10 Picture Books That Fuel Kids’ Imagination

An active imagination is SO important for kids. Find out why + discover some of my favorite picture books that fuel kids’ imagination!

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As a substitute teacher and parent volunteer, I read to elementary students on a regular basis. And I put a LOT of thought and planning into the books I read to them. I’m always looking for stories that will engage their attention, fuel their love for books, and plant seeds for their futures.

One of my favorite themes to look for in the picture books I read is imagination. I’m saddened by how little kids are encouraged to use their imaginations these days. So few of their toys and activities require it. The majority of toys promoted nowadays are single-use fads and gizmos that do everything for the kids – all the sounds, movements, etc. – or electronic games that don’t require (or even allow for) creativity.

And this stunting (dare I say atrophying?) of kids’ imagination is a VERY big deal. Imaginative play enhances development and creativity, strengthens communication skills, develops critical thinking and problem solving skills, supports social-emotional development, and so much more. A strong imagination is a powerful asset, and it is nothing short of essential that we nurture it in our kids.

Because nurturing kids’ imagination and cultivating their creativity is such a big deal to me, I like to do it anyway I can – including through the books I read to them! I’m always on the lookout for great books to read about imagination, so take a look at the titles below, then add some of YOUR favorites in the comments!

10 Picture Books That Fuel Kids’ Imagination

An active imagination is SO important for kids for so many reasons. That’s why I try to encourage it anyway I can! Below are some of my favorite picture books that fuel kids’ imagination. Read them to the kids in YOUR life, and watch their imaginations flourish!

1. The Fantastic Bureau of Imagination | Brad & Kristi Montague

Every day, special figment agent Sparky delivers all the mail the FBI receives to the proper department, like the Office of the Unexplainable or the Department of Dreams. It’s a big job, but Sparky keeps everything running smoothly . . . until disaster strikes when the Cave of Untold Stories overflows and threatens to topple the whole bureau. It turns out too many people have been holding in their big ideas, and now Sparky must recruit more agents to share their dreams, songs, and stories with the world.

This has become on of my all-time favorite picture books!

2. If I Built series | Chris Van Dusen

The series includes If I Built a House, If I Built a Car, and If I Built a School

With energetic rhymes and eye-catching artwork, the entire If I Built series is sure to fuel any young inventor or builder with big plans and grand imaginations. I highly recommend them all!

3. Harold and the Purple Crayon | Crockett Johnson

One evening Harold decides to go for a walk in the moonlight. Armed only with an oversize purple crayon, young Harold draws himself a landscape full of wonder and excitement.

Harold and his trusty crayon travel through woods and across seas and past dragons before returning to bed, safe and sound. Full of funny twists and surprises, this charming story shows just how far your imagination can take you.

This imagination-sparking picture book belongs on every child’s bookshelf!

4. The Flying Dragon Room | Audrey Wood

Unaware that Mrs. Jenkins is polishing up her set of magical tools in the backyard, young Patrick finds himself in a fantastic world of imagination in which he comes face-to-face with such incredible items as a bubble machine and a friendly dragon.

5. What Can You Do With a Box? | Jane Yolen & Chris Sheban

If you give a child a box, who can tell what will happen next? It may become a library or a boat. It could set the scene for a fairy tale or a wild expedition. The most wonderful thing is its seemingly endless capacity for magical adventure, a feature imaginatively captured in cardboard-esque art by Chris Sheban and rhythmically celebrated in this poetic tribute by renowned children’s author Jane Yolen.

6. The Most Magnificent Thing | Ashley Spires

The girl has a wonderful idea. “She is going to make the most MAGNIFICENT thing! She knows just how it will look. She knows just how it will work. All she has to do is make it, and she makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” But making her magnificent thing is anything but easy, and the girl tries and fails, repeatedly. Eventually, the girl gets really, really mad. She is so mad, in fact, that she quits. But after her dog convinces her to take a walk, she comes back to her project with renewed enthusiasm and manages to get it just right.

In addition to fueling kids’ imaginations, this book is great for teaching the rewards of perseverance, and is also a great tie-in to learning about science, technology, engineering, and math.

7. Everywhere, Wonder | Matthew Swanson

In this heartfelt picture book, readers are taken on a stunning journey into the imagination of a young boy―who explores everything from the pyramids of Egypt to a dusty footprint on the moon―and then back out again to the wonderful world right in front of him. From a lost balloon to an endless road, there are stories to discover, to dream about, and to share.

Everywhere, Wonder explores the wonder in the world, while encouraging young minds to discover the extraordinary in the ordinary, and creatively share their stories with others.

8. Have Fun Molly Lou Melon | Patty Lovell

Molly Lou Melon’s grandma taught her to be happy with herself no matter what, but that’s not all she learned. Molly Lou heard all about how her grandma didn’t have fancy store-bought toys when she was little. She made dolls out of twigs and flowers and created her own fun in her backyard.

So Molly Lou does just that, proving that the best thing to play with is a huge imagination!

9. What If? | Samantha Berger

This girl is determined to express herself! If she can’t draw her dreams, she’ll sculpt or build, carve or collage. If she can’t do that, she’ll turn her world into a canvas. And if everything around her is taken away, she’ll sing, dance, and dream…

Stunning mixed media illustrations, lyrical text, and a breathtaking gatefold conjure powerful magic in this heartfelt affirmation of art, imagination, and the resilience of the human spirit.

10. Journey Trilogy

This wordless picture book trilogy includes Journey, Quest, & Return

A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it escapes into a world where wonder, adventure, and danger abound. Red marker in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon, and a flying carpet that carry her on a spectacular journey toward an uncertain destiny. When she is captured by a sinister emperor, only an act of tremendous courage and kindness can set her free. Can it also lead her home and to her heart’s desire? With supple line, luminous color, and nimble flights of fancy, author-illustrator Aaron Becker launches an ordinary child on an extraordinary journey toward her greatest and most exciting adventure of all.

Quest and Return illustrate her subsequent adventures and are just as charming and imaginative as the first!

SHARE WITH US: Do you have some favorite picture books that fuel kids’ imagination? Tell us in the comments below!

10 Picture Books That Fuel Kids’ Imagination

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