10+ Best Birthday Books for 5-Year-Olds w/ Exercises (2024)

Are you on the hunt for the perfect gift for a special five-year-old in your life? Look no further than our curated selection of birthday books for 5-year-olds! Whether you're aiming to spark imagination or nurture a budding love for reading, we've got you covered. Keep reading to discover our favorite picks that are sure to delight any young reader on their big day!

Fun Birthday Books for 5-Year-Olds

• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
  • Genre(s): Fantasy, Adventure
  • Synopsis: A young boy named Max, dressed in a wolf costume, creates his own imaginary world—a forest inhabited by ferocious wild creatures that crown him as their ruler.
  • Why we recommend this book: It encourages imagination and creativity, showing kids the power of their own minds to craft adventures and manage emotions.
  • Perfect for: Children with a wild imagination and a love for adventure.

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Educational
  • Synopsis: This beautifully illustrated book follows a caterpillar as it eats its way through a variety of foods before finally pupating and emerging as a butterfly.
  • Why we recommend this book: It teaches counting, the days of the week, and the life cycle of a butterfly, all wrapped in a simple, engaging story.
  • Perfect for: Young readers who enjoy learning about nature and animals.

• Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Humor
  • Synopsis: Sam-I-Am persistently follows another character throughout the book, trying to convince him to try green eggs and ham.
  • Why we recommend this book: It introduces beginner readers to rhymes and repetitive patterns that enhance phonemic awareness and can boost early reading skills.
  • Perfect for: Kids who are just starting to read and enjoy playful, repetitive text.

• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd
  • Genre(s): Bedtime Story, Picture Book
  • Synopsis: In a great green room, a young rabbit says goodnight to all the familiar things in the softly lit room.
  • Why we recommend this book: Its rhythmic, gentle words and calming pictures make it a perfect bedtime story, helping children wind down at the end of the day.
  • Perfect for: Children who enjoy a soothing story before sleep.

• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle
  • Genre(s): Pattern Book, Animal Fiction
  • Synopsis: A big happy frog, a plump purple cat, a handsome blue horse, and a soft yellow duck—all parade across the pages of this delightful book.
  • Why we recommend this book: The repetitive structure promotes memorization and the vibrant illustrations help maintain engagement and teach about colors and animals.
  • Perfect for: Youngsters who enjoy colorful illustrations and learning about different animals.

Educational Birthday Books for 5-Year-Olds

• Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, STEM
  • Synopsis: This book tells the story of Rosie, a quiet girl by day who turns into a brilliant inventor at night. She faces her fear of failure to create a machine that will help her aunt fly.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Problem-solving, perseverance, introduction to engineering
  • Why we recommend this book: It inspires children to explore science and engineering, and teaches the importance of perseverance and learning from failures.
  • Perfect for: Aspiring young inventors and creators.

• The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Humor
  • Synopsis: The crayons in Duncan's box are fed up and they decide to go on strike, each expressing their grievances through letters.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Emotional expression, color recognition, persuasive writing
  • Why we recommend this book: It offers a funny, unique perspective on the feelings and uses of colors, encouraging empathy and creativity.
  • Perfect for: Kids who love drawing and coloring, and those who enjoy a good laugh.

• Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, STEM
  • Synopsis: Inspired by real-life makers such as Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie, Ada Twist is a very curious girl who embarks on fact-finding missions and conducts scientific experiments to understand the world.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Scientific inquiry, critical thinking, curiosity
  • Why we recommend this book: It promotes curiosity and perseverance in scientific exploration, making it perfect for budding scientists.
  • Perfect for: Curious youngsters who always ask "why?" and "how?"

• The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Cultural
  • Synopsis: Unhei, a young Korean girl, is anxious about being an outsider in her new American school, so she tells her new classmates that she will choose an American name by the following week. Her classmates fill a jar with names for her to pick from.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Cultural awareness, empathy, self-acceptance
  • Why we recommend this book: It addresses the themes of diversity and acceptance, encouraging children to be proud of their origins and names.
  • Perfect for: Children experiencing or learning about cultural diversity and the importance of being oneself.

• Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Humor
  • Synopsis: This whimsical book explores the love dragons have for tacos and the chaos that ensues when they accidentally eat spicy salsa.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Sequence of events, humor, understanding consequences
  • Why we recommend this book: It's a fun and engaging story that will have kids giggling while they learn about cause and effect.
  • Perfect for: Young readers who enjoy fantastical creatures and a good dose of humor.

Challenging Birthday Books for 5-Year-Olds

• The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering
  • Genre(s): Fantasy, Adventure
  • Synopsis: This is the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who loves music, literature, and a princess named Pea.
  • Why this book is challenging: It features complex vocabulary and intricate plot lines that weave together the stories of several characters.
  • Why we recommend this book: It teaches bravery and compassion, and its rich narrative layers provide a deeper understanding of storytelling.
  • Perfect for: Young readers who enjoy fairy tales and stories of unlikely heroes.

• The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Fantasy
  • Synopsis: A mouse walks through the woods and encounters several dangerous animals who all wish to eat him. He invents a monster called the Gruffalo to scare them off, but then he meets the real Gruffalo.
  • Why this book is challenging: The book uses rhymes and a repetitive tale structure, which can be complex for young readers to predict and understand.
  • Why we recommend this book: It encourages strategic thinking and problem-solving, as the mouse cleverly avoids danger.
  • Perfect with: Kids who love animals and imaginative tales.

• Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, illustrated by John Schoenherr
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Realistic Fiction
  • Synopsis: A child and her father go owling on a cold winter night and experience the special wonder of a close encounter with an owl.
  • Why this book is challenging: Uses figurative language and a subtle, poetic style that requires deeper comprehension.
  • Why we recommend this book: It beautifully captures the quiet beauty of nature and the special bond between parent and child during a shared experience.
  • Perfect for: Children who appreciate nature and quiet, contemplative stories.

• Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Realistic Fiction
  • Synopsis: This book tells the story of Alice Rumphius, who sought to make the world more beautiful by planting lupine flowers everywhere she went.
  • Why this book is challenging: It deals with themes of legacy and personal responsibility toward the world, which are advanced concepts for young readers.
  • Why we recommend this book: It inspires readers to think about how they can contribute positively to the world.
  • Perfect for: Young dreamers and future environmentalists.

• The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Realistic Fiction
  • Synopsis: A young boy named Peter explores his neighborhood after the first snowfall of the season.
  • Why this book is challenging: Utilizes a simple yet profound narrative to explore themes of discovery and the joy of snow.
  • Why we recommend this book: It captures the magic and boundless possibilities of a snowy day through the eyes of a child.
  • Perfect for: Children who delight in the wonders of winter and exploring the outdoors.

Exercises to Develop a Good Reading Habit

Hey there! If you're looking to make reading a fun and habitual part of your 5-year-old's daily routine, especially after gifting them a wonderful birthday book, here are some engaging exercises that can help. These activities are designed to nurture a love for reading and improve their reading skills in a playful, enjoyable way.

• Picture Walk
  • What it is: A pre-reading activity where you and your child look through the pictures of a book before reading it.
  • How it helps: Encourages prediction skills and sets a purpose for reading.
  • Tips: Ask your child to guess what the story might be about based on the pictures.

• Read Aloud Together
  • What it is: You read a book aloud to your child, or alternate pages with them if they can read some words.
  • How it helps: Improves vocabulary and listening skills, and models fluent reading.
  • Tips: Change your voice for different characters to make the reading more engaging.

• Story Role-Play
  • What it is: Acting out the story with your child after reading it.
  • How it helps: Enhances comprehension and recall, and makes reading a more active experience.
  • Tips: Use simple props or costumes to make the role-play more fun and vivid.

• Story Map Creation
  • What it is: Drawing a map or a sequence of events from the story.
  • How it helps: Helps with understanding the structure of stories and sequencing events.
  • Tips: Encourage your child to include as many details as possible in their story map.

• Book-Based Drawing
  • What it is: Your child draws their favorite scene or character from the book.
  • How it helps: Fosters creativity and helps children connect visually with what they read.
  • Tips: Display their artwork at home to show that their reading and creativity are valued.

These exercises are not only fun but also incredibly beneficial for developing early literacy skills. By incorporating these activities into your reading routine, you'll help your child grow into a confident reader. So, grab that birthday book and let the adventures begin!