Lately we have been spending a lot of time snuggled up on the front porch reading books. I am so thankful I have a little book lover on my hands. She has loved books ever since she was a tiny baby. Before she could really put together sentences she would point at the words and pretend to read (they would really just be babbles). So cute!
We love to go to the library, but since we haven’t been able to do that lately, I thought I would share our collection of favorite books for toddlers!
Dr. Seuss Books
I used to love Dr. Seuss books growing up. They are such classic and timeless books that never go out of style. My daughter is OBSESSED with Cat in the Hat, and has been for over a year now. She gets so excited when she sees that red and white striped hat.
I love that the books are fun and educational at the same time. They teach everything from rhyming, colors, and the basic alphabet. The graphics have always been some of my favorites. You can recognize the illustrations anywhere.
There are SO many books in the Dr. Seuss series, but these are some of my all time favorites:
- The Cat in the Hat
- The Amazing Alphabet
- Green Eggs and Ham
- One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
- Are You my Mother?
- Mr. Brown can Moo can You?
- Fox in Socks
Corduroy Books
Oh how I love sweet Corduroy. Another favorite classic of mine and Hadleigh’s. I love the educational aspect of Corduroy books. They teach about colors, friendships and things like going to school or to the doctors.
I also enjoy how they have some interactive books. They created some stories that involve stickers, which makes reading even more fun.
Some of our favorites in the this series are:
- Corduroy Colors
- Corduroy Goes to School
- Corduroy Goes to the Doctor
- Spring is Here, Corduroy! Sticker Book
- Corduroy Collection
Llama Llama Books
The llama llama series is more modern than the previous books I mentioned. They even have a Netflix series about them! Hadleigh gravitated toward the illustrations and the simple words they use in their stories.
I love how these books teach good behavior like cleaning up after making messes or being patient. They also have a cute holiday series.
Some of our favorite books in this series are:
- Llama Llama Mess Mess Mess
- Llama Llama Red Pajama
- Llama Llama Library Series: Nighty Night, Wakey-Wake, Hoppity-Hop, Zippity-Zoom
- Llama Llama Holiday Series
Nancy Stepek’s Nature Books
I have to brag on my sweet aunt a little bit. She created a short series of two children’s books that teach simple lessons about kindness while also incorporating nature.
In All Creatures are Precious she tells the story of a squirrel who tries to get a worm back to his home. It teaches the value of friendship and inclusion.
The second book, Buddy and the Moonlight Dance, teaches lessons about being thankful for new babies that come each spring (which is super relevant for us since we are welcoming another baby soon!). These books are so cute and fun, your child will definitely love them!
Dolly Parton’s Children’s Books
Gotta love Dolly Parton! She created a couple very cute children’s books that we love. I Am a Rainbow teaches children about different feelings.
Coat of Many Colors uses lyrics from one of her songs. It tells the story of a girl who’s mother stitched her a warm coat. She was made fun of for being poor, but she learns the value of her coat being made with love.
I’ve found that reading with my daughter not only benefits her, but me too! It calms me down when I’m stressed and helps me to slow down a bit. What are some of your favorite books for toddlers?!
Related post: Rainy Day Activities with Toddlers
Reading with Evelyn is so frustrating because she likes to yell while I am trying to read… BUT she loves “If You Give A Mouse A Cookie”! It is the only book so far that she enjoys having read to her lol I just ordered the box set for her so hopefully, she likes the other books by that author as well!