Best books for toddlers: amazing stories, funny characters

The best books for toddlers influence the process of discovering the world. Through stories and funny characters, kids become more curious about the world.

The most exciting journeys begin when we open a book. Through stories, children discover the world, and the funny, mischievous and daring characters become their friends, their soulmates, in the fascinating adventure of growing up. In this article you can find  the best books for toddlers.

Children are introduced to books in their early years - from sensory books, to storybooks, to educational and adventure books. Between the pages of the best books for toddlers, kids find empathy, kindness, friendship, love of nature, and courage. 

Books stimulate children's cognitive, and social development, enrich their vocabulary, increase their concentration and stimulate their creativity. Books help children grow, learn about the world and form deep emotional connections with the people around them.

Aston’s Stones, Lotta Geffenblad

Aston feels sorry for all the lonely stones he sees, so he picks them up and brings them home and takes care of them. Every day he finds a new one; how strange that there are always new stones who are lonely, or bored or cold. It soon gets crowded at Aston’s house. Mummy and daddy get quite tired of all the stones, and one day daddy suggests that the stones go on a vacation, to the beach. The stones seem to like it, they roll on the sand and some of them take a bath.Aston seems quite satisfied, but when he comes back to the car, mummy and daddy hear something in the bag: “It’s a stick, it was so lonely”, Aston says. “After all, there are only stones around here.”

One of the best books for toddlers, with a meaningful message about childhood, kindness and innocence.

Corduroy, Don Freeman

Corduroy is a story about a teddy bear that waits every day for someone to come into the department store and take him home. One day a little girl named Lisa wants to buy him, but her mother points out that he is missing one of the buttons on his overalls. This story about hope and unconditional love teaches children to appreciate truly precious things and not judge by appearances and it is one of the most emotional books for toddlers.

The Smartest Giant in Town, Julia Donaldson 


George can't stand to see the other animals suffering, so he generously gives away his new clothes to help them. The moral of this story is that it's not what you have that matters, but what you do for other people that really counts. The story makes children discover generosity and teaches them that what you do for others is more valuable than material things.

Big Wolf and Little Wolf, Nadine Brun-Cosme

Big Wolf lives alone under a tree at the top of a hill. He is alone, but happy. One day he sees another wolf approaching, a little wolf. Without a word, Little Wolf sits down next to Big Wolf. He stays all night and all the next day. At first Big Wolf is suspicious. He also is worried that Little Wolf will grow bigger and become a rival. After a while, however, he starts to feel fond of his small companion. With great subtlety and gentleness, the story invites us to meditate on loneliness and the relationship between ego and the need for love. It shows us in a simple way that small gestures, full of care and gentleness, are the foundation of a strong friendship and that the vulnerability that comes with loving someone else can actually make us stronger.

Rosie Revere, engineer, Andrea Beaty 

Rosie may seem quiet during the day, but at night she’s a brilliant inventor of gizmos and gadgets who dreams of becoming a great engineer. When her great-great-aunt Rose (Rosie the Riveter) comes for a visit and mentions her one unfinished goal—to fly—Rosie sets to work building a contraption to make her aunt’s dream come true. But when her contraption doesn’t fly but rather hovers for a moment and then crashes, Rosie deems the invention a failure. On the contrary, Aunt Rose insists that Rosie’s contraption was a raging success: you can only truly fail, she explains, if you quit.

Snowy day, Ezra Jack Keats

It reveals the snow-covered world as seen through Peter's eyes and reminds us of the excitement we felt as children when we discovered it had snowed overnight. The story captures so well the fascination and pure joy of childhood. Peter excitedly experiences the day full of activities in the snow and before going into the house, he pockets a snowball for later.The theme of this book is a snow day adventure and while reading it your mind is able to drift away and reminisce about childhood adventures.

Petunia, Roger Duvoisin

After finding a book, Petunia the goose starts to believe that she is incredibly wise and thus begins to dish out wild advice to her fellow farm animals. The story speaks to children in their own language, entertains and inspires them with the ironies and funny stories Petunia goes through.

What Do You Do With An Idea?, Kobi Yamada

A remarkable idea can come to you at any moment, but what would you do with it? An inquisitive boy thinks that the remarkable idea that comes to him is as strange and fragile looking as an egg––an egg with legs and a crown on top! To the boy, the idea seems disparate and odd. In fact, he first walks away from it and pretends that it doesn’t belong to him.With a lot of attention, the boy and idea grow together and become part of each other’s lives. Trouble arises, however, when the boy shows his idea to other people.They laugh at it, think it is an absolute waste of time, and claim that it will never amount to anything.

The Seven Silly Eaters, Mary Ann Hoberman

Peter wants only milk, Lucy won't settle for anything but homemade lemonade, and Jack is stuck on applesauce. Each new addition to the household brings a new demand for a special meal. What's a mother to do?

Pancake pie, Sven Nordqvist

Despite many difficulties, Farmer Pettson is determined to celebrate his cat's birthday by baking a pancake birthday cake. A progressive tale in which being out of flour leads to needing to ride a bike, which has a flat tire that needs to be fixed, but the tools are locked up and the key is lost, and more.

A Home Full of Friends,  Peter Bently, Charles Fuge

This is the heartwarming story of the badger who takes in his friends after their homes were destroyed. At first, he worried that there wouldn't be room and food for everyone, but everyone contributed and found a little corner, and the badger understood that it's not comfort and peace that are most precious, but friendship.

The day the crayons quit, Drew Daywalt 

Explore the fun and quirky ways in which the crayons quit with this instructional guide for literature. Students will love analyzing the crayons' struggles and complaints by completing age-appropriate activities and lessons provided in this guide

One of the best books for toddlers and you can access an audio version here. 

The room of wonders, Sergio Ruzzier

Pius Pelosi, a young pack rat, is a born collector who fills a room with his marvelous findings, attracting curious visitors.His very favorite item, a plain gray pebble, is given a place of honor, which baffles everyone. They all ask why he would keep such an ordinary stone. Bowing to public opinion, Pius gets rid of it, but in doing so, he discovers he’s lost much more than just the pebble. This philosophical tale about a small creature who has the eye and soul of an artist is brought to life in distinctly droll watercolor illustrations. 

The fox on the swing, Evelina Daciute

Learn about family, happiness, and friendship in this hope-filled children’s book. Our story starts with a boy named Paul, who lives in a cozy treehouse in a big city with his family. And then something unexpected happens—Paul befriends a wise, friendly fox on a walk home from the bakery.
The fox gives Paul a space to think about what makes him happy and what friendship means—all in the pages of a bright and quirky storybook. Join Paul and the fox while helping young readers decide what makes them happy.

The lamb who came for dinner, Steve Smallman

Wolf is really hungry for his favorite meal--lamb stew! To his great luck, a cold, shivering lamb knocks on his door looking for shelter from the winter storm outside. So begins a funny tale of friendship with a wonderful twist at the end.…

Best books for toddlers have a huge learning potential, helping kids in the process of developing cognitive, and social skills, enrich their vocabulary, increase their concentration and stimulate their creativity. Books help children grow, learn about the world and form deep emotional connections with the people around.