Reading is a good habit that we want to cultivate in our children since young. But, how can you help your child enjoy reading?
Choosing a good book is one of good ways to kick-start their love for reading! What kind of books should you start with? Fear not! We have compiled a list of all time favourite storybooks for children! These 31 books will be a keeper for sure!
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#1 Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney & Anita Jeram
What is love? Love is immeasurable and often indescribable. However, this classic story simply put across how much love one can have through the perspective of a little one which evident the simplistic thoughts of children. IN the story the Little Nutbrown Hare shows how much he loves the Big Nutbrown Hare by listing down the ways he loves him while the Big Nutbrown Hare expresses his love in return.
For age: 2 years and above
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#2 The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Giving Tree is a touching story accompanied with some degree of sadness while the storylines are simple enough for children of all ages to understand. This story will help children to realize that giving doesn’t necessary refers to giving someone a physical thing as it can be represented through different ways such as companionship can be a form of giving. From the story, children will learn to accept and love others without hoping form something in return.
For age: 3 years and above
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#3 Love You Forever by Robert Munsch
This simple and straightforward story seeks to illustrate parents’ love towards their child and the affirmation one have towards their love ones. The message brought across will definitely touch one’s heart and it can be easily understood by children. The rhymes and beautiful illustrates will attract children to read it over and over again.
For age: 2 years and above
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#4 Hug by Jez Alborough
This uses only the word ‘hug’ and telling illustrates to tell children about ‘LOVE’. What the Chimpazee – Bobo need is so simple and real that children including young children can easily relate to. Love can be expressed through various forms and giving hugs to people you care and love is one simple way.
For age: 6 months and above
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#5 I’ll Always Love You by Hans Wilhelm
The topic of death is not an easy topic to touch on and will never be easy to talk about to children. However, it is crucial to help children learn about death as it is part and parcel of life. This book will act as a great introductory for this topic as it portrays death through the position of an owner and his pet. The gradual transition of the storyline will aid children in accepting the message of death and become aware that people grieves over it.
For age: 4 years and above
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#6 I Miss You: A First Look at Death by Pat Thomas
Sending away someone you love is never easily more so for children and it is critical for them to learn to express themselves while being aware that grieving like sadness and feeling loss are emotions which one will experience. As such this book will come in handy for parents who are introducing about the topic of death as it is well scripted to bring across the message through a gentle manner.
For age: 4 years and above
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#7 The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
This book is very popular and well-liked by children of all ages. The colourful illustrations with simple and well-crafted storylines teach many concepts to children such as days of the week, simple counting, name of fruits and food. In addition, the respective words used provide young children with the opportunity to read along.
For age: 6 months and above
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#8 Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? By Eric Carle
The story consist of many different animals that children love and will definitely enjoy looking at. The repetitive sentences in the story make it easy for children to repeat after and during the story, children can make prediction about the next animal.
For age: 6 months and above
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#9 From Head to Toe by Eric Carle
Apart from teaching about body parts, this story encourages children to listen to the question and respond in return by saying ‘Yes, I can do it!’ While reading, children can be actively involved by following the instruction and demonstrate the movements. This provides meaningful and engaging reading for children.
For age: 12 months and above
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#10 Today I Will Fly! by Mo Willems
Can a pig fly? Of course, her best friend Gerald the elephant think it is impossible. This humorous story told in short sentence portrays the determination of who seek to reach her goal by exploring through different solutions. The story also illustrates the role of a friend during such situation like providing her with support and feedback. The ending of the story will amaze you!
For age: 2 years and above
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#11 Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault
Alphabets need not be taught through a boring or rigid way instead it can be learnt through lots of fun! Chicka Chicka Boom Boom introduces the 26 alphabets through an enjoyable story accompanied with tune which can be read like a song and children will love it!
For age: from birth and above
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#12 Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni
Story does not need to be complex, sometime storylines that are simplistic such as Little Blue and Little Yellow can create such great experience that one will want to read it over and over again. This story introduce to children about the primary colour blue and yellow as well as the result of them being mixed together.
For age: 12 months and above
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#13 The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
This is a well-crafted story filled with many meaning within it. With adult’s guidance, through the story children will begin to realize that they have the ability to do things. Understanding that they should not be afraid to give it a try as each try will enable them to learn more about themselves and in turn develop great confident.
For age: 2 years and above
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#14 If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff
Be ready to hear all those laughter when the book is being read to your child! This story is so interesting and funny that even an adult will smile over it. No one will have expected that a mouse will have so many requests after being given a cookie! This story can be used as a teaching point for those children who often make lots of request which is unnecessary or they could have fulfilled them on their own.
For age: 2 years and above
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#15 Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
Children need to learn that things do go wrong, thus, there will be terrible days and not expecting that every day will be perfect. This story aims to bring some humour into the terrible days while sending across the message that one should try to find some fun or happiness in those terrible days.
For age: 3 years and above
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#16 Press Here by Hervé Tullet
This book is a must read for both children and adult! The author magically makes the book come to life. As the pages of the book are flipped, it will look as if you are watching a screen with dots moving here and there. Furthermore, this is a very interactive and inviting book which provides opportunity children to be actively involved by reading/responding aloud.
For age: 12 months and above
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#17 Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi
The title ‘Everyone Poops’ simply tells you what the book will be talking about. It is funny yet interesting story books that will make the children laugh their heart out. Children will notice that although everyone including creatures poop but all the poops is different just like everyone is unique and special in their own way.
For age: 12 months and above
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#18 We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury
This is a very fun story which children can be meaningfully engage throughout the process where they can be encouraged to reenact the adventure in the story which allows the children’s imagination to flow. The storylines and illustrations clearly depict how it will be like to go through the different situations such as the sound that one will create,
For age: 12 months and above
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#19 Where is Baby’s Belly Button? by Karen Katz
This Lift – the – Flap book allows young children to learn about their body parts through a peek-a-boo game which they one will never get bored playing. The interactive way of reading will engage your little one for a long time span and makes learning of concepts through a fun way. The author also has other range of Lift – the – Flap books which your little one will love too.
For age: 6 months and above
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#20 No More Diapers for Ducky! by Bernette Ford
All toddlers will reach a stage where they show the readiness and ability to begin the toilet training process but this can be such a stressful event for the child as well as the parents. Toddlers need lots of assurance and adult’s support to be mentally and physically prepared for this change. This story will be helpful in introducing your little one to toilet training as it bring across the message through a gentle and inviting manner that will give your child greater comfort to begin.
For age: 12 months and above
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#21 Baby Happy Baby Sad by Leslie Patricelli
This is definitely one of those books that should be read to your toddler as it is simple the accompanying illustrations are so straightforward which one can easily related too. This will help your growing toddler to become more aware of emotions in particular Happy and Sad.
For age: 6 months and above
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#22 I Am a Big Brother by Caroline Jayne Church
Having a new addition to the family is a big change for young children who are still trying to make senses of the world they are in and developing their social skills. Hence, preparing your toddler of the arrival of your little one is critical! This book will act as a good role model for your toddler where he will learn about the things he can do as a big brother! I am a Big Sister is also available.
For age: 12 months and above
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#23 Where’s My Teddy? by Jez Alborough
Majority of the toddler have an object which they hold dearly often know as a security item and when this special object goes missing, they will sure find a way to get it back. As such, they will indeed be able to relate to the story told by this book where Eddie went around finding his missing teddy.
For age: 12 months and above
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#24 Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill
Children love playing hide and seek! This Lift-the-Flap book allows children to play hide and seek with Spot through the story. While trying to find spot children will get to learn about preposition and meet different animals.
For age: 6 months and above
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#25 Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
Every child desires to have a pet and this interesting story shares about a child’s journey to finding his perfect pet. He wrote in to the Zoo and got them to send it to him. Guess what animals came in through the mail? It’s a funny book!
For age: 6 months and above
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#26 Duck and Goose by Tad Hills
This story teaches children about cooperation and sharing through the two adorable characters – Duck and Goose who mistaken a polka dotted ball as an egg while both insisted is theirs.
For age: 3 years and above
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#27 I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
The story about a bear that went searching for his missing hat and almost wanted to give up when he recalled something subtly brings across the message that perseverance will help you reach your goal and one should be polite when meeting people.
For age: 2 years and above
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#28 Ruby in Her Own Time by Jonathan Emmett
This is a very meaningful book which shares insight about how one feels when he or she is different from the others in particular with their sibling. It clearly and gently bring across the message that children are unique individual who grow at different pace. It is a great book meant for children as well as parents.
For age: 2 years and above
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#29 The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
The Gruffalo is a rhyming story that makes it so catchy and fun for children to read along. It tells about a mouse that goes into the wood meeting animals who want to eat him and he talks a Gruffalo which scare them off. Through this story children learn to use words to describe about features and they need to problem solve when encounter challenges.
For age: 3 years and above
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#30 Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek
Where is the Green Sheep? is like the I Spy game where children need to spot the green sheep in the story. The repetitive sentence makes it inviting for children to read along and through the descriptions of the different sheep in the story enable children to gain new vocabularies.
For age: 2 years and above
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#31 Too Loud Lilly by Sofie Laguna
Lilly the Hippo is always so loud that her loud voice often affects others and gets them as well as herself into trouble. Being too loud is a common issue that most children display and this enjoyable story will help them to understand the importance of self-control and that different behaviour should be display at different time.
For age: 3 years and above
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This list of books will provide your family with a fun and meaningful bonding session. Wait no longer! Pick up one of these books today!
Written by Yi Jun
