids! Fill their minds at a young age with great books and it will become a part of them! 

37 Favorite Picture Books That NEVER get Old

Click on the picture to take you to where you can buy them, or check out other reviews on these books. This post does contain affiliate links at not extra charge for you! 

#1 – Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman

Super cute and heartwarming of a bird on the search for his mother. 

#2 – The Blind Man and the Elephant by Karen Backstein

I love this story and the conversations you can have with kids of all ages! A great story of blind men and their first encounter with an elephant. 

#3 – Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson

A highly beloved book by many moms! This book inspires creativity in a child and fun to see their minds start turning! My son copied this book into his own book he made. My boys love this book. 

#4 – Charlie Needs a Cloak by Tomie dePaola

Learn the process of shearing sheep within the covers of this great book. Keeps the attention of small kids too! 

#5 – Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You by Nancy Tillman

It’s hard not to smile and feel love while reading this book. 

#6 – The Giant Jumperee by Julia Donaldson

Great book of friends trying to help Rabbit! Heartwarming and great pictures. I don’t own this one but have had lots of other moms talk about how much they love this book. 

#7 – Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

Such a cute book of eye spy. I love the illustrations and the various fairy tales included in this book. 

#8 – Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books by Kay Winters

This is one of those books that is inspiring, uplifting while teaching a child about a great man in history! Love it!

#9 – Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin

I’ve had many moms suggest this book so I finally got it! If your kids love dragons and tacos this is a great book! I enjoy reading this book to my boys. 

#10 – It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw

I love this book so simply inspires creativity and imagination! Fun book where the shape changes on each page leaving you and your child guessing and wondering! 

#11 – Leah’s Pony by Elizabeth Friedrich

When I heard about this story I knew I had to get it because my husbands grandma grew up in the middle of the dust bowls in Kansas. Such a fabulous and interesting book that shares a story of a girl and her pony during the great dust storms. Such a powerful story to share with your kids. It left me in tears.  

#12 – Hush! A Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho

Such a sweet nighttime book with beautiful illustrations! 

#13 – Oh, The Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss

I love reading this book to my boys! It’s that kind of book that you hope will sink in their minds forever after you read it to them over and over! I always love to replace their name with the name on the last page!

#14 – Mr. Gumpy’s Outing by John Burningham

Mr. Gumpy and his afternoon outing in his boat is a fun book that introduces all different kinds of animals. So fun. 

#15 – Paul Galdone fables and fairy tales

This is one book that contains 6 of these priceless treasures! The pictures are fantastic and the story isn’t so long that you are reading forever. All common fair tales, your kids will love these stories. You can also buy them each individually. 

#16 – A Year Around the Great Oak by Gerder Muller

#17 – The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen

Funny and full of beautiful art! 

#19 – How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman

This book makes me smile! Takes you on a fun adventure gathering all the ingredients you need around the world for your apple pie! 

#20- Wings and Feet by Lisa Reinicke

Beautiful book of a boy and a butterfly playing together outside! I love the lesson it teaches! Lisa Reinicke also ask other books that are wonderful as well. This one is my favorite. 

#21 – How High is the Sky? by Anna Milbourne and Serena Riglietti

This was one of the first books we ever received and has been through all of my boys. It still continues to be a favorite among all of us! 

#22 – And to Think I Saw it on Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss

I love the work of a little imaginative little boy in this book! The ending is my favorite and makes me giggle. 

#23 – Pickles, Please? A Dilly of a Book! by Andy Myer

My boys love, love, love this book! It may be because they love pickles, but I never get tired of reading this book. It is a fun story! 

#24 – The Wonderful Things You’ll Be by Emily Winfield Martin 

I just love this book and the positive message that it instills in your child’s heart! 

#25 – Diary of a Wombat by Bruce Whatley

My boys love this book and giggle all the way through it. You learn about wombats too! 

#26 – Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles

A great book that teaches you to love yourself exactly the way you are! 

#27 – Waiting is not Easy! by Mo Willems

I have heard from many mamas about these books and they and their kids LOVE them! There are a whole bunch of them by Mo Willems and all of them have fantastic reviews. This is one that is on my list next to get. 

#28 – The Crayon Box that Talked by Shane DeRolf

Cute story with a message behind it! I love books with a hidden message to teach and discuss with your children! 

#29 – The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson

Super fun book full of imagination! I hope this book teaches my boys that there is no limit to your imagination! 

#30 – Whoever You Are by Maya Ajmera & John D. Ivanko

A great book of diversity regarding children all over the world! Pictures of children from all over the world! 

#31 – The Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller

This is such a fun book and helps expose kids to the states in the United States. 

#32 – Biblioburro: A True Story from Colombia

Such a great book with another great message! I love that it is a true story too. Your children emulate your actions and the actions of others, whether it’s from other people or movies and books. This book will help teach your children how precious books really are. 

#33 – The Foolish Tortoise by Richard Buckley & Eric Carle

Another fun book with a great teaching moment built in. Something that you may think that slows you down may turn out to be the very thing that makes you strong and unique!!  

#34 – You are Special by Max Lucado

This book has all the feel good vibes a book can have! We have had great conversations with our boys that have stemmed from this book. 

#35 – Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

The imagination of this little boy is fantastic and entertaining. It’s a fast read and a favorite among my boys. 

#36 – Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault

I don’t care how old you are, this book is cute and entertaining. The other day I read this to my 4 year old and before I knew it all of my boys were gathered around looking and listening. I love turning this book into a song which results in my boys laughing and thinking I’m crazy! 

#37 – The Monster at the End of the Book by Jon Stone

This book is funny and entertaining! My boys love the ending! 

I hope I have given you some ideas on some favorite picture books to add to your library! Again, I believe you should be picky and only choose the best books. I have bought some books before and have gotten rid of it right after we read it. There is just so much goodness out there to be found! Only allow good and beautiful books into your home and their influence will be so rewarding in the long run. 

Here is a post you may like of Why I Stopped Reading to My Kids at Night during a period of my life. 

Do you have favorite picture books that you love that you think should make the list? I would love to check it out!