Kids' Book Recommendations: Toddlers

Even young children enjoy books, and parents need kids' book recommendations for toddlers. Most toddlers love books and there's no doubt that reading to young children has huge benefits. Snuggling up with a good book brings toddlers and their parents closer together. It allows parents to spend quality time with their children, doing something they both enjoy. Listening to a story helps young children develop their language skills, lengthens their attention spans, and teaches them about the world around them. Best of all, reading lets your children know that you love them and enjoy spending time with them.

Most toddlers care more about the pictures in the book than they do the actual words written. Oftentimes, toddlers have finished looking at the pictures and are ready to turn the page before their parent has finished reading the words on the page. When this happens, let your child set the pace. Just talk about what you see in the book and what you think may be happening without worrying about the "real" story. As your toddler gets older and his attention span grows, you can start spending more time on each page.

Bedtime is the perfect time to cuddle up with a good kids' book. Reading to your children before bed will help them settle down to sleep and build a ritual that you both will cherish. Of course, kids will enjoy any book at bedtime, but here are some great book recommendations:

• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
• The Going-To-Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
• Corduroy by Don Freeman
• Just Go To Bed by Mercer Mayer

Board books are great for toddlers because they are sturdy enough to withstand their not-so-careful explorations. Board books often feature simplified stories and colorful pictures. Many classic stories, including several Dr. Seuss books, have been printed in board book format. Great board book recommendations include:

• The My First Series by DK Publishing - this series includes My First Body Book, My First Animal Book, My First Farm Book, My First ABC Book, and many others. All the books feature real-life pictures, which most toddlers love.
• Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? by Dr. Seuss

Young kids love lift the flap books. These books feature little doors and windows that children can lift up, revealing another picture beneath. Kids love to explore these types of books and talk about the surprises beneath each flap. Kids' lift the flap book recommendations include:

• Elmo's Big Lift and Look Book by Anna Ross
• The Little People Series by Fisher-Price - this series includes My Little People Farm, and My Little People School
• Toes, Ears, and Nose! by Marion Dane Bauer

Concept books teach children age appropriate skills such as what sounds different animals make, body part identification, color identification, counting, and shape recognition. Although toddlers do not need to know these concepts at such an early age, it is a great idea to introduce them to your child. Kids' concept book recommendations include:

• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. - teaches color recognition
• I Am Sharing by Mercer Mayer - teaches social concepts like sharing and getting along with others
• Ten Apples Up on Top by Dr. Seuss - teaches counting and rhyming
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle - teaches the days of the week, counting, and colors

There are many special events in a toddler's young life and oftentimes, reading can help him adjust to the changes these events can bring. There are kids' books on potty training, having a new baby brother or sister, moving to a new house, even the loss of a pet or loved one. Some great kids' book recommendations include:

• I Have to Go by Anna Ross
• Too Big for Diapers by John E. Barrett
• The Toddler's Potty Book by Alida Allison
• The New Baby by Mercer Mayer
• Waiting for Baby by Annie Kubler

Gift books are those cozy, comfy, I-love-you-bigger-than-anything books that parents love to share with their children. These are the books that communciate the feelings that parents sometimes have trouble putting into words. Many people's favorite gift books include:

• Counting Kisses: A Kiss and Read Book by Karen Katz
• Guess How Much I Love You by Sam Mcbratney
• The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
• Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

Reading to young children is an invaluable way to teach your children while growing closer to them. For more kids' book recommendations for toddlers, check out the wonderful resource Great Books for Babies and Toddlers: More than 500 Recommended Books for Your Child's First Three Years by Kathleen Odean. By the same author are two more resource books: Great Books for Girls and Great Books for Boys.

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