10 Best Books You’ll Love For 5 Year Olds

Being a parent of younger children means that you will sometimes struggle to find content which is perfectly suited for them.

Year by year, media like books which were once interesting to them will no longer be and they will have new tastes which you will have to match.

With books this is very clear with some being perfectly suited for different age groups.

10 Best Books You'll Love For 5 Year Olds

This list is focused on books which are specifically 5 year oldsso you can find something perfect for your younger child.

We know parents want books which they will be able to read parts of by themselves, but will still want plenty of pictures to keep them engaging for your little ones. 

We also know that parents want books which strike a good balance between entertaining as well as educational.

These books are less focused on educated in a scholarly sense, but more in relation to moral lessons which are perfect for this age demographic.

We have also made sure to include books, which while perfectly suited for 5 year olds, will also have some leeway and will also entertain(see also: 10 Best Books You’ll Love For 4 Years Old) children slightly younger and older.

We also are having a focus on more timeless books rather than just the most recent books to make sure that these books are not fads which will age very quickly.

By focusing on more timeless tales, you can be proud to keep these stories in your collection and when your children have grown up, you can be confident to pass them on to friends and family and know they will be appreciated.

So if you are a parent of a 5 year old and want to ensure that they will read some of the best books out there and will enjoy reading, we have selected 10 of the best choices so you can read some fun stories with your child!

Best Books For 5 Year Olds

1. Where The Wild Things Are

What Is The Story Of Where the Wild Things Are?

This is a story about a boy called Max who is at home having fun in his iconic wolf costume, but his mother sends him to his room without dinner as punishment for making mischief.

However, when in his room a forest and sea starts to grow from his mind and Max begins to sail to the titular land where the wild things are.

While Max is able to tame the King of the land, he quickly becomes homesick and lonely and wants to come home to where he finds his dinner.

Why You Should Read Where the Wild Things Are?

This is a timeless tale which has managed to remain relevant for years and the beautiful illustrations serve to enrich the story.

The dreamlike feeling of this tale is part of the reason why this has been a great bedtime story for so many years.

When Was It Published?

Where The Wild Things Are Was Published in 1963

2. The Man On The Moon

What Is The Story Of The Man on the Moon?

This story is often subtitled The Day In The Life Of Bob depending on which copy you get and is a simple story following a typical polite English stereotype who has to commute from Earth to the moon for his job every day with a simple but fantastical plot to keep your kids entertained.

Why You Should Read The Man on the Moon?

While this was published in the 00s, the 50s aesthetic of the pictures gives the story a retro feeling and contributes to it feeling so timeless. The pictures are detailed giving children challenges to spot different things like aliens in the background.

When Was It Published?

The Man On The Moon was published in 2002.

3. Granpa

What Is The Story Of Granpa?

This adorable story is about a loving relationship between a girl and her beloved grandfather and the memories and moments they share together with each other.

Why You Should Read Granpa?

If you want a story with more of a focus on dialogue rather than narration this is a great choice with the charming dialogue between the girl and her grandfather being one of the best parts of this story.

This book is also quite emotional also focusing on bereavement which of course can be a tough subject for children, but while the grandfather does not end the story explicitly dead, this is a great book for teaching lessons about this topic.

When Was It Published?

Granpa was published in 1984

4. Green Eggs And Ham

What Is The Story Of Green Eggs and Ham?

This Dr Seuss classic follows Sam-I-Am who has the goal of getting someone to want to eat his green eggs and ham and attempts to persuade his friend to eat it giving him more and more explanations for why it could be appealing.

Why You Should Read Green Eggs and Ham?

This is perhaps one of the best examples of Seuss’ rhyming genius and the story is simple enough but just complex enough to be perfect for a 5 year old.

When Was It Published?

Green Eggs And Ham was published in 1960

5. Winnie-The-Pooh

Winnie-The-Pooh

What Is The Story Of Winnie-the-Pooh?

We have all heard of Winnie the Pooh and likely love one of his stories which are nearly always set in the ‘100 Aker Wood’ and follow the loveable cast of characters which have all been around since the 1920s.

The illustrations featured are still beautiful, and with so many Pooh stories published, this is a great series to get your child interested in with so many entries and related media.

Why You Should Read Winnie-the-Pooh?

There is just so much to love about Milne’s Winnie The Pooh, so find a couple of these books to see if your children will love them since they have been entertaining children for so long!

When Was It Published?

The first Winnie The Pooh tale was published in 1926

6. My Dad Is Brilliant

What Is The Story Of My Dad is Brilliant?

This story, as you can imagine from the title is dedicated to celebrating dads and this is a great story for teaching kids about just how great dads can be! The language used in this story is incredibly captivating with simple but beautiful illustrations too.

Why You Should Read My Dad is Brilliant?

This story is a great one to read for kids who love their dads or maybe need to appreciate theirs a bit more!

When Was It Published?

My Dad Is Brilliant was first published in 1989

7. The Tale Of Peter Rabbit

What Is The Story Of The Tale of Peter Rabbit?

This Beatrix Potter classic is one of the oldest in this list published back in 1902 and is still popular for good reason following the iconic Peter Rabbit in his misadventures told in the timeless style of Potter’s narration/

Why You Should Read The Tale of Peter Rabbit?

The quaint aesthetic of this story and the way nature is presented makes it a perfect choice

When Was It Published?

The Tale Of Peter Rabbit was Published in 1902

8. Hairy Maclary From Donaldson’s Dairy

What Is The Story Of Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy?

This story tells the simple story of a charming black dog and his daily activities. We follow a loveable cast of dog characters all told in an adorable easy to understand style. The language used by Dodd is why this story spawned a series!

When Was It Published?

Hairy Maclary From Donaldson’s Dairy was published in 1983

9. Stuart Little

What Is The Story Of Stuart Little?

The classic tale of Stuart Little has been popular for years and follows the famous mouse and his life with his parents in New York City and his brother and pet cat. Our miniature hero is plenty of fun for kids to follow.

When Was It Published?

Stuart Little was first published in 1945

10. Esio Trot

What Is The Story Of Esio Trot?

Finally, a Roald Dahl classic following the story of Mr Hoppy and his love for his neighbor Mrs Silver and the story revolves around her pet tortoise Alfie and how this leads to Mr Hoppy wooing her.

When Was It Published?

Esio Trot was first published in 1990

Summary

Hopefully you have found some great choices here which you and your 5 year old which love.

The best way to make sure that your child will be interested in the books you choose is by going through the list with them to see what they resonate with.

Since kids this age are quite simple, just by giving a short description and showing the cover will let you know if they are interested enough to justify a purchase. 

Also, since these books are all quite popular and classics, there is a good chance you will be able to find these books pre-loved if you do not want to have to worry about spending too much on books for your kids!

Sophie Andrea