Nine More Books To Read With Your Toddler
In May I came out with a list of Eight Books To Add To Your Toddler's Library and many of you have reached out to tell me how much you liked the list and the post! So today's post is the sequel featuring nine more titles that make great reads to share with your young reader.
A quick heads up: these aren't basic picture/object books, or books about counting or colors. They've got plots and some run a tad longer than others. We usually sit down to read these cover-to-cover when Harlow is getting ready to nap or go to bed because that's when she's the most still and patient haha! She loves these stories and often asks for them by name -- she calls Last Stop On Market Street "Nana" after a character's name.
One last note: we've chosen these books for a variety of reasons aside from the darling stories they tell. Altogether, these nine books have characters of various races and ethnic backgrounds. Some show families in the modern sense -- some have two dads, others one parent. Some parents are different races, some adopted their children. Some depict a beautiful life lived in unglamorous parts of town. Others tell of hardships, tragedies, or challenges endured and spun into a positive perspective on life.
And some are just straightforward and hilarious!
Everything Is Mama -- The adorable follow-up to Your Baby's First Word Will Be Dada, this new book by Jimmy Fallon calls out the phase all families go through when their kiddos call everything Mama...even if it makes Mama want to pull her hair out haha! Once again you can teach your kid the names of animals and objects as you laugh along the way.
Wonders of the USA -- I found these flashlight books at a recent book fair at Harlow's school and they're awesome! This book takes you around the US, highlighting several natural and man-made landmarks that appear once you shine a flashlight through the back of the page. It definitely keeps a kid's attention!
The Feel Good Book -- Todd Parr is one of my favorite children's book authors! His signature color illustrations are so fun to look at but more than than, he writes honestly and from the heart. I love how this book looks at the simple pleasures of life and how happy they make us feel.
Last Stop On Market Street -- Y'ALL. If you buy one book on the list it should be this one IMHO. It follows a young boy and his grandmother as they ride the city bus and discusses all they see along the way in a glass-half-full way. Maybe the little boy wishes he could have nicer things or be doing other things, but his Nana reminds him to see the beauty that surrounds us all, even when it may not look so appealing on the surface.
Ordinary People Change The World -- Is it ever too early to introduce our children to some of the greatest people to have ever lived? These adorable books look at the lives and achievements of great historical figures like Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart, and Albert Einstein. The illustrations are very kid-friendly but beware the lengthy stories and semi-advanced subject matter. Still, not a bad set to go ahead and get and gradually introduce over time.
Ada Twist, Scientist -- Andrea Beaty is another children's author I love; we own several of her titles. This one follows a curious little girl who, once she starts asking questions, never stops! She attempts to solve a mystery in a very scientific manner that's super cute to follow along with (even if the closure isn't as overt as you might wish it was).
Over The River & Through The Woods -- Full disclosure, this one technically is a holiday book but it's worth knowing about at any time of year! Without reciting the children's song, it tells the story of how a one-horse open sleigh collects various members of a large, modern family as they gather together at their parents'/grandparents' house for a holiday celebration. I just love how warm and loving the story is and how it includes so many beautiful variations of what a family can look like.
Duck & Goose -- This series is just pure, kid-friendly fun and the titular characters are so sweet! This is the tale of how they became such good buddies, and actually has a substantial plot to it. Some of the books in this series are very short but this one is a good read and introduction to Duck and Goose. Harlow owns three or four of them and has loved each one.
A Chair For My Mother -- I remember reading this as a little girl; I loved it then and I love it now! It's the sweetest story of a little girl who lives with her mom and grandmother; her mother works are tail off and sadly they lose their house to a fire. With the kindness of their neighbors, their own inner resilience, and the love they share for each other, they rebuild their lives and finally achieve the simple dream they've always wanted -- a cozy chair to cuddle in together at the end of a long, tiring day.
What books do you love to read to your toddlers the most? Sometimes I think we have too many books and then I say "is that really a thing?" Especially at this age when reading is so valuable and important...buuuut you can really only read the same book so many times before you need to change things up!
I hope you enjoy these books if you decide to add them to your own collection or try them at the library!
Hope you have a great weekend!
xxBrooke