Toddler Classics - bookwraps to enjoy

Part 2

All kids have favourite books they want you to read to them over and over and over... did I mention over?  These precious books always end up on a bookshelf close by or tucked away in a chest so they can be passed on to their kids.  Here is a smattering of "keepers" that might just end up on your "keep forever" list.  Enjoy! 


Toddler books help kids build up their vocabulary and basic reading concepts. The best thing is that they help to instil in a child the magic that a book can bring into his/her life at a very early age. 

I am adding to yesterday's list for you to make sure your child doesn't miss out on the best of the best of these classics.  

Every toddler should hear lots of rhymes.  Grab a copy of The Real Mother Goose. For nearly a century, The Real Mother Goose® has delighted young children!

The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper has been around for several generations and gives us a nice little moral lesson.

The story of a train filled with toys and gifts for little boys and girls that breaks down before reaching the children. After asking several passing trains for help over the hill, a little blue train agrees to help the stranded toys. Even though she is small, the blue train tries her best to bring the toys to the children on the other side of the hill.

THE all-time classic picture book, from generation to generation, sold somewhere in the world every 30 seconds! Have you shared it with a child or grandchild in your life?

"The very hungry caterpillar literally eats his way through the pages of the book—and right into your child's heart..."

—Mother's Manual

"Gorgeously illustrated, brilliantly innovative..."

—The New York Times Book Review

Jamberry by Bruce Degen will entice your toddler to find all the berries in the pictures. This is another one with great rhythm and rhyme.  You will definitely want to have a berry jam sandwich after reading!

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is a delight to the imagination.   Great for encouraging pretend play.   In the forty years since Max first cried "Let the wild rumpus start," Maurice Sendak's classic picture book has become one of the most highly acclaimed and best-loved children's books of all time. Now, in celebration of this special anniversary, introduce a new generation to Max's imaginative journey to Where the Wild Things Are.

The Napping House by Audrey Wood is just one of Wood books great for toddlers.  Just how many can pile on top of a bed?  A cozy bed, a snoring granny, a dreaming child, a dozing dog, a snoozing--WAIT! There's a surprise in store, and little ones will want to discover it over and over again. So pull on your sleeping cap and snuggle in for a timeless cumulative tale that's truly like no other. Don and Audrey Wood's beloved picture book has sold more than one and a half million copies. To celebrate its birthday, the original hardcover book now has a fresh new design for both the jacket and interior, and the reproduction of the illustrations has been enhanced to better match the original artwork. A CD is tucked into a sleeve on the inside the front cover. The music, originally produced in 1989, is based on the book and was written and performed by children's musicians Carl and Jennifer Shaylen. The CD begins with a reading of the story and follows with six original songs that are just as fun, jaunty, and sweet as the book itself.

That big red dog is one I have vivid memories of as a child. Clifford by Norman Birdwell was a favourite in my Kindergarten/ Grade One classes.  Clifford has many adventures and there are many books about this famous pooch.  Be sure to put him on your "must read" list. 

One thing leads to another in If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff.   Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the award-winning If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, one of the most beloved children’s books of all time, from the #1 New York Times bestselling team Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond

If a hungry little mouse shows up on your doorstep, you might want to give him a cookie. And if you give him a cookie, he'll ask for a glass of milk. He'll want to look in a mirror to make sure he doesn't have a milk mustache, and then he'll ask for a pair of scissors to give himself a trim....

This book is a great first introduction to Mouse, the star of the If You Give... series and a perennial favorite among children. With its spare, rhythmic text and circular tale, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is perfect for beginning readers and story time!

Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw is another rhyming book full of more silliness.  Do you see a trend with toddler books?  Lots of rhyming!  Great for building phonological awareness.  “Shaw demonstrates a promising capacity for creating nonsense rhymes. . . . Apple's whimsical portraits of the sheep bring the story to life. Pleasing and lighthearted, this has much appeal for young readers.” —Publishers Weekly 

  

“The bright-colored pencil drawings and lean text make this a great choice for preschool storytimes, as well as for beginning readers who want a funny story.” 

—School Library Journal 

  

Out for a drive in the country, Nancy Shaw and Margot Apple's well-known and beloved sheep run into some mishaps with their sturdy red jeep.

Curious George by H.A. Rey is the beloved story of a very curious monkey.  A guaranteed win in a household with a toddler. Curious George has delighted millions of readers for seventy-five years.

This was one of my very favorite versions of The Wheels on the Bus illustrated by Jerry Smath. This best-selling book based on the popular children's song has driven its way into the hearts of many since its 1991 release. With wheels that go round, doors that open and shut, wipers that swish, and people that go bumpety-bump, the board book version of The Wheels on the Bus is the perfect token for a whole new generation of readers.

This last one if for older toddlers and easily bridges to the preschool crowd and beyond. Cars, Trucks, and Things that Go by Richard Scarry has been an all-time favorite to kids.  It's time to start your engines in this Richard Scarry classic all about vehicles!

Buckle-up for a fun-filled day of planes, trains, automobiles . . . and even a pickle truck! Featuring hundreds of clearly labeled vehicles, this is the perfect book for little vehicle fans from the one and only Richard Scarry.

I sincerely hope this list is of benefit to you.  My desire is that it will inspire you to gather some (or better yet, ALL) of these great classics and share them with your little ones.  Your child will be in awe as you read the books together and you will have the fun of going down memory lane and enjoying these fantastic books one more time.   Have an amazing weekend and please join me again here at Storywraps on Monday.  Blessings to you all.  Have a wonderful weekend. 

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