Top 40 Favorite Books at Five-Years-Old

My wife and I had discussed the previous night that we weren't quite sure which of the books our 5-year-old daughter, Linden, would say was her favorite book. We had some guesses, but expected that any given day would yield a different answer.

I was home from work with my daughter today, who in her second week of school had a day off school, already. So I asked her about what her five favorite books were, and suddenly she was hard to works sorting through all the books we had in her house to find her favorites. The task grew quickly. She started by making piles of favorites, maybe favorite, and not favorites. Then we took the top piles and she went to task of sorting them out on the floor in order of which ones she like the most.

Without prompting, I let her lay out her favorites, and before long we had established...at least for today, her favorite books. Certainly, I found myself surprised with some of her selection and order.

So, if you're looking for a gift for, or doing some reading with, a five year old girl and trying to decide what book she might like, maybe this book can provide some inspiration before heading to library or the book store.

The list is low-brow, high-brow, independent, classic, rare and common.

Here's her top 40.

Linden's Top 10 Books

1. Fancy Nancy: Oh La La! It's Beauty Day by Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser (2010)
2. Sofia The First by Cathy Hapka and Grace Lee (2012)
3. The Berenstain Bears and Mama's New Job by Stan and Jan Berenstain (1984)
4. The Berenstain Bears Go to The Doctor by Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
5. Fancy Nancy: Spectacular Spectacles by Jane O'Connor and Robin Presiss Glasser (2010)
6. Fancy Nancy: Hair Dos and Hair Don'ts by Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser (2011)
7. Fancy Nancy: Explorer Extraordinaire! by Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser (2009)
8. Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans (1953)
9. Meet Molly by Valerie Tripp (1990)
10. Magic School Bus: Gets All Dried Up by Joanna Cole, Bruce Degan and Nancy Stevens (1996)

Linden's Favorites: #11 to #20

11. Fancy Nancy and the Too-Loose Tooth by Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser (2012)
12. Curious George Takes A Job by H. A. Rey (1974)
13. Fancy Nancy's Elegant Easter by Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser (2009)
14. The Princess Twins Play n the Garden by Mona Hodgson and Red Hansen (2011)
15. The Princess Twins and the Birthday Party by Monda Hodgson and Red Hansen (2012)
16. It's Check-up Time, Elmo! by Sarah Albee and Tom Brannon (2005)
17. The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners by Stan & Jan Berenstain (1985)
18. Fancy Nancy The 100th Day of School by Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser (2009)
19. Sleepy Bears by Mem Fox and Kerry Argent (2002)
20. Double Delight: Nursery Rhymes by Mary Novick and Jenny Hale (2011)

Linden's Favorites: #21-30

21. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans (1939)
22. Cookie Monster and the Cookie Tree by David Korr and Joe Matheiu (1982)
23. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See by Bill Martin, Jr. and Eric Carle (1967)
24. Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein (2010)
25. A Very Crabby Christmas by Tish Rabe and Dave Aikins (2012)
26. Mudgy & Millie by Susan Nipp (2008)
27. Wash Time for Wilson by Mark Rader (2011)
28. Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen (2012)
29. Fruit Salad Day by Gina Gold (2009)
30. Princess Party by Joy Allen (2009)

Linden's Favorites: #31-40

31. Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping by Peggy Parish and Lynn Sweat (1985)
32. Winnie The Pooh: Nature's True Colors by K. Emily Hutta, Carson Van Osten, and John Kurtz (2010)
33. The Magic Hat by Mem Fox and Tricia Tusa (2006)
34. Queen Ester Helps God's People by Zondervan Publishing and Kelly Pulley (2008)
35. Tickle Monster by Josie Bissett and Kevin J. Atteberry (2008)
36. Where Is The Green Sheep? by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek (2004)
37. Cinderella by Heather Amery and Stephen Cartwright (2003)
38. Fancy Nancy and the Late, Late, LATE Night by Jane O'Conner and Robin Preiss Glasser (2010)
39. Alphabatics by Suse Macdonald (1986)
40. Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown (2012)

***Related Post: Linden's Top 10 Books at 1-year-old can be found here.