Best Books for 2-Year Olds

Reading books to your two years old is good practice to do. Not just Your toddler will enjoy it, but it will help your kid to be focused.

The storybooks will give you ideas to tell your kids bedtime stories and grow your affection towards your kid and vice versa. There is nothing better to get engaged with your toddler than reading books and showing them pictures of different characters.

This reading practice will help them understand things better, speak the right words earlier, and communicate better.

We have arranged a list of the best books you can have for your 2-year-olds.

Contents

Best Books for 2-Year Olds

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The Wonky Donkey
  • Author: Craig Smith
  • Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
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If Animals Kissed Good Night
  • Author: Ann Whitford Paul
  • Language: English
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Where The Wild Things Are
  • Author: Maurice Sendak
  • Publisher: HarperCollins
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I Love You To The Moon And Back
  • Board back: 28 pages
  • Illustrator: Tim Warnes
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The Pout-Pout Fish
  • Author: Deborah Diesen
  • Reading level: Baby- 4 years
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How to Catch a Unicorn
  • Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
  • Reading level: 2-10 years
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The Wonderful Things You Will Be
  • Hardcover: 36 pages
  • Author: Emily Winfield Martin
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 What Should Danny Do
  • Publisher: Elon Books
  • Illustrator: Mat Sadler
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The Gruffalo
  • Author: Julia Donaldson
  • Publisher: Puffin Books
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I Need A New Butt
  • Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird
  • Paperback: 32 pages
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Grumpy Monkey
  • Author: Suzanne Lang
  • Hardcover: 32 Pages
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Waiting Is Not Easy
  • Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
  • Reading Level: 2-8 years
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The Hiccupotamus
  • Author: Aron Zenz
  • Language: English
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Where you Go
  • Board book: 26 pages
  • Illustrator: Eliza Wheeler
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A Collection Of Stories For two years old
  • Publisher: Parragon Books
  • Hardcover: 96 pages
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There’s a Bear on My Chair
  • Author/Illustrator: Ross Collins
  • Board book: 24 pages
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Willbee The Bumblebee
  • Illustrator: Katz Cowley
  • Paperback: 32 pages
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Strictly No Elephants
  • Reading level: 2-8 years
  • Hardcover: 32 pages
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Guess How Much I Love You
  • Board book: 24 pages
  • Reading level: Baby-3 years
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 Ten Magic Butterflies
  • Hardcover: 40 pages
  • Illustrator: Jennifer Bricking
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1: The Wonky Donkey

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  • Book: The Wonky Donkey
  • Author: Craig Smith
  • Illustrator: Katz Cowley
  • Paperback: 24 pages
  • Reading level: 2-5 years
  • Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
  • Language: English

Story

The story is best to read-aloud, which will bring laughter and joy to your kids. The story is about an endearing Donkey who has some physical abnormalities, but it’s living a happy life. The book ends with some funny-sounding like hanky-panky, cranky, stinky, dinky, lanky, honky-tonky, winky wonky donkey; the sound of these words will give you great laughter.

About the Author:

Craig Smith is a writer, musician, and entertainer. He is the recipient of the 2008 APRA children’s song of the year for The Wonky Donkey.

About Illustrator:

Katz Cowley is an Illustrator and also a teacher who teaches drawing, creative Journaling, and self-expression.

2: If Animals Kissed Good Night

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  • Book: If Animals Kissed Good Night
  • Author: Ann Whitford Paul
  • Illustrator: David Walker
  • Board Book: 34 pages
  • Reading level: 2-6 years
  • Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
  • Language: English

Story:

The book tells about how each animal would express love and kiss good night to their loved ones. A giraffe would stretch its neck high, and the wolf would kiss his pup and howl, and how every animal will share love in its unique way.

About the Author:

Ann Whitford Paul has published 20 award-winning picture books, poetry, early books, and books for adults. She started writing picture books after years of bedtime storytelling to her four kids.

Fun learning:

Apart from a good bedtime story, this book gives a visual picture of animal body parts, their babies, and how they will kiss their babies, suitable for learning.

3: Where The Wild Things Are

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  • Book: Where The Wild Things Are
  • Author: Maurice Sendak
  • Paperback: 48
  • Publisher: HarperCollins
  • Reading level: 2-8 years
  • Language: English

Story:

The story is about a mischievous kid named Max, who created havoc in the house and ends up getting to his room without supper. From there, he steps into an island inhabited by wild things, which name him King and create wild uproars with him. But eventually, he smells delicious things to eat from far across the world.

About the Author:

Maurice Sendak is a best-selling writer. He is the recipient of the 1964 Caldecott Medal for Where the Wild Things Are, and he is also the creator of classics like In the Night Kitchen, Outside Over There, Higglety Pigglety Pop, and Nutshell Library.

About Book:

The story has inspired a movie, an opera, and the imagination of generations.

4: I Love You To The Moon And Back

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  • Book: I Love You To The Moon And Back
  • Author: Amelia Hepworth
  • Illustrator: Tim Warnes
  • Board back: 28 pages
  • Reading level: 2-5 pages
  • Publisher: Tiger Tales
  • Language: English

Story:

The story is about a bear and a cub showing their love for each other all day by playing together, splashing water, climbing mountains, and watching the sky. They express their love for each other by touching noses, chasing each other, and hugging and snuggling before bed.

About the Author:

Amelia Hepworth is a fantastic writer of this beautiful book. In her spare time, she loves connecting with nature.

5: The Pout-Pout Fish

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  • Book: The Pout-Pout Fish
  • Author: Deborah Diesen
  • Illustrator: Dan Hanna
  • Board Book: 34 pages
  • Reading level: Baby- 4 years
  • Publisher: Farrar, Straus, Giroux
  • Language: English

Story:

The story is about a fish with a permanent pout on his face. His friends try every trick to bring a smile to his face. Will an unexpected friend be able to get a smile on his face.

About the Author:

Deborah Diesen has written many children’s books, including the New York Times best-selling The Pout-Pout Fish.

About Illustrator:

Dan Hannah has been working for over a decade in the animation industry, and his work also added life to BBC America and the Cartoon Network.

6: How to Catch a Unicorn

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  • Book: How to Catch a Unicorn
  • Author: Adam Wallace
  • Illustrator: Andy Elkerton
  • Hardcover: 40 pages
  • Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
  • Reading level: 2-10 years
  • Language: English

Story:

The story is about catching a mythical creature, the unicorn and setting a trap, and preparing your team to catch a unicorn. The beautiful visual representation makes it extra unique and memorable.

About the Author:

Adam Wallace is cartoonist and writer of the New York Times best-selling series “How to catch” and The Holiday Heroes Save Christmas.

About Illustrator:

Andy Elkerton is a children’s book Illustrator based in the United Kingdom.

7: The Wonderful Things You Will Be

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  • Book: The Wonderful Things You Will Be
  • Author: Emily Winfield Martin
  • Hardcover: 36 pages
  • Reading level: 2-7 years
  • Publisher: Random House Books For Young Readers
  • Language: English

Story:

This book shows a beautiful representation of love and sentiments parents have for their children and how they want their child’s best things.

About the Author:

Emily Winfield Martin sketches and paints characters of the imaginary world, and she’s the author and Illustrator of The Black Apple’s Paper Doll Primer. Her store, The Black Apple, has been featured in national publications TV shows, including the New York Times and Martha Stewart.

Best gift:

This book is the perfect gift for pregnant females and occasions like baby showers.

8: What Should Danny Do

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  • Book: What Should Danny Do
  • Author: Adir Levy, Ganit Levy
  • Illustrator: Mat Sadler
  • Hardcover: 68 pages
  • Publisher: Elon Books
  • Reading level: 2 and up
  • Language: English

Story:

This book has nine stories in it about Danny, who is a superhero in training. The story tells about how his daily life choices shape his day. This book interacts with every kid and gives them a different dimension to think about their day-to-day decisions.

Teacher’s opinion:

The teachers love this book for kids as it teaches them a lesson and how to make positive choices every day to make their day better and teach them the value of forgiveness as Danny’s parents always choose to do when he does something wrong.

9: The Gruffalo

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  • Book: The Gruffalo
  • Author: Julia Donaldson
  • Illustrator: Axel Scheffler
  • Paperback: 26 pages
  • Publisher: Puffin Books
  • Reading level: 2-7 years
  • Language: English

Story:

A mouse wanders around the deep dark woods when a hungry Fox finds him, then an Owl, and then a Snake. The Mouse cooks up a story to save his life and creates a scary character called Gruffalo. The Mouse explains the hideous character with terrible claws, fearful tusks in his jaws, knobbly knees, turned-out toes, and a poisonous wart at the end of his nose.

About the Author:

Julia Donaldson is the internationally best-selling writer of many children’s books and won a prize for “The Gruffalo.” Apart from children’s books, she also wrote children’s plays and songs.

About Illustrator:

Axel Scheffler is an award-winning internationally acclaimed Illustrator of many children’s books, including best-selling modern classic The Gruffalo.

10: I Need A New Butt

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  • Book: I Need A New Butt
  • Author: Dawn McMillan
  • Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird
  • Paperback: 32 pages
  • Publisher: Dover Publications
  • Reading level: 6- 10 years
  • Language: English

Story:

The book is about a silly kid who notices a big Crack in his Butt and goes on a quest to find a new one. Will he choose an armor-plated Butt? A rocket Butt? A robot butt?

About the Author:

Dawn McMillan writes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and stories for children. She is a writer of Woolly Wally and Holy Socks.

About Illustrator:

Ross Kinnaird is a people’s choice award winner at the World Parkinson’s congress and Illustrator of children’s books like 50 Body Questions and animated poems “Smaller.”

11: Grumpy Monkey

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  • Book: Grumpy Monkey
  • Author: Suzanne Lang
  • Illustrator: Max Lang
  • Hardcover: 32 Pages
  • Reading level: 2-7 years
  • Publisher: Random House Books For Young Readers
  • Language: English

Story:

Jim, the chimpanzee, is in a bad mood for no reason and his friends try to understand why Jim is failing to explain and try to cheer him up, but nothing is working. Jim has a little meltdown. Does he need a day to feel grumpy?

About the Author:

Suzanne Lang is a writer of the New York Times best-selling children’s book The Grumpy Monkey. She also writes and produces children’s television.

About Illustrator:

Max Lang is an animation director, storyboard artist, character designer, and Illustrator. He co-directed Oscar and BAFTA-nominated “The Gruffalo” and “Room on the Broom” and won numerous awards for best TV production.

12: Waiting Is Not Easy

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  • Book: Waiting Is Not Easy
  • Author: Mo Willems
  • Hardcover: 64 Pages
  • Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
  • Reading Level: 2-8 years
  • Language: English

Story:

Gerald and Piggie are best friends. Gerald is careful while Piggie is not; Piggie can’t help smiling, but Gerald can; Gerald worries so that Piggie doesn’t have to worry. Piggie has a surprise for Gerald, but he has to wait for it, which is not easy for Gerald.

About the Author:

Mo Willems is a New York Times best-selling writer and Illustrator and has also been awarded a Caldecott Honor three times. His celebrated Elephant & Piggie has been awarded the Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal on two occasions.

The lesson of the story:

The story gives a powerful and meaningful lesson about the appreciation of smaller and beautiful things globally. Nothing is more beautiful than sharing memorable moments with your friends.

13: The Hiccupotamus

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  • Book: The Hiccupotamus
  • Author: Aron Zenz
  • Hardcover: 32 pages
  • Publisher: Two Lions
  • Reading level: 2-6 years
  • Language: English

Story

The story is about a Hippo who has hiccups, and every time he gets one, he falls on his bottom. Calamity ensues when an elephant, a centipede, and a rhinoceros try to find a cure for Hippo’s hiccups.

About the Author:

Aaron Zenz is a Writer and Illustrator of more than 30 children’s books.

About the book:

With the best pencil work, this loud readout story will burst your kids into a laugh and give them a joyful reading experience.

14: Where you Go

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  • Book: Where You Go
  • Author: Pat Zietlow Miller
  • Illustrator: Eliza Wheeler
  • Board book: 26 pages
  • Publisher: LB kids
  • Reading level: baby- 3 years
  • Language: English

Story:

The story about an adventurous rabbit and his animals as they walk out of their doors to discover new magical worlds lead by steep mountains, bustling cityscapes, and winding roads.

About the Author:

Pat Zietlow Miller is the award-winning picture book author of Be Kind, Sophie’s Squash, Sharing The Bread, The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, and wherever You Go.

About Illustrator:

Eliza Wheeler is the best-selling and award-winning Illustrator of Miss Maples Seeds and was a 2017 Sendak Fellowship recipient. She also illustrated the Newbery Honor Book Doll Bones and Wherever You Go.

15: A Collection Of Stories For two years old

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  • Book: A Collection of Stories For two years Old
  • Author: Parragon Books
  • Editor: Cottage Door Press
  • Hardcover: 96 pages
  • Publisher: Parragon Books
  • Reading level: Baby- 3 years
  • Language: English

Story:

This book consists of numerous tales that will drift your kids into new exciting magical worlds and give them a chance to enjoy exciting fairytales.

About the Author:

The Parragon Name has been creating and publishing exciting quality work for over 40 years.

About the book:

This book helps the imagination of your child with pictures and different stories that will make them laugh.

16: There’s a Bear on My Chair

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  • Book: There’s a bear on My Chair
  • Author/Illustrator: Ross Collins
  • Board book: 24 pages
  • Reading level: 2-5 years
  • Publisher: Nosy Crow
  • Language: English

Story:

A bear sat on the Mouse’s favourite chair, and the chair isn’t big enough for two. The Mouse does everything in his power to move the bear, but nothing works. When Mouse is gone, the bear gets up and goes to his house.

About author/Illustrator:

Ross Collins has illustrated more than a hundred books for children and also wrote few books.

17: Willbee The Bumblebee

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  • Book: Willbee The Bumblebee
  • Author: Craig Smith, Maureen Thomson
  • Illustrator: Katz Cowley
  • Paperback: 32 pages
  • Reading level: 2-5 years
  • Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
  • Language: English

Story:

With his new Jersey on a bee feels warm and comfortable keeps buzzing around while Willbee, the bumblebee, feels embraced to realize that his black and yellow jacket is stuck on a rose thorn and completely showing his bare bum. Monica, the butterfly, and Steve, the spider, help willbee recover his jacket and buzz around the garden.

About the author:

Craig Smith is the recipient of the 2008 APRA children’s song of the year for The Wonky Donkey, and he also works as a musician and entertainer.

About Illustrator:

Katz Cowley is an Illustrator and teacher who leads workshops in drawing, creative Journaling, and self-expression.

18: strictly No Elephants

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  • Book: Strictly No Elephants
  • Author: Lisa Mantchev
  • Illustrator: Taeeun Yoo
  • Hardcover: 32 pages
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman books
  • Reading level: 2-8 years
  • Language: English

Story:

Today is a pet club day, and there will be all kinds of pets, but elephants are strictly prohibited. The pet cloud doesn’t understand that pets come in all shapes and sizes, just like friends. The boy and tiny pet elephant show them and make them realize what it means to be a true friend.

About the author:

Lisa Mantchev wrote many picture books for children, including Strictly No Elephants, which received awards and rave reviews; the New York Times called it “a sunny, smart, tongue in cheek tale.”

About Illustrator:

Taeeun Yoo has twice received the prestigious New York Times best illustrated children’s book award. She has illustrated many books, including Strictly No Elephants, which have been published in twelve countries.

19: Guess How Much I Love You

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  • Book: Guess How Much I Love You
  • Author: Sam MacBratney
  • Illustrator: Anita Jeram
  • Board book: 24 pages
  • Reading level: Baby-3 years
  • Publisher: Candlewick
  • Language: English

Story:

The book is about little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare showing how much they love each other and appreciate every moment they spend together and how their love grows every day.

About the Author:

Sam McBratney is a writer of the internationally best-selling classic books like Guess How Much I Love You, Will You Be My Best friend? Just You and Me and There and many more.

About Illustrator:

Anita Jeram is the illustrator of Guess How Much I Love you, Guess How Much I Love You Storybooks, and you’re All my Favourites.

20: Ten Magic Butterflies

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  • Book: Ten Magic Butterflies
  • Author: Danica McKellar
  • Illustrator: Jennifer Bricking
  • Hardcover: 40 pages
  • Reading level: 2- 6 years
  • Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
  • Language: English

Story:

This book is about fairies, butterflies, and magic to help your kids focus and understand math.

About the Author:

Danica McKellar is a New York Times bestselling author of math books, including the picture books Goodnight, Numbers, and Kiss My Math. She is also well known for her acting on The Wonder Years, The West Wing, multiple Hallmark movies, and a quarterfinalist on Dancing with Stars.

About Illustrator:

Jennifer Bricking is a well-known concept artist for animation and video games. Ten Magic Butterflies is the first book she illustrated.

FAQs:

How long should you read to 2-year-olds?

Initially, for 5 to 6 minutes, but when their interest grows in listening, you can increase the time.

What are the benefits of reading to 2 years old?

It will keep them focused and help them understand the structure of words, sounds and pronouncing them correctly.

When should I read to my toddler?

Try to keep a fixed timing and select a time to help your kid learn to sit with a book and relax. You can also read any time you want.

How should I choose a book for my 2-year-old?

Choose a book with pictures, sketches, repetitive words, and words easy to follow. The book should be small and also should have a small number of words.

How can I engage my toddler in book reading?

Make reading fun, and make funny noises so they can enjoy listening to those words.

Conclusion:

Books with pictures will help your kids to get engaged and remain focused while you are reading stories to them. A study has shown that reading to toddlers with visual images helps them speak early, be enthusiastic about everything, and become better learners. It helps them grow more focused and active.

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