As a preschool Sunday school leader, we know you’re always seeking new ways to help young children learn about their faith and values. Ideally, they’re doing this both within and outside of your ministry!

Your church library is a gold mine of opportunity to support you in this mission. Whether you already have a full stack of books that teach concepts of faith and values to preschoolers, or you’re looking to build out your church library as a resource, these 10 books are a must-have to help preschool age children learn grow.

10 must-have books for preschoolers

1. Jo and the Slow Soup—Jo and his friends decide to work together to make a pot of soup. However, Jo gets very impatient waiting for the soup to cook. In an effort to stay calm, Jo prays a prayer to help him wait and learns the importance of patience.
2. Rufus and His Angry Tail—Rufus and his friend Ava usually get along really well. On this particular day, Rufus’ tail is twitching, and he can’t stop the feeling of anger he has. In this book, children will learn how to recognize anger, name it, and say a prayer to help them feel more calm and peaceful.
3. Ava and the Skimpy Picnic—Ava and her friends decide to bring a small amount of what they have for a picnic. After praying together, they learn that sharing more will help turn their picnic into a feast.
4. Happy Birthday, Ava!—It’s Ava’s birthday and her friends keep coming up with ideas of what they want to do to celebrate. But they are not even thinking about Ava or what she wants to do. In this book, children will learn about thoughtfulness and friendship.
5. Rufus Loses His Cape—Oh no! Rufus has lost his cape and doesn’t know where to find it. His friends have all kinds of ideas where it could be but Rufus just won’t listen. Young readers will discover that when they learn to listen and ask for help, their friends can help them solve problems.
6. Hal and the Very Long Race—Hal wants to win a big race but soon finds out he’s not as big, as strong, or as fast as his friends. After a disheartening start, Hal soon discovers his own strengths like endurance, perseverance, and problem-solving. In this book, children will learn to appreciate the differences in how they grow and how we all have our own pace of development.
7. Lift-the-Flap Bible Stories for Young Children—Children will have a fun time interacting with both their parents and the stories in this book. Full of secrets to discover and unfold on every page, this book brings to life various Bible stories, from Adam and Eve to the story of Easter.
8. Search and Find in the Bible—This book is bound to keep children’s attention with its interactive approach to storytelling. Children will have fun searching for different objects in the illustration as they read the story. Some objects include Jonah, an angel, and Mary, to name a few.
9. Twitch and The Invisible Wind—If your kids are fans of the Owlegories video series, they will love this book featuring Twitch, one of the beloved owls from the series. Twitch is learning how to fly but he just can’t seem to get off the ground despite all his friends’ advice. Eventually, they realize that Twitch is afraid. How can he trust the air to hold him up when he can’t even see it? he worries. With the help of his friends, he realizes that the wind is always there just like God is always there, constantly with us and showing up in surprising ways.
10. The Very Best Story Ever Told: The Gospel with American Sign Language—This book is a great way for children to share the gospel in various capacities. It teaches various stories from God’s love for the world, to Jesus’ life, to the Spirit that surrounds us today. Each line of the story includes important words reinforced by American Sign Language. By learning the signs and repeating the words, kids engage visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning. They’ll be equipped to tell the gospel story to all their friends regardless of whether they’re hearing impaired or not.

These books, and many others like them, will instill faith and values that will last a lifetime. When you have these resources on hand in your church library, you’ll not only build connections with families by providing parents a fun, free, valuable resource—you’ll grow as a leader, too.

Ready to add these books to your church library? In April 2018, purchase the Frolic Storybooks Bundle (featuring six of these titles) for just $44.99—almost 40% off! Shop now.