When it comes to young toddlers, bright, visually eye-catching illustration is important. These are my favorite books that have beautiful illustrations and developmentally appropriate content that is also fun!
(You can always find these books at your local library for free. However, if you choose to purchase them, you can support your local bookstores (and this blog) from the affiliate links below.)
Rhyming
Jane Cabrera is one of my favorite authors for young kiddos! She has several books utilizing well known rhymes/songs that are perfect for kids learning how to speak in full sentences. The illustrations are beautiful, textural, and appealing. This particular book is perfect for learning animal sounds!
Parts of the Body
It’s no surprise that Eric Carle makes the list. His books are perfect for babies all the way up to kindergarteners. No matter how many times you read this, there is something new that they can discover. This particular book is a favorite, as it reviews the names of body parts to help increase that vocabulary.
Emotions
This is a wonderful book for learning about feelings and how to read facial expressions. Jean Jullien is an amazing illustrator.
Character Building
Todd Parr has great books for young children, and is likely on many librarian’s/teacher’s favorite list. His books present positive messages about how to treat one another, in a fun and simple way.
Tactile
This interactive book has holes through the pages that adds a fun element to the story. Many of Lucy Cousins’ books have vivid illustrations that the little ones love!
Parts of the Face
This book is a great choice to read before Halloween, especially if you have sensitive kids. It provides a great opportunity to talk about what is real and what is not real. It is also a fun way to review the parts of the face and colors. You and your child will love shouting, “Go away, big green monster!”
Big vs. Small
This adorable book is a great introduction to the concept of big and small (and big, bigger, biggest). It is also great for children who are just learning to read CVC words.
Big, Bigger, Biggest
Here is another great book for learning about size. The best thing about this book is that it has pages that fold out to show how large the character is. It pairs well with the iconic pink Montessori tower, or the large red and blue number rods.
Dressing
A Good Day for a Hat is a book that will make your child giggle. It also provides the opportunity to discuss what to wear for different types of weather. They will have fun observing the bear classifying hats and matching them to the correct situation.
Read-Alone
This book is so wonderfully unique. With very few words it presents a story about an unlikely friendship. It’s a great book that your child can look through by themselves. It also provides lots of opportunities for your little one to tell the story in their own way, and to identify each of the colors of the eggs. It would make a great Easter gift!
Sequence
This is another book with few words that your child can read to themselves. This funny story does a great job of helping children gain a sense of sequence, which is an important concept to master before reading and learning basic math/numbers. This book pairs well with many Montessori sensorial activities/works.