Every parent has heard how important it is to read to a child. Reading books for toddlers improves their vocabulary, promotes future academic excellence, nurtures a love for reading, and gives parents and children quality bonding time. But it’s been a long time since you were a child and if you’re a first-time parent, it’s likely that you haven’t read a picture book in many years.

With so many choices at your local library and bookstore, it can be overwhelming to choose a good book for your child. The good news is there are no bad choices when it comes to children’s books. As long as you’re reading, your child is learning. But if you’re interested in specific suggestions, you’re in luck!

Here are seven tried-and-true books for toddles recommendations that your toddler will love:

7 Best Books For Toddlers

1. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

This is the most popular book on our list; it has sold millions of copies and has been adored by several generations since its publication in 1947. The book follows a young anthropomorphic rabbit and identifies items in a bedroom before wishing each one a good night. The rhymes are simple but have a soothing effect on the reader.

The illustrations oscillate between simple black and white drawings and full-color depictions of the bedroom (surely you’re familiar with those orange- and green-striped curtains!). This book remains popular for good reason- kids love it and parents remember it fondly from their own childhoods. Available in hardcover, paperback, and board book form, this classic choice is a great book to read with your little one!

2. Tuck Me In! by Dean Hacohen and Sherry Scharschmidt

Tuck Me In! is a great bedtime read because it allows your child to interact with the book by helping with the characters’ bedtime routines. Every other page depicts a cute animal in bed requesting to be tucked in. It is then followed by a half-page that, when turned, functions as a blanket for the animal. Kids can help “tuck” the animals in bed simply by turning the pages!

The repetition of the request paired with the novelty of the new animals and colorful bedding makes for a perfect reading experience for your toddler. Experts suggest that allowing your child to participate more actively in their nighttime routines will yield less bedtime resistance. If you have a child who rallies against their bedtime, this book could offer them just enough participation to allow a smoother transition to sleep!

3. The Cheerios Play Book by Lee Wade

This is a board book that allows the young reader to interact by placing a piece of Cheerios cereal on the designated spots. The pages contain pictures of dressed animals with missing buttons, cars with missing wheels, and so on. Your child can fill in the missing pieces with Cheerios to complete the pictures!

This is a great activity for toddlers because it makes eating fun, improves fine motor skills, and helps build their imaginations by allowing them to see one item used in many different ways. There are several books in the Cheerios Play Books series- including Halloween-, Christmas-, and animal-themed books. Check them out to get your toddler reading and eating!

Also Check: Toy Guide For Toddlers

4. A Friend for Dragon by Dav Pilkey

This is one of several books in the Dragon series- each one features the lovable character Dragon and his misadventures. In A Friend for Dragon, Dragon befriends an apple after mistakenly believing it spoke to him. But he becomes disheartened when the apple then proceeds to ignore him.

This is a heartwarming story with a happy ending for Dragon.  It is best suited for children (ages 3-5) old enough to follow a basic plotline and to understand the humorous irony in Dragon’s expectations of his apple friend.

5. Koko’s Kitten by Dr. Francine Patterson

Koko’s Kitten is the amazing true story of the world’s first signing gorilla and her caretaker’s quest to find a pet kitten for her to love. Although there is some tragedy in this story. Children will marvel at Koko’s intelligence and capacity for love, laugh at her silly antics, and enjoy the full-color photos of a gorilla cuddling her kittens like babies.

However, Koko’s story is a wholesome piece of science history and teaching children about animals’ feelings helps them build empathy for their fellow humans and animals alike.

6. We Came to America– Faith Ringgold

This story comes from the Caldecott Award and Coretta Scott King Award recipient Faith Ringgold and also is a beautifully-illustrated tale of the many origins of American immigrants. However, This book celebrates people of many ethnicities and the diversity of America. Kids will love the brightly-colored pictures and the repetitious rhymes.

Moreover, parents will love the cultural celebration and the message to the reader that we should embrace and appreciate all of our differences.

7. Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill

Where’s Spot? is a fun lift-the-flap book about a mother dog searching for her puppy. Because, The reader can interact with the book by opening the flaps and discovering fun things around the house on their quest for Spot. Lift-the-flap books are great for engaging toddlers because it allows them to participate more actively in the reading experience.

This book is published in board book form- this ensures the book is both easier for small hands to maneuver and is sturdier against destruction. The simple story and silly findings behind each flap are sure to delight your toddler time and time again.

It’s a Wrap

Hopefully, this list has also given you some inspiration for your toddler’s reading list! We’ve included interactive books for toddlers that have simple plot lines and teach important information. They are overall lots of fun for the youngest readers!

Remember, when choosing a children’s book for your tot, there is no wrong choice! Toddlers absorb information like sponges, and delight in simple pleasure. Also, they enjoy the quality reading time they spend with their caretakers. Head to your local library and spend some time poring over page after colorful page. Happy reading!