Recommended Toddler Books

I've been working on updating a number of bibliographies for my library system. Additionally, I've been asked for book recommendations on several occasions when I'm outside the library. Thus! Here is the first installment of what may be a series of recommended books according to age and grade. Wish me luck in finishing it all!

For those who curious, Toddlers are children between the age of 18 - 36 months (aka 2.5 - 3 yrs old). Bright, colorful and clear pictures are still highly recommended for these little ones, but introduction to more complex illustrations is also a must because it allows the children to explore and see new things. Rhyming text or text that has a rhythm to it are also a huge hit. As part of developing Early Literacy skills, when you read with your child (1) point out the things on the page, (2) ask them questions, and (3) let him or her touch the book and help turn the pages. 

Have fun exploring these books! 

• Goodnight Moon written by Margaret Wise Brown and illus. by Clement Hurd 
• Cat's Colors written and illus. by Jane Cabrera 
• The Wheels on the Bus written and illus. by Jane Cabrera
• The Jungle one is so much fun!
• Dear Zoo: A Lift-the-Flap Book written and illus. by Rod Campbell 
• From Head to Toe written and illus. by Eric Carle
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar written and illus. by Eric Carle 
• Dancing Feet! written by Lindsey Craig and illus. by Marc Brown
• Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed written and illus. by Eileen Christelow
• Or any of her other Five Little Monkeys books
• Cows in the Kitchen written by June Crebbin and illus. by Katharine McEwen 
• Jamberry written and illus. by Bruce Degen 
• Llama, Llama Mad at Mama written and illus. by Anna Dewdney
• The Color Box written by Dayle Ann Dodds and illus. by Giles Laroche 
• Bark, George written and illus. by Jules Feiffer
• Go Away, Big Green Monster! written and illus. by Ed Emberley
• In a Small, Small Pond written and illus. by Denise Fleming
• Where is the Green Sheep? written and illus. by Mem Fox
• Little Robin Redbreast: A Mother Goose Rhyme written and illus. by Shari Halpern 
• "Wow!" said the Owl written and illus. by Tim Hopgood 
• Butterfly, Butterfly: A Book of Colors written and illus. by Petr Horacek 
• The Seals on the Bus written by Lenny Hort and illus. by Brian Karas 
• Counting Kisses written and illus. by Karen Katz
• Big is Big (and Little, Little): A Book of Contrasts written by J. Patrick Lewis and illus. by Bob Barner 
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? written and illus. by Bill Martin Jr.
• And all of his other books
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom written by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault and illus. by Lois Ehlert
• What Does Bunny See?: A Book of Colors and Flowers written Linda Sue Park and illus. by Maggie Smith
• Good Night, Gorilla written and illus. by Peggy Rathmann
• We're Going on a Bear Hunt written by Micheal Rosen and illus. by Helen Oxenbury
• It Looked Like Spilt Milk written and illus. by Charles G. Shaw 
• Kangaroo and Cricket written and illus. by Lorainne Siomades 
• Clip-Clop written and illus. by Nicola Smee 
• All Kinds of Kisses written and by Nancy Tafuri
• And all of her other books 
• Mouse Paint written and illus. by Ellen Stoll Walsh
• Be Mine, Be Mine, Sweet Valentine written by Sara Weeks and illus. by Fumi Kosaka 
• Piggies written and illus. by Audrey and Don Wood

Does anyone have any recommendations or favorite books that they have shared with toddlers? 

      

Traditional Tales: Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Morales, Yuyi. 2003. Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. ISBN:0811837580.

*Winner of the 2004 The Pura Belpré Medal for Illustration*

BOOK REVIEW
Grandma Beetle’s early morning had just begun when Señor Calavera, a hat-wearing skeleton, comes to her door saying that it is “time for her to come along with him” to the next life. But Grandma Beetle replies sweetly with “Just a minute” and explains that she has “just ONE house to sweep” before she goes. So Señor Calavera waits patiently and begins to count off in both English and Spanish the growing list of chores that Grandma Beetle must do before leaving with him. By the end of the day the frustrated skeleton learns that all of the work was in preparation for her birthday celebration, and that, along with her nine grandchildren, he was the tenth special guest. When the party is over and after she had kissed her grandchildren Grandma Beetle announces that she is ready to go with him, but discovers that Señor Calavera had gone without her but left a note saying that he had so much fun at her party that he can’t wait for the next one. With vibrant and richly colored illustrations that are delightfully simple yet with special detailed, Morales tells a traditional Mexican trickster tale of an old woman outwitting Death in a fun and never scary manner. Also serving as a beginning counting book with English and Spanish words, Just a Minute is book that can be enjoyed by readers of many ages.

CONNECTIONS
*Visit the author, Yuyi Morales, website and download the Señor Calavera puppet and mask to make.
*Read other trickster tales from around the world: A Tale of Tricky Fox by Jum Aylesworth and Illus. by Barbara McClintock, the Trickster tale series by Gerald McDermott, Love and Roast Chicken: A Trickster Take from the Andes Mountains by Barbara Knutson, and Trickster Tales by Josepha Sherman,
*Read other Yuyi Morales books like Little Night and Sand Sister.

Special Note: Yuyi Morales has written a new book that is set to be release on August 19, 2008: Just in Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book. This will be the perfect companion book to Just A Minute.