Top 40 Books Every Child Should Read Before Age 4 Revealed

THERE ARE MILLIONS of great stories out there, so it can be hard to narrow it down to just a few. But by filling in a few details, this clever ‘book-u-lator’ does the hard work for you.

It’s time to reveal the top 40 books every child should read before the age of four, including The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr and the Michael Rosen classic We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.

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Busy Bees developed the tool to support parents in the launch of their new curriculum Bee Curious. This curriculum is scientifically designed to inspire a lifelong love of learning through play and storytelling.

A survey of 2,000 parents of preschool-aged children found that The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell and Elmer by David McKee are also among the stories children should read before starting school.

Gill Jones MBE, Group Chief Quality Officer at Busy Bees, said: “Storytelling is crucial to children’s development. It helps them learn about the world around them and develop important communication skills.

“Our expertly developed curriculum is based on the latest scientific research, with the learning of stories and vocabulary being a key element, as well as other increasingly important subjects such as mathematics, to prepare young minds for school and give them the best possible start.

“We hope the tool will provide those looking for inspiration with ideas for different books to read with their little ones, in addition to the classics.”

For many parents, reading is clearly a regular part of their daily routine. Six out of ten parents read to their child at least once a day. The most popular time to tell stories is before bedtime (46 percent).

Four in ten (39 percent) parents usually read both during the day and before bed.

Parents spend an average of 21 minutes per day reading to their child. Almost all parents indicate that they enjoy this (97 percent).

As many as 98 percent believe that reading is important before children start school, to support their development.

More than half (52 percent) said that reading to their child from an early age helps expand their vocabulary.

Another three in ten believe it improves concentration and 25 percent say it helps build a strong bond between parents and child.

Repetition is important for language development and almost three quarters (72 percent) say their son or daughter has a favorite book that he or she wants to read over and over.

While 27 percent see the humor in this strong preference, nearly half (49 percent) admit to missing words or even skipping pages to speed up the bedtime ritual.

The OnePoll.com survey also found that 58 percent of parents have a list of books they want their little one to enjoy, but 36 percent let their child choose which story to read.

However, 35 percent admitted that they lack inspiration when it comes to choosing new books for their child. Parents’ book choices are strongly influenced by the books they read when they were young (62 percent).

While 45 percent go to the local library to find something new, almost a third (31 percent) rely on their child’s nursery or childminder for advice.

Gill Jones MBE, on behalf of the childcare organisation which is looking for the country’s best storyteller to win £1,000 and a donation of the top 40 books to a local library of their choice, added: “The findings from this research show how important storytelling is throughout children’s early years and beyond, with parents understanding the vital role it plays in early development.

“The new curriculum combines 40 years of experience, global best practices and the latest scientific research in areas that lead to better life outcomes, so children get a head start in school.

“All our nursery teachers are professionally trained to support the individual development of children, so that they can provide quality and playful education.”