Read it Again Momma! My Two-Year-Old's Current Book Rotation.

If you are the parent of a small child anywhere from about 18 months old all the way up to about four, you will know that bedtime reading is all about repeating their favorite books again and again. These books are the keepers in your library. These books will be committed to memory. I have purchased hundreds of children's books over the years, but there only a few select books become repeaters. Sometimes I am disappointed that a critically acclaimed book is quickly discarded by my kids as just being "Alright." Most of the time, if a book is only read once it is because it contains too many words- unnecessary words and descriptions that get in the way of an active child's imagination.

Little J will be 3 in May, and as she approaches this birthday, I have found that she is really into "reading" books that more along the line of activity books. Right now, she really enjoys look and find books, books with sparse amounts of words, and books with bright colors and simple plots.

By her bed, we have a basket that contains the books that we read each night. Some books only spend one night in basket, while other books seem to live in the basket. Here are ten great reads that I always end up hearing little J shout, "Read it again, Momma!"

1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle should be in EVERY child's library. This book has been a favorite for both of my girls. This essentially means I have been reading about once a night for the past 8 years. So by my estimate, I have read it about 2920 times. My girls even dressed up like the hungry caterpillar and a beautiful butterfly for a book festival.

2. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is one that each of my daughter's fell in love with at some point when they were around two years old. This book is perfect for the strong-willed child. Check out our post where we visited the Brehman Museum to learn more about Maurice Sendak and his beloved picture books.

3.  Time to Sleep, Sheep the Sheep! (Cat the Cat) by Mo Willems. If you don't have any Mo Willems books in your child's library, I highly recommend running to the store and picking up basically as many as you can afford. We particularly love this one because of the playful, simplistic language and the vivid colors.

4.  Mighty Dadsby Joan Holub and illustrated by James Dean. I was lucky enough to receive this book to review. Since receiving it, Little J has fallen in love with enticing her dad to read it to her. I even sometimes catch her sleeping with this book. Check out my full review. This is one of those books where I have noticed Little J making her first text to life connections whenever we pass by a construction site she recites parts of the book.

5. No More Diapers for Ducky! (Ducky and Piggy) by Bernette Ford and Sam Williams. We have great expectations that Little J will eventually care about potty training. Until she decides she is not too busy and fancy to be bothered with going on the potty, we will continue to read this book. This is one of those rare potty training books that doesn't directly command a child to go on the potty, it just shows Ducky deciding that diapers are no longer for him.

6. The Nuts: Bedtime at the Nut House by Eric Litwin and illustrated by Scott Magoon. This book is a riot. If bedtime in your house is a nutty as it is in our house, this book will be an instant hit. Not only is the text playful, there are lots of subtle jokes aimed at the adults that will give you a laugh. Check out the website for this nutty family where you can download a lullaby and other songs: http://www.thenutfamily.com/.
 

 

7. Mice on Ice (I Like to Read Books) by Rebecca Emberly and Ed Emberley. Little J is obsessed with this book right now. The book couldn't be any simpler, repeating words that rhyme with mice, and I think it is the simplistic text that Little J loves.  

8.  Peek Inside the Zoo by Usborne Books and illustrated by Simona Dimitri. If you have never had the pleasure of reading and enjoying the Usborne Look Inside or Peek Inside books, I highly recommend investing in these gems of books. Little J loves the Peek Inside the Zoo book the best with the Look Inside Space book coming in a close second. What I love about these books is how they grow with the child. There are lots of facts and text that earlier on can just be skimmed over, but as the child grows the books provide more and more information. The Look Inside Space book is great because it appeals to both Miss M (who is 8) and Little J (who is 2).
 

9.  Johnathan James & the Whatif Monster by Michelle Nelson-Schmidt. Michelle Nelson-Schmidt is a favorite for our whole family. Check out her website: http://whatifmonsters.com/ to see all of the books she offers. Most importantly, she hosts livestreaming events where she reads her books. such as Johnathan James and the Whatif Monster to anyone who logs on. This  is how Little J grew to love this book. 

10.  Lift the Flap Shapes  by Usborne. For our final selection, I just have to share this wonderful Lift-the-flap book that teaches about not only shapes but colors and numbers, as well. We are thoroughly enjoying this new publication because it prompts conversation and play. These types of activity books are especially helpful for engaging ornery and rambunctious two-year-old kids.

FTC Required Disclosure:

This site contains affiliate links, if you make a purchase using the Amazon or Usborne links on this site, a small portion goes to Books, Babies, and Bows (at no cost to you!) to purchase more books to review and share. Thank you for your support!