Book ideas for 3 year old

[LiviaAugusta]

I'm looking for some ideas for different books to read DS as we're reading the same ones over again. He'll be three very soon and loves being read to, I'm looking for a longer book with chapters ideally so we can start reading a chapter or two a night. We've got pretty much every Julia Donaldson, Mr Men and Oliver Jeffers book, he loves the Winnie the Pooh stories and I've just finished reading him my old Paddington book. Is he too young for Roald Dahl? Any other ideas welcomed!

[lels99]

winnie the witch, beatrix potter, Nick Sharratt?

[Gilberte]

You Choose-Nick Sharratt. It's not a chapter book but a great interactive picture book where your DS will get to join in and choose what he wants to be, where he wants to go, what he wants to eat etc. Makes a change from the usual picture books. We read this so much it started to fall apart.

I don't really read chapter books yet but we have a great book of fairy tales and my DD 4.5 loves the Gingerbread man, three little pigs, Red Riding Hood etc. Some are a little on the scary side eg Hansel and Gretel but you can just avoid those.

We also rely a lot on Julia Donaldson (great) and Mr Men (great characters for them, hard going and a bit repetative to read for us).

Another great book we have is Dogger by Shirley Hughes (wonderful illustrations too). Her other books are good too (if slightly old fashioned).

I also have a book of children's poetry which is quite fun to pick and choose from.

Wiinie the Pooh sounds a great idea- must dig out my old books.

[LiviaAugusta]

Thanks for the suggestions. Never heard of Nick Sharratt but You Choose sounds right up DS's street so I'll definitely be looking for that. Will also have to dig out my Beatrix Potter book, I'd forgotten about them!

[dabdab]

The Hutchinson collection of children's poetry is quite good. Also have greatly enjoyed Shirley Hughes compendium. Don't have any specific recommendations, but don't forget non-fiction!

[Fairyloo]

Don't get you choose unless you love hour long bedtime storys!!

[LiviaAugusta]

An hour can be standard once DS gets into his books, normally fine but not when he wants Mr Bump for the umpteenth time! Poetry I'll definitely look into too, he's got a couple of poetry books and they seem to be asked for quite a lot at the mo.

[shufflebum]

fairyloo You Choose is banned as a bedtime story for that reason in our house!

[EtoilesPleinLesYeux]

Usborne lift the flap books. My ds likes look inside a castle

[EugenesAxeChoppedDownANiceTree]

Thanks for tip about You Choose. I always loved 'Quick Let's Get Out Of Here' by Michael Rosen as a child. Although I was recently traumatised when I found out that the star of many of the poems, Eddie, got meningitis and died around age 18

I agree about Shirley Hughes - there is a 'collection' you can buy that looks good. It has 'Bathwater's Hot' in it, which is a good opposites book; this appears to be one of the learning strands I'm following at the moment with my 2.10yo.

Regarding Dahl - I have the 'RD Treasury' that I've just started to dip into with DS. He's obsessed by wolves so likes to hear the Little Pigs and Riding Hood Revolting Rhymes... I worry they are a bit too revolting sometimes, given his frankly wimpy nature, but never mind.

[BikeRunSki]

YY to You Choose, there's also a new one called If Only. Also agree that you need to pick your moments.

I read DS "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" a chapter a night just after gus 4th birthday.

Dr Seuss?

[LottieJenkins]

Owl Babies is lovely!!!

[nextphase]

Don't think I've got anything to add to above, but echoing the votes for Sharratt (tho maybe not long enough for you?), Potter, and Dalhs revolting rhymes or the other book my mother has which has his versions of hare and tortoise etc in. My 3.5 is obsessed!

Not sure mine could cope with chapter books, and holding a story over night? Maybe I'm not giving him enough credit!

[sunnyshine]

Can I recommend pants and more pants. My dd favourite books and she can recite the whole of pants by herself

[babybythesea]

Yes to Shirley Hughes - dd (4 in January) loves Alfie (the toddler who features in a lot of Shirley Hughes books) although it might be a bit young for him now - worth a look though. 'Dogger' is lovely though, as is a book called 'Don't want to go'.
We have just started reading Enid Blyton's Amelia Jane books, a chapter a night. Each story contains the same characters but is self-contained so you don't need to remember a plot from night to night.
Fairy tales - a big yes. Gingerbread man an especial favourite in this house.
We also have a Hutchinson Treasury - it's called 'stories to read aloud' and we use it a lot. There's a good range from really simple stories to some quite complex ones. It also includes some classics, like Where the Wild Things Are, as well as some stories I don't know.
Judith kerr books - Tiger who came to tea, Mog the cat books.
John Burmingham is quite good too - Avocado Baby and Mr Gumpy's outing for example.
Quentin Blake - Mr Magnolia, Angelica Sprockett's Pockets etc.
DD also chose Rupert the other night for the first time. She sat and listened to it all but hasn't asked for it again so we'll see!
Dr Seuss any good? DD doesn't really seem to like them but other kids do so maybe she's just a bit odd!!
Old Bear stories - Jane Hissey.
Noddy?

Our favourite book at the moment is one about becoming a big sister and how amazing that is, due to imminent events in our house, so it might not be the best recommendation!!

[FireOverBethlehem]

Ds is 3.4 and whilst he has read some of the original Thomas the tank engine collection, with lots of text to one picture, he generally still prefers stories with pictures in them, and I certainly don't think he's ready for chapter books yet.

You could read something like Shirley Hughes' Alfie and Annie Rose Story Book, which has a range of stories in it, or Richard Scary, which my DS loves. We also have an abridged version of Wind in the Willows and the Railway Children, so DS is getting to be familiar with the plot of longer stories. I'm assuming he'll be 5 or 6 before we start Roald Dahl.

[modernbear]

DS is nearly 3. I find Oliver Postgate's Ivor the engine books, Graeme Base's Jungle Drums and The Legend of the Golden Snail, David Mckee's The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr Benn, Nick Butterworth's Percy Park Keeper Series, Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad are Friends and finally Kristina Stephenson's Sir Charlie Stinky Socks books to be currently popular with him.

Miroslav Sasek's non fiction books are also in favour with DS eg. This is Britain, This is Paris etc., as is Salvatore Rubbino's A Walk in London.

I also wondered about Barefoot of book of knights/pirates etc. Unsure.

[JingleJohnsJulie]

You choose is having a little holiday on the top of DDs wardrobe at the moment. I think every night for a whole year is more than enough

Will second dr Seuss, mine particularly love green eggs and ham. DS used to love the runaway train and any Thomas book he could get his hands on. Dd loves Nighty Night by Colin McNaughton and a book called call me gorgeous, but not sure who that one is by.

At 3 both of mine enjoyed picture books much more than chapter books but if you are after chapter books try mrs pepper pot.

[JingleJohnsJulie]

Does he like funny bones too?

[TripleRock]

Owl babies is really nice, as is Some Dogs Do by Jez Alborough. Also The Diabolical Mr Tiddles