Of the many books being read to Baby S, who is nearing 1 soon, many of them being board books, he often enjoys picture books (could be because of the illustrations or that he’s curious to know what I’m reading to him). To introduce him to various topics, a book from each category as mentioned below, were being read to him. With passing time, I’m sure he would appreciate and love them even more. Here is a picture of all the books being read to him (since all the books did not fit properly in single frame, it has been edited). This is also our entry to the #kbcBookBingoJr reading campaign!
1. A dino book
Goldilocks And The Three Dinosaurs – No, I did not spell the title wrong! This is the book, by the most famous author and Illustrator Mo Willems. For all who are familiar with the age old Goldilocks and the three bears, this is a re-telling of the classic tale in a humorous way.
Recommended age – 2 and 1/2 years to 5 years
2. A lift the flap book
Sir Charlie Stinky Socks and the Really Big Adventure – with huge giant flaps as big as each page, this book is a must for all adventure lovers. It is a whole series of books with a whole different adventure in each. Although hugely promoted for a boy (without which it might have reached more audience), there is no doubt girls love it no less than boys.
Recommended age group – 3 years to 6 years
3. A fairytale
Cinderella And Other Stories – 3 fairy tales namely Cinderella, Goldilocks and the three bears and little red riding hood, in one book is amazing, but when its illustrated by Nick Sharratt, it’s a must read book without doubt. This lift the flap fairy tale book has flaps all placed at the right places. Its short and sweet, just what a little one would love.
Recommended age – 2 years to 5 years
4. A funny book
Interrupting Chicken And The Elephant Of Surprise – Does your kid interrupt you while reading him/her a fairy tale or their favorite story? Well, here in this book, papa chicken reads a story to little chicken, who keeps interrupting to give his own twist to the tale. Does he let papa chicken ever let finish any book at bedtime? You have to read to find it out yourself. Interrupting Chicken is the first book and Elephant (instead of element) of surprise is a second book and both being equally good and unrelated, they can be purchased in any order.
Recommended age – 3 years to 6 years
5. A one word title book
Wanted! – Ralfy Rabbit Book Burglar is obsessed with reading books all the time. But does this obsession gets him in trouble? It’s a great fun book with a moral, that it’s not right to take other’s book or things, which even young kids can understand in a much easier way.
Recommended age – 2 years to 4 years
6. A book on space/solar system
Moon Zoo – The moon tiger scratches at shooting stars, polar bears float down from their mountain for starfish, and the zookeeper, of course, is an alien. Well, the description says it all. This humorous book by Carol Ann Duffy brings together the moon and a zoo. What more could a space lover who loves animals probably want?
Recommended age – 3 years to 5 years
7. A book on good habits
Stroppy Stan – Stan is always stroppy, even for small little things. He gets angry over his sister even if she gets more chocolate chips in her cookie. Soon he realizes that giving / sharing is more important and joyful than getting upset, when things don’t turn out his way.
Recommended age – 2 years to 4 years
8. A touch and feel book
Is That You Wolf? – Little pig is suspicious of a wolf being around. He checks inside some dry grass, he feels fur. Could it be the wolf or is it just a kitten? The pig checks under suspicious places, and so should you, and see if the pig was wrong with a surprise end to the hunt!
Recommended age – 1 and 1/2 years to 4 years
9. A rhyming book
Each Peach Pear Plum – This book by Janet and Allan Ahlberg, is perfect for a rhyming book. While Dr. Seuss is the best in this category, this book definitely has made its way to the top among other books. The illustrations are great and keep toddlers busy for a long time.
Recommended age – 2 years to 4 years
10. A book by an Indian author
Arion And The Dolphin – This great timeless book is by Vikram Seth. Arion, a musician, pleads his master to participate in the competition. After much discussion, his master allows him to participate only if can win the competition, and failing to do so would mean Arion shall sacrifice his life. Though Arion won the competition, he is thrown overboard on his return by his competitors due to jealousy, and Arion is saved by a dolphin. The story takes us through an emotional roller coaster and a warning ⚠ for this book – the dolphin dies in the second half. Concepts such as music, betrayal, love, death can be seen at its simplest and this would be a great way to introduce to little ones without getting deeper into it.
Recommended age – 4 years to 6 years
11. A picture book
The Day The Crayons Quit – Couldn’t think of a better fit for this category. How do you draw a picture? Using black crayon. How do you complete the picture? By coloring them with various colors. But what happens if the crayons are unhappy about the way they have been used? Read the letters written by the crayons themselves, so the next time you use the crayons, you do not disappoint them. The illustrations are amazing, let alone the storyline.
Recommended age – 2 years to 6 years
12. A Dr. Seuss book
All of Dr. Seuss books are amazing. No doubt about it. But other than Cat in the Hat, The lorax, Mr. Brown can moo! Can you?, there are few others that are quite different from the regular books and definitely worth the read. One such book would be And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street. This is definitely an extraordinary book and if you have loved Harold and the purple, this is surely a book to read next. The imagination goes wild.
Recommended age – 4 years to 6 years
13. A bedtime story
Whiffy Wilson – the wolf who wouldn’t go to bed – Perfect funny rhyming story by Caryl Hart with amazing illustrations. Got kids at home who wouldn’t go to bed early? They are not alone. We have Whiffy Wilson too. Find out if Whiffy Wilson as well as your kids get to sleep the night you decide to read this at bedtime.
Recommended age – 3 years to 6 years
14. A book that was gifted to you
The Dragon Machine – The font used in this book is totally different and might seem difficult to read. But once we start its easy to catch on. A great read to kids who love dragons and idea of them being alive. The book begins by saying that dragons are everywhere, but no one noticed them, except for George. It encourages kids to look around more often and observe things that we usually ignore. George tries to take the dragons to the place where they belong, but creating a dragon machine. But what happens later is another mystery in itself.
Recommended age – 3 years to 6 years
15. An informative book
Poo – An animal sciences book by Nicola Davies on poo. No, it’s not an abbreviation for anything. It’s poo! The book teaches about the different uses of poo by different creatures and how to identify them.
Recommended age group – 4 years and up
16. A book on any festival
The Christmas Show – This book is amazing and it’s about a kid who doesn’t pay much attention in class. It’s Christmas time and he doesn’t know if he is in the school play for Christmas. In the end he realizes that he has a role too and he doesn’t play along. There is a mismatch in every move and other kids think he spoiled the play. But does everyone else behave the same way or can somebody’s thoughtfulness make his day?
Recommended age group – 3 years to 5 years
17. A sea creatures book
Rainbow sea – This amazing board book with colorful glittery pages make a perfect start for toddlers to explore the sea beds.
Recommended age group – 0 years to 3 years
18. A book by your favorite illustrator
Shirley Hughes is an amazing author and Illustrator who brings her books to life. Her complete collection of work contains everything you would possibly want from a picture book. Be it rhymes for a pre-nursery child, be it simple easy to read stories for a beginner trying to read all on their own, or someone looking for an amazing adventure through great stories. Among these, books on a boy named ALFIE are amazing. One book I would also recommend is Abel’s Moon. The story is about Abel’s kids who create the stories told by him, by imagining a moon trip with a machine they make out of an old table. This is a unique story that helps tackle boredom when you miss someone while they are out for work.
Recommended age group – 3 years to 6 years
19. A book on shapes / colors / numbers
Purple, Green And Yellow – Robert Munsch is an well known author, especially for the book Love You Forever (reviewed here). This book is no less in comparison to any of his works. Brigid is a girl who loves to color and paint. She asks her mom if she can paint on the wall, which time and again her mom disapproves of. Then she asks if she can paint on herself. Again, mom says no every time. Until one day, Brigid’s mom isn’t looking while she paints her nail with never come off markers. Her mother is worried and calls the doctor and the fun goes on. This unexpected twist in the ending is a laugh out loud moment and such a humorous book for any kid who just begins to use colors.
Recommended age group – 4 years to 6 years
20. A book on transport / vehicles
Dig Dig Digging – This book by Margaret Mayo is perfect for vehicle lovers. With colorful illustrations, this book is perfect for toddlers. This book contains different heavy duty vehicles and their uses. The text used to describe are fun to read aloud and easy to remember.
Recommended age group – 0 years to 4 years
21. A monster book
The Day The Gogglynipper Escaped – This is one of the Mcdoogles monster farm books. Gogglynipper is the biggest monster on the farm and one of them go missing we have to find him before sunset. It’s a fun to read book with great illustrations.
Recommended age group – 0 years to 3 years
22. A boynton board book
The Going To Bed Book – Sandra Boynton books are all amazing and one of them at the least is must have for kids below 6 years. The going to bed book is a perfect bedtime book, where the routine of having a bath, brushing your teeth, etc is done and then we all go to bed.
Recommended age group – 2 years to 5 years
23. A book with a quirky cover
Kitchen Disco – There is a disco party going on in the kitchen when the lights are off. Let’s get the party started and dance along with the fruits who know just how to get the party going. Who is twirling, who is doing the splits? And a lot more going on in the kitchen than you could imagine. Here is the rest of the series.
Recommended age group – 2 years to 5 years
24. A book on mythology
Mythology (Ology books) – Most of the mythology books have been most suitable for kids above the age of 6. Among those, the Greek mythology is well known around the world. The Ology series books are great fun and realistic enough to take her reader on a journey into the book. This book is no exception, with Greek gods, the language, maps, anything you would ever what to know is in this book. This is highly not appropriate for a toddler. I could only read a page or two from the book and knew clearly it isn’t the right time for my son. Although elder kids will thoroughly enjoy this book or any book in this series.
Recommended age group – 6 years and above
25. A sound book
Henry Horse – Henry horse is getting ready to attend a birthday party he is invited to. But all his friends have an accessory to show off. What would Henry get for himself, so he could get an accessory too. (Sound – neigh of a horse)
Recommended age group – 0 years to 3 years
26. A book that has siblings
Jack And Lily – A book about siblings by Angela McAllister. The stories can be resonated with day to day activities of siblings, especially that of an elder brother and a younger sister.
Recommended age group – 4 years to 7 years
27. A book that teaches you a lesson
Cockatoos – This book is a lovely read, because what it teaches, is probably hard to find such a moral in any other children’s books. Well, here’s a spoiler! The moral of the book is that ‘Some people never learn’.
Recommended age group – 4 years to 7 years
28. A yellow colored book
Pete The Cat – I love my white shoes –
No matter what you step in, keep walking along and singing your song. Because it’s all good!
With morals such as this, you couldn’t find a better series of books for your kids, and this particular book is no exception. With great illustrations, an amazing story, so much to learn and a giggle with, there couldn’t be a better book to be read.
Recommended age group – 3 years to 8 years
29. A book about animals / birds
The Beauty Contest At The Zoo – All the amazing animals around us are so beautiful. So are the ones in the zoo. One day, before the zoo opens, the zookeeper and his daughter Maisie decide to make a contest for the best animal in the zoo. Who would it be? Is it the lion, giraffe, crocodile or the elephant?
Recommended age group – 4 years to 6 years
30. A book with magic
The Velveteen Rabbit – What if toys could come to life?? Well, you might just read this book, if you haven’t already, to know what brings a toy to life. If you ever have missing toys at home, you might have brought them to life. Look closely!! So does the boy in this book suspects.
Recommended age group – 3 years to 8 years
Thank for following through the post. I hope you have as much fun as we did while reading these, when you grab your copies.
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