Growing Readers

Uncovering the World Through Books

At Bright Horizons, we help children, families, and teachers share the joy of reading. Our monthly book recommendations and storytelling tips bring books to life at home; we inspire young minds to develop compassion and acceptance through the work of diverse authors and illustrators; and our Growing Readers: Ready to Read curriculum supplement supports pre-reading and reading skills in our classrooms.

Mother and daughter read together and discover educational elements of growing readers

Growing Readers Review

Take a look at our round-up of top book recommendations for every age group. Plus, find out what to talk about as you read with your child and how to extend their learning.

Get ready for a neighborhood adventure in our summer issue of Growing Readers. Join characters from Leo Goes on a Hike and This is a Story as they explore hiking, city walks, and local libraries with their parents. Don’t forget to tune in to our Book Club video and join Teacher Nate in creating a story of what you enjoy.

Read the Current Issue

Mother and daughter read Bright Horizons Growing Readers early childhood educational books

Growing Readers: Ready to Read

Based on joy, confidence, and skills, this proprietary program connects Growing Readers books to strategic literacy concepts and provides a wide variety of language-rich experiences to prepare preschoolers for reading success.

Learn More about Ready to Read

Young child at daycare learns to read through the Bright Horizons Growing Readers literacy program, ready to read

Growing Readers Book Club

Join featured authors and Bright Horizons teachers as they read beautiful and engaging Growing Readers books for children of all ages.

Big Truck Little Island

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This Is a Story

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Wild Blue

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Lift

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Tree Hole Homes

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The Roar

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Rumble and Roar

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How to Say Hello to a Worm

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Big Truck Little Island

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Grandma and Me

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Brown

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Wonder Walkers

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Calm

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Listen

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On the Go!/ ¡A moverse!

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Animal Architects

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Rainbows in Bloom: Discovering Colors with Flowers

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Animals from A to Z: Exploring the Americas

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Langston Dances

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Who Takes Care of You?

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May Your Life Be Deliciosa

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Red House, Brown Mouse

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Everybody in the Red Brick Building

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Animals Go Vroom!

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We All Play

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Shapes

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So You Want to Be an Owl

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The Elephant's New Shoe

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Mayhem at the Museum

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Peekaboo Farm

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My Family, Your Family

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Big Truck Little Island

If you enjoyed the sharing hijinks in the book "Mine!" be sure to check out "Big Truck Little Island" by Chris Van Dusen. Join Teacher Nate as he shares this fun tale of problem solving, teamwork, and community — inspired by a true story that happened in Maine.

This Is a Story

This month’s Growing Readers Book Club Video features the book This is a Story by John Schu. Join Teacher Nate to create images of a list of favorites! Explore your child’s interests and have them create a picture of everything they love.

Wild Blue

This month’s Growing Readers Book Club Video features the book Wild Blue by Dashka Slater. Join Teacher Nate to reflect on your moment of bravery and share your experience in trying something new!

Lift

This month’s Growing Readers Book Club Video features the book “Lift” by Minh Lê. Be transported into a world of possibilities and let your imagination flourish! Where will the elevator button take you?

Tree Hole Homes

This month’s Growing Readers Book Club Video features the book “Tree Hole Homes” by Melissa Stewart. Join Teacher Nate for an exploration of animal habitats and stretch your engineering skills as you build a habitat model.

The Roar

This month’s video features the book “The Roar” by Eoin McLaughlin. Join Teacher Nate as he explores the feelings of the characters through theatrical storytelling. Take on a role and bring the story to life.

Rumble and Roar

This month’s video features the book “Rumble and Roar: Sound Around the World” by Sue Fliess. Join Teacher Nate as he explores the element of sound and join him in creating a soundtrack!

How to Say Hello to a Worm

This month’s video features the book “How to Say Hello to a Worm” by Kari Percival. Join Teacher Nate as he uses his senses to explore the natural world. Grab your gardening tools and get ready to plant.

Big Truck Little Island

This month's Growing Readers Book Club video features the book “Big Truck Little Island” by Chris Van Dusen. Join Teacher Nate as he shares this fun tale of problem solving, teamwork, and community — inspired by a true story that happened in Maine. Also find out how to get your Growing Readers Book Club membership certificate!

Grandma and Me

This month's Growing Readers Book Club video features the book “Grandma and Me” by Carole Boston Weatherford. Join Teacher Nate for a celebration of grandparents and other special adults by creating a keepsake with pictures or words that remind you of your special person.

Brown

This month's video features the book "Brown" by Nancy Johnson James where readers celebrate all the beautiful shades of brown in one child’s family. Join Teacher Nate as he explores how we can create the shade of our unique skin by mixing paints to create beautiful skin tones.

Wonder Walkers

This month's video features the book "Wonder Walkers" by Micha Archer. This beautiful book is full of wonder and incredible discoveries around every corner, high up in the air, and even deep under foot. Join Teacher Nate as he goes on a wonder walk — then it's your turn. What do you wonder?

Calm

This month's video features the book "Calm" by Dr. Jillian Roberts. Join Teacher Nate as he discusses ways to find calming moments. Maybe it's while holding someone’s hand, singing songs together, or going on a nature hike. You may find calm by reading a book with someone you love, or even creating art together.

Listen

Join Teacher Nate for this month's video featuring the book "Listen" by Gabi Snyder which shows us how sound impacts the way we interact with others, how we connect with our environment, and how we keep ourselves safe. Play the sound identification game to see if you can figure out the three mystery sounds!

On the Go!/ ¡A moverse!

Join Teacher Nate for this month's video featuring the book "On the Go!/ ¡A moverse!" by Ailie Busby which highlights animals and how they move, with words in both English and Spanish! Can you stretch like the bear, crawl like the beetle, waddle like the duck, or jump like the kangaroo?

Animal Architects

Join Teacher Nate for this month's video featuring the book "Animal Architects" and get creative by designing your own nest or other animal habitat.

Rainbows in Bloom: Discovering Colors with Flowers

Join Teachers Nate and David for this month's video featuring the beautiful book "Rainbows in Bloom" and get creative by designing your very own paper flowers that bloom in water!

Animals from A to Z: Exploring the Americas

Join Teacher Nate for this month's video featuring the book "Animals from A to Z: Exploring the Americas" and go on a family adventure in search of the plants and animals where you live. You may even want to journal your findings in your very own A to Z alphabet book!

Langston Dances

Join Teacher Nate for this month's video featuring the book “Langston Dances” about a boy who falls in love with ballet. Your toes will be tapping as you think about your very own interests and join in to turn those motions into dance moves!

Who Takes Care of You?

Join Teacher Nate for this month's video featuring the book “Who Takes Care of You?” Become inspired to create a book with pictures, words, or drawings of the very special people who care for you each day!

May Your Life Be Deliciosa

Join Teacher Nate and Ms. Dary for this month's video featuring the book "May Your Life Be Deliciosa.” This lovely story celebrates tradition, food, and family.

Red House, Brown Mouse

Join Teacher Nate for this month's video featuring the book "Red House, Brown Mouse" which will have you noticing delightful little details on every page. Then, discover the details around your space by playing a classic game of I Spy With My Little Eye with the special child in your life!

Everybody in the Red Brick Building

Join Teacher Nate for this month's video featuring illustrator, Oge Mora's inspiration behind the unique pages she created for the book "Everybody in the Red Brick Building". Become inspired to use textures and patterns within your own art!

Animals Go Vroom!

This month's video features the book "Animals Go Vroom" by Abi Cushman. Sing along with Teacher Nate as he creates a playful, musical sequence song featuring animal sounds inspired by the book!

We All Play

This month's video features the book "We All Play" by Julie Flett. This endearing story compares the play of animals and children, and emphasizes connections in nature. Join Teacher Nate in learning some of the Cree vocabulary featured within the book.

Shapes

This month's video features the book “Shapes” by Shelley Rotner and Anne Woodhull. Join Teacher Nate in discovering the many shapes found in our schools, communities, and homes by playing a shape scavenger hunt game!

So You Want to Be an Owl

This month's video features the book So You Want to Be an Owl by Jane Porter. Join Mr. Nate as he plays a question game to explore the animals, people, and things around us!

The Elephant's New Shoe

This month's video features the book "The Elephant's New Shoe" by Laurel Neme. Join Mr. Nate as he crafts up a few simple ideas for children to show kindness to animals!

Mayhem at the Museum

See how "Mayhem at the Museum" by Luciano Lozano inspires Mr. David to create fancy frames out of simple materials. Join the fun to display your own museum-worthy masterpiece!

Peekaboo Farm

Join as Mr. Nate reads “Peekaboo Farm” by Camilla Reid. Learn about reading to infants and toddlers, as well as the value of playing peekaboo — both within the pages of this book and with people and objects nearby.

My Family, Your Family

"My Family, Your Family" by Kathryn Cole is a beautiful book about all different types of families. Watch Mr. Nate read the story and get activity ideas — portraits, reading chains, and journals — that will help you celebrate your own family!