A book list for the letter N

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Have you seen my Letter of the Week book lists? As a former teacher and children’s book enthusiast, I just love compiling our favorites and finding new books to feature. If you’re teaching kids about the letter N – or just need to add some new books to your shelf, check out these titles!

The Best Nest, by PD Eastman

If you’ve missed this vintage book, you need to ask your library for it today! Mrs. Bird is unhappy with her current nest and sends Mr. Bird on a mission to find a better home in time for the arrival of their chick. Something is wrong with every place he finds – until Mrs. Bird discovers that home is best.

Just a Nap, by Mercer Mayer

This book is one we own – and it gets read a lot! Little Critter’s little sister is just not tired and fights her nap at every turn. When her mother closes the window, puts away her music player, and does away with the rest of her distractions, Little Sister finally falls asleep.

The Napping House, by Audrey Wood

This cumulative story is a popular one for reading in classrooms because of the text which builds – kind of like This Is the House That Jack Built – only much more interesting! One of my favorite things about the book is how the illustrations gradually change from a dreary blue (while the household is napping) to a splash of bright colors as the characters awaken.

Noisy Nora, by Rosemary Wells

This book by the creator of Max and Ruby was first published in 1973. It was a favorite of my childhood with the familiar rhymes of Noisy Nora fighting for attention as the middle child. I still love the book, but it doesn’t flow as well at our house because we change the repeated refrain “‘Nora, said her sister, ‘Why are you so dumb?'” Silly doesn’t rhyme as well. 🙂

Nosy Rosie, by Holly Keller

Rose is a sweet little fox who can help her family find anything they’re looking for with her excellent sense of smell. But when they start calling her “Nosy Rosie,” she refuses to find anything. Finally her family learns that “Rose is just Rose.” This is a great book to help preschoolers understand how name-calling (even silly name-calling) can be hurtful.

The Nose Book, by Al Perkins

We love this simple, silly rhyming book about noses.

My New York, by Kathy Jakobsen

Intially I wasn’t sure about this book – my boys know very little about New York, and it has a lot of text. Would it hold their interest? But the pictures in this book – wow! You will seriously love all the tiny details in these amazing pictures by one of America’s premier folk artists, Kathy Jakobsen. The book brings the activity of New York to life and taught my little suburb residents a great deal about living in a city.

The Gift of Nothing, by Patrick McDonnell

I reviewed this book in my giant list of books about friendship, and it’s a perfect fit for the Letter N, too. Mooch tries to find the perfect gift for his friend Earl, who already has everything — and decides to give the gift of nothing. In the end, he discovers that having each other can be enough.

No Nap, by Eve Bunting

We can all identify with the active toddler who thinks she doesn’t need a nap – because we need her to take one, right? Dad does his best to tire Susie out, but you can guess who’s the one who ends up sleeping.

The Perfect Nest, by Catherine Friend

Jack the cat is building the perfect nest to attract a bird who will lay eggs for the omelet he’s dreaming of. As it turns out, three birds claim the nest for their own – but when Jack tricks them into leaving it, he’s left with three baby birds to care for!

Nini Here and There, by Anita Lobel

You know how cats always seem to know when something is up? Nini is concerned because her people are going away. She doesn’t want to leave her sunny home in the city, but she doesn’t want to be left behind either. Nini is put in the dreaded cat carrier, where she dreams of travel around the world. Finally Nini finds out that even though her new country home is different, it feels like home because she’s with her family. This might be a great book to read to a child whose family is moving to a new place!

The Nutcracker, by Susan Jeffers

I am going to reveal my cultural ignorance here and tell you that I’ve never seen the Nutcracker, and I didn’t even know the story line until reading this book to my kids. The truth? I thought it was a weird story. But the book is beautiful and well-written, and my Five loved it. So if you want to bring a little culture to your home, check it out. 🙂

Night in the Country, by Cynthia Rylant

If you regularly read a bedtime story to your kids, this would be a great fit. It’s a peaceful book which encourages kids to listen for the quiet sounds of night in the country. I love how the books reveals what’s happening outside while we sleep.

For many more learning ideas for the letter N, click on the image below.