Achintya didn’t take to books from the get go. He doesn’t like to sit still for a minute, never has. So naturally, I preferred interactive books for him. Once he started enjoying books, he has turned the whole reading activity into something animated and dynamic. There’s jumping, screaming, laughter, and anyone who happens to hear any of this would never guess that we were actually reading! So here’s a list of playful and energetic books that Achintya has grown to love.
1. Dancing with animals: Doing the Animal Bop by Jan Ormerod and Lindsey Gardiner
This was one of the first animals books that Achintya read. This is such a fun read, I don’t think anyone can read this book without shaking a leg! It features different animals showing their moves to the animal bop. There is a flouncing ostrich, jiving monkeys, and a chicken that can cluck but not dance. Our favourite is the penguin’s waddle. Right from the cover page, the pictures attract.
2. Greedy lady causes a laughter riot: There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Stuart Lynch
This is a fun-er spin on the rhyme of the same name. It is about a quirky old lady who swallows a fly. Why? To see if it tasted like blueberry pie! She then follows it up with bigger and bigger animals to eat up the smaller animals. The pictures are catchy and so is the rhyming text.
3. Sing with the birds: The Jungle Radio – Bird Songs of India by Devangana Dash
A lovely book that introduces India’s most prominent birds and their sounds. We follow Gul as she searches for owners of the chirps and tweets she hears on her radio one day. On every page, new birds join in the conversation, and we will find ourselves joining in too. The pages are bright with big pictures and colourful text.
4. Sassy pigeon is back!: Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late by Mo Willems
Pigeon books are huge hits at home. I think Achintya’s sass can only be matched by the pigeon’s! In this instalment, the pigeon is sleepy, but doesn’t want to sleep. It’s our job to keep him from staying awake. Children will have fun seeing the pigeon’s attempts at staying up late, saying, “five more minutes?” and “I’m in the mood for a hot-dog party” and “we don’t talk anymore. Tell me about your day…”. And then saying “NO” to him!
All of Mo Willems books are a riot!
5. Run and jump and splash and… read: We Love to Cuddle by Lays Bittencourt
This is a lively book of animals doing their favourite things, the things that they are most known for. Cats cuddling, monkeys swinging, and birds swoooooping! How can anyone stop toddlers from jumping like kangaroos and roaring like lions while reading this book?
6. Gloom to glee: Will Giraffe Laugh? By Hilary Leung
Giraffe is feeling gloomy, and his friends the frog, the crocodile, the ladybird, the sheep, and the bear are doing something wonderful. They’re trying to cheer him up. But their attempts only end up making the giraffe angrier, and he screams at them, reducing them to tears. Now it’s the giraffe’s turn to cheer his friends up. How he does that makes for a fun read.
7. Moo pants, Baa pants: Animal Pants by Giles Andreae and Nick Sharratt
I have not seen anyone enjoy pants humour like Achintya does! He cracks up at the antics of the pants-wearing animals. It has vivid, colourful pictures showing animals wearing pants that represent one of their prominent characteristics. Funny, rhyming text goes splendidly with the pictures.
8. Bottoms are beautiful: Bottoms Up! by Jeanne Willis and Adam Stower
This is another hilarious “bottoms book”. Toddlers aren’t happy with pants. First, it’s the nappies, then when they potty train and think they’re finally free of those nappies, they’re made to wear pants! Outrageous! Do animals wear pants or diapers? Don’t we find it funny if a piglet wears panties? Or a penguin wears undies? Or bats wear bikinis? Then why are kids made to wear them all the time?!! Achintya is in a phase of “I don’t want clothes” and enjoys this book to bits. He shimmies and shuffles along with all the bare-bottomed babies.
9. Ouch! That must hurt: Ouchie Ouchie by Nandita and Charbak Dipta
This is a fun read for littlies who like to explore everything around them, and sometimes hurt themselves in the process. Achintya relates to every single page in this book! The book has lovely pictures that show how a hug, a kiss, or a rub from mumma makes the hurt go away.
10. Naughty little elephant: Little Why by Jonny Lambert
Little Why, the elephant is walking with his herd. But, he is so inquisitive, he forgets to stay in line and wanders off whenever he sees another interesting animal. He is fascinated by what the other animals possess – the giraffe’s long legs, the wildebeest’s horns… ouch! That snippy snappy snout of the crocodile almost bit off a piece of Little Why’s trunk! Read the book to know why Little Why got his name. The book also shows that everyone is special and has unique characteristics of their own.
11. Colour, colour: My very first book of colors by Eric Carle
Eric Carle’s magic works at so many levels in this book. His trademark illustrations show not just one, but multiple shades of a colour. The book is divided into top and bottom halves. The top has a colour on each page and the bottom, pictures. Kids match the colours with the pictures. It is as open ended as a colours book can get. The matching is not just one-to-one, you can match multiple colours to multiple pictures.
12. Douglas finds everyone!: Hugless Douglas plays hide and seek by David Melling
The adorable bear plays hide and seek with his friends, the sheep, for the first time and has such fun, until… he realizes that no place is big enough to hide him completely, which is why he is always the first one to be found. So he becomes the seeker to find the sheep that are hiding. The book gets really funny as Douglas doesn’t just find sheep, but also others who are not even playing!! A lively book that Achintya absolutely loves. He wants to read “huggles duggles” multiple times a day!
There are lots of books in the Hugless Douglas series.
13. Want a Dino pet?: The Dinosaur Department Store by Lily Murray and Richard Merritt
This book follows the wilful and wild little Eliza Jane as she asks her parents for a real dinosaur for her birthday. Her parents take her to the Dinosaur Department Store, where they look at all the dinosaurs – big scaly ones, little feathered ones, fierce fanged ones. After looking at all of them, when the time comes to choose one, Eliza Jane does the unexpected. She doesn’t want a Dino pet anymore! The store owner is furious. Why does Eliza Jane not want a dinosaur anymore? When we see the reason, we are sure to go back and read the book again! The book transports us into a different world with its illustrations and cleverly written story.
14. Dress up mess-up: Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boynton
This is an iconic book for a reason. Achintya has such fun shouting ‘oops’ on every page. Not only that, he wears a shirt on his legs, or socks on his hands and says oops!! It also introduces sooo many things – colours, animals, pieces of clothing – all in one go. The book has clean pages with just one or two pictures in each, and simple pictures and text.
Sandra Boynton books are legendary!
15. Fussy eater? Not so much!: I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato (Charlie and Lola) by Lauren Child
This one is our current favourite. Little Lola doesn’t want to eat anything – the list of what she won’t eat is quite exhaustive. So, when big brother Charlie has to give Lola dinner, she comes up with a clever plan to make her eat. It is funny, imaginative, and has attractive pictures.
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