Books for 18 month- 2 year olds

It's Book Baby day at the library and we'll bring home a big tote full of books for the week.  We also, thanks to a big family of readers, Craigslist and a first grade classroom full of books in storage, have lots of our own books to enjoy.  Despite all of this I find it really, really difficult to find good books for this age: 18 month - 2 year olds.  I suppose I'm picky, and books are so subjective so what I may completely dislike you might love.  The trick around here is that the boy has to enjoy the book for whatever reason but then it helps if T and I like it too because, chances are, we'll be reading it over and over and over (and over).   There are lots I love (Olivia comes to mind) that the boy dislikes, and some he likes that I don't. 

I  know lots about books for slightly older kids, but this age is tough.  The books have to have the right combination of not-too-many-words and interesting pictures and be not-too-long.  I've looked for good lists of recommended books and I'm sure there are lots of lists I haven't found.  I'm starting my own list of favorites here in hopes that someone might find it and find new books to add to their library list (and, really, in hopes that you'll tell me what I'm missing!). 

• Hondo & Fabian, Peter McCarty (Caldecott Honor Book-- beautiful illustrations)
• Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd (our all-time, hands-down favorite)
• My Friend Rabbit, Eric Rohmann (Caldecott Honor Book)
• Bear About Town, Stella Blackstone, illustrated by Debbie Harter (love this illustrator's work)
• Bear's Busy Family, Stella Blackstone, illustrated by Debbie Harter
• The Foot Book, Dr. Seuss (board book version- it's shorter)
• Maisy: Maisy Dresses Up, Lucy Cousins (I don't like all of the Maisy books but there are a few that are "just right"), Maisy Cleans Up
• Go, Dog. Go!, P.D. Eastman (board book version- it's shorter)
• Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb, Al Perkins, illustrated by Eric Gurney (great rhythm)
• Owl Babies, Martin Waddell, illustrated by Patrick Benson (board book version- a bit wordy for 18 months but it holds the boy's attention well and has a nice message)
• Eloise Wilkin: Eloise Wilkin Stories (favorites from my childhood that the boy loves too), Nursery Rhymes
• Eric Carle: From Head to Toe, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?, Today is Monday
• Raffi board books (songs to read): Wheels on the Bus, Baby Beluga
• Sandra Boynton (I don't care for a lot of her books but these two crack me up): Moo, Baa, La La La!, Doggies
• Good Night, Gorilla, Peggy Rathmann
• I Went Walking, Sue Williams, illustrated by Julie Vivas
• Put Me in the Zoo, Robert Lopshire
• Eating the Alphabet, Lois Ehlert (I love her illustration work but the boy only really likes this one of hers so far)
• Cliff Wright (a little simple but still favorites after a year+ and I absolutely love the illustrations): Bear and Ball, Bear and Kite
• A Treasury for One Year Olds (can't find a link...  It's 2003, Parragon Books)
• Jamberry, Bruce Degen

I left out, oh, 90% of what we have around here because they feel so-so, and most things we find at the library don't fit.  These are our current favorites.  Can you help us?

Edited: As we try out new books and find ones we like I'm going to add them in below.  Check out the comments for great suggestions (we've already enjoyed a lot of these from the library since you shared them with us and we're on the waiting list for the rest.  Thanks!). 

• Kevin Henkes: Lilly's Chocolate Heart, Wemberly's Ice Cream Star
• Nancy Shaw: Sheep in a Jeep, Sheep in a Shop
• Anne Rockwell: Cars, Trains, Boats, Things That Go
• We've All Got Bellybuttons, David Martin, illustrated by Randy Cecil

Comments

[P&Amom]

I just made a list of our favorite books (for boy of 3 years) so this is a timely topic.

We love Kevin Henke's series on candy "Owen's Marshmallow Chick," "Lily's Chocolate Heart," "Julius's Candy Corn," "Sheila Rae's Peppermint Stick," and "Wemberly's Ice Cream Star"

Also Nancy Shaw's sheep series "Sheep in a Jeep," "Sheep in a Shop," and "Sheep on a Ship"

Ziefert and Taback's "Where is my Baby" is a great animal-themed book

I love the illustrations in Kathleen Hague's "Numbears: A Counting Book"

[Vasilisa]

A thousand thanks for the list! It's tricky when your child likes books you don't. When my firstborn was that age, I bought a little book in a charity shop that was a bit silly. However, he was crazy about it for some reason and we had to read it so many times that in the end we knew it by heart!

I have the feeling that little children love tiny books. I have some lovely tiny vintage Maurice Sendak books that my older child loves.

[Janice]

I like several on your list, and we also love Usborne books...they have wonderful books for every age. Great color, illustrations and touchy feely types of things as well. Many of our kids favorites have been Usborne :)

[diana]

Hello there! I'm new to the blogging world, but so far, yours is one of my favorites! Love it! I would've been the first person to respond to your "motherhood questions" post last week, but I just had so much to say.... it would've read more like an essay. Anyway! One of our favorite books is "Tumble Bumble", by Felicia Bond (illustrator of "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"). It's a board book, short & sweet. Hope you like it.

[carol]

Have patience with me, my baby is almost 8. I see you have Eric Carle listed, does he still do Spot books? My kids LOVED finding Spot hidden on all of the pages.

[laura gunn]

Love the photo. Thanks for the book ideas. just wanted to say your new blog looks fabulous. The button header is too great

[molly]

what a great resource. I'm definitely bookmarking this for the future...
One of my favorites for this age is "Time For Bed" by Mem Fox. The illustrations are beautiful and the text is simple enough that the child can read it on their own in no time. I love that about books--when I see my children crawl up onto the sofa with a favorite and "read" their way through it on their own....

[tia]

here's a few faves for the younger set that I've been keeping track of (and hope to one day list on my blog)

Jazzy in the Jungle, Lucy Cousins

Carlo Likes Colors, J. Spanyol

Silly Suzy Goose, P. Horacek

[Kari]

Both of my kids love(d) the book "What do you Say?" at this age. My daughter (19 mos) loves it now. It goes through a bunch of animals: "what do you say to a bee? Buzzzzz" ending with "What do you say to a little fish? Hello, little fish!" :)