BOOKS THE SECOND YEAR OR THE NEXT STAGE for TODDLERS! Everyone is different and loves different types of books.

As your toddler grows and their curiosity flourishes, their taste in books naturally evolves. The second phase of reading introduces stories that captivate their expanding imagination, encourage language development, and foster a deeper love for books. These selections go beyond simple board books, offering engaging narratives, vibrant illustrations, and interactive elements that resonate with their growing interests. Drawing from the collection that my own kids have cherished, I’ve curated a list of books that not only entertained them but also played a significant role in their early learning journey.

The type of books that will captivate your child’s imagination and foster a love for reading is crucial. These books should encourage independent reading, allowing your child to pick them up and sit to read with you. They should instill an enjoyment and a passion for learning during their precious first year and beyond of life. It’s important to note that each child has their own preferences, so some may gravitate towards certain books while others may prefer others. Highly recommend board books during the first couple of years, as they are designed to withstand your child’s curious nature. Board books are durable, allowing your child to tear pages without causing damage. They also have turnable pages, making it easy for your child to explore and discover new stories. Additionally, board books are designed to be easily wiped clean, ensuring a hygienic reading experience. Finally, board books provide a tactile experience, allowing your child to feel the pages themselves, which can enhance their engagement and enjoyment of reading.

List of Books for Toddlers (The Second Stage):

• Guess How Much I Love You (Sam Mc Bratney).
• I Love You As Much…. (Laura Krauss-Melmed)
• Time For Bed (Mem Fox)
• Snug as a Hug An Australian Lullaby (Marcia Vaughan)
• Pip and Posy The Big Balloon (Axel Scheffler)
• Pip and Posy The Super Scooter (Axel Scheffler)
• Pip and Posy The Snowy Day (Axel Scheffler)
• Pip and Posy The Bedtime Frog (Axel Scheffler)
• Pip and Posy The New Frog (Axel Scheffler)
• Pip and Posy The Little Puddle (Axel Scheffler)
• Pip and Posy The Scary Monster (Axel Scheffler)
• Ollie Will he EVER HATCH? (Olivier Dunrea)
• Hairy Maclary (Lynley Dodd) and Slinky Malinki was my eldest daughter’s FAVORITE books at this age. We bought every books and read them all each day. When we had our twins, they didn’t like these books until they were in kindergarten. It has good rhyming and about a silly dog or cat (depending on which book you get). They have a touchy-feely book that they all loved about Hairy Maclary. 
• Slinky Malinki’s Christmas Crackers (Lynley Dodd)
• She also wrote a book about the Smallest Turtle, about turtles hatching out of their eggs and they need to go “to the sea, to the sea” which all my girls LOVED. 
• Wake up, Bear (Lynley Dodd)
• Hello Ocean (Pam Munoz Ryan) this was one of my girls favorite books and would ask to read this multiple times every day for months or maybe the full year.
• Roller Coaster )Marla Frazee)
• Little Blue Truck (Alice Schertle)
• Noni the Pony (Alison Lester)
• Noni the Pony goes to the beach (Alison Lester)
• Hattie and the Fox (Mem Fox & Patricia Mullins)
• If Animals Kissed Good Night (Ann Whitford Paul)
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (Bill Martin Jr & John Archambault)
• Wow! Said the Owl (Tim Hopgood)
• Maisy Makes Lemonade, Maisy’s Bus, Maisy Makes Gingerbread, Maisy Tidies Up, Maisy’s Pool, Maisy’s Bedtime, and Maisy Goes Shopping
• Barnyard Dance! (Sandra Boynton)
• Spooky Pookie (Sandra Boynton)
• Llama Llama Red Pajama (Anna Dewdney)
• Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? (Carmela LaVigna Coyle)
• Do Princesses Scrape Their Knees? (Carmela LaVigna Coyle)
• The Pout-Pout Fish (Deborah Diesen)
• The Bunny Book (Richard Scarry)
• HATS HATS HATS (Ken Heyman)
• Noah’s Ark (Lucy Cousins)
• Little One, God Loves You (Amy Warren Hilliker)
• Press Here (Herve Tullet)

No Words:

• The Lion & the Mouse – A Fable By Aesop (Jerry Pinkney) – no words. Have to make up story based on pictures (or retell). Kids like to do read it to an adult.
• Chalk – Bill Thomson – no words. Have to make up story based on pictures (or retell). Kids LOVED this book.

Interactive flaps and things to pull:

• Beep, Beep, Maisy! (Lucy Cousins)
• Lulu’s Clothes an utterly gorgeous interactive book (Camilla Reid) – zippers, flaps, sensory
• The Snowman (Raymond Briggs)
• The Littlest Piglet (with a pig to put your finger through and wiggle on each page)
  – Giraffe is Lost (Roger Priddy) An animal search-and-find book with flaps and things to pull
• Busy Town (Campbell) push pull slide
• Busy Beach (Campbell) push pull slide
• Busy Zoo (Campbell) push pull slide
• Usborne peep inside the Garden
• Usborne peep inside the Zoo
• Usborne peep inside Space
• Usborne Pop-Up Garden
• Usborne Pop-Up Jungle
• Lulu Loves Shapes (Camilla Reid & Allie Busby)

ABC&123

• Ten Little Ladybugs (Melanie Gerth)
• Over In Australia – Amazing Animals Down Under (Marianne Berkes) – I like to sing this book while reading the pages then point to the number on the page then count all the animals on that page.
• The Icky Bug Counting Book (Jerry Pallotta) Counts past 20. Little blurb about bugs that you’re counting on the page. More advanced if learning past 10.

Short Stories:

• Grandpa and Thomas (Pamela Allen)
• Grandpa and Thomas and the Green Umbrella (Pamela Allen) My children loved these two about grandpa and Thomas going to the beach

Christmas:

• Bear Stays Up For Christmas (Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman)
• Christmas in the Manger (Nola Buck & Felicia Bond)
• USBORNE Pop-Up Christmas
• Suzy Goose and the Christmas Star (Petr Horacek)
• Usborne Nativity flap book

Watching your child transition from basic board books to stories that spark conversations and creative thinking is truly rewarding. The books on this list have been beloved in our household, each one leaving lasting impressions and joyful memories. As your toddler grows into these stories, they’ll not only build foundational literacy skills but also develop a lifelong love for reading. I hope these recommendations inspire magical reading moments in your family, just as they have in ours.