A child’s first books appear long before he begins to read and even before he begins to look at these very books. Many parents prepare in advance for the moment when the child gets acquainted with the book. The optimal number of books for a toddler at this age is 15-20 books.
At the same time, in the books, much attention is now paid not only to the content, but also to the quality of the materials from which they are made. The same applies to the content, you will not make a mistake when choosing books with large drawings created by smooth lines, with a minimum of detail.
Books should be illustrated as much as possible, of course, or provided with photos. This requirement for books for kids is explained very simply – many things that the book tells about, the baby may not yet know or have a vague idea, so the first books are at the same time an illustrated dictionary about life and its rules, clarifying the meaning of many words. And by the way, the words themselves in such books may not be at all, you will tell everything yourself.
Here is a list of most favorite books for toddlers.
1. Close Your Eyes by Kate Banks (under $10)
The mother tiger sets her restless cub to sleep, describing the dreams that he will be able to see, and assuring him that he will be there when he wakes up, and that the darkness is just another side of the world. This is what comes before dreams. The illustrations mix the chaotic world of dreams and the beauty of the real world.
Check Price2. Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino (under $10)
A masterpiece of children’s literature from the United States, it has been in bestsellers for 25 years. Simple, rhyming lines and bright simple illustrations show how the baby llama Lloyd asks his friends about their mothers. When his friends (a bat, a seagull, a duckling and a calf) give him hints, he guesses what kind of mothers they have.
Check Price3. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (under $10)
Many American parents know this iconic book by heart. Poetic history (written in 1947 year) tells how a little bunny is getting ready to go to bed. And he wishes “Good night” to everything that is in his room and to the whole world outside the window. The classic “bedtime story” is illustrated with black-and-white drawings alternating with contrasting color illustrations in the room, which gradually darken as the bunny falls asleep.
4. Pat the Bunny (Touch and Feel Book) by Dorothy Kunhardt (under $10)
A cute interactive book encourages children to sniff (sniff at a flower), touch (stroke a soft rabbit), feel (daddy’s barbed face) and play (a game of hide-and-seek with Paul). First published in 1940, the book is marked as a must-read.
5. Peek-A-Boo! (Baby Faces Board Book #01) by Roberta Grobel Intrater (under $5)
A photo album with close-up portraits of children, which show children’s emotions – kids laugh, cry, yawn. The book is part of the “Baby Faces” series of books. The portraits will captivate children, and parents will be touched, by the way their toddlers repeat the emotions after the children from the book.
6. Love You Forever by Robert Munsch (under $5)
A sweet tearful story about the development of the relationship between a baby and his mother, from birth to adulthood, when their roles and responsibilities change places, when the baby has already become the father of two daughters at the end of the book. It is not recommended to read without handkerchiefs. It was first published in 1986.
7. Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes (under $10)
The Randolph Caldecott Medal in 2005. The black-and-white illustrations tell the story of a little cat who, when she saw the full moon for the first time, mistook it for a bowl of milk. Despite the fact that the heavenly milk runs away from her, the story ends well – the kitten returns home and finds a real bowl of milk there, which is specially waiting for her.
