With over a thousand new books for children published each year, it’s hard to know which ones your child should read. Kids at 5 must be young to be reading on their own. But it is at 5 when most children learn to read.

It becomes important to select the right kind of books for children at this age while making it fun and not a forced reading experience. So to help you find books that 5-year-olds will actually enjoy — and that is funny and thoughtful for children, we have listed 8 books for children.

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1. Rabbit’s Bad Habits by Julian Gough, illustrated by Jim Field

Beautifully illustrated, Rabbit and Bear series is a brilliantly humorous story of a rabbit and a bear. It teaches children that things are always better when shared with a friend. It’s a children’s fiction, funny story of rabbit, wolf, bear and snowmen. The topics are age-old-friendship, truth and the quest for knowledge. The humour and illustrations are up to the mark and meet up today’s standards.

2. Lift the flap Books for Children: Fairy Tales by Roger Priddy

Peek-a-boo. It is one of the best books for children.

Lift the flap books for children enchant young readers with the beautifully illustrated fairy tale scenes. Under each flap is a sentence about the story, every scene with a rhyme. Gear up your children and help your children find their favourite characters under the flaps.

3. Sonya’s Chickens, by Phoebe Wahl

The story is about Sonya and her three chickens. From raising them to feeding them, loving them and taking care of them, Sonya does everything for them. One day under her care, the chickens grow into hens and deliver an egg. One night, Sonya realizes that one hen has disappeared. She starts wondering where did the hen go. Sonya gets really upset when she discovers the answers. She experiences the true sorrows and joys of caring for others. A reassuring story that helps in making young kids understand that death is natural in the world.

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4. The Man on the Moon, by Simon Bartram (Templar)

Do you think aliens exist? Of all the people, Bob, the man on the moon would know, if aliens exist but he knows entirely nothing of their existence. He has a fixed schedule for everyday. his work is to entertain the tourists, conduct seminars, sell souvenirs and keep the moon swept and tidy. Bob is an astronaut who travels to the moon every day to do his job. The illustrations in this picture book are a delight with so much of revelation. The beautiful illustrations of aliens on every page reveal to the readers that aliens do exist and that Bob is absolutely mistaken about them.

5. The Cat in the Hat, by Dr Seuss (HarperCollins)

It is the bestselling classic rhyming worse. The story begins on a rainy day when Sally and her brother, Dick can’t find anything to do until the Cat in the hat appears. The cat turns their boring afternoon into a fun-filled extravaganza. The Cat is an unstoppable force but Dick and Sally are worried as to what will happen when their mother will return. The cat creates chaos at the beginning but he unveils his tidying-up tricks when the mother returns.

6. Stick Man, by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler (Alison Green/ Scholastic)

It is a story about a lovable Stick Man who lives happily with his family in the family tree. One day a dog mistakes him for any old stick. The poor old Stick Man’s life is in danger now. He no more is the owner of his own life. His life changes completely and dramatically. It’s a combination of excitement and fear before wittily reaching a finally ends in a comforting resolution. It is one of the best books for children above 5 years of age.

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7. Big Bad Bun, by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross (Andersen)

Fluff, the rabbit who eventually gets known as Big Bad Bun does all bad things. Fluff is a typical tearaway. He does everything bad – From dyeing his tail to piercing his ears and crashing his bike. Is he actually this bad or is he pretending all this while? One day he leaves a letter on his bed after school, turns out he is not as bad as he makes out. With a twisted tale, the plot takes a wonderfully funny turn. A very light-hearted book you will love reading to your children.

8. After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again)

The storyline revolves around the time after Humpty’s fall. A twist on the classic tale of wit and charm with ideas about how to overcome fear. Humpty Dumpty is not getting very well after the fall. His life becomes tough. He can’t even bear to climb onto his bed. Once an avid bird watcher, he is now terrified of heights.

This is our list of the 8 best books for children under 5.