10 Picture Books to Inspire a Lasting Love of Books
If I were putting together a bookshelf for a toddler, these are the titles I wouldn’t be able to resist.
Picture books are such a treasure. Not only do they focus on age-appropriate topics, but they’re also the start of wonderful conversations with children. Picture books pack in so much — in both the text and the images. Children will want to take time over them and come back to them — time and time again. I love the way kids will ask for the same book repeatedly.
It’s a beautiful learning process of absorbing the images and colors, then the spoken words, and committing favorite texts to memory. They soon come to understand that the text represents a word. What a magical progression from curiosity to early literacy.
There is an overwhelming number of picture books so here are 10 reads that are well worth investing in. Thereafter, if you find that you have a book worm in your house, you might want to sign-up to a local library!
1. Elmer the Elephant by David McKee
If you have yet to meet Elmer, you need an introduction right away! Elmer is a beautiful patchwork elephant and the stories talk about friendship, acceptance, and being yourself. There are now over 40 titles, but the classic first title does the trick for me.
Beyond the key theme of diversity, there are many learning opportunities. It’s a super way to assess your children’s vocabulary around colors and there’s an opportunity to talk about feelings. There’s no need to shy away from these topics.
The better we are at discussing feelings, the more emotionally aware our children become. Ask questions like: “How do you think he feels?” The ability to notice and name our feelings and the feelings of others goes a long way to growing compassionate and insightful little and big people.
2. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
There is something so captivating about this little book. Buy it as a hardback book so that little people can enjoy wriggling their fingers through the worm-eaten fruit without fear of tearing the pages. If you’re teaching days of the week, it’s a wonder; fruits, numbers, and colors too. Children learn about the lifecycle of a butterfly in a colorful and fun way. It’s a classic for a reason!
3. Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
This is a lift the flap book. I wouldn’t usually suggest a lift the flap book for the youngest readers as little hands can be overly enthusiastic and it is easily damaged. That said, it is such an engaging story that it is well worth having on your bookshelf. If encouraging “open carefully” doesn’t always do the trick, you can stock up on some tape if you need to!
The text is repetitive so your child will be reading this to their younger siblings or their teddies in no time. The anticipation is palpable! “Who do you think might be in here?” It’s a fun way to introduce animals and discuss the difference between domestic and wild animals.
4. Where’s Spot? By Eric Hill
Where’s Spot? is another classic lift-the-flap book. I can’t even begin to count how many times we read this one. Time and time again, it was a favorite. Not only are there some unusual animals to find, but it’s also a great way to practice prepositions. If you are teaching foreign language learners, this works well in the classroom too. The simplicity of the illustrations and text has such universal appeal.
5. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
Scary stuff! This book is a pleasure to read aloud. The rhyming, repetitive text enables children to join in and you can play around with the voices of the different characters. There’s also real pleasure in the fact that a little mouse can outsmart some rather frightening characters. This is one to read from start to finish to enjoy the build-up. It can also be appreciated slowly to enjoy the detail in the illustrations.
6. What the Ladybird Heard by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks
Children love a good story about farm animals and children love a good story about robbers so this one is a treat. The rhyming text is such fun and there are more than enough animal noises for the children to chime in with. Don’t forget to find the ladybird hidden on each page.
7. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
This beautifully illustrated picture book is one that children can spend hours over. The wild things are scary looking, and the story lends itself to wonderful discussions about being naughty, creative play, and imagination. Ask children what they think. “What is naughty behavior?” “What happens if you’re naughty?” “What does a tantrum feel like?” “What does wild feel like?” “What do you do to calm down?” “What do you do if you’re angry?” There’s a lot of depth to this picture book so let your children enjoy and interpret the text and the illustrations in their way.
8. Monkey Puzzle by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
Children love animals which makes this a lovely book to share with them. It’s also a great way to talk about what to do if they are lost — just like the monkey in the story. They might be young, but it’s never too early to let them know what you would like them to do in an emergency.
9. Dr. Seuss Books
Here, I’d recommend purchasing a box set if you can. There are so many wonderful early literacy titles. Our favorites: Hop on Pop, Cat in the Hat, and The Lorax. Children love the rhyming text and the quirky illustrations.
10. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury
This book is such a fun book about a family adventure. The text lends itself to being read as a song — you’ll see what I mean and find the rhythm. It is also full of sounds like “splash splosh” and “swishy swashy”. Children can quickly replicate and relish all the interesting sounds.
You can read it all in one go and build the tension. Alternatively, take your time over the beautiful illustrations. Ask your children lots of questions to develop their observation skills and their ability to articulate what they see. “What’s the baby doing?” “Who do you think might be in the cave?”
Don’t be afraid of going into detail — notice who is wearing shoes on the different pages or count the birds. Children love it when you take the time to look with them.
You could even ask extension questions and relate the story to their lives. “What’s your favorite kind of day?” “What’s your favorite place outdoors?”
If you happen to lose something and need help looking for it, you could always make it into a game and get the children to help: “we’re going on a key/glasses/fill in the gap hunt!”
A Baby Shower to Remember
Just before my first child was born, some magical friends organized a special baby shower for me. They know I love books, so everyone brought a childhood favorite as a gift. I so appreciated such a thoughtful and meaningful start to our children’s library. All these books remain firmly on our bookshelf and started a life-long love of books for my children. I hope they will do the same for you.
