Building the Best Library for 2 Years and Older— Classics and Newfound Favorites

Everyone’s beloved classic, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See, is now available in a board-book edition. If your little one loves animals, colorful eye-catching collages, and singsong text then this best-selling book is guaranteed to be a hit. Sprinkled throughout the story, you’ll be introduced to a brown grizzly bear, a red bird, and a yellow ducky—among other delightful creatures. (Pssst: You’ll have to keep reading to meet them all.) Jennifer from Amazon raves, “For starters, it just flows. Most other baby books are so scattered. You’ll somehow memorize this book after the 2-3 times you’ve read it. Minimal text! And it keeps the same pattern of words but changing the animals out. It’s colorful!! Big animals on the pages and nothing else.” 

Once they enter toddlerhood, there’s no stopping them from meddling with anything and everything in their path. Simply put: Babies love putting things in their mouth that, err, shouldn’t even be there in the first place. It’s the taste and texture of unfamiliar objects that stimulate their senses. As you may have guessed from the title, Yummy Yucky is a story of opposites—more specifically, a laundry list of things that baby should (and shouldn’t!) be eating. Beyond the bright illustrations and LOL-worthy content that can be enjoyed by both mom and child, trust that there is some educational value to be found. This thoughtful book presents an array of opposites—a yummy item on the left-hand page and a yucky item on the right (i.e. “spaghetti is yummy, worms are yucky”) to demonstrate that there are some things that definitely should not be consumed. 

We’re not going to lie, this one hits home. At some point during your childhood, odds are, you had a favorite teddy in your possession (or perhaps you still do) that you’d play tea party with and tuck into bed at night. Just us? The bond between a child and their bear is like no other. Adventure abounds as a charming teddy bear—he goes by the name Corduroy and wears green overalls—sets out to find a lost button in a department store and, more importantly, a forever home. Beautiful illustrations coupled with a coming-of-age story make this Don Freeman children’s literature classic one that you’ll read for years to come. Brittany E. from Amazon says it’s a family favorite: “There is a reason this book is considered a classic. It was my husband’s favorite book as a child and now we love reading it to our son.”

Not that you need any additional reasons to shower your toddler with smooches, but this book will give you one. This fun picture book counts down from 10 kisses, giving your tot a mini math lesson and plenty of opportunities for kisses.

Kids can learn a sweet message about the power of kindness in a story about a friendly blue truck who helps a cranky dump truck get unstuck in the mud.

Maisy is a little white mouse who is busy with adventures both big and small. In this book, Maisy can teach your toddler that cleaning is fun — a win-win for both of you.

In this rhyming, colorful book, the ABCs run up a coconut tree, and what happens next, you’ll just have to read and see.

RVs are so trendy right now, even for kids. The Brave Little Camper book has a soundtrack built in — your toddler can add sound effects to the story with a push of a button. #sorrynotsorry

If you’re looking for something a father or father figure will love to read, this book is a great pick — it’s about the lengths a papa will go to make his daughter happy. The pages fold out to make the story feel even more special.

Goodnight Moon is a classic for a reason — it’s still the perfect way to wind down the day and prepare little ones for bedtime.

Piggie and Elephant are best friends in Mo Willems’ funny books for kids. Gerald the elephant is cranky and wants to take a nap in this story, something everyone, no matter their age, can relate to.

Animals, they’re just like us — they kiss their kids goodnight, too. This cute story shows how different animals send their little ones off to dreamland.

For a dose of empowerment and inspiration, A is for Awesome! will teach your little one their ABCs and educate them about powerful women in history.

Help convince your toddler that it’s time to go to sleep with a book that shows animals all over the world settling down for the night.

Everyone deserves love, even if you’re a stinky skunk or a slimy swamp monster. This heartwarming book is all about the unconditionality of a mother’s love.

You and your little one will get transported to the animal kingdom with an interactive book that features 10 unusual animals (like flamingos, walruses, and zebras) and their sounds.

Relive your childhood through your kid’s eyes with this timeless tale about a caterpillar with a healthy appetite that transforms into a beautiful butterfly. The board book can also help teach tots about different days of the week, foods, and numbers.

Forget dogs, cats, and fish. In this book, the best pet is a dinosaur, as they can ride skateboards and do magic tricks.