15 of our favorite books for 2-3 year olds for you to enjoy
There really is no better way to help your child develop a love of reading than sitting down with a book together on a regular basis, not to mention it is a wonderful bonding opportunity. You can start reading to your baby even in the womb as you prepare for motherhood. When your babies grow and turn into 2-3 year olds, reading books evolves into a more interactive and fun experience for both of you.
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Pete The Cat- White Shoes by James Dean
The Pete The Cat series of books teaches small children different life lessons in a fun and colorful way.
Pete is laid back and groovy and this book he shows how to keep walking along and singing your song, no matter what life throws at you. In other words, he stays chill and keeps calm.
Without missing a beat, Pete teaches young children that no matter what happens, they just have to keep going. I can not imagine a better book to teach children about resilience than this one.
Not only is this book filled with wonderful images, untouchable rhythm, and a wonderful message, it’s also just a fun read!
The Monster At The End Of This Book by Jon Stone
Grover begs the reader to stop turning pages because each page brings us closer to a monster at the end of the book, and Grover is afraid of monsters. He tries to nail the pages shut, he tries to tie the pages down, he even builds a brick wall. But somehow the reader always turns the page.
Poor Grover! But in the end you just know everything will be ok and there really is no monster.
This was one of my favorites when I was little. So fun to turn the pages and pretend that they were sooooo heavy. And it’s lovable, furry old Grover so how can you not love him?
I actually kept my copy from when I was a kid and now I read it to my son. He loves it just as much as I did! Its original form is a Little Golden Book but now it is also available in a larger size perfect for lap-time reading.
The Frog And Toad Series by Arnold Lobel
Another series of books that I loved as a child are the Frog and Toad books.
Sweet tales about friendship, these classic books stand the test of time and if you read them yourself when you were a child, they will spark nostalgia and bring a smile to your face.
I have fond memories of my Mom reading Frog and Toad Are Friends and Frog and Toad Together. Frog is a cheerful free-spirited character while Toad is more of a pessimist but they balance each other out. Frog generally helps Toad to see the bright side of things even when they don’t see eye to eye.
Each book has several short stories where they quickly resolve their problem together. The series is classified as Level 2 Early Reader, but even if your child is not reading yet, they are still great read-aloud books for 2-3 year olds. Another great thing is your child will continue to enjoy these books for several years as they begin to read on their own.
Check out this little claymation film below if you are new to Frog and Toad, and see if your little one responds positively to it. My son was mesmerized by it, even without all the bells and whistles of today’s videos. It’s an oldie from 1985! If they enjoy watching, they will probably LOVE reading the books!
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Mortimer by Robert Munsch
Funny and quirky with lots of repetition and sound effects. You can tell Munsch is a professional storyteller and he’s by far one of our favourites.
Mortimer must be quite the little chatterbox because all his mom says when she puts him to bed is BE QUIET. Well, you know how it goes sometimes with little ones, and Mortimer says yes but immediately does what he shouldn’t. He sings. Loudly.
Clang clang, rattle bing bang, gonna make my noise all day! Like most of Munsch’s stories, this one’s a (super funny) “pattern book,” with lots of repeated phrases. Such a cute story and great for building sight vocabulary.
The illustrations in Munsch’s books are always fantastic and they never ever disappoint. Anything by Munsch, in my book, is a great addition to your library for preschoolers.
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I Love You Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt
An absolutely endearing little tale about unconditional love. An absolute must-have! A mother is tucking in her child, but he has a question! ( I say “he” but the illustrations of the child are a bit androgynous and no name is given so this story works well for boys or girls).
He wants to know if Mama will still love him if he were a scary ape, a terrible dinosaur, a green alien, or a super smelly, stinky skunk. Mama, of course, reassures her sweet child that no matter what he was she would still love him. This board book is a touching tale of a mother’s love and a child’s need to feel both loved and accepted for who he or she is.
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Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae
This children’s book recites the story of young giraffe Gerald through a series of wonderful illustrations. When all the jungle animals gather to show their dancing skills, poor Gerald is bullied about his lack of talent.
But on the advice of a wise cricket, Gerald finds his own way to shine and in the end, it reveals the very positive message that it is absolutely okay to dance to your own song. It’s okay to be different.
The moral of the story is about respecting other parties’ differences and finding your own rhythm.
My Magical Words by Becky Cummings
My Magical Words is the experience your child needs to grow their self-love and build their confidence. It’s a first book of positive affirmations where children will learn to say I AM statements that empower them to know they are special, loved, smart, beautiful, strong, healthy, and kind.
A book that is well-written and illustrated and reflects diversity regarding race, gender, physical challenges. There are 8 books in this magical series! Positive and inspiring little books that are great for 2-3 year olds to promote self-esteem told in simple, easy-to-understand words.
Not sure what your child’s reading level is? You can get a reading assessment and a ton of other awesome literacy resources for kids ages 2-12 with Reading IQ: Age of Learning. They offer the first month totally free so there’s nothing to lose!
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Can I Be Your Dog by Troy Cummings
A heart-warming tale about dog adoption written from the dog’s point of view that will tug at your heart strings. Arfy just wants his forever home so he writes letters to everyone on his street telling them what a great pet he’d make. It has wonderfully detailed illustrations and a great narrative that builds up to a very happy surprise ending.
The Wrong Book by Nick Bland
A book about nothing but in a GOOD way. This is one of those quick little books for 2-3 year olds that is perfect to read out loud and have fun with. No heavy-handed lessons, just plain fun!
Nicholas Ickle is very excited to begin his story but before he can let us know what it is about he is interrupted by various people and creatures including elephants, monsters, and pirates.
This is a wonderful book to read with your toddler or preschooler. Children will enjoy using the visual clues to guess what the story is really about and love to join in when telling the newcomer to go because they are in the wrong book.
The Belly Button Book by Sandra Boynton
Anything by Boynton is a winner in our house. These are super sturdy board books that will hold up to lots of wear and tear. Her unmistakable illustrations and sweet sing-song lyrics will easily become one of your toddler’s favorites.
This one is all about hippos and their belly-buttons, or “bee-bo’s” as the baby hippo calls them. Light-hearted, easy-reading out loud joy. If you’ve never heard of this author, be sure to check her out. Simple, cute and funny stories with lots of rhyming, singing and repetition (all great for toddler development).
Mama Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse
A universal story that shows kids about different cultural lifestyles and practices. With amazing artwork, the story delivers the all-important message about unconditional love that transcends culture. It’s also about learning independence with the comfort of knowing a mother’s love is with you wherever you go. If you are a fan of Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar or Guess How Much I Love You, this book is for you.
Breathe Like A Bear by Kira Willey
While not a story book, this one is still a must-have as it introduces children to mindfulness and breathing techniques through a series of 30 different activities showcasing animal characters and super cute illustrations.
It shows how you can use your breath and mind in a variety of ways to calm down and relax when feeling a little anxious or upset. This peaceful book focuses on positive energy, focus, stretching, and more. You’re sure to find one of the techniques suits your child best. Actually it’s great for parents too!
Have Fun & Enjoy These Awesome Read-Alouds With You Toddlers
Remember to have fun with reading to your little ones, get enthusiastic, do funny voices, ask them what do they think will happen on the next page. One of the best ways you can raise a reader is to lead by example!
Besides growing up surrounded by books, a sure way to help your child develop a love for reading is for them to see you reading, so curl up with a book yourself and lead the way.
What are some of your favorite books for 2-3 year olds? We are always on the look out for new book recommendations from other moms and dads just like you.
We look forward to your comments!
Until next time, K.
Kelly Blakely is the founder and creative force behind Just Our View From Here. As a first-time mom over 40, she brings a fresh perspective to parenting and family life on her blog. Kelly also explores a wide range of lifestyle topics in her writing, including fashion, beauty, self-care, and well-being.
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