Growing a Reader: Kids' Books, Tips and More

Discover our top picks for the best Canadian picture books designed to build reading readiness in kids under five. Share them with your child and create a love of reading that lasts a lifetime.

Bright Lights and Summer Nights by Shauntay Grant and Zach Manbeck

Children and animals come together at a magical late night carnival.

Go, Sloth, Go! by Gabrielle Prendergast and Sophie Benmouyal

In this cute rhyming picture book, a sloth tumbles from a tree onto a road and hurts its toe. A truck driver steps in to bring the sloth to a wildlife vet, and soon enough the sloth is returning to its wilderness home.

I Need Pants by Susan Sweet and Cailin Doherty

Fish has a wish for pants, but Octopus points out that fish don’t wear pants because they don’t have legs! So begins this imaginative and goofy tale of friendship and being true to yourself.

Ins and Outs by Elizabeth Withey and Salini Perera

This playful picture book, consisting of only the words “In” and “Out,” starts with simple examples, such as a cat moving from inside to outside, and moves on to more creative interpretations, including a child’s bare hand on a winter day (“out”) being enveloped in their caregiver’s mitt (“in”).

The Last Last by Wendy J. Whittingham and Brianna McCarthy

A young girl emigrating from Jamaica to Canada savors her cherished ‘last’ moments at home and discovers her first new memory, showing how new beginnings can coexist with the memories of one’s first home.

Lights at Night by Tasha Hilderman and Maggie Zeng

In this bedtime picture book, two special families embark on an illuminating journey through the seasons as they explore all the different lights we see at night.

The Monarch by Kirsten Hall and Isabelle Arsenault

With sweetly fluttering verse and lush, gorgeous illustrations, this brightly beautiful picture book celebrates the wonders of monarch butterflies—a treasured species in need of care and preservation!

Nevin Knows by Mireille Messier and Elena Comte

Nevin enjoys a spring day at the park with his grandpa, confidently leading the way—from choosing the right running shoes to picking the flowers for Nana—proving that even though he is little, he knows exactly what he is doing.

pêyak little duck by Sandra Lamouche and Mando Littlechild

In a celebration of the connection between language learning and the land, a young child enjoys a walk in nature to spot different birds while practicing counting from one to ten in Plains Cree.

Sand Cakes by Kallie George and Devon Holzwarth

A fun day at the beach leads to all kinds of “delicious” baked creations—cakes, pies, buns, rolls, tarts and cream puffs—but nobody wants to eat our intrepid little “baker’s” sandy sweets!