This is my fourth year of putting together a list of books that Lily loved over the last year (and her older brother Jackson loved when he was four). Many four year olds really start to have longer and longer attention spans for books, and it makes finding read aloud books easier in many ways. But unlike when they were 2, at age 4 they probably won’t request the same book to be read three times a day for three weeks straight. So while you might need more books around at one time, they do enjoy repeated readings of a book even if they don’t ask. Just like all the previous lists, these books are books that my kids really started to enjoy at age 4 but really kids ages 4 to 8 will enjoy. And four year olds will still love all the books from my list for 2 Year Olds and 3 Year Olds. (Here’s a simplified page of book lists for all years.) And if you haven’t been reading a lot to your four year old, I’d strongly recommend starting with the three year old list. Happy Reading!
The Three Billy Goats Gruff Retold by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen. Lily has always loved any version of The Three Billy Goats Gruff, giggling when the troll threatened to eat up the goats, so she was instantly drawn for Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen (the same duo as the wonderful Sam and Dave Dig a Hole). It was very funny, had wonderful writing, a super gross troll, and the same surprise illustrations of scale and size that make Sam and Dave so delightful. I went on to read this to her 4K class all the way through 5th grade at library time. It was a big hit. I do think it’s a little bit funnier if you have read a classic version before (Paul Galdone‘s is a good one). 
“Wait for me!” Said Maggie McGee by Jean Van Leeuwen illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers. Maggie is the youngest of the big McGee family and is too little to do nearly everything she wants. Maggie slowly grows big enough to join her siblings at school and saves the day in her own way. I think this especially would appeal to preschool and kindergarten age kids who have older siblings. 
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henke (Also Chester’s Way & Lilly’s Plastic Purse) Kevin Henke is a master of book for kids that are funny and quirky, capturing the social complexity of children’s worlds and at the same time allowing things to turn out right in the end. Chrysanthemum loves her name until she goes to school and everyone has very short names and teases her. 
Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban and Lillian Hoban. This is the classic take of Frances the badger who does not want to try any new foods, and only wants to eat bread and jam. After a little initial exasperation on her mother’s part, Frances’ mother decides to only serve Frances bread and jam for a while. Charming, honest, and very relatable, this is my favorite Frances book, with its rich language, beautiful illustrations, and perfect storyline. 
Brambly Hedge Collection by Jill Barklem. This collection of four seasonal stories has the most beautiful little illustrations. If you love Beatrix Potter’s world, come see Jill Barklem’s intricate 1970s masterpieces. The stories are darling as well, filled with woodland mouse magic. They are slow moving, but totally charming. It’s probably more suited to one on one or small group reading where kids can really study the pictures. 
The House on East 88th Street by Bernard Waber. This is the book that introduced Lyle (Lyle) the Crocodile to the world. Bernard Waber is such a master in this book, weaving whimsical illustrations, a fun story line, and a kind crocodile. Lyle joins monkey Curious George, pig Mercy Watson, and big red dog Clifford in the pantheon of non-verbal, comedic, accident prone, but good hearted, unusual pets. This book is a little bit long, but usually holds the attention of kids four and up really well. 
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig (also Doctor DeSoto, The Amazing Bone, Pete’s a Pizza & Brave Irene). Sylvester the donkey has found a magic pebble, but an unfortunate, impetuous wish when he sees a lion turns him into a rock. Can Sylvester’s parents find and help him? William Steig creates such a unique world with real dangers that kids can understand, and also resolutions and endings that are just perfect. 
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers. Silly and fun, Duncan receives letters from each of the crayons in his crayon box about how they feel about their various coloring assignments. So much fun! I honestly don’t know anyone who doesn’t love this book. 
One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey. Everyone knows and loves Blueberries for Sal and Make Way For Ducklings, two of the most famous and arguably perfect American children’s books of the 20th century, but One Morning in Maine is just as wonderful! Sal (from blueberries for Sal, based on Robert McCloskey’s own daughter) wakes up one morning with a loose tooth. With lots of Maine coastal and small town charm, Sal makes it through this important day with her parents and baby sister little Jane. A perfect book for introducing four and five year olds to the idea of losing a baby tooth.
Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke and illustrated by Lauren Tobia. These books (and there are 8 in the series) are often classified as first or transitional chapter books, but with a picture on every page they work well for 4 year olds. Each chapter is episodic and can stand on its own, while contributing to the overall story of each book. Atinuke is a master storyteller, and Anna Hibiscus who lives in Africa (amazing Africa!) has a big family and wonderful adventures. There are some really hard and sad things that Anna has to face at times, but it’s handled well and Anna is always able to help in a meaningful way. If the chapter book format seems intimidating there are a few picture books about Anna Hibiscus that you might read first like Anna Hibiscus Song, Double Trouble For Anna Hibiscus, and Splash! Anna Hibiscus. 
The Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook by Joyce Lankester Brisley. These stories seem like the older British version of Anna Hibsicus. First published in the late 1920s, these stories about Milly-Molly-Mandy, her family, and little friends Susan and Billy Blunt capture the experience of being little that is at once universal and also very specific to a 1920s English small town. There are not quite as many illustrations per page as modern transitional readers, although I love the original illustrations by the author (although the new ones by Clara Vulliamy are nice as well). And the chapters are very episodic and mostly stand on their own. Jackson loved these when he was four, and we have the whole set for Lily. 
The Princess in Black by Shannon and Dean Hale and illustrated LeUyen Pham. Like Anna Hibiscus, these are first or transitional chapter books, but with pictures on every page, and also a big hit with four year olds, especially for princess loving little girls, although my son loves these stories too. Princess Magnolia has a superhero alter-ego–the Princess in Black–who stops monsters from eating the goats in her kingdom. Filled with super hero fun, friends, and the occasional STEM problem solving, this series is great for developing longer attention spans in young readers (they’ll want you to read the whole thing) with a splash of girl power.
The Big Alfie Out of Doors Storybook by Shirley Hughes. Shirley Hughes is a very famous author-illustrator of British children’s books (she just passed away in her 90s), and this collection of Alfie stories and poems is lovely for slightly older children (although four year olds tend to love all the Alfie stories!). These focus on Alfie and Annie Rose his little sister creating a shop with leaves and berries, a beloved rock named Bonting being lost at a rocky beach, a camping trip with an unexpected porcine visitor, and a sheep who needed help getting home. They are simple, yet told in a sensitive way that makes it clear that Shirley Hughes spent a lot of time with real children and could capture their lived experience in a way that few others have. Plus her poems and illustrations are excellent. 
James Herriot’s Treasury for Children illustrated by Ruth Brown and Peter Barrett. This collection of 8 stories for children taken and adapted from James Herriot’s larger adult All Creatures books (and the TV series based on them) feature the same wonderful Yorkshire dale veterinary, James Herriot, as he goes about helping puppies, pigs, lambs, cats, and cows. Most of the stories from the larger books are suitable for children (although parents likely might edit out a good deal of English farmer gentleman swearing and perhaps some anatomically correct descriptions of veterinary procedures), these stories are just the right length for kids with great illustrations helping to bring the stories alive. 
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett illustrated by Ronald Barrett. This is one of my husband’s all time favorite picture books, and he’s always up for reading it to the kids, who seem to always be up for hearing it. Grandpa’s tall tale of the land of Chew and Swallow where the food comes down from the sky has been enchanting generations of children. I love the fun play on words like “jell-o setting in the west.”
Home in the Woods by Eliza Wheeler. With gorgeous illustrations, a true story of family survival in the north woods of Wisconsin during the Depression, and a big family with lots of warmth and imagination, this is a gem of a picture book. 
The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman and Marla Frazee. A lovely rhyming book about Mrs. Peter’s picky eaters, the seven children always want something different but when mother’s birthday rolls around they work together to make her something. Like Bread and Jam for Frances, this story captures the lived experience of trying to feed small children. 
Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection by Rev. W. Awdry. These are the classic stories beginning in the 1940s that have inspired generations of shows about Percy, James, Gordon, Toby, and of course Thomas. With over four hundred pages of Thomas stories, this book will keep you busy for a while. 
“Could Be Worse!” by James Stevenson (also The Great Big Especially Beautiful Easter Egg). James Stevenson is so funny, and his text and illustrations are just accessible enough that four year olds can get the humor yet it is still very enjoyable for adults to read as well. Zany with a happy ending. 
A Little House Picture Book Treasury by Laura Ingalls Wilder illustrated by Renee Graef. This collection of little Laura and Mary stories is so fun. Inspired by the original illustrations in the longer books of Garth Williams, these books feel really authentic and just right for four year olds to begin loving Laura. (And I think that some kids are ready for Little House in the Big Woods to be a read aloud at this age as well. I think that the first four books can work for read alouds for this young of an age, but by the fifth book (Silver Lake) Laura started to feel a little bit old for my tinies, and I decided to wait. Also, I chose to skip reading aloud a lot of the negative things said about Native Americans in the second books (Little House on the Prairie). If you haven’t read that one since you were a child yourself, I’d recommend making a plan for how you want to handle those parts, because there are likely a lot more than you remember. One option is to pair the book with the The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich which has a similar feel to the Little House books but is about a native American girl). 
Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall and Barbara Cooney. This is one of my very favorite picture books of all time. It has beautiful illustrations, takes you back in time to early east coast American settlements, and has a industrious family that makes everything they need to trade for a few luxuries. I think it’s a practically perfect picture book. 
Miss Nelson is Missing by by Harry G. Allard Jr. illustrated by James Marshall (Also Miss Nelson is Back). Miss Nelson is too nice, no one in her class is listening to her or giving her any respect. So…she goes away and is replaced by Miss Viola Swamp, who is nothing like Miss Nelson in looks or temperament. Suddenly the class is whipped into shape and missing Miss Nelson. Kids love figuring out that perhaps the wig and the costume in Miss Nelson’s closet might be a clue to Miss Viola Swamp’s true identity. 
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. Right before Lily went to school for the first time (all day 4K) we read this book about a little raccoon who was nervous about attending nighttime school for all the nocturnal animals. Chester the raccoon’s mother gives him special kisses on his hands that she promises will stick and anytime he needs them he can have her kiss right there. I promised my kids that I’d give them kissing hands before school, and everyday they hold out their hands to me to kiss before they head out. I think having that unique way of keeping a kiss, along with the sweet story, has made this book a classic since 1993. 
You Can’t Take A Balloon into the Metropolitan Museum by Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman and Robin Preiss Glasser. This intricately illustrated wordless book (by a sister team, one of whom was the Fancy Nancy illustrator) is so much fun to read again and again and look at all the ways the balloon that is not allowed into the museum goes by scenes that look remarkably like the paintings the little girl in the museum is seeing with her grandmother. And wordless picture books can be great sources of learning words as your narration of what everyone sees in the picture can get more complex upon later readings and as children grow. (If you wants some encouragement on how to read wordless books check out this podcast episode (#107) of the Read Aloud Revival.)
Swimmy by Leo Lionni. Dutch born Leo Lionni worked as a commercial artist, and after he retired he started making books for his grandchildren. Swimmy might be his best known work, a Caldecott Honor book, with a compelling story of a little fish who first wants to hide and then brings together other fish to look like one giant fish. The art is so unique in this book, and Leo Lionni is one of the classic 20th century children’s book illustrators along with the iconic Eric Carle and Tomie dePaola. 
Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall. Jabari thinks today is the day for finally jumping off the high dive…or maybe it isn’t. This book totally captured my kids, and they wanted to experience the emotions with Jabari of doing something that frightens them, but then figure out a way to do anyway. 
Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee. Marla Frazee is one of our favorite illustrators (esp All the World and The Seven Silly Eaters), and this book captures the details of people at an amusement part on a rollercoaster. It reminds me of some of our favorite Peter Spier books for detailed illustrations that make you feel like you are standing right there moving through the experience with the characters in the book. 
Mr. Men and Little Miss books by Roger Hargreaves. These funny classic tiny books (and there are nearly a hundred of them) about colored dot people like Mr. Chatterbox, Little Miss Summersault, and Mr. Grumble were a gift from Evan’s mom, and a big hit around here. Occasionally, there are things that are a little dated in terms of how we talk now about being overweight or disorganized, so I would quickly skim a book before you read it to make sure that’s how your family wants to talk about those things, but most of the books have held up and are still very funny. 
Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White and Megan Lloyd. A perfect book for fall, Rebecca Estelle doesn’t like pumpkins, and won’t even look at the one that refused to be weeded out of her garden…until well it’s become quite a situation. Perfect for an October read aloud. 
Almost Time by Gary D. Schmidt and Elizabeth Stickney illustrated by G. Brian Karas. I’ve loved Gary D. Schmidt’s middle grade (almost YA, they are beautiful and heartbreaking) books, but this is my first picture book of his. Combining waiting for the sap to grow and waiting for a tooth to fall out, this book is a great book for late spring and for all children waiting for those first teeth to come out. 
Yonie Wondernose by Marguerite De Angeli. This book is about a little Amish boy, Yonie (think a Germanic pronunciation of Johnny) who is left in charge of the farm with his grandma and little sister. Can Yonie stop being so curious and distracted (a “wondernose”) to save the farm when a crisis comes? A great story of a young boy who has so much more responsibility than our kids have, but is still clearly a child like our own. And of course, Marguerite De Angeli’s illustrations are beautiful. 
Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make You a Pie: A Story About Edna Lewis by Robbin Gourley. This story has the most beautiful writing! It is really great to read aloud. Edna Lewis (1916 -2006) is a real life famous chef and cookbook author, and this story by Robbin Gourley takes us through young Edna’s learning to love seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables. 
Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall (Also Farmhouse and Finding Winnie by Lindsay Mattick and illustrated by Sophie Blackall). The 2019 winner of the Caldecott award, this book is beautifully illustrated and uniquely laid out in spirally circles to make you feel like you are in a lighthouse. This is a favorite at our house for parents and kids. Sophie Blackall makes great books. 
Thomas’ Snowsuit by Robert Munsch and illustrated Michael Martchenko. This is a very funny, perhaps slightly inappropriate for modern audiences book, about a little boy who does not want to put his snow suit on, and ends up with everyone else’s clothes on after a tussle ensues. Although anyone who has ever tried to get an unwilling child into an outfit, let alone a snow outfit, will relate. And our kids thought this book was hilarious. But I did refuse my kids begging for it to be a library read aloud since I wasn’t sure how the principal and the teacher ending up in each other’s clothes would go over (or get retold at home), but I’ve read it a lot at home. 
The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash by Trinka Hakes Noble and illustrated by Steven Kellogg. A field trip to the farm has one funny animal mishap after another. A classic children’s book (it was on the first season of Reading Rainbow, this one is still just as funny as it was when you were young.
Classic Stories to Share by Ladybird Tales. I loved the Ladybird fairytale books when I was little, and someday I’d like to get us a set. But they are a little spendy at nearly $60 for the set of 22 individual books, so this collection of 5 stories (Hansel and Gretel, Aladdin, Cinderella, Puss in Boots, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) was a more economical introduction. The versions are somewhere in between the original stories and the Disney versions, often keeping the quirkiness and the repetitions of the original (Cinderella goes to the ball three nights in a row). 
World of Narnia adapted from CS Lewis and illustrated by Deborah Maze. This collection of four illustrated abbreviated stories for The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe are beautiful. Some kids at four are totally ready to listen to Narnia read aloud, and some kids need to be older to sit through it, so these lovely illustrated versions of the first book are perfect for the second crew, and a delight to the first set who already fell in love with Aslan and Lucy. 
The Magic School Bus Inside the Human Body by Joanna Cole and illustrated by Bruce Degen (Illustrator) (Also Lost in the Solar System, On the Ocean Floor). Lily loves books about the body and all the Magic School Bus books. The great thing about these books is that you can read the extra parts or skip them based on how much time (or child interest) you have. Of course my kids love the show as well (I had forgotten how much group yelling while in mortal danger there is in that show…a lot). 
Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende Devlin and illustrated by Harry Devlin (Illustrator) (Cranberryport Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day). Cranberryport is a staple around here for holiday reading, with Grandmother and Maggie in their cozy home, and funny Mr. Whiskers causing and then inadvertently solving lots of mayhem. 
The Best-Loved Doll by Rebecca Caudill and illustrated by Elliott Gilbert. Betsy is invited to a birthday party and asked to bring a doll to compete for prizes. Which doll will she bring? The oldest, the most beautiful, or the most talented? This sweet story of a girl who brought the rather dilapidated doll she loves, and the wise mother at the party who recognized it, is based on a true story. It reminds me of The Velveteen Rabbit and Toy Story.
Bonus Books! Lily’s favorite things right now are “rainbow sparkle unicorns and Elsa” as she’d say. And she has some devotion to glittery cartoon books that I don’t completely share, but think I likely would have had at age 4. So while I wouldn’t say these books are “timeless children’s literary classics,” they are very beloved by Lily and I don’t mind reading them. Uni the Unicorn by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Brigette Barrager: the tale of the Unicorn who is just like all the other unicorns except she believes little girls are real. Ladybug Girl by David Soman and illustrated by Jacky Davis–Lulu puts on her red tutu and antenna headband and becomes Ladybug girl!, Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann and illustrated by Elizabeth Kann: our narrator loves everything pink and eats so many pink cupcakes she turns pink! Cutie Fruities and the Fruits of the Spirit by Thomas Nelson: a strawberry short cake inspired tour of the fruits of the spirit with scratch ‘n sniff stickers and lots of glitter, of course Lily’s favorite is “Lily Love.” 5 Minute Disney Frozen Stories: of course anything with Elsa in it these days is a big hit, and 5 minute stories are much better to read aloud than level early reader versions.
What books have been all time favorites for the four year olds in your life?
Here’s our list of 4yo books:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/14YJ8XB9FKJEN?ref_=wl_share