A love of reading is something that I really want to instill in my children. I loved to read growing up, and it’s something I love to do with the boys now.
There are so many great books out there but here are 10 that we’re always reaching for:
1. The Velveteen Rabbit. We’ve got both the toddler board book version and the beautiful 1922 facsimile version of this book. I’ve always loved this story of a toy bunny loved so much he becomes real.
2. The Very Cranky Bear. This is such a cute book with great illustrations about a cranky bear and a simple gesture from a thoughtful friend.
3. Little Blue Truck. A fun book full of farm animal sounds and a lesson about the value of friendship and treating others well.
4. The Gruffalo. This is one of Colton’s favourite books right now; pretty sure I can almost recite it from memory. It’s a rhyming story about a quick-witted mouse and hungry monster. Quick tip for anyone with Amazon Prime, they have a short Gruffalo movie on there, not great quality in my opinion, but Colton loves it!
5. Where the Wild Things Are. This is a classic and beautifully illustrated. Colton dressed up as Max from this book for Halloween two years ago and I almost died he looked so cute!
6. Garbage Delight. I love everything written by Dennis Lee, who’s been dubbed Canada’s Father Goose. They’re all fun books, Alligator Pie is on high rotation in our house too.
7. The Kissing Hand. This is a really cute book, especially if you have a little one starting preschool or kindergarten soon. It’s about a mama’s kiss always staying with you, and in your heart.
8. The Three Little Pigs. This is another favourite of Colton’s. He loves to tell this story to his friends, and he’s so animated while he does it!
9. Sheep in a Jeep. A fun little book full of repetition and rhyming, and I’ve never met a toddler who doesn’t like repetition.
10. Finding Winnie. I love this book, it’s Canadian and the true story about the bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh. This is a book I love to give as a gift.
What are your favourite books for toddlers? I’m always on the lookout for a new one! I’ll be doing a post about my favourite books for babies too, so stay tuned for that.
