The Gruffalo
by Julia Donaldson
Picture book · ages 3–7 · 500L (~2nd–3rd grade) · 1999
Why we'd hand it over
The rhyme scheme and rhythm are addictive—kids memorize it and parents don't tire of rereads; the mouse's ingenuity is genuinely clever, not contrived.
What parents said
This is of course your classic traditional English language fare.
I would add almost all Julia Donaldson books not just Gruffalo