Toddler books that contain humans

[burgersraven]

I feel like is a bizarre question but can anyone recommend books for a 2 year old that depict human beings? We have a lot of books at home and get them out of the library, and it pisses me off how often we're talking about the pictures and I have to say something like "the octopus is fixing the train isn't it" or "look the crocodile is putting the fire out". I feel children's illustrators are allergic to drawing people, maybe they don't want the minefield of accidentally over representing a certain group so they get round it by representing nobody. Or they're bad at drawing people, and animals are easier. Or the publisher has told them that animals are more fun. But the problem is, it teaches them nothing about animals and it teaches them nothing about whatever the book topic is.
I'm good for sort of "first word" type books that have people in, we have some of those. But I would love recommendations for any other toddler books that include people, either nonfiction type books, or stories that feature humans doing everyday physically-possible activities.

Ahlberg books are lovely!
https://www.penguin.co.uk/discover/childrens-articles/where-to-start-with-janet-and-allan-ahlberg-s-books

We have a few from Love Every. Max and Nana go to the Park, Bea gets a checkup, Bedtime for Zoe. My toddler (18 months) loves them.
shop.lovevery.co.uk/collections/lovevery-library

The Apple Tree Farm books.

The Everywhere Bear by Julia Donaldson
Izzy Gizmo by Pip Jones
Winnie the Witch by Valerie Thomas
Katie Morag by Mairi Hedderwick

Those are all picture books, and fun to read. The middle two are less "people doing physically possible things", but they're still good for emotional things. Katie Morag is particularly good if you're after realism.

The you choose books are great

I agree with you. Helen oxenbury, John Birmingham and Shirley Hughes are also great

Topsy and Tim are nice books

People need people by Benjamin Zephaniah, illustrated by Nila Aye. It is a gorgeous book that my toddler loves and there is so much to point out and find.

A Dress with Pockets
Look Up
Uncle Bobby's Wedding

Alfie Gets In First - read that to my children when young and they loved to identify themselves in the story

I felt exactly the same, OP!
I second Shirley Hughes, the whole day long: beautiful illustrations of real toddlers and families doing real things. (We all loved them. My children are upper primary and I can still recite all of Noisy and Opposites!)

were going on a bear hunt
Charlie and Lola series? it's about a working class pair of siblings just doing normal life.
topsy and Tim? middle class version of above

I was going to say little red riding hood / Goldilocks etc. but I'm assuming talking wolves and bears are out?

but also, does your 2 year old really need a non fiction book a out humans in order to get the full educational benefits of story time? you might not like octopus stories, but that's missing the point isn't it? stories at that age are about fun and engagement, developing a love of reading. sure the true history of the Tudors and Stewart's is educational, but will they enjoy the bright pictures and the rhymth of the words etc?

Enid Byron and just cherry pick the stories? Polly's PJ's and Q's teachers manners

Most older books
The Alfie books - Shirley hughes
Topsy and tim
Meg and mog (although she's a witch)
Dogger - such a lovely story
The jolly postman and the jolly christmas postman
The Alfie book series which are supermarket zoo
There was an usbourne series which I think had children called poppy and a little boy who lived on a farm. But I vant remember the name. There was a range of stories and a cookbook

Ooh! How exciting to get so many replies so quickly, that's a surprise for one of the lesser-used subforums! Thank you for so many lovely suggestions everyone!
@Jadetheobscure1989 argh they don't have max and nana go to the park! I've seen this book on social media but I can only find US links!
@thisismeithinkorisit by nonfiction I mean like "trains go clickety clack down the track" as opposed to a story with characters. The point is it's NOT an octopus story, it's supposed to be about trains yet they put animals in the human roles. It's still nice to read and have the rhythm of the words and it's still a fun book but if you get into talking about the pictures and what's happening in the book, you end up teaching them stupid things that aren't true about animals OR trains. Do you see?

Rebecca Patterson books, she's a brilliant illustrator - she's made 'My busy being Bella day' 'The Pirate House' 'My big shouting day' and 'Nightbear' . Can you tell I like Rebecca Patterson ?! I work with kids.

Toddle Waddle
Each peach pear plum
10 little fingers and 10 little toes
Shirley Hughes/Alfie

Shirley Hughes' Alfie series have been a hit with both boys and girls (2 to 5) for our family.

My children are 5, 3 and 1. Off the top of my head, some that we have read a lot include:

Avocado baby
We’re going on a bear hunt
Who’s in the egg?
Life size
I see a cloud
I see a star

(Bottom two are maybe a bit older - they’re from a “teeny tiny science” series, but my older two love the one about the water cycle especially)

Oh that's annoying - we got ours as part of the bigger play kits. It's worth looking on vinted. The kits are quite expensive so people often sell the individual bits afterwards. There are quite a few copies of Max and Nana on there for £2.

Cockatoos by Quentin Blake is fantastic. Poor old Professor Dupont and his long-suffering birds 😂 My 10yo still likes reading that one.

Usborne First Experiences is an absolutely brilliant book - fictional short stories about real life events like going to the dentist or first day at school…..both my kids were obsessed with them, I think because they’re so relatable, and they explain things in a super simple way for toddlers.

I couldn’t agree with you more about most books being about animals!! Some are great though - such as Hungry Caterpillar, Bear Hunt (has people). Shirley Hughes is top of my list. The Judith Kerr books although about animals (Mog books, Tiger who came to tea) are about people too. I agree that the You Choose series are amazing. When she’s a bit older the Katie books are great (eg Katie goes to London). My just turned three grandaughter is into the Ahlberg Funny bones book. All the Ahlberg books are great.
Try Usbourne or Childsplay as publishers that have good traditional fairy stories that feature people and Child’s play have great life experience books eg going to nursery, starting school etc.
Also do buy Handa’s surprise it’s a wonderful story. I’ll add more when I think of them.

We loved the Ahlberg books. Peepo is perfect for a two year old. I remember getting the Shirley Hughes books out the library very regularly ( 30+ years ago now!)

Toddle Waddle was one of my favourites.