In the United States today, one in four children grow up without learning how to read. 

Since reading has been proven to stimulate the brain and allow them to progress and excel in life, it’s a disappointing statistic. If you’re a parent, you likely want your child to immerse themselves in books, since it will better them in life.

Some children take naturally to reading; others struggle. 

Whether your child loves to read or doesn’t find books too appealing at the moment, these classics will be sure to engage them!

Read on for some of the most popular children’s books available. 

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

If your child is still too small to truly comprehend reading, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is one of those classic children’s books that utilizes pictures only! 

It has a few simple themes to help your child, such as the days of the week and counting, and helps them get to know some basic information through beautiful illustrations of — you guessed it — a very hungry caterpillar. 

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Another children’s picture book for those who are still very young is The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats.

This book follows Peter who sees his very first snowfall and gets to explore. It’s a heart-warming, simple story that’s sure to entertain your child. 

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White is one of those books for 5 year olds that almost everyone has heard of. If your child is getting a little older now, it may be time to introduce them to classics such as this!

It follows the friendship of Wilbur the pig and Charlotte the spider, and also had a film version released in 2006 with some very famous names. 

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the first in the series of The Chronicles of Narnia — a classic fantasy that makes every children’s book list, and for good reason!

Narnia is a world that lives behind a wardrobe, discovered by four children who become immersed in it. It’s a little more grown up than picture books but if your child is beginning to mature and you want to read them something with depth, this is a great choice. Just be wary of themes of war and slight violence that might scare a slightly younger child. 

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl has a number of awesome children’s books, but Matilda stands above the rest. Matilda is a girl who’s mistreated by her family but has extraordinary powers and intelligence, which allows her to rise high on her own and carve out a great life for herself. 

A truly empowering story for any little girl! It also has a film adaptation you can watch together after reading it. 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

Perhaps the most famous children’s book of all time is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The story follows a young boy named Harry who discovers he’s a wizard and is whisked away to a magical school named Hogwarts.

The series does eventually get dark, so it might be an idea to space these out, depending on the age of your child. The first book, however, is mostly suitable for young readers, as the series very much grows with the person reading it. 

 Although this was published quite a while ago now, this is a children’s fantasy series sure to stay relevant for a long time to come. Apart from that there are different board games you and your little ones can enjoy after going through the books.

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss has a number of weird and wonderful classic children’s books, but Green Eggs and Ham is one of the most popular. The book is another one geared at very young readers with a very repetitive story, but it’s still very charming and young children are sure to enjoy the rhymes. 

Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne 

Who hasn’t heard of Winnie-the-Pooh?

A classic character born from children’s books, Winnie-the-Pooh is a yellow bear who loves honey and surrounds himself with some amazing friends of various species. These woodland adventures are charming for young children, and have some valuable lessons and themes buried within the text that are relevant to all ages. 

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

The Tale of Peter Rabbit is another young children’s book about a rabbit who is chased around a garden until he makes it home. It’s another simple story to charm young children, and has amassed popularity with an author who both wrote the book and drew the amazing illustrations! 

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

With a main character named by the author’s daughter, Pippi Longstocking is an empowering story about a little girl with some extraordinary strength. If you’re looking for more books to make young girls feel great, aside from Matilda, this is another good call!

Pippi also loves to make fun of unreasonable adults, which should give your child a good chuckle! Just don’t take the content too personally as their parent… 

These are Just Some of the Most Popular Children’s Books!

There are many popular children’s books that can add to your child’s life, whether it’s to make them laugh or teach them something. Do your research and look into a book to check you approve of the content before reading a book to your child or handing one over to them — however, as long as you’re aware of what’s age-appropriate, you can’t really go wrong with these amazing classics!

For more interesting lists and tips, check out the rest of our site!