Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle lives in an upside-down house and smells like cookies. She has the longest hair you’ve ever seen and was once married to a pirate. Children love her because she understands them. Their parents love her because she knows how to cure any childhood ailment, and they flock to her for solutions like the Answer-Backer Cure, the Won’t Pick Up Toys Cure, and the Never-Want-To-Go-To- Bedders Cure. (There are 5 Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books.) Age 7 and up

Billy Bixbee awakes one morning to find a dragon sitting on his bed. It’s a small dragon, about the size of a kitten. When Billy tells his mother what’s happened, she says “there’s no such thing as a dragon,” and the dragon continues to grow bigger and bigger so that someone will take notice of him. Age 4 and up.

This charming book is a modern classic and Caldecott winner. The children at Napville School are always falling asleep during Officer Buckle’s safety talks, until Officer Buckle gets a buddy in the form of a police dog named Gloria. Age 4 and up.

Farmer Brown has a problem. His cows like to type. All day long he hears click, clack, moo. Click, clack, moo. Clickety, clack, moo. But Farmer Brown soon finds himself in a predicament when his cows start typing up demands. This Caldecott Honor book’s ridiculous premise will capture young readers right off the bat, and the typewriter taps and animal noises make this a delightful read aloud.

This simple story of a peddler and the band of mischievous monkeys who steal his caps while he’s napping has been cracking kids up for over sixty years. The book is based on an old folk tale, and has a lyrical quality that makes it a great choice for reading out loud. Many parents fear this tale is too “old-fashioned” for their kids’ tastes, but don’t worry: this one’s destined to become a favorite.

This is such a fun story, no matter your age. Stanley Yelnats is a boy with a history of bad luck–all brought on by his "no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather." Yelnats ends up at Camp Green Lake—a juvenile detention center, where there is no lake--and has to dig a giant hole every day in the hot sun. The boys soon discover there may be more to this hole-digging business than punishment. Age 8 and up.

This is the story of an apple-balancing contest between three rollerskating friends: a lion, a tiger, and a dog. They all compete to see who can get ten apples on their head first. This is a fun rhyming and counting book, in unforgettable Dr. Seuss style: “Seven apples up on top. I am so good they will not drop.” Age 2 and up.

A young girl and her grandmother go to visit the Met, but balloons aren’t allowed inside. The girl’s yellow balloon is tied to the railing outside, but it comes loose--and a hilarious adventure ensues. The outrageous story is told entirely in pictures done by Robin Glasser, who illustrates the Fancy Nancy books. Age 5 and up.