Best toddler books to read with your little one

Can he fix it? Erm…no, he can’t. But Fix It Duck is full of good intentions, even if his DIY skills are lacking.

Older toddlers will love listening to the hilarious adventures of the calamitous Duck, from the author of the equally-hilarious Duck in the Truck.

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No list of the best toddler books would be complete without everyone’s favourite creepy crawly with an insatiable appetite.

Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar has been delighting children for generations with its beautiful and instantly recognisable illustrations, simple storyline and holes in the pages where the caterpillar has ‘eaten’.

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In this delightful little book, the titular Maisy goes on holiday, visiting a mountain, market, funfair, river and beach (phew!), writing letters on her travels to all her friends. This story includes six real envelopes containing letters, souvenirs, games and a special postcard for your child to help them feel part of Maisy’s big adventure.

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From the forest to space, this lovely lift-the-flap series from Usborne takes your little one on a voyage of discovery. In Peep Inside the Garden, your toddler will find out all about the animals and minibeasts that can be found scurrying around the bottom of the garden.

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With a procession of excellently-named and beautifully drawn dogs, including Muffin Mclay (like a bundle of hay) and Bottomley Potts (covered in spots), this classic book by Lynley Dodd is perfect for older toddlers, who’ll love to join in with the expertly crafted rhymes.

If your little one falls in love with the engaging characters, the good news is the gang can be found getting up to more mischief in several other titles, including Hat Tricks, Showbusiness and Rumpus at the Vets.

Disaster! Poor old fox has lost his socks…and he needs some help finding them. 

The unstoppable duo of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler are behind this bestselling lift-the-flap book from the delightful Tales From Acorn Wood series, which sees our hero search high and low in a bid to warm his cold toes.

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Uh oh…poor Alan the bear needs a wee, but with so many distractions, will he make it to the loo in time? This laugh-out-loud yarn will help to teach potty training youngsters why leaving it until the last moment is never a good idea. And Alan’s tale will no doubt prompt a giggle from parents too.

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