Books for Toddlers
The original post that started this list can be found here, with some of my thinking behind why these books are here and why others aren't. Do you have any other ideas for us? We're always looking! These are all in the 18 month- 2 year old category at the moment:
- Hondo & Fabian, Peter McCarty (Caldecott Honor Book-- beautiful illustrations)
- Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd (our all-time, hands-down favorite... deserves it's own bullet point)
- The Train to Timbuctoo, also by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Art Seiden
- 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, Let's Go Visiting, 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
- 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
- Mother Goose Remembers, Clare Beaton
- Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, If You Give a Pig a Pancake, If You Give a Moose a Muffin
- Harry the Dirty Dog, by Gene Zion and Margaret Bloy Graham
- Is it Red? Is it Yellow? Is it Blue?, Tana Hoban
- Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak
- The Carrot Seed, Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Crockett Johnson
For the future (check out the comments):
- Family classics (via SouleMama)
For the 2+ year old:
