My daughter loved the Angelina Ballerina series, when she was that age. When she got a little older, we started on the classics-Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, The Wizard of Oz series, the Boxcar Children series, the Nancy Drew mysteries, (they are so classics!), and others of that ilk. She also loved the books that go along with the American Girl dolls-but beware where those lead!

How fortunate they are to have a grandmother who reads to them! I loved the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder at that age -- and no commercial tie-ins. If the children like crafting, cooking, or dress-up, these books are also great sources for home-made fun.
Enjoy!
Juliana

A few favourites that my daughters enjoyed, over and over!
Jill MurphyÂs clever picture books, Five Minutes Peace, A Quiet Night In
Kevin Henkes, Chrysanthemum , a charming tale about childrenÂs names
Robert Munsch, funny funny, ThomasÂs Snowsuit, Something Good
John Peterson, The Littles similar to The Borrowers , easy read chapter book
Keep The Lights Burning Abbie , Peter Roop, during a storm, young Abbie saves the day (and the ships)

Here are some of out favorites.

Picture Books:

The Olivia Books by Ian Falconer are wonderfully drawn and hillarious for children and adults. There's Olivia, Olivia Saves the Circus, and our personal favorite, Olivia and the Missing Toy.

Doreen Cronin's books are also great fun: Click, Clack Moo: Cows that Type, and Giggle, Giggle, Quack.

Jan Brett's books are clever and a feast for the eyes. She's best known for The Mitten, but also has some great Christmas books.

Fairy Houses by Tracy Kane shows kids how they can build their own fairy house.

The Well at the End of the World by Robert D. San Souci - a classic princess story

Thomas's Snowsuit by Robert Munsch always gets us laughing.

Then there are classics like Madeline, Babar, Curious George, Paddington Bear and Kipper.

Chapter Books:

Barbara Park's June B. Jones Books - Our favorite is Junie B. Jones has a Monster Under Her Bed.

Kate Dicamillo - The Tale of Despereaux - This is a Newberry winner and deserves every accolade.

Mary Pope Osborne's Magic Treehouse series. She has also written a great Odyssey series for children if you want to introduce some Greek mythology.

The Mr. Putter and Tabby books by Cynthia Rylant.

I also second the Angelina Ballerina books and Boxcar Children.

My 3 1/2 year old granddaughter is starting to appreciate Beatrix Potter.
Winnie the Pooh is another classic, as well as A A Milne's poetry collections.

My daughter is 6 and loves The Froggy books by Jonathon London, The Angelina Ballerina books, The Napping House and Piggies (by Don and Audrey Wood), My Mama has a Dancing Heart, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, and The Miss Spider books by David Kirk. She's also hooked on Dr. Seuss books which she likes to read to us.

As for chapter books, my all time favorite story is Charlotte's Web.

So many wonderful suggestions! I would add that some of Patricia Polacco's books are perfect for that age, especially the ones about Baba Yaga, "Thundercake," "Luba and the Wren," "Rechenenka's Eggs," the list goes on. Mary Ann Hoberman's "The Seven Silly Eaters" is a classic in our house and my children and I can all quote sections of this rhyming book verbatim. My son and daughter both loved to hear the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle stories, as did I when I was young though four is probably a bit young to listen to an entire one of her stories in a single sitting. "Roxaboxen," "Miss Rumphius," and "Hattie and the Wild Waves" written and illustrated by Barbara Cooney are wonderful stories and another "feast for the eyes." Both of my children really enjoyed Chris Van Allsburg's books, too, including "Jumanji" and "Zathura." Actually, "Jumanji" originally gave my son bad dreams so we would not read it at night (same with Seuss's I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today) but now he checks out Van Allsburg's books in piles from the library.

Hello Everyone,
This is wonderful! I knew I could count on you to give me great book suggestions for my granddaughters. Hey, if a child shows an interest when they are young, then I say feed the mind. Keep the suggetions coming, I am making a list of books new and old to look out for, for them to enjoy. Thank you all so much. Look forward to seeing more suggestions.
Sapphires

There is an excellent book by a mannamed Jim Trelease calledThe Read Aloud Handbook. It contains hundreds of suggestions by age level, with a sentence or two giving you a general idea of what the book is like. Not all great books read aloud well, so this is a useful guide.

Paula

My son loved Frank Asch bear stories at that age. James Steveson's We CAn't Sleep is funny along with all his books in the Grandpa series.

Susan

Again the Angelina series was a favorite for my daughter. Anything by Chris Van Allsburg, especially The Polar Express.
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (favorite from my childhood in the 50's) and anything else by him also.

When they are a little older:
Definitely read, The 100 Dresses by Eleanor Estes (an older book also, with wonderful lessons).
Sarah, Plain and Tall - one of my daughter's favorites.
Shel Silverstein poetry - really fun

One of the most utterly charming and beautifully illustrated books has to be The Quiltmakers Gift by Jeff Brumbeau and illustrated by Gail De Marcken. I often gift it at baby showers.

I second Paula's recommendation of The Read Aloud Handbook . I used it constantly when my children were young.

Narnia series (soon to be released movie too!) -- and lots of books by E. Nesbit -- and Enid Blyton!

Someone gave my grandson who just is 11 a copy of The Hobbit at his birthday party last week. He said, "Oh, I've wanted this book for a long time.

E.Nesbit books are awesome...I loved them when I was younger (I'm in my mid-twenties now) and I just re-read one of her books last week (The phoenix and the carpet) and it had the same appeal.

Carolyn, that is a lovely comment. I smiled when I read it. I recently gave my husband's grandson the illustrated edition of The Hobbit and he seemed to be delighted, too. I don't know if he has read it yet. He does read some, but is busy with sports and video games as well. I think that many children would find this book to be an excellent gift.

My four-year-old daughter enjoyed listening to "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "Stuart Little" (her fave so far) and now I'm reading "Charlotte's Web" to her. I include reading chapter books to her along with picture books...she seems to enjoy listening to both. We have gone through several of the "Winnie the Pooh" books too, she loved those very much.

I've ordered a "King Midas" book written by Lynne Reid Banks...my youngest son enjoyed this one and our copy of it has been lost somewhere. The "Indian in the Cupboard" series was fun too, I'll probablly read those to her as well.

Her favorite pictures books lately are "Madeline", "Olivia" and "Trashy Town". We usually go through an assortment from the library, which is a "hit or miss" endeavor but we have found some great books this way that are not in the mainstream.