Book suggestions for three year olds this Christmas please

[Gladgreengrass]

I have the pleasure of having two three year olds to buy for this Christmas (not mine). I'm looking for book suggestions for boys who both happen to be fairly active and boisterous. I don't particularly want to go down the route of poo and worms. Nor do I want books that are about cutesey baby animals. I'm not trying to pander to stereotypes either but they actually do seem to prefer tractors and cars.

I think they are ready for a picture book like Farmer Duck but something perhaps with a bit more action maybe?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

You can’t go far wrong with Julia Donaldson. Go for one of her lesser known books like The Smeds and The Smoos, Zog or The Highway Rat.
Supertato
Oi Frog and all the others in the Oi series
Goodnight Digger
Elmer
Aliens Love Underpants
Shark in the Park
Percy the Parkkeeper

Thank you very much ricekrispie22. I must admit I've only ever read the snake and the whale one and I wasn't a fan but I'll have another look at her books ... . I like the sound of highway rat

snail not snake!

The oi frog series is great for this age and my 8 year old still likes it

The little red train series was a big hit with my boys at that age too, as well as the 10 minute tales. Most of those were linked to TV shows like postman pat and fireman Sam.

Julia Donaldson books are popular for a reason, they're great.

You Choose or You Choose in Space by Nick Sharrat, great conversation starters.

The Flip Flap books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler are good for giggles as they can create all sorts of strange animals.

Supertato is great too.

For something more classic

Hairy Mclairy/ Scarface Claw

Funny Bones

Mog

The Snail and the whale is my least favourite Julia Donaldson Book. I think I'd go with Zog as a good one for that age group.

We loved Shirley Hughes Alfie books at that age. They were very relevant, and covered just about every childhood issue. Fantastic series.

The Usbourne Apple Tree Farm series was another big hit

One of our most tattered books was Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who Came to Tea. I can still rattle it off, I read it so often.

We didn’t get on with Julia Donaldson in this house until ds was about 5 or so.

The Meg and Mog books are lovely, bright and fun (although reading them aloud does get a bit taxing after a while, with all the various sound effects).

Yes to Little Red Train - but some of the more recent editions have been made over(t)ly educational rather than just leaving them as the fun stories they are.

You can't go wrong with Dr Seuss. For this age - Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat and the Cat in the Hat Comes Back, Hop on Pop, the ABC. If the parents are musical, there's a lovely Dr Seuss Songbook as well (I say 'if they're musical' because the songs are quite challenging to sight sing and even more so to play - but they're great fun).

@Gladgreengrass

snail not snake!

After a few readings, I now love it!

This is a bit off the beaten track if you can still get it (I have no idea) - The Lion in the Meadow by Margaret Mahy.

Yes to the Funnybones series. I think I started mine on Cops and Robbers/Burglar Bill at this age, or maybe a little older. They love them.

What about some Christmas books?

Maisy's Christmas Eve by Lucy Cousins
or Maisy's Christmas Day
One Snowy Night by Nick Butterworth
Kipper's Christmas Eve by Mick Inkpen
The Christmas Bear by Axel Scheffler
Slinki Malinki's Christmas Crackers
Lucy and Tom's Christmas by Shirley Hughes
The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren
A Winter's Tale by Robert Sabuda

Julia Donaldson is so prolific - for this age, I think What The Ladybird Heard franchise is absolutely spot on. They're illustrated by Lydia Monks rather than Axel Sheffler.

I also really like 10 Little Pirates (and the many variations) by Mike Brownlow.

Julia Jarman is very underrated. The Ben and Bella books are lovely and Class Two at the Zoo is right up there in terms of the best children's picture book I've ever come across. Lots of fun.

Anything by Rob Biddulph, Oliver Jeffers, Chris Haughton.

Mine loved Elmer (though I think they're dull). Supertato is hugely popular in this house, also Barry the Fish with Fingers.

If they do like trucks and diggers Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site was read to absolute tatters by DS1. He's six and will still pick it up to read himself.

The Albie books by Caryl Hart are great too - How to Catch a Dragon and so on.

Oh and the Giant of Jum was much loved in this house.

A few that go down well with my 3 yr old DS include:

Nibbles the Book Monster by Emma Yarlett;
The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr;
The Ten Little Pirates series by Mike Brownlow;
Don’t Worry, Little Crab by Chris Haughton;
The Little Red Train books by Benedict Blathwayt;
How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers;
You Choose & Just Imagine

We have a few Julia Donaldson books, The Gruffalo is his favourite one of hers.

I have two boys and they love
Stick Man
Gruffalo
Funnybones
Hungry Caterpillar
All the fairytales (snow white and goldilocks gingerbread man etc)
Ugly Duckling

The best book we own though is You Choose.. it is brilliant and they spend ages choosing their dream car job etc.

DS is 3. He loves Dr Seuss, especially The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (which would make a great Christmas present). We have a collection and he likes the others too, particularly Green Eggs and Ham.

Julia Donaldson is also a winner. They probably have the Gruffalo already as it's such a classic. My DS also enjoys Tyrannosaurus Drip and The Troll.

Hairy McLairy is a hit, too.

Lastly, The Storm Whale and Grandma Bird are really lovely, emotionally rich books and favourites in our house.

How about some personalised books? Wonderbly do some mice ones.

I've just stopped work and I'm really grateful for all of these suggestions! Thank you so much everyone. I haven't investigated them all yet but You Choose and Funny Bones definitely fulfill the brief and Supertato and the 10 Little Pirates. I'm going to have a relaxing half hour now with a looking at all the other titles you've mentioned.

A colleague with small boys suggested The Bad Baby and the Elephant (I think that was it) which sounds intriguing!

Oh and thanks for the personalised books and Christmas book ideas too. I hadn't thought of those.

Do they like Thomas the tank engine? I've got a 3 year old girl who is really active and not at all into books, but she enjoys a Thomas story before bed.

The Oi! Books are great, 'Oi Frog', 'Oi Duck billed Platypus' are funny.
Pip and Posy are really popular in our house.
Pants! was a big hit too.
Never Use a Knife and Fork.

You Choose is amazing for getting kids who aren’t the “sit down and listen” type to engage.

Funny Bones
The Queens Knickers
Highway Rat
Zog
The Gruffalo

Would also recommened the Katie Abey books - We Catch The Bus etc. Similar to You Choose in the sense that there's a lot going on on each page, so plenty for them to spot and talk about.

The 'Harry and the dinosaurs' books are popular in our house. Also useful as audio books as we listen in the car.