The world of your 4-year-old is full of imagination and creativity. They are developing at an astounding rate as they explore the world around them. You can take advantage of their improved attention span and dive into important topics with diverse and exciting books.
Books are an Adventure Waiting to Happen
They can be fun and playful while encouraging creative thinking and thoughtful questions. There is nothing wrong with reading a light-hearted story. But your 4-year-old is at a stage where curiosity and independence are at an all-time high.
Make the most of this by adding books to your reading list that encourage big-picture thinking. Choose diverse authors and stories that teach empathy, respect, and kindness. Reading opens up a whole new world of adventure, so we have put together a list of 15 good books for 4-year-olds.
15 of the Best Books for Your 4-Year-Old
1. The Gruffalo
by Julia Donaldson
Genre: Children’s fiction – fantasy
Buy the Book: Amazon | Bookshop
When talking about children’s books, no list would be complete without The Gruffalo. This classic picture book has captured the imagination of adults and kids alike with its quick-witted mouse and his not-so-imaginary monster.
Young readers will be captivated by the lilting rhymes and the animals that live in the deep dark wood. Stories like this one encourage creative thinking and imagination in children. It also has a powerful message that size and strength aren’t everything.
2. The Foggy, Foggy Forest
by Nick Sharratt
Genre: Children’s Fiction – fantasy picture puzzle
Buy the Book: Amazon
This is a book filled with mystery and guesswork that is sure to intrigue your child. Sharratt wrote this story on vellum pages, creating a foggy look and making the silhouette images more intriguing.
Each page contains fairytale characters in silhouettes, which are revealed in color on the next page. Your child will love guessing the characters and the quirky embellishments are sure to make them laugh.
3. It Fell From the Sky
by Nick Sharratt
Genre: Children’s literature
Buy the Book: Amazon | Bookshop
This book is a great one to read when teaching young kids about community and generosity. When a strange object falls from the sky, a greedy spider creates “WonderVille”. he quickly learns the importance of friends and that selfishness has consequences.
The beautiful illustrations provide a life-like yet whimsical glimpse into the interaction between us and the natural world. They will draw your child into an imaginative space where they will learn that sharing really is caring.
4. Wise Before Five
by Ekaterina Trukhan
Genre: Children’s Non-fiction Literature
Buy the Book: Amazon
This should definitely be on your list of books to read. It is full of educational material that children should know before they become 5-year-olds. It is bursting with early years concepts such as the alphabet, shapes, and numbers. It also dives into feelings, routines, and mindfulness.
Not only does this book offer educational facts, but also life skills and common sense. It will give your 4-year-old confidence as they realize how much they actually know. This book is ideal for your preschool child and is sure to be a firm favorite.
5. Small in the City
by Sydney Smith
Genre: Children’s fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | Bookshop
Kids love to read stories about other children, so this is a fantastic story for young readers. It is about a kid alone in the city, and we get to see the world through their eyes. The child offers a unique perspective on facing challenges and tips for safely exploring the city.
It is a story about family and finding your back to your safe place. The child in the story is looking for a lost pet. Your 4-year-old will enjoy seeing another child taking actionable steps to make a difference. This book is about facing your fears and empowerment.
6. If You Come to Earth
by Sophie Blackall
Genre: Children’s fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | Bookshop
Books for 4-year-olds should encourage them to ask big questions about the world, and this book will certainly do that. A child writes a letter to any aliens thinking of visiting earth. In it, she shares a message of inclusivity, diversity, and celebrating our differences.
The story emphasizes the importance of taking care of the earth and each other. It also encourages your child to ask big questions about their world. The book is beautifully illustrated with representation in mind. It is a heart-warming and funny book that the whole family will enjoy.
7. You Matter
by Christian Robinson
Genre: Children’s fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | Bookshop
Children’s books are a powerful way to share important messages, and this book packs a punch. It is filled with positive messages of self-worth and sparks conversations about how everyone is connected.
It uses simple language to explain how important everything is, big and small. It encourages expressing and validating feelings, which is essential for preschoolers. The underlying message is that you are important just as you are, and it is a powerful one.
8. Wonder Walkers
by Micha Archer
Genre: Children’s fiction – nature
Buy the Book: Amazon | Bookshop
We are heading into a future that requires us to think creatively about how we interact with the environment. Maybe if we had a book like this growing up, we would feel differently about our planet.
This story showcases the incredibly creative way kids look at the world. The insightful questions like, “ Is the sun the world’s lightbulb?” and “Is the wind the world breathing?” will get your 4-year-old thinking differently about nature and our connection to it. The rich illustrations will draw them into a world of wonder while introducing them to new vocabulary.
9. Happy: A Children’s Book of Mindfulness
by Nicola Edwards
Genre: Children’s non-fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon
Through simple rhymes and rich imagery, this story promotes connection with each other, the world around us, and our feelings. It is a story that validates your child’s feelings and offers them actionable mindfulness through questions and suggestions.
It helps children use their senses to be more aware of situations they find themselves in and it even offers relaxation strategies that are ideal before bedtime.
10. The Path
by Bob Staake
Genre: Children’s fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | Bookshop
As your 4-year-old explores who they are, this beautifully written story will explain the importance of forging your own path and facing challenges. The dramatic illustrations and lyrical prose weave a tale encouraging conversations.
The neutral character changes color with every page. This makes them relatable and emphasizes the point that we all have a unique offering to make. The idea that life looks different for everyone is important. Your independent 4-year-old will enjoy the notion of being in control of their life.
11. The Fort
by Laura Perdew
Genre: Children’s fiction – picture book
Buy the Book: Amazon
What 4-year-old doesn’t love the idea of a fort in the forest?
This story is about two children who unknowingly share the same fort. Chaos ensues when they discover that they have very different ideas for the fort. The illustrations beautifully capture the fort as each child sees it and your 4-year-old’s imagination will run wild with ideas.
The magic of the story is watching the children discover that they can work together to create something new that is even more exciting.
12. I am Perfectly Designed
by Karamo Brown
Genre: Children’s fiction – family
Buy the Book: Amazon | Bookshop
Family is important, and this story celebrates the parent-child bond. Told through a conversation between a father and son, it is a collection of special memories as they learn and grow together.
This book explores feelings and the importance of validation from those we love. It is an important theme with punchy images that your 4-year-old is sure to love.
13. Tale of Peter Rabbit
by Beatrix Potter
Genre: Children’s fiction – fantasy
Buy the Book: Amazon | Bookshop
The Beatrix Potter series is iconic, and the tales of her woodland friends are essential childhood reading.
The classic Tale of Peter Rabbit is a delight for young kids as it is filled with excitement and tension. It is a heartwarming and wholesome story that teaches the valuable lesson of consequences.
The beautiful watercolor illustrations and whimsical and transport you to another world. Over 100 years later, this story is still one of the favorite books for 4-year-olds.
14. Animalphabet
by Julia Donaldson
Genre: Children’s non-fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon
Your 4-year-old will be familiar with letters, and this book is a fun way to develop that knowledge. It is an A-Z guessing game filled with animals, beautiful illustrations, and flip-up pages. The clever cut-out designs are engaging for young kids and will encourage them to guess which animal is next.
This book will have your child comparing animals and learning new comparison words and adjectives.
15. Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book
by Dr. Seuss
Genre: Children’s fiction – fantasy
Buy the Book: Amazon | Bookshop
If you are looking for a funny and engaging story that will actually get your 4-year-old ready for bed, then the Sleep Book is a classic.
The story starts with a bug and a yawn that spreads sleepy feelings across the town. The rhyming cadence and stories of creatures getting ready for bed will have your child nodding off in no time. Parents might even find themselves dozing off!
Reading Books for 4-Year-Olds
A love of reading is one of the most valuable gifts you can give your kids. The world is full of amazing stories, some new and others old, but they all have important lessons.
Reading offers your child the chance to explore new worlds and ideas. So why not join them on the adventure as they let their imaginations run wild?