The Littlest Wolf

Author: Larry Dane Brimner

First line: It was a perfect summer morning.

Why you should read this book: It's a beautiful message of self-acceptance directed to children who may feel less gifted than their older siblings. The littlest wolf is sad when the other wolves criticize his playing, but his father reassures him over and over that his actions are just as they should be, and that more advanced ones "come later." Delightful illustrations by Jose Aruego and Arianne Dewey round out a fun book for small kids just aching to grow up.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You encourage competition among your children and hold them to accountable to official developmental benchmarks.