The age of five to six years is the time a child is quite likely to show interest in learning new words, and use language a lot more frequently to communicate with those around. You may also see a desire in the child to learn new words.
If you want to encourage this interest in your child, it is time to buy them books they can read on their own and build language skills. In this post, MomJunction gives you a list of 15 books for five and six-year-olds to help them become more proficient in English.
1. Duck! Rabbit!
The book has an illustration, which looks like a duck from one angle, but resembles a rabbit when seen from another perspective. The story imagines two characters debating whether the picture is a duck or a rabbit. It makes an interesting and funny book to read for five and six-year-old children.
2. Rosie Revere, Engineer
Rosie Revere is a young inventor. She aspires to become an engineer, but seldom showcases her inventions due to fear of rejection and failure. But one day, Rosie finds inspiration from an unlikely source – her great-great-aunt named Rose who tells her that she shouldn’t be afraid of failure. This book is inspiring and motivating at the same time.
3. There’s No Place Like Space
We meet the famous ‘Cat in the Hat’ character who takes the reader on a tour of the solar system – its various planets and the stars. ‘There’s No Place Like Space’ presents the complex solar system in an easy-to-understand language supported by colorful illustrations.
4. What Should Danny Do?
The book teaches children the significance of making the right choices and how wrong choices can have undesired outcomes. The story progresses based on what the child chooses through the course of the story. There are nine separate endings to the tale. The unique presentation style and the power of choice make it one of the best books for five and six-year-old children.
5. The Most Magnificent Thing
In this book, we meet an unnamed girl and her best friend, a dog, and their experiences with making new things. One day, she decides she will make the ‘most magnificent thing.’ So she sketches the ‘thing’ and sets out on getting raw materials for it. But halfway through the process, she gets frustrated and quits. She resumes making her creation, but this time her enthusiasm is special.
6. Waiting Is Not Easy!
It is a story about two best friends, an elephant named Gerald and a pig called Piggie. Piggie has a surprise for Gerald, but the elephant needs to wait for it. The story tells how Gerald receives an exciting surprise as a reward for his patience.
7. May I Please Have a Cookie?
Alfie loves cookies, and his mother is making some. Little Alfie is all excited and pounces on the baking tray the moment the cookies come out of the oven. But Alfie’s mom is not happy. She tells him that there is a better way for asking a cookie than grabbing it. ‘May I Please Have a Cookie?’ uses storytelling to acquaint children with basic etiquette and manners.
8. Knock Knock Who’s There: My First Book Of Knock Knock Jokes
It is a funny book for parents and children to read along. Each page has an animal asking ‘“Who’s there?”, and then another animal answering the question. Letters are written in a large and bold font so that it is easy for a five-year-old to read. The illustrations add to the fun of reading the book.
9. Where the Sidewalk Ends
‘Where the Sidewalk Ends’ is a series of funny poems that showcases different situations. One poem is about where a boy turns into a TV set, another about planting diamond gardens, and another about crocodiles visiting the dentist. The book was first released in 1974 but makes an excellent reading book for five and six-year-old children even today.
10. If I Built a Car
It is a story of a boy named Jack who builds a car and then takes his Dad for a ride in it. Jack’s car is not the average car, but one full of lovely interiors including a fireplace and even a swimming pool inside. The book is creative and entertaining, with a relatable main character.
11. Green Eggs and Ham
The main character is named Sam-I-Am, who persistently asks the reader some silly questions. He asks the reader if they love green eggs and ham? If they would like to have the dish on a boat or in the company of goat? The string of silly questions goes on and on. Written by Dr. Seuss, ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ is an excellent children’s book for self-reading.
12. Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun
Lucy is a young girl who is different from the rest. She loves having toast with ketchup and eats her spaghetti with a hot bun. Lucy’s grandpa says that the world would become boring if we all become alike. ‘Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun’ is a heartwarming tale about loving the differences among us and appreciating them.
13. Uni the Unicorn
Uni is a young one in the world of unicorns. The unicorns believe that little girls are not real. But Uni believes that there is a little girl out there who will become her best friend. The story takes the age-old myth of unicorn and reverses it, encouraging the reader to see the world from an imaginary creature’s perspective.
14. The Invisible Boy
No one ever notices Brian – neither his classmates nor his teachers. He is almost invisible to the rest, but one day, Justin joins his class. Brian helps Justin feel comfortable, and soon they become friends. The friendship makes Brian shine, and he is no longer the invisible boy. The book captures the essence of friendship and encourages kids to come out of their mold.
15. Born in the Wild: Baby Mammals and Their Parents
Each page has an animal illustration with a text that says how young animals live with their mothers and fathers. The book provides information about juvenile animals, but in a language easy enough for the child to understand. If you are looking for a book that entertains and educates, then you should pick this one.
If you want your five or six-year-old kids to read on their own, pick books that they can read and comprehend easily, without your help. Children of this age group may be able to read but are likely to have trouble with pronunciation. So take time to sit with your little one and teach them the right way to pronounce a word. Reading practice with children’s books is a great way to improve the language skills of five and six-year-old children.
What is your child’s favorite book? Do let us know in the comments section below.
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