Christopher Santoro — Teacher's Choice Author 2026

Christopher Santoro is one of roughly one hundred authors whose work was selected by the Montessori-certified teachers at Creative Minds Montessori for the 2026 Teacher’s Choice list — 120 books chosen across four reading stages, from first lap-reads to first chapter books. The selected book was chosen for how precisely it meets children at a real developmental moment. This recognition cannot be bought: no author or publisher paid to appear on our lists, and we take no commission on any book sale.

About Christopher Santoro

Christopher Santoro has illustrated dozens of children's books across four decades, from pop-ups to dinosaurs; Open the Barn Door remains his evergreen — a first-flaps book that generations of toddlers have loved to pieces.

Also by this author: Book of Shapes · Little Grunt and the Big Egg (illustrator)

Publisher page: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/26893/christopher-santoro

Selected for the 2026 Teacher’s Choice list

Open the Barn Door Page Grabbers · Books That Do Things

Part of The Best Children’s Books by Age, chosen by the teachers at Creative Minds Montessori in Frisco, TX.

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  <p style="margin:0;font-size:14.5px;line-height:1.55;color:#333;">The Montessori teachers at Creative Minds selected <em>Open the Barn Door</em> for their 2026 Teacher&rsquo;s Choice list &mdash; <a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/resources/authors/christopher-santoro/" style="color:#66853a;font-weight:600;">read their review</a>.</p>
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<p>The Montessori teachers at <a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/resources/authors/christopher-santoro/">Creative Minds Montessori</a> selected <em>Open the Barn Door</em> as one of their 120 Teacher&rsquo;s Choice books for 2026.</p>