Top Ten Books for Toddlers
Note: I’m assuming you have your own favorite children’s Bible.
1. Jamberry by Bruce Degen – Sooo much fun to read out loud!
2. Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton – Who can resist this one? And you can read it over and over and over without going nuts. Mostly.
3. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown – But of course. (If not this one, then certainly pick Millions of Cats by Wanda Gág.)
4. Me Too! by Mercer Mayer – Especially for the toddler’s older sibling. 🙂
5. Little Bear books by Else Holmelund Minarik – Is there anything sweeter than Little Bear and his grandparents?
6. 17 Kings and 42 Elephants by Margaret Mahy – Love the illustrations and the rhythm!
7. Mother Goose & other poems – Cultural literacy, people!
8. My Good Morning Book by Eloise Wilkin – Will never part with my copy.
9. I Like to Help My Mommy – A First Little Golden Book. Ditto.
10. Ack! Just ten? You pick —-> If You Give a Mouse a Cookie or One Fish, Two Fish or Are You My Mother or what???
Bonus!
Top Ten Books I Cannot Stand Reading to Toddlers
1. Anything by Richard Scarry – Sorry, but his pages that so appeal to some. . . make me dizzy.
2. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson – Although beloved by many, Harold exists in a world without walls or dimensions, and this completely creeps me out.
3. Anything with a Disney character (P.S.: This does NOT include Winnie-the-Pooh because he/it was a book first.)
4. Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish – I suppose there is nothing especially wrong with these; I just don’t like them.
5. Anything poorly written or poorly illustrated. There are too many well-drawn and well-written books to bother with junk.
6. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak – I dislike the disturbing story and the weird illustrations. And while I’m at it, I was never overly fond of Where the Wild Things Are, either. He should have stuck with Little Bear. (I’m sorry and Rest In Peace, Mr. Sendak)
7. Any book with “Poop” in the title. Seriously.
8. Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss – I love many of his books, truly. But this one? I’d rather poke myself in the eye than have to read it out loud.
9. Thomas the Tank Engine anything. Sorry. Can’t do it.
10. Dracula: A BabyLit Counting Primer by Jennifer Adams – OK, I haven’t actually read this, but really ?! I have no words.
List based both on what I enjoyed reading out loud and my sons (and other children) enjoyed listening to!
Obviously, a very opinionated list. <Grin>
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Maggie is Bright Ideas Press's Founder and Creative Director. She is a wife, mom, grandmom, author, and speaker. Her favorite things are Jesus, playing with her granddaughters, reading, writing, traveling, encouraging moms, and drinking coffee. Find Maggie on Instagram @maggiehogan.
Comments (23)
We also love all the Little Jewel books for our wee ones. They take a beating without tearing, and the stories and illustrations are just lovely. As for books we cannot stand, The Rainbow Fish is at the top of my list!! Marxist propaganda, anyone? Grrr.
I am delighted to see “I Like to Help Mommy” on this list. I had that book as a child in the 80’s, then used the same book with my kids when they were young (as in, the exact same copy, 20 years later!). Now I need to dig it out again to use with my “second round” of littles! I also agree about not liking Disney character books (except Pooh, who is my favorite!). My son did LOVE Harold and the Purple Crayon, though! I also love Little Bear books and also Franklin. The two go together in my mind as we used to watch the cartoons for both on Disney when my kids were younger. I love the lists, they made me smile!
Heather, I so lov that little book! Glad to see others are still using it as well. My youngest loved Harold too but I could barely stand reading it to hi, strange I know. Lol!
I giggle at your reason for Harold, to funny, but totally agree with Where the Wild Things Are, There is something that bugs me about this book.
I also don’t like any book that has had a PBS series made after it (Clifford, Franklin, Thomas, etc) The made for TV books are junk, and the children argue with the classics. (Little Bear has survived however)
Been slowly removing the junk from my book shelves, have 3 milk crates of children’s books in my car to donate.
The Clifford books didn’t bother me but we had a ten year TV free zone so we missed a lot of the remakes. I never really got the appeal of Franklin. I’d rather eat dirt than watch Thomas! LOL!
And It is amazing though how the “junk” books pile up though, isn’t it?
My 2 yo son loves the Bonnie Becker books with Bear and Mouse. He also likes to listen to his 5 yo sister’s favorite–Library Lion.
Oooohhh Heather – more books I don’t know! Going to check out Bonnie Becker next -thanks!
Ooooh! Never heard of the Little Jewel books! Thank you. Haven’t read The Rainbow Fish – glad to know I’m not missing anything 😉
We have loved the Dick and Jane books for our early readers.
Loved Click Clack Moo and the Eric Carle books.
Thanks Vicki – must go check out Click Clack Moo! I like Carle but he didn’t make the top ten. Sadly, I was scarred by Dick and Zane readers in first grade. I was already a fluent reader but our class had to read these together. Out loud. Daily. Wanted to scream. I love homeschooling!
anything illustrated by Eloise Wilkin (I love her drawing),
Blueberries for Sal,
Muffin Mouse and
My Anytiime Bedtime Storybook by Beers
Have been favorites here.
Barb, agreed on all counts except I am not familiar with the last one you listed. Will look it up, thanks!
Karma Wilson’s Bear series, especially Bear Snores On and Bear Feels Sick. Also, Goodnight Gorilla and I am a Bunny are great for toddlers.
Goodnight Gorilla and zi am a Bunny – yes!! Must check out this Bear series…
We loved:
Each Peach Pear Plum by Alan and Janet Ahlberg
Ant and Bee books series by Angela Banner (out of print, british books)
Who Hops? by Katie Davis
Anything with good pictures you can enjoy together and ask questions about.
I do so love Each Peach Pear Plum but my youngest didn’t, sadly. Hoping my grand daughters will like it though! Who Hops? I don’t know – will investigate. Thanks!
I loved reading your dislike list more than the like list. 🙂 Funny how different things bug us, isn’t it?
I love Goodnight Gorilla and anything by Peggy Rathman. She is genius.
Richard Scary is a favorite. Always has been. I credit his books with my love of words today. I think like that. I see things with their words close by them. Crazy. Maybe Mr. Scary is like that too!
Yes, Good night Gorilla! For some reason that reminded me of the Napping House. Big smiles! I think the R. Scary books definitely appeal to visually artistic types. My theory anyway. My brain cannot organize the information in any way when it is so jumbled. I need words and pictures separate. Same reason I never really enjoyed the Usborne books. I love how God wired us all so differently! (PS – I could really give a top twenty books I dislike list – they’re fun to write hehe)
NO THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE! My 10 year old asperger’s syndrome child would have to differ with you. In typical aspy form he knows everything about Thomas! I could, however, see why it would irritate some folks. Great list!
Funny thing about Thomas – I’ve actually had a number of Aspie moms tell me how much their boys like him. I think it is just fascinating how the exact same words, pictures, and combinations thereof can elicit such a variety of different responses! We serve a creative God.
Fun lists indeed! Our family loves, loves, LOVES Where the Wild Things Are, and we can probably recite much of the book in our sleep. But man, I’m with you on the Disney books. [Excuse me while I gag.] So boring to read. And since I have always been told that the mark of a good children’s book is that an adult enjoys it too, I can’t believe kids find them interesting, either.
Oh, and we also love Caps for Sale and Madeline.
Thanks for this great post, Maggie!
I forgot to add how much I love Eloise Wilkins’ sweet illustrations; her books were among my own childhood faves!
Love the list and all of the comments, too! I just filled my Amazon cart with some new books for my almost-2-year-old grandson who loves when I read to him. Thanks for the suggestions! My grandson’s favorite books right now are I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rossetti Shustak (he says and signs “more” over and over and I read it to him 5 or 6 or more times in a row). The illustrations are so sweet. His other current favorites are Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina (he loves shaking his fist at the monkeys haha!), Bathtime for Chickies and Bedtime for Chickies by Janee Trasler, Dr. Seuss ABC, and Little Blue Truck. There’s such joy in reading to little ones, isn’t there?