Have you heard about Usha Vance’s 2025 Reading Challenge, Make America Read Again? It’s aimed at children from Kindergarten through Eighth grade. Read twelve books, send in your list, and you could win a visit to the White House. Sounds great, right? But what about you, parents and grandparents—do you read in front of the kiddos?

When our son was in first grade and struggling with reading, the teacher called me in for a conference. She asked a series of questions to figure out why our son was having difficulty. “Do you read to him?” I responded, “Since before birth.” He’s the youngest, and I read to all the kids day and night. He, in particular, would wake up at 5:00 am to have some reading time with me, his mom, and his favorite book, "Ten in the Bed."

Ah, summer. That magical stretch of time where bedtime becomes a suggestion, popsicles become a food group, and reading... well, let's just say the only thing most kids were reading was the pool rules sign (and even then, only under duress). Now, as the scent of freshly sharpened pencils fills the air, it's time to gently coax our young ones back into the wonderful world of books.

Fear not, parents and teachers! Rebuilding that reading habit doesn't mean cracking open an encyclopedia. The right stories can reignite curiosity, tickle funny bones, and, most importantly, make kids fall in love with learning all over again. Here's a handpicked list of 13 delightful pre-K through 2nd-grade reads that will help ease the transition and spark a joy for reading.