What books for 2 year olds can you read over and over again without losing the will to live?

[stubbornstains]

...because The Little Princess is about to meet a sticky end in our house, I fear...

My ds (2) and I really love Chicky Chicky Chook Chook by Cathy Maclennan, then her second, Monkey Monkey Monkey.

They have wonderful rhythm and particularly lovely and unique illustrations I find. DS surprised me by memorising some of the lines at quite a young age so he obviously loves and absorbs it. She has done a third which we haven't got hold of yet but I will do. She should be more known!

Most of the big classics mentioned above are OK. Very Hungry Caterpillar was fine until I noticed that he'd drawn the sodding butterfly upside down, after which it started to annoy me. Agree that the Little Red Train pictures will keep me happy for hours.

At a slightly older age DS started to demand The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig [sic] every night for weeks on end, and I still laughed at the bit where the rhinoceros gives them the plexiglass and reinforced steel chains because he's so kindhearted cracked me up every time.

miaow said the cow

monkey puzzle

the great dog bottom swap

the snail and the whale

Little Owl Lost is going down a storm in our house at the moment and I love the pictures.

Agree with all these books! Special favourites for us have been The Gruffalo since aged 2, One Mole digging a hole, Monkey Puzzle and Hairy Maclary.

Oh gawd, I loathe the Gruffalo, loathed it the moment I read it. Give me the eyeball pins now.
I'll say
Slinki Malinki (Lynley Dodd in general)
Babette Cole anything
Most anything by Rod Campbell
Traction Man
Big nursery rhyme books (can just pick and choose parts)
Anything with good rhymes, really, so I can vary the expression.

There's a book out of the library we got that is gorgeous, wish I could remember the name (something like Big Love?). It's a toddler boy & his mama & slowly the extended family filter in (grannies, cousins, aunties, etc.) scene by scene, waiting waiting, until there's a surprise party at the end for the dad come home from work.

The Lamb that Came to Dinner
Snail and a Whale
Tiger Who Came to Tea
Tabby McTat

Oh and A Visitor for Bear.

Glad I found this thread - also trying to find some more books to read.

DS (at 22 months) likes (and I haven't yet lost the will to live reading them!)

This is The Bear by Sarah Hayes
Eric Carle Draw Me A Star
Eric Carle The Very Busy Spider
Ladybird version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Monkey and Me by Emily Gravett
Snuggle in the Snow by Ana Martin Larranaga
Jasper's Beanstalk by Mick Inkpen

Kiss Goodnight Sam

DD loves -
Dinosaur Roar
Giraffes cant dance
Rumble in the Jungle
Dinosaur Galore

We 'misplaced' Brown Bear, Brown Bear because I cant bloody stand to read it any more.

We also like Night Monkey, Day Monkey.

And Norman the slug with the funny shell.

Was also going to suggest 'Rumble in the Jungle' and 'Commotion in the Ocean'

Also, 'Where's my Teddy' - Jez Alborough

My Dcs all loved this one. The youngest is now 5 and still enjoy it being read to her even though it is now totally falling appart.

the Reavenous Beast? Gorgeous pictures, and a suitably grisly but amusing end

(Bear Hunt also makes me want to poke my eyes out, as an earlier poster mentioned)

arggh. *Ravenous, obviously

We're reading Me and You by Janet Holmes and Judith Rossell this week :)

Pumpkin Soup! read this so much to DS1 that when I forgot to take the book away I knew it off by heart! (oh we did skip the 'scary' page with wolves and witches! lol a tad over protective for first born [hblush])

Ooh this is great for inspiration! Can I add All Afloat on Noah's Boat by Tony Mitton? Fab illustrations and great rhythm.