Which Julia Donaldson books are most suitable for toddlers?

[Holidaydreamingg]

DC who has just turned 2 absolutely loves reading with us. Her favourite books are the Acorn Woods series and anything else with flaps in!

I’d like to get her some other Julia Donaldson board books for Christmas - which ones are the shortest/aimed at younger readers? I was thinking perhaps Tiddler, Room on the Broom and Gruffalo?

Thanks!

Stick Man is my all time fave 💙

All of them! They are fab.

Followed closely by Paper Dolls 💙

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Pip and posy are great for that age - axel scheffler.

I’ve heard this one is lovely! But they don’t do a board book version so I presumed it was aimed at kids a little older (maybe 3-5?)?

Julia Donaldson is really for kids age 3-6

All of them. She doesn’t need board books. Room on the broom is our favourite. My DD could recite it before she could really talk!

Tiddler is perfect for little ones.
A squash and a squeeze is good too.

I can't read Paper Dolls without crying!

My little ones both loved Room on the Broom, What the Ladybird Heard and the Snail and the Whale. The youngest also likes Superworm.

But really, any of them are worth a go.

@Holidaydreamingg I think they are all aimed at toddlers + really. I read all the JD books to my boy from around 2.5 years to be honest, we had the paper backs also. The only board book we had was Stickman.

All of Julia Donaldson books are great for toddlers. My 21 month old particularly loves Room on the Broom and Superworm. He can recite most of both stories from memory. He has a mix of board books and paperbacks and he’s very good with them.
Search your local charity shops as we’ve managed to get a few for 50p in ours!

I would say all of them… along with the stories the pictures in the book are great which little ones would like.

It's a bit emotional, isn't it? It most certainly stirs something within 🥹

My 2yo likes gruffalo (we have a push and pull board book version), and a squash and a squeeze.

Tiddler is a bit longer and DS doesn’t quite grasp the storyline yet/ isn’t interested.

I also recommend the paperback versions of acorn wood… they’re much bigger. I find the flaps are very small and fiddly on the board book versions.

I think DC1 was more like 2.5 til they started getting into JD books but I appreciate it depends on the child. My DC2 has just turned 2 and he isn't interested in them yet, too long. He loves the very hungry Caterpillar

My daughter is coming up to 3. We got a few for her birthday last year and did the exhibition at The Lowry in the summer. Her favourites are The Gruffalo's Child, A Squash and a Squeeze and Stickman. My favourite is Monkey Puzzle. We listen to the audio books in the car all the time too.

I don't think she aimed them at 2 year olds as there are some difficult concepts to grasp, like in The Gruffalo them understanding its not the mouse the animals are afraid of. But the rhymes are catchy and the BBC adaptations are lovely.

Also, there's an owl in my towel is another Julia Donaldson board book with flaps suitable for very young readers.

I think the Gruffalo is best for that age. The others can be wordy - the kids will like the language rhythm but the meaning will go over their heads.

We loved Jez Alborough at that age - Duck in the Truck and Hug particularly. Also the Usborne peep inside books with loads of flaps. We started with those when DD was about 2 and still reading them 5 years later!

Any! I have the majority (apart from a couple which I personally don't like) and read them to my 4 month old. Even if they can't understand them/follow the story, it's the pattern of speech they engage with and the pictures.

My favourites are stick man, snail & the whale & a squash and a squeeze :)

Aw my son loves those lift flap books too. I got him the gruffalo, the gruffalo’s child, a squash and a squeeze and room on the broom board books from the works the other day, he loves those.

Oh and the snail and the whale!! That’s so sweet.

There's a great Julia Donaldson book illustrated by Lydia Monks that's called The Girl, the Bear and the Magic Shoes. The magic shoes transform on each page as the girl runs away from a bear she thinks is chasing her, it's really good fun.

My DD loved Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, and Snail and the Whale.
Room on the Broom was probably her favourite - maybe this once I'll have Witch WITHOUT chips!

edit for spelling.

Room on the broom, gruffalo, what the ladybird heard, the scarecrows wedding and zog are all great. My daughter has been enjoying all those since around 18 months. There is a lot of repetition so kids learn them and join in. Speaking of repetition, bear hunt is excellent too (although not JD)
I'm not keen on tiddler or the ugly 5.
The JD films on iplayer are excellent as well!