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This week (26th January – 2nd February 2019) is National Storytelling Week. A week where the art of storytelling is celebrated by people of all ages. So what better time to celebrate our favourite toddler books?
Our Favourite Toddler Books
Elizabeth loves books. Which is unsurprising really as both myself and her Dad love to read. From a very early age we established a bedtime routine that included a story of some description, and encouraged her to understand the story from the pictures. Some of her first words came from the books that we bought or were given. And here are a few of our favourites from the past 3 years.
Goodnight Poppy Cat by Lara Jones
Goodnight Poppy Cat is a very short and simple board book. It also has a bedtime theme, which makes it superbly suitable as a bedtime story book for a small child. In the book Poppy cat has a bath and bedtime story before going to bed. The word ‘star’ was amongst one of Elizabeth’s first words due to the cover, which features sparkly stars. It is just a lovely first book.
Clip Clop by Nicola Smee
Another board book, Clip Clop is again a lovely short story, perfect for the attention span of a small child or toddler. Cat, Dog, Pig and Duck all go for a ride on Mr Horse. When they ask him to go faster, does it lead to disaster? The story may be short, but there is action aplenty. Perfect for a little one to learn the names of animals. A lovely book to bounce a little one on your knee along to.
Tickle My Ears by Jorg Muhle
Tickle My Ears is a little bit different. It is an interactive board book. There are prompts within the book asking the reader to stroke, tap and tickle the pictures within. There are no textured elements or moving flaps, the reader has to use their imagination and empathy. Which is a lovely thing to develop in a small child.
Where’s That Monkey? by Dan Crisp
‘Where’s That Monkey?’ is part of a series, including ‘Where’s That Fish?, ‘Where’s That Cat?’, and ‘Where’s That Duck?’. The wonderful thing about this series is that each page of the book contains a cut out section. It looks as if the monkey can be seen through the hole…but when you turn the page you find that something totally different is there, and not the monkey! Elizabeth still loves these books, and they are very good for counting, spotting and colour recognition.
Anything by Julia Donaldson
No list of our favourite toddler books would be complete without a mention to the ultimate children’s book writer, Julia Donaldson. Before Elizabeth was one, we loved all the board book versions of her tales such as ‘Stick Man‘ and ‘Room on the Broom‘.
But now Elizabeth is a small child, we have moved onto the more interactive versions of her books. Particular favourites right now are the jigsaw versions, where you get some 12 piece jigsaws that illustrate the stories,
and the sound book versions of her books
, such as this ‘Gruffalo’s Child‘
Reading and storytelling are the perfect way to form an active imagination in children. We love our favourite toddler books. Are any of these your favourites? We would love to know.
Want some more ideas for the perfect book for a small child? See this post.
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See our review of the Trolls Pop-out Book
Enjoyed this? Why not read about how to get your toddler to take medicine?
Or about how to prepare for a child’s tonsillectomy?
I love the animal theme running through so many of these #globalblogging
Thank you! Yes, animals do seem to dominate in our house!
Fab selection of books, the girls are past a lot of these but they always loved stick man great book #globalblogging
I really don’t think you can beat Julia Donaldson for smaller children. Thank you for reading
A great selection of books, I loved reading Poppy Cat to the boys. Even though my eldest is 7 he still enjoys Stick Man except he reads it to me now, hehe X #mmbc
Poppy Cat is such a sweet little book. And yes, E loves to go through Stick Man and tell me the story using the pictures!
Oh I agree Anything by Julia Donaldson! I am a big fan of hers.
Totally agree with Julia Donaldson, she is an amazing author, I can still quote the whole of the Gruffalo from when I was a child minder 12 years ago, the children asked for me to read it so often #triamphanttales@_karendennis
Oh ,I know, that is the truly magical thing. Because her books are in rhyme they do seem easier to memorise!
Long may that continue!
The Gruffalo is still popular here now even at 6 years old – brilliant books! Thank you for sharing with #TriumphantTales
I must admit, the Gruffalo is just such a good book. Thank you for reading!
There are some lovely books listed here. We have a great number of Julia Donaldson books here #MMBC
Thank you. Yes, must admit that Julia Donaldson rules our little bookcase!
We have the ‘where’s that cat?’ book and it is so clever! Love Julia Donaldson books too. I’ll check out the others you recommend! Thanks for linking up with #globalblogging
Thank you Laura.
There are some good ones there. We love a good read and I thought we had every toddler book known to man ;), but there are some new ones to me there. Thanks for being on the #DreamTeam
Thank you , Kirsty. There are so many books!
We’re past the toddler stage so these are new to me, apart from Julia Donaldson. Stick Man is one of our favourite stories :o)
#ReadWithMe
I will be honest, I had never read stick man until 2 years ago when we were introduced to it by nursery. Julia Donaldson is just an amazing author.
These look a delightful choice of books. We went through both the jigsaw and sound versions of Julia Donaldson books too when my boys were small #readwithme
I love all the different versions of the books. Thank you for reading!
We used to love all of the Julia Donaldson books when our kids were little, but it’s a long time since we’ve bought one now! My favourite was The Snail and the Whale – it always made me cry.
Popping over from Read With Me.
They are all so good! Thank you for your comments
Julia Donaldson was always a winner in our house, still is with my 6 year old actually. Great choices, thanks for sharing with #readwithme
She is truly a great of childrens’ literature.
Tickle My Ears is a favourite of ours too! #readwithme
I love the empathy it provokes in my little one!
I see some of KayCee’s and Ella’s old favourites here. We’ve boxed them all up now because they’re too old for them, but they’ve been put in the loft for when/if we ever have grandchildren 🙂
Some of these were handed down from friends and relatives. I love that idea!
Julia Donaldson is still a favourite with my two now and they’re 8 & 9! We are sharing things like The Hobbit together but they still pull out Stick Man and The Gruffalo to share with great regularity.
That is really lovely. And the reading of the Hobbit, cannot wait until E can start got read these books!
My children love anything by Julia Donaldson too, you just can’t go wrong with those books. So lovely to hear that some of your little one’s first words were from picture books. #ReadWithMe
We are pleased that she loves to read so much. Long may it continue!