Toddler Books: good books for toddlers

City Dog

Karla Kuskin (Paperback)

Genre: Fiction - Children's Picture Books; Book Theme: Animals

"City Dog" by noted poet Karla Kuskin, tells about a city dog's first trip to the countryside in verses. The city dog rejoices in the open spaces of the countryside and the freedom to romp. Toddlers and preschoolers will enjoy the simple, rhyming text in this children's picture book.

Mice Squeak, We Speak

Tomie dePaola (Board Books)

Genre: Fiction - Children's Picture Books; Book Themes: Animals, Rhyming Stories

Illustrated by Tomie dePaola, this delightful poem by Arnold Shapiro introduces animals and the sounds they make. With simple rhyming texts and bright pictures, "Mice Squeak, We Speak" is a good picture book for babies and toddlers.

Whose Baby Am I?

John Butler (Hardcover)

Genre: Nonfiction - Children's Picture Books; Book Theme: Animals

"Whose Baby Am I?" by John Butler is a good children's picture book for toddlers. This nonfiction hardcover book features realistic drawings of adorable baby animals and their mothers. The text is in a simple question and answer format.

More More More, Said the Baby

Vera B. Williams (Board Books)

Genre: Fiction - Children's Picture Books; Book Themes: Family, Multicultural

"More More More, Said the Baby" by Vera B. Williams features multicultural toddlers and their parents or grandparents and shows the unfettered love between the family members. In three short stories, loving parents or grandparents play with and care for adorable toddlers. With bright pictures and colorful illustrations, this Caldecott Honor book will catch the attention of babies and toddlers.

Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs

Byron Barton (Board Books)

Genre: Nonfiction - Children's Picture Books; Book Themes: Animals, Dinosaur

In "Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs", author Byron Barton uses simple texts and bold colors to introduce young children to the world of dinosaurs. The endpaper of the picture book lists the names of dinosaurs and their pronunciations. "Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs" is a good first dinosaur book for toddlers and preschoolers.

This Boat

Paul Collicutt (Hardcover)

Genre: Nonfiction - Children's Picture Books; Book Theme: Transportation

In simple text and colorful illustrations, "This Boat" by Paul Collicutt portrays all kinds of boats, from a sailboat to a boat that carries planes. This is a good picture book for toddlers and preschoolers who are interested in boats.

Moongame (Moonbear Series)

Frank Asch (Paperback)

Genre: Fiction - Children's Picture Books; Book Theme: Animals

In "Moongame" by Frank Asch, bear and little bird take turns playing hide and seek. Then at night, bear tries to play the same game with the moon. This gentle bedtime story will delight toddlers and preschoolers.

Five Little Pumpkins

Dan Yaccarino (Board Books)

Genre: Fiction - Children's Picture Books; Book Themes: Halloween, Pumpkin

"Five Little Pumpkins", illustrated by Dan Yaccarino, is a good Halloween board book for toddlers. Five little jack-o-lanterns are sitting on a gate and watching the witches and ghost flying by in the sky. Finally the little pumpkins have enough of Halloween fun and roll out of sight. Each of the five little pumpkins has a different expression, and the ghost is cute and not at all scary. Dan Yaccarino's bold and expressive illustrations do a good job catching the spirit of this popular fingerplay.