You know how I knew my baby had become a toddler? When she started choosing her own toddler books from the shelf, thrusting them into my arms and demanding I read them, like, right now. Did it matter that we’d already read Everyone Poops 20 times and I was ready to move on? No it did not. Toddler’s rules.
In case you haven’t yet had the pleasure, Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi and Amanda Mayer Stinchecum is a thorough explanation — with pictures — of how, where and when animals and people do their business. Since poop is both hysterically funny and a hot topic for potty training toddlers, Everyone Poops Is sure to become one of your toddler’s go-to stories. Here are 11 more toddler books your littles will want to read again and again.
Toddler Books
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Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
A baby bird hatches while his mama is away hunting for food. Unsure what a mama bird looks like, the baby bird sets out to find her, asking a kitten, cow and even a boat and a plane if they are his mother. The funny tale ends with a sweet reunion that is quite touching, especially for moms!
Photo: Amazon -
Corduroy by Don Freeman
A little stuffed bear who lives in a department store loses the button on his overalls and goes on a wild adventure to recover it. He doesn't find his button, but he does meet Lisa, who makes all his dreams come true when she buys him with money from her piggy bank and takes him home. This sweet story of hope, friendship and love is an enduring classic that toddlers can't get enough of.
Photo: Amazon -
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by James Dean and Eric Litwin
Pete the Cat's brand new white sneakers have a rough day as they turn blue from stepping in blueberries, brown from stepping in mud and more. But instead of freaking out, Pete takes these unexpected changes in stride, "walking along and singing his song." Let's hope our toddlers can learn to be resilient and positive like Pete!
Photo: Harper Collins -
Knuffle Bunny, A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems
A walking but not yet talking toddler named Trixie accidentally leaves her stuffed bunny at the laundromat and struggles to make her dad understand what’s wrong. This funny and relatable story is especially great for families in urban areas because of the cool way it depicts big city living.
Photo: Amazon -
I Love You As Big as the World by David Van Buren and Tim Warnes
In this gorgeously illustrated celebration of parental love, a grown-up polar bear (could be mom OR dad) and a little polar bear have adventures together in the wilderness. Each page offers an analogy--such as "I love you as deep as the sea" and "I love you as far as a star"--that perfectly conveys the depth of our love for our littles.
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Gossie & Gertie by Olivier Dunrea
As toddlers start to socialize with other kids, they will be fascinated by this story about two goslings who are best buddies. At first, Gertie follows Gossie all over the farmyard while she marches to the barn and sneaks to the sheep. But when Gertie starts to chart her own path, Gossie lets go of being the boss and realizes that being a follower can also be fun.
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The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd
Toddlers are starting to assert their independence, which can feel both exciting and scary--an idea cleverly explored in "The Runaway Bunny." When a little bunny threatens to run off, his mom comes up with creative ways to follow him and stay together. For instance, if bunny becomes a bird and flies away from mama, she will become the tree that he flies home to. And the illustrations of these imaginative scenarios are simply stunning.
Photo: Scholastic -
Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri
One of the funniest toddler books ever written, "Dragons Love Tacos" is essentially an instruction manual for throwing the world's greatest taco party for dragons. Much like toddlers, dragons prefer mild toppings and absolutely no spicy salsa, or else they start to breathe fire and then you're really in trouble.
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Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
Bedtime is hard for toddlers, who are old enough to know that if mama isn't right next to them, she is someplace else. (How dare she?) Llama Llama Red Pajama struggles to fall asleep on his own, wailing for mama, who eventually tucks him in one last time before sleep. This rhyming story is so popular that Ludacris once rapped it on a radio show.
Photo: You Tube -
Where's Spot? by Eric Hill
Go on a search for a lost puppy, lifting a flap on every page to reveal surprising animals like a hippo in the piano and a snake in the grandfather clock. Spot finally turns up in a basket, just in time for supper with his mama. Toddlers love to let their fingers do the walking in this fun lift-the-flap adventure.
Photo: Penguin Random House -
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
There are many funny and fun-to-read Dr. Seuss books, so why not choose one that encourages toddlers to try a new food? After rejecting every opportunity to eat green eggs and ham in a box, with a fox, on a train, in the rain and so on, our protagonist finally caves to Sam I Am's offer and tastes the breakfast -- yummy!
Photo: Amazon -
Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi and Amanda Mayer Stinchecum
This book offers a thorough explanation -- with pictures -- of how, where and when animals and people do their business. Since poop is both hysterically funny and a hot topic for potty training toddlers, Everyone Poops Is sure to become one of your toddler's go-to stories.
