The First 10 Books That You Can Read To Your Child
We’ve compiled a list of ten of the first few books that educators at arth read to our youngest ones. Here goes:
Dear Zoo
by Rod Campbell
Dear Zoo is a lift-the-flap book with very few words and simple but elegant imagery of animals that toddlers everywhere have loved for about 3 decades. It comes as a Board Book and a Big Book (giant size). At arth, we use the big book and children absolutely love it. Toddlers are attracted to the book because of the flaps and size, making them want to keep coming back. Your toddler will probably engage with this book tens of times before they grow over it. It is a must-have book in your book corner.
You can order it here:
Goodnight Moon
by Margaret Wise Brown
pictures by Clement Hurd
As the name suggests, Goodnight Moon falls in the category of bedtime stories for children. It is the story of a small rabbit that lives in a peaceful world full of love and compassion. Although it appears to be a children's bedtime story, it has a pragmatic approach. The book tells the children about the importance of being soft and gentle and teaches them to wish 'goodnight' to everyone before going to bed. It has been written to amuse, educate, and build a child's growth most appropriately. This book is one of the most popular bedtime stories globally and has sold close to 50 million copies in the 73 years since its publication.
You can buy it here:
Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?
by Bill Martin Jr and Eric Carle
Exuberantly coloured artwork and favourite animals make this rhythmic story the perfect introduction to looking and learning about colours and animals. Each spread leads seamlessly into the next, and young children will delight in Eric's colourful collage animals. The book uses very few words and repetitive language, making it accessible to them and giving them a sense of predictability and control, making them enjoy it even more.
The book comes in a lift-the-flap version as well, which adds to its charm even more.
You can buy it here:
What are stars?
by Katie Daynes
illustrated by Maria Alvarez Miguens
They twinkle in the night sky, but what exactly are stars? Which one’s the nearest? Can humans visit a star? Curious little children can lift over 30 flaps to find the answers to these questions and many more in this delightful introduction to stars and the night sky, with simple explanations and gorgeous illustrations on every page.
The book has many different kinds of flaps, some shaped like stars themselves and the others in different eclectic shapes. This makes the book so much more appealing to children and makes them interact with it beautifully. We have this book in our book corner at arth as well, and children cannot get enough.
Definitely a great book to get children to interact with books.
You can order it here:
Where’s Spot?
by Eric Hill
Where's Spot has been delighting children around the world for over three decades. This classic lift-the-flap children's title from renowned artist Eric Hill was the first book of its kind. The fun interactive element imitates a game of hide-and-seek. Large flaps shaped as endearingly quirky pieces of furniture lift to reveal several exotic animals! This game element, combined with a gentle story and charming illustrations, makes Where's Spot an absolute joy to read—a true classic which belongs on every child's bookshelf.
You can order it here:
Press Here
by Hervé Tullet
Press the yellow dot on the cover of this interactive children's book, follow the instructions within, and embark upon a magical journey! Each page of this surprising touch book instructs the reader to push the button, shake it up, tilt the book, and who knows what will happen next. Children and adults alike will giggle with delight as the dots multiply, change direction, and grow in size. Especially remarkable because the adventure occurs on the flat surface of the simple, printed page, this unique interactive picture book about the power of imagination and interactivity will provide read-aloud fun for all ages!
The book's interactive nature makes children delight in reading it, which makes it a perfect book to read aloud during bedtime.
You can order it here:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
by Eric Carle
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a children’s classic that tells the story of a caterpillar as it grows into a beautiful butterfly. It provides interactive fun to children by teaching them about the days of the week, counting, names of different food items and a lot more through its die-cut pages and attractive pictures. The myriad elements in the book allow parents to spark a variety of small conversations with their children, which make for an enriching storytime!
You can buy it here:
From head to toe
by Eric Carle
A lively and fresh interactive introduction to the basic body parts, movements, and the “I can” attitude. Gorillas, elephants, camels and other animals invite all young readers to clap, stomp, wriggle and bend as they do. It’s a great book to get children moving and imitate basic actions.
The “Can you do it? Yes, I can.” narrative in the book empowers children to take on challenges.
Through Carle’s vibrant collages and simple instructions, children will learn the importance of listening, exercising, and taking on a new challenge. Join the giraffes, monkeys, donkeys, seals, and more for a frolicking, fun adventure!
You can order it here:
Don’t let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
by Mo Willems
In this hilarious picture book, the acclaimed Mo Willems perfectly captures a toddler's temper tantrum. When a bus driver takes a break in this hilarious Caldecott Honor-winning picture book, he gives the reader just one instruction: "Don't let the pigeon drive the bus!" But, boy, that pigeon tries every trick in the book to get in that driving seat: he whines, wheedles, fibs and flatters. Will you let him drive? Told entirely in speech bubbles, this brilliantly original and funny picture book demands audience participation!
You can order it here:
If you give a mouse a cookie
by Laura Numeroff
illustrated by Felicia Bond
This story describes a set of events that occurs after a boy gives a mouse a cookie. Once the mouse is given the cookie, he asks for a glass of milk, which ends up leading to a series of additional requests. Each event that occurs makes the mouse want something new, creating an endless stream of demands. In the end, the mouse asks for another glass of milk, which makes him want another cookie. It’s an example of a circular tale that illustrates a slippery slope and can spark so many interesting discussions with children of all ages.
The story maintains a brisk pace and introduces a lot of new elements which enrich children’s vocabulary and make them thoroughly enjoy the reading.
You can order it here: