TheGold Shelf

First chapter books books for ages 3 to 5

76 award-winning books for ages 3 to 5. Books children can read by themselves.

Babies and toddlers0–2Ages 3 to 53–5Ages 6 to 86–8Ages 9 to 129–12TeensTeen
Animals317Adventure19Fantasy and magic77Funny books213Family152Friendship72History and real people59Nature and science129Folktales and fairy tales130Poetry and rhyme103Feelings and big moments84Bedtime62First chapter books76

76 books

Cover of Fox versus FoxHonor2025Fox versus FoxCorey R. Tabor2025 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Towed by ToadHonor2025Towed by ToadJashar Awan2025 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of VacationWinner2025VacationAme Dyckman2025 Geisel Award winnerCover of Fox Has a ProblemWinner2024Fox Has a ProblemCorey R. Tabor2024 Geisel Award winnerCover of Henry, Like AlwaysHonor2024Henry, Like AlwaysJenn Bailey2024 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Worm and Caterpillar Are FriendsHonor2024Worm and Caterpillar Are FriendsKaz Windness2024 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of A Seed GrowsHonor2023A Seed GrowsAntoinette Portis2023 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Fish and WaveHonor2023Fish and WaveSergio Ruzzier2023 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Gigi and OjijiHonor2023Gigi and OjijiMelissa Iwai2023 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of I Did It!Winner2023I Did It!Michael Emberley2023 Geisel Award winnerCover of Owl and PenguinHonor2023Owl and PenguinVikram Madan2023 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Fox at NightWinner2022Fox at NightCorey R. Tabor2022 Geisel Award winnerCover of I HopHonor2022I HopJoe Cepeda2022 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Nothing Fits a DinosaurHonor2022Nothing Fits a DinosaurJonathan Fenske2022 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of See the Cat: Three Stories About a DogWinner2021See the Cat: Three Stories About a DogDavid LaRochelle2021 Geisel Award winnerCover of The Bear in My FamilyHonor2021The Bear in My FamilyMaya Tatsukawa2021 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Ty's Travels: Zip, Zoom!Honor2021Ty's Travels: Zip, Zoom!Starling Lyons2021 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of What About Worms!?Honor2021What About Worms!?Ryan T. Higgins2021 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Where's Baby?Honor2021Where's Baby?Anne Hunter2021 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Flubby Is Not a Good Pet!Honor2020Flubby Is Not a Good Pet!J.E. Morris2020 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Stop! Bot!Winner2020Stop! Bot!James Yang2020 Geisel Award winnerCover of The Book HogHonor2020The Book HogGreg Pizzoli2020 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Fox the TigerWinner2019Fox the TigerCorey R. Tabor2019 Geisel Award winnerCover of The Adventures of Otto: See Pip FlapHonor2019The Adventures of Otto: See Pip FlapDavid Milgrim2019 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of I See a CatHonor2018I See a CatPaul Meisel2018 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of My Kite Is Stuck! And Other StoriesHonor2018My Kite Is Stuck! And Other StoriesSalina Yoon2018 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Snail & Worm AgainHonor2018Snail & Worm AgainTina Kügler2018 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Good Night OwlHonor2017Good Night OwlGreg Pizzoli2017 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of We Are Growing!Winner2017We Are Growing!Laurie Keller2017 Geisel Award winnerCover of A Pig, a Fox, and a BoxHonor2016A Pig, a Fox, and a BoxJonathan Fenske2016 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Don’t Throw It to Mo!Winner2016Don’t Throw It to Mo!David A. Adler2016 Geisel Award winnerCover of SupertruckHonor2016SupertruckStephen Savage2016 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Waiting Is Not Easy!Honor2015Waiting Is Not Easy!Mo Willems2015 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of You Are (Not) SmallWinner2015You Are (Not) SmallAnna Kang2015 Geisel Award winnerCover of A Big Guy Took My Ball!Honor2014A Big Guy Took My Ball!Mo Willems2014 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of BallHonor2014BallMary Sullivan2014 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Penny and Her MarbleHonor2014Penny and Her MarbleKevin Henkes2014 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of The Watermelon SeedWinner2014The Watermelon SeedGreg Pizzoli2014 Geisel Award winnerCover of Let's Go for a Drive!Honor2013Let's Go for a Drive!Mo Willems2013 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy ButtonsHonor2013Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy ButtonsEric Litwin2013 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Rabbit & Robot: The SleepoverHonor2013Rabbit & Robot: The SleepoverCece Bell2013 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Up, Tall and High!Winner2013Up, Tall and High!Ethan Long2013 Geisel Award winnerCover of I Broke My TrunkHonor2012I Broke My TrunkMo Willems2012 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of See Me RunHonor2012See Me RunPaul Meisel2012 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of We Are in a Book!Honor2011We Are in a Book!Mo Willems2011 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!Winner2010Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!Geoffrey Hayes2010 Geisel Award winnerCover of I Spy Fly Guy!Honor2010I Spy Fly Guy!Tedd Arnold2010 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Little Mouse Gets ReadyHonor2010Little Mouse Gets ReadyJeff Smith2010 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Mouse and Mole: Fine Feathered FriendsHonor2010Mouse and Mole: Fine Feathered FriendsWong Herbert Yee2010 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Pearl and Wagner: One Funny DayHonor2010Pearl and Wagner: One Funny DayKate McMullan2010 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Are You Ready to Play Outside?Winner2009Are You Ready to Play Outside?Mo Willems2009 Geisel Award winnerCover of Chicken Said, ‘Cluck!'Honor2009Chicken Said, ‘Cluck!'Judyann Ackerman Grant2009 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of One BoyHonor2009One BoyLaura Vaccaro Seeger2009 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Wolfsnail: A Backyard PredatorHonor2009Wolfsnail: A Backyard PredatorSarah C. Campbell2009 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Hello, Bumblebee BatHonor2008Hello, Bumblebee BatDarrin Lunde2008 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of There is a Bird on Your Head!Winner2008There is a Bird on Your Head!Mo Willems2008 Geisel Award winnerCover of Vulture ViewHonor2008Vulture ViewApril Pulley Sayre2008 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Move Over, Rover!Honor2007Move Over, Rover!Karen Beaumont2007 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Not a BoxHonor2007Not a BoxAntoinette Portis2007 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Zelda and Ivy: The RunawaysWinner2007Zelda and Ivy: The RunawaysLaura McGee Kvasnosky2007 Geisel Award winnerCover of A Splendid Friend, IndeedHonor2006A Splendid Friend, IndeedSuzanne Bloom2006 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Amanda Pig and the Really Hot DayHonor2006Amanda Pig and the Really Hot DayJean Van Leeuwen2006 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Cowgirl Kate and CocoaHonor2006Cowgirl Kate and CocoaErica Silverman2006 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Hi! Fly GuyHonor2006Hi! Fly GuyTedd Arnold2006 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Frog and Toad TogetherHonor1973Frog and Toad TogetherArnold Lobel1973 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Frog and Toad Are FriendsHonor1971Frog and Toad Are FriendsArnold Lobel1971 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Little Bear's VisitHonor1962Little Bear's VisitElse Holmelund Minarik1962 Caldecott Medal Honor BookEarl and Worm: The Big Mess and Other StoriesGreg PizzoliHonor2026Earl and Worm: The Big Mess and Other StoriesGreg Pizzoli2026 Geisel Award Honor BookI Like HoopsJuwanda G. FordHonor2026I Like HoopsJuwanda G. Ford2026 Geisel Award Honor BookStop That Mop!Jonathan FenskeWinner2026Stop That Mop!Jonathan Fenske2026 Geisel Award winnerThe Tunneler Tunnels in the TunnelMichael RexHonor2026The Tunneler Tunnels in the TunnelMichael Rex2026 Geisel Award Honor BookChick and Brain: Smell My Foot!Cece BellHonor2020Chick and Brain: Smell My Foot!Cece Bell2020 Geisel Award Honor BookFox + Chick: The Party and Other StoriesSergio RuzzierHonor2019Fox + Chick: The Party and Other StoriesSergio Ruzzier2019 Geisel Award Honor BookGo Otto Go!David MilgrimHonor2017Go Otto Go!David Milgrim2017 Geisel Award Honor BookOops, Pounce, Quick, Run! An Alphabet CaperMike TwohyHonor2017Oops, Pounce, Quick, Run! An Alphabet CaperMike Twohy2017 Geisel Award Honor BookLing and Ting: Not Exactly the Same!Grace LinHonor2011Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same!Grace Lin2011 Geisel Award Honor Book