According to Dr. Seuss, “you can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book.”
Not only is reading dreaming with open eyes, reading with your little ones has plenty of benefits, from building listening and communication skills to nourishing their imagination. It’s also a great way to bond with your kids.
Whether you’re looking for magic or another way to bond with your toddlers, here’s our pick 7 children’s books you can read with them!
1. The Elephant and the Bad Baby by Elfrida Vipont
Source: Amazon
Suitable Ages: 2 – 5 years
Written by Elfrida Vipong and illustrated by Raymond Briggs, who also brought us classics like The Snowman and When the Wind Blows, The Elephant and the Bad Baby follows the adventures of an elephant, who takes the Bad Baby for a ride and 'rumpeta, rumpeta, rumpeta down the road' they go.
2. Where’s Spot?
Source: Amazon
Suitable Ages: 2 – 5 years
The first-ever lift-the-flap book, Eric Hill’s ‘Where’s Spot?’, first created as a bedtime story for his 2-year-old son, follows Spot’s mother as she looks for Spot around the house, from behind the door to under the stairs. First in its series, the book is also great for teaching spatial concepts to little ones.
3. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
Source: Penguin Random House
Suitable Ages: 2 – 7 years
A Dr. Seuss classic featuring his signature rhymes and starring Sam-I-Am, Green Eggs and Ham has been a favorite among many—children and adults alike—across the decades. Follow along with Sam-I-Am as he offers his green eggs and ham to his friend at different locations, persisting that it’s the most delectable snack. Containing simple words and illustrations, this Beginner Book encourages tots to read by themselves.
4. Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers
Source: Penguin Random House
Suitable Ages: 3 – 7 years
What would you do if a lost penguin shows up at your door? The boy from Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers starts searching for where it comes from to return it. Together they journey across the lands, brave the storms and dark nights to bring the penguin home. Lost and Found is a heart-warming tale of friendship that is entertaining for both young and old ones.
5. The Jolly Postman by Janet & Allan Ahlberg
Source: Goodreads
Suitable Ages: 4 – 7 years
The Jolly Postman or Other People’s Letters written by Allan Ahlberg and illustrated by Janet Ahlberg, brings with it a nostalgic experience in this era of emails and Whatsapp messages. Journey with The Jolly Postman as he delivers mail in the fairytale land to well-known characters like the Three Bears and the Wicked Witch and pull out little letters and postcards from the envelopes as you go along.
6. I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
Source: Penguin Random House
Suitable Ages: 4 – 8 years
In I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen, the bear’s hat is gone. He politely asks all the animals he comes across if they’ve seen it until he finds his hat. It’s a simple story told completely in dialogue form.
7. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
Source: Simon & Schuster
Suitable Ages: 4 – 8 years
In this award-winning classic written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, a man and his family go out in search of a bear. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt will take you on a wild adventure through the river, mud and even a snowstorm. The story’s repetitive text has a musical charm that makes it great for reading aloud and you can even sing it.
