October 2025
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    My kid turns 5 next week and can't read. We read her tons of books and she listens to audiobooks on her Yoto, but I'd love to find her some actual books she can "read" without us. We have I Spy books, and those are good, but I'm thinking books with stories, not activities. It can have words if the words aren't important to understanding what is happening. What do you all recommend?

    by Kcmpls

    13 Comments

    1. Present-Tadpole5226 on

      *Journey*, Aaron Becker

      *Hike*, Pete Oswald

      *Another*, Christian Robinson

      If you are okay with books that have a lot of words, but with huge complicated pictures that tell the story by themselves, *Dinotopia*

      Some of the Fan Brother’s books might work? There are words, but the story is basically told by the pictures. *The Night Gardener* and/or *Ocean Meets Sky*

    2. Tuesday by David Wiesner.

      Beautiful picture book tells a fun story.
      All of his books are amazing but Tuesday was our favorite, started “reading” it to our son later he’s explaining what’s happening.

    3. TheReadingRetriever on

      There’s a whole series of books called “I Can Read” and “Step (insert a level number here that usually matches grade level, starting at Kinder)”. They come in a variety of stories, including Disney and other popular characters and franchises. They’re leveled readers, lots of illustrations, big print, my kids loved them at that age. They are easy to memorize at that age so they can “read it” later.

      The Biscuit books are great, as are the Bob book series.

    4. Why is a 5 year old not being able to read a problem? Most 5 year olds can’t read yet. This is what school is for

    5. mombot-in-the-woods on

      My girls taught themselves to read the BOB books first. They are great first readers!

    6. The Snowy Day

      This one has words, but the illustrations are lovely and also tell the story. There’s also an animated movie version from 2016 (just under an hour long) that is really wonderful. My nibling used to love it when they were younger – we watched it every holiday season for several years.

      ETA: Little Owl’s Night and Little Owl’s Day are also cute. Some words – but again, the illustrations tell the story.

    7. Does your library have Wonderbooks? They’re books with a little speaker that will read the story to her.

    8. TheTangentLamp on

      *Hug* by Jez Alborough. Simple picture book, and I believe “hug” is the only word. Remember “reading” this many times as a young child.

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