Books for preschool-age boys?

[gbmama]

My 3 year old son doesn't have a lot of patience for most books (unless it has a superhero in it)? He also isn't that big into the standard truck/car/construction picture books they have for boys.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[Newmom!]

Take him to the library and browse through the books together. Make notes of the books he seems interested in. Let him choose which ones he would like to check out from the library. Use his choices to help you figure out what to purchase him. And keep using the library, as his interests will change.

Also, a superhero fascination is fine and may last for years, just work in other types of books once in a while to give him exposure to a variety of book genres.

[crodden]

I found that our Borders bookstore has numbered levels in the kids section. I was able to find Batman, Spiderman, Transformers, etc. at Level 1 which has less than 10 words on each page and is only 15 pages long. They are for beginning readers but you could probably keep his attention without driving yourself nuts for something that short.

[gingernoschka]

Picking up on books he takes an interest in at the library is great. Sometimes books I particularly love will work too because I am more enthusiastic in the telling of the story. Classic stories that you can tell by heart without a book often work too (ex. 3 Billy Goats Gruff, Little Red Riding Hood, etc.) Hold him in your lap (so it is great bonding) and follow his lead. If he points to or clues into something respond to it. Use lots of interesting sound effects and voices. The great thing about early picture books is that the pictures often tell the story. You can make up your own words to keep the story shorter and to gear it more towards him. Enjoy it!

If you haven't already read Mercer Mayer's "There's an Alligator Under My Bed", be sure to try it.