Parents often ask about books for their young children. This annotated bibliography features ABC, number, color, shape, and animal books that are just right for patrons ages birth to five.

• Big Fat Hen, by Keith Baker
  Your young one will love this new twist on the familiar counting rhyme, "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe." Bright, full-page illustrations of a hen that counts her eggs and chicks make for a delightful reading time together.
• Ten, Nine, Eight, by Molly Bang
  A father prepares his daughter for sleep by counting down to bedtime. Children will find this book comforting as they prepare to go to sleep. The young reader is also introduced or reacquainted with numerous concepts such as "soft," "square," "empty," and "round." Children delight in finding an elusive black cat that hides and lounges in different pages. Caldecott Honor, 1984
• My World, by Margaret Wise Brown
  Continue the journey through Bunny's eyes in this companion to the classic Goodnight Moon. Using simple verse, Bunny describes all the wondrous things in his world.
• From Head to Toe, by Eric Carle
  Repetitive text and beautiful collage illustrations inspire imagination and movement in this Eric Carle classic. Each page presents a playful animal moving in some exciting way.
• Color Zoo, by Lois Ehlert
  Capture your child's attention with Color Zoo's vibrant animals and simple text. As you turn the page, each die-cut illustration reveals a new zoo animal--a tiger becomes a mouse and then the mouse transforms into a fox. Explore shapes, colors and animals with this beautiful award-winner. Caldecott Honor, 1990
• Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book, by Muriel Feelings
  This alphabet book introduces children to the Swahili language and the ways of life in Eastern and Central Africa. A pronunciation guide and a brief excerpt about the significance of each word are provided.
• The Everything Book, by Denise Fleming
  A perfect book for children, packed with colorful illustrations and catchy rhythmic text, The Everything Book has something for everyone. ABCs, 123s, colors, shapes, finger plays, and nursery rhymes captivate and delight even the youngest audience.
• Zoo Looking, by Mem Fox
  While Flora visits the zoo with her father, not only does she look at the animals but some of them turn to look at her.
• Nine Men Chase a Hen, by Barbara Gregorich
  This book, for the earliest reader, tells of ten hens in very funny situations.
• Counting Kisses, by Karen Katz
  This lovely counting book is about a baby's bedtime ritual. Each night, family members take turns giving baby goodnight kisses. Starting with ten kisses for his ten little toes and ending with a kiss on his forehead, the baby is finally ready for bed.
• My Truck Is Stuck!, by Kevin Lewis
  A dump truck with a full load gets stuck in a hole. With the help of a car, a van, a jeep, a bus, and a tow truck, the truck gets unstuck. Bright, cheerful pictures and rhyming text make this creative counting book a great read-aloud.
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, by Bill Martin, Jr.
  A favorite with all ages, this wonderfully illustrated book helps young children learn colors and animal names, from brown bear to red bird to purple cat. The predictable, rhyming pattern encourages young children to repeat phrases and "read along" with experienced readers. Young children love guessing (and knowing) which animal comes next.
• Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom, by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault
  Young children love this rhythmic book. All the letters climb to the top of the coconut tree before it bends under its burden and drops its coconuts, leaving the letters in a pile at its base. This classic ABC book introduces both capital and lowercase letters.
• Five Little Ducks, by Raffi
  Children will love counting down as five little ducks disappear into the pond. This delightful book is part of the Raffi Songs to Read Series where musical notations are included in the back of the book.
• Trucks, by Gail Saunders-Smith
  In simple text and photographs, describes a variety of trucks and what they do, including garbage trucks, cement mixers, snow plows, and mail trucks.
• Over in the Meadow, by Olive Wadsworth
  A variety of meadow animals pursuing their daily activities introduce the numbers one through ten.
• Mouse Paint, by Ellen Stoll Walsh
  While the cat is sleeping, three curious mice dive into jars of red, yellow and blue paint. As they play in spatters of paint, they discover what happens when colors are mixed together.
• So Many Bunnies: A Bedtime ABC and Counting Book, by Rick Walton
  Old mother rabbit lives in a shoe with her twenty-six children. Each little bunny's name begins with a different letter of the alphabet. Your child will enjoy this rhyming book as she learns the letters of the alphabet.