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Best toddler books to read with your little one
Looking for the perfect bedtime read with your toddler or preschooler? Here are some of Mumsnet's top picks to share with your baby bookworm.
By Laura Cooke | Last updated Jan 30, 2024
It’s never too early to try to instill a love of reading in your little one.
Not only is reading with your toddler a great way of encouraging parent-child bonding, it also helps to improve language skills, social skills and empathy, boost cognitive development and help children to learn about their emotions and feelings.
There are so many amazing books by incredible children’s authors out there, it can be difficult to know exactly where to begin on your reading odyssey. We’ve consulted the Mumsnet forums for these tried and tested recommendations to help get you started.
From chunky lift-the-flap favourites to silly rhymes and even a bit of toilet humour (albeit with an important message attached), here is Mumsnet’s pick of the best toddler books to buy in 2024, as tried and tested by parents.
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Fix It Duck by Jez Alborough
Age: 3-6 years | Price: £8
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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The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Age: 1-3 years | Price: £4 (board book)
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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Letters from Maisy by Lucy Cousins
Age: 2-5 | Price: £12
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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Peep Inside the Garden by Anna Milbourne
Age: 1-3 years | Price: £6 (board book)
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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Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy by Lynley Dodd
Age: 2-5 years | Price: £6
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.
Fox's Socks: Tales From Acorn Wood by Julia Donaldson
Age: 1-3 years | Price: £4 (board book)
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.
I Need a Wee! by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet
Age: 3 years upwards | Price: £7
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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The best of the rest
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson | Buy now from Amazon
We’re Going On A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen | Buy now from Amazon
Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers | Buy now from Amazon
Spot Goes to the Farm by Eric Hill | Buy now from Amazon
The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith | Buy now from Amazon
Oi Frog! By Kes Grey | Buy now from Amazon
The Tiger Who Came To Tea by Judith Kerr | Buy now from Amazon
Ten Minutes to Bed Little Dinosaur by Rhiannon Fielding | Buy now from Amazon
About the author
Laura Cooke is a Content Editor at Mumsnet, with a special focus on toddler play, child play and outdoor play. She is a mum of two and lives in Sussex.
Laura is a freelance journalist and has written for a range of publications including The Daily Mirror, the i, Metro, Stylist and Happiful.
How we chose our recommendations
All of our recommendations for books came from Mumsnet users themselves. We searched the Mumsnet forums for posts about which books Mumsnetters and their children really rated. We also researched various review sites to find out which books performed well across the board.
Why you should trust us
We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one. However, we never allow this to influence our coverage.