Top 10 Board Books for Toddlers

I am a bookaholic, and I have my mother to thank for that. When I was a small child, she instilled the love of reading into me by giving me tons of books and reading to me literally every day. Now, as a mother of three boys, I've done the same with my children. I started them on board books when they were toddlers because they tend to last longer, plus they are easy for little hands to grasp.

If you're like me and you want to get your child started reading at a young age, there are lots of board books for you to consider buying for your child. The choices can be daunting. How do you know which one is best for your child? This article will help you out by detailing the top 10 books that are all available in board-book format that you should consider introducing to your toddler.

#1: Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown

All three of my kids had this board book at one time or another during their toddler years. To say it simply, it is a classic book from 1956 that still holds children's interest. It is printed in many forms, but there are board-book copies available. The book will show your child the life of farm animals who play on the farm from morning to night when the family that lives on the farm is away for the day.

#2: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

This is another classic by Eric Carle and is one of my personal favorites. I enjoyed reading this book with my child as we followed the life of the little caterpillar that ate and ate and ate his way through the book until...? Well I'm sure you know what happened to the caterpillar. Children will love that there are actual holes in the book from the caterpillar's "eating" journey.

#3: Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss

Sometimes your child just needs a book that is downright silly, and the book to achieve that is Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss. Mr. Brown is the main character in the book and throughout it, he repeats funny noises that he hears and invites the reader to do the same. You can really ham it up with your toddler to bring out the giggles.

#4: "More More More," Said the Baby by Vera B. Williams

Though the name might make you think of a baby being a tad greedy, it is quite the opposite. The book is about children who want more of wonderful things such as more love from their caregivers (hugs, kisses, tickles). The illustrations are done in a way that will appeal strongly to younger children.

#5: Black on White by Tana Hoban

Want to stimulate your child's brain development? Black on White by Tana Hoban will do just that. The book has a white background with black images printed onto it. It is a nice contrast. For being a book that is only in two colors, your child will be pretty happy.

#6: Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt

Pat the Bunny is a book that you as a child may have read, and now you can share it with your child in a board-book format. The board book works with sensory recognition, such as the way things feel, and there is even a little part where your child can look into a faux mirror.

#7: The Going-To-Bed Book by Sandra Boyton

Sandra Boyton is a popular children's author that has plenty of books that come in board format that are great for toddlers. One such book is The Going-To-Bed Book. This book is especially great if your child is hem hawing about going to bed. The book is about an ark that is home to several animals. The animals go through a process of going to bed, but all in a silly way that will make your child smile before bedtime.

#8: My Big Animal Book by Roger Priddy

It may be big, but it is still a board book that is chock full of different animals. The bonus is that it has real pictures of animals and not just drawings. This is another book that my kids had lying around, and they really enjoyed going through the different animals together.

#9: Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks from A to Z

No doubt about it, there are some pretty wonderful Richard Scarry books available. They are a combination of fun illustrations and ways for your child to learn. Cars and Trucks from A to Z goes over different kinds of cars. Some are realistic and some are completely made up (like a pickle car).

#10: Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo by Kevin Lewis

Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo is a fun book with a train theme that has the storyline in rhyming format. The story starts with a little boy who is playing with trains in his room. He starts imagining his train moving and going places until, at the end of the day, the train stops and rests by the boy who is now tired after his day of imagining.