Books for Letter J

The Giant Jam Sandwich, by John Vernon

My kids kept requesting this vintage book (1972) about the village of Itching Down.  Four million wasps have descended on the town – what will the townspeople do?  The baker has a plan: jam is the wasps’ favorite food – so why not build a giant jam sandwich to trap them in?  The rhyming text is wonderful, and the pictures will have you hooked.  Love it!

Jump! by Scott Fischer

This was a new book for me, and what a fun one!  It starts like this: “Well, I’m a bug. I’m a bug. I’m a snug little bug, and I’m sleeping on a jug.  Until I see a frog, and I… JUMP!”  The frog is in a bog sleeping like a log, until he sees a cat.  And then he… JUMPS!  And so it goes all the way through this hilarious book.  Kids love chiming in on the word “JUMP,” and it’s fun to predict which animal is coming up next.  Highly recommended!

Berries to Jelly, by Inez Snyder

I strongly recommend the Welcome Books series! They’re great early nonfiction reading for beginning readers and work well as accessible nonfiction for preschoolers.  In fact these are some of the first paper books (rather than board books) that my kids listened to as toddlers.  In this book kids learn how jelly is made from berries.

Oranges to Orange Juice, by Inez Snyder

Here’s another title in the Welcome Books series.  We own this one, and repeated reading of the simple text is actually helping my Four recognize new words.  It’s a very simple book about using a juicer to make orange juice at home.

Sheep in a Jeep, by Nancy Shaw

These silly, lovable sheep enjoy a day in the country until they have car trouble. We love this book for teaching rhyming (it appeared on our rhyming book list), but it’s also a fun story to enjoy any time.

Jemima Puddleduck, by Jemima Puddleduck

Have you read any of the original Beatrix Potter books to your kids?  You’ve probably heard of Peter Rabbit, the most popular, but you can also find many more of her animal stories for children.

The lovable but dim-witted Jemima Puddleduck wants to hatch her own eggs, but the farmer’s wife knows she’s a poor sitter and won’t let her.  Finally, Jemima sneaks away and finds a safe place to hatch her eggs… in the hut of a kind and generous fellow… who also happens to be a fox.

Be prepared to read this story in stages or to try again when your child is older.  But don’t cross Beatrix Potter off your list because the books are long or full of new words.  They’re real treasures!

P.S. Did you see the movie about Beatrix Potter’s life (starring Rene Zellweger) that came out a few years ago?  I loved , loved, loved it!

Jellyfish, by Carol Lindeen

The Pebble Plus books are my new favorite nonfiction series for preschoolers and early readers!  This book is full of bright pictures and super fun facts (did you know there’s a jellyfish that can be bigger than a person)?  I just went to our library’s website and reserved a whole bunch of Pebble Plus nonfiction books.  Just the right length for preschoolers, and so many fun titles!

Jellyfish, by Lloyd Douglas

Here’s another Welcome Book, with bright illustrations and a simple sentence opposite each page.  In this book your child will learn the parts of a jellyfish and how it moves and eats.  Perfect for children who love to learn but don’t sit long for nonfiction.

Norma Jean, Jumping Bean, by Joanna Cole

Norma Jean is such a sweet little kangaroo. But she has a problem.  She jumps too much.  When her jumping gets out of hand and her friends become exasperated, Norma Jean stops jumping.  But when her friends see how sad and forlorn she is, they encourage her to jump once again… just in time to win some blue ribbons on field day.  Cute story!

Jacob’s Tree, by Holly Keller

Young children, particularly those with older siblings, will be able to relate to little Jacob who is not big enough to do the things he wants to do.  When Jacob’s father makes a mark on the elm tree to mark his growth, Jacob keeps checking… but he’s not getting any bigger.  Jacob hates waiting — but after the long winter he has a wonderful surprise!

Joey runs away, by Jack Kent

You might need to get this book from your library, as it’s a little hard to find.  We love the story Joey who runs away because he doesn’t want to clean his room (his mother’s pocket!).  While he’s gone, other animals try to take residence in his mother’s spare room.  Hilarious!  It  has a sweet ending too.

Jack’s Garden, by Henry Cole

You know the story, This is the House That Jack Built?  It is just too long and tiresome for me, but this is a fun alternative.  “This is the garden that Jack planted.  This is the soil that made up the garden that Jack planted…” It’s a peaceful book with detailed illustrations that will delight children who enjoy studying nature.

No Jumping on the Bed, by Ted Arnold

This is a classic book which recently enjoyed a makeover with its 25th anniversary.  Ted Arnold has re-illustrated the book in the zany style of his Fly Guy books (which are big favorites at our house!).  We enjoyed this funny story about a boy who jumps on the bed and keeps crashing into the apartments below.

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, by Eileen Christelow

I’ll finish with this popular book about those monkeys who keep bumping their heads.  This book works well as a board book for toddlers, but preschoolers who’ve grown up with it may enjoy it a few more times. 😉

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