1000 Books Before Kindergarten: A Place to Start | Campbell County Libraries

1) Why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears: a West African tale

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A retelling of a traditional West African tale that reveals how the mosquito developed its annoying habit. A mosquito annoyed the iguana, who frightened the python, who scared the rabbit ... and now the whole jungle is in an uproar because the sun won't rise. The animals discuss the situation and decide to punish the mosquito. Even today, whenever we hear a mosquito buzz, we smack it hard!

2) My rhinoceros

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A rhinoceros does only two things: pop balloons and poke holes in kites. But rhinoceroses can really do more--so much more--than that!

3) Goodnight moon

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Brown, Margaret Wise

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In a great green room, tucked away in bed, is a little bunny. Goodnight room, goodnight moon. And to all the familiar things in the softly lit room, the little bunny says goodnight.

4) Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel

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Burton, Virginia Lee

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When Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel, Mary Ann, lose their jobs to the gasoline, electric, and diesel motor shovels, they go to a little country town where they find that one new job leads to another.

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After she falls headfirst into a bird's nest, a baby bat is raised like a bird until she is reunited with her mother.

6) The very hungry caterpillar

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Follows the progress of a hungry little caterpillar as he eats his way through a varied and very large quantity of food until, full at last, he forms a cocoon around himself and goes to sleep. Die-cut pages illustrate what the caterpillar ate on successive days.

7) Fred Stays With Me!

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A child describes how she lives sometimes with her mother and sometimes with her father, but her dog is her constant companion.

8) Click, clack, moo, cows that type

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When Farmer Brown's cows find a typewriter in the barn, they start making demands and go on strike when the farmer refuses to give them what they want. One track has page-turn signals.

9) Animals should definitely not wear clothing

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Pictures of animals wearing clothes show why this would be a ridiculous custom for them to adopt.

10) A visitor for Bear

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Bear's efforts to keep out visitors to his house are undermined by a very persistent mouse.

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Bemelmans, Ludwig

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"The smallest and bravest one is Madeline, whose adventurous spirit and outrageous antics have delighted boys and girls for over seventy years. Now even the youngest readers can enjoy this timeless favorite in a sturdy board book format"--Page 4 of cover.

12) The mitten: a Ukrainian folktale

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One by one, animals in a snowy forest crawl into Nicki's lost white mitten to get warm until the bear sneezes, sending the animals flying up and out of the mitten. On each turn of the page, signature borders inspired by Ukrainian folk art hint at what animal is coming next.

13) Clifford, the big red dog

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Bridwell, Norman

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"It only takes a little to BE BIG! Meet Emily Elizabeth and her dog, Clifford. Clifford is big. Clifford is red. But most of all, Clifford knows how to be a good friend." -- Emily Elizabeth loves her huge dog Clifford even though he is far from perfect.

14) The legend of rock paper scissors

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You've played the game. Now read the legend of how it all began...Long ago, in an ancient and distant realm called the Kingdom of Backyard, there lived a warrior named ROCK. Meanwhile in the Empire of Mom's Home Office, a second great warrior sought the glory of battle. And his name was PAPER. At the same time, in the Kitchen Realm, in the tiny village of Junk Drawer, lived a third warrior. They called her SCISSORS. These three were the strongest,...

15) Strega Nona: an old tale

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When Strega Nona leaves him alone with her magic pasta pot, Big Anthony is determined to show the townspeople how it works.

16) Go, dog. Go!

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Presents beginning vocabulary words demonstrated with the use of dogs.

17) Are you my mother?

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Soft pages and a plush baby bird let children move our little hero from page to page as he asks, a kitten, a dog, a hen, and others, "Are you my mother?"

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Whether at home getting ready for the day, enjoying the beach, or at bedtime, Olivia is a feisty pig who has too much energy for her own good.

19) Mama cat has three kittens

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Fleming, Denise

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While two kittens copy everything their mother does, their brother naps.

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A toy bear in a department store wants a number of things, but when a little girl finally buys him he finds what he has always wanted most of all.

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