What are your “must have” children’s books?

Wow said the owl is good. It teaches colours and the owl is a she which is rare.

All the Julia Reynolds books. My favourite is The Monkey Puzzle and Stick Man

The very hungry caterpillar
Charlie & Lola
Ladybird Bob the Builder books
Just don't buy The Wheels on the Bus musical sounds book, I binned ds copy & the bloody thing was still playing as the bin men wheeled my bin away 10 years after buying it.

narnia
alice
the snowy day
goodnight, moon
dr suess
pooh

sure, ill think of more

Stick Man
Peepo
All the fairytales (ladybird books)
Gruffalo
Tiger who came to Tea

Mine are older and I bought Roald Dahl treasury so they are enjoying that.

Get a couple of really good poetry anthologies too. You can usually pick up nice ones second hand really cheap.
Poems are nice and short to read, but it surprised me how sophisticated and diverse DC tastes could be. Make sure you get a good mix of modern and traditional poems.

@mumumum3 my DC3 also doesn't like sitting down for long enough to be read to. He likes anything with flaps, and in particular the DK pop up peekaboo series which have fairly intricate pop up scenes behind the flaps. You do have to watch him like a hawk to stop him accidentally ripping them though.

I hope I'm not interrupting this lovely thread!

All these books are absolutely lovely and many were firm favourites from my own childhood as an absolute bookworm

Currently struggling with a toddler that doesn't like to be read to AT ALL.

Our biggest success so far has been the Never touch a..monster series.

Any others that people enjoyed for young children that didn't naturally gravitate towards books?

I'm thirty- years old and I'm pretty sure my mum can still recite Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy in its entirety, from memory. Poor woman.

Tabby Mctat. It has a lovely rhythm when you're reading it, & is rather longer than any of the other Julia Donaldson books.
Also, Mr Pusskins. He's a grumpy but ultimately loveable cat.

I’m still partial to Giraffes Can’t Dance almost a decade on but my Christ, if I never have to read another Julia Donaldson book it will be too soon.

Giraffes Can’t Dance was always my favorite though.

I don't like peas (?) author but love the book
The Large Family Jill Murphy
Cops and Robbers

Oh my god @HollowTalk I had that book as a child! Those illustrations were the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. I have a version of the Little Mermaid illustrated similarly and it is so, so perfect.

Six Dinner Sid is a classic.

DD is obsessed with all the Hairy McClary’s, she’s 3, and we have to read about 5 of them every night, they have really helped her ‘reading’
As she knows them off by heart! She also really enjoys The Princess and The Peas. DH and I know that one off by heart 😬😄

But as a baby god she was obsessed with Peepo. Reading this thread has brought the memories of watching her constantly turn the pages (until the spine on the book broke!) flooding back to me. 😩

Also, an illustrated copy of The Wind In The Willows is a must have for any nursery 😁

It has the most beautiful illustrations.

it's here

Did anyone have a book for their children called Whale Song?

The Great Dog Bottom Swap. Funny.

Talent Show and My friend Nigel by Jo Hodgkinson - amazing illustrations and fantastic stories
The book with no pictures by BJ Novak - had kids rolling around with laughter
Giant jam sandwich
Any Oliver Jeffers book

My daughter loved the Maisy books, we read them over and over.

Allan and Janet Ahlberg are great - favourite is the Baby's Catalogue.

I loved Leslie Patricelli's baby books when my child was tiny - the baby characters are cheeky and funny - full of joy.

Poo Bum by Stephanie Blake and Press Here by Herve Tullet for a bit older.

Frog and Toad by Arnold Loebel.

My dd LOVES we're going on a bear hunt. She's 10mo though and I read it very animated and she gets excited.

Also kindness is magic and the kind little lion.

The works do so many book for a tenner which are so worth it

Another vote for the book with no pictures here - my 5 year old reads it to the 4 year old now and they think it's hilarious.

Owl babies
Green eggs and ham
The day the crayons quit
Mr gumpy's outing
The heart and the bottle
Meet the parents - Peter bently

My DD loved:

I like it when...
She can remember all the inflections I used back then still now as a teenager

Sally goes round the sun

Old Hat New Hat

The Maisy Mouse books and the Alfie and Annie Rose books then when bit older the My Naughty Little Sister books with Bad Harry her best friend.

Have kept the classics already mentioned as well as the above ones in the loft to read to grandchildren/ nieces / nephews etc.

For under 1s

That's not my..... series

Never touch a .... series

Where's Mr/Mrs .... series

Peekaboo Cow/Apple - lovely illustrations

Dear zoo/other Rod Campbell lift the flap

Such a lot of choice even just with these that will see you through for a year and more!