Best Books for 2 Year Old Boys and Girls
Books provide doorways to new worlds, whether sailing the high seas, weaving magic wands at schools for fantastical people, getting crowned queen of England, or learning why the sky is blue and the grass is green. Instill a love of books and reading in your little ‘un now with titles from the Top 10 Books for 2-Year-Olds. This premier collection features ideal books for stimulating young brains, including interactive books that promote sensory skills, options that teach the difference among shapes, and fun stories about why pigeons should never be in charge of public transportation.
The Top 10 Books for 2-Year-Olds make reading fun for both you and your little shaver. Creative if not dazzling illustrations that may include baby animals and twinkling stars will help you get you–and subsequently your child–into reading mode, as will the funny and true storylines.
Use these books as a starting point for a library that promotes a love of learning in your youngling. All will help you raise a precocious, wonderful child with a fabulous imagination and thirst for knowledge.
What’s here: This fantastic compilation of the ten best books for children 2 years of age for the spring and summer months of 2017 was created by real moms and educators who enjoyed these books themselves or taught them in class. Numerous types and themes of books are included in the list to keep your youngin’ stimulated.
For shoppers: Purchasing any of these high-quality book options is easy–just visit Amazon! Please note that we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links. Also note that our recommendations are 100% made because we love the companies and products and are never influenced in any way by any commission we may receive.
What’s Here:
1. Press Here by Herve Tullet
2. Ten Tiny Toes Board Book by Caroline Jayne Church
3. Animals (Baby Touch and Feel) by DK Publishing
4. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star by Caroline Jayne Church
5. Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker
6. Paris: A Book of Shapes by Ashley Evanson
7. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
8. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems
9. Go! Go! Go! Stop! by Charise Mericle Harper
10. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.
Top 10 Best Books for 2 Year Olds:
1. Press Here by Herve Tullet
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Press Here by Herve Tullet comes in first of the top 10 books for 2 year old kids 2017.
Press Here is a magical, interactive must-read for kids and adults with bright imaginations. Beginning with a yellow button, readers go on a journey through the pages, pressing things, shaking others, and mashing pages together. This read never gets old!
My 2-year-old son is picky when it comes to books so I was a little worried when I first picked up this book. No flaps, cool characters or weird textures. Simple colors, circles, and basic sentences. This is going to be tough. Only it wasn’t. We read this book every single night, he absolutely loves it. He won’t go to sleep without reading it. My wife often takes this book with her if she is taking him the to doctor’s office or out to lunch. She reads it to him and he is drawn in.
2. Ten Tiny Toes Board Book by Caroline Jayne Church
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Ten Tiny Toes by Caroline Jayne Church makes it to second place of the ten best books for 2 year olds 2017.
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes! When your toddler has begun discovering all the awesome parts of their body, this book helps them understand what those parts are. I loved the illustrations and the bond between a boy and his bear.
This is the other book my two year old son can’t live without. When I read it too him, I touch the various body parts that the book is referring too, and he lights up with a big smile and giggle almost every time. The pictures are big and simple. There isn’t too much going on in the background. It is nice and fast too which is great for tired parents :).
3. Animals (Baby Touch and Feel) by DK Publishing
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Third up on the list – Animals by DK Publishing.
From rough and scaly, to a bit smooth and maybe slimy, to soft and furry, animals have tons of fun, weird, cool appearances. This book is a Touch and Feel must-read to captivate youngsters with sensation. Lots-a animals and textures.
This is great kids book. The rabbits on the front cover have soft bodies (which my son laughs about for some reason). Inside the book has lots of animals with fur. The cat has a soft ball of yarn. The puppy, monkey and rabbit inside the book have soft fur. There is a tiger cub, zebra, elephant, butterfly fish, starfish, and snail. My son loves these animals and the ability to touch these textures makes him laugh ever time.
4. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star by Caroline Jayne Church
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Also managing a place among the best books for 2 year old kids in 2017 – Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star by Caroline Jayne Church.
This classic sing-along song has been turned into a beautifully illustrated story. When these kiddos and their beloved stuffed animals look up at the sky, they see the twinkling of thousands of silvery, bright stars. Lovin’ the chunky, easy-to-read font.
Easy to sing along with especially because the breaks in the song is significant to the turning of the page. My son loves it when we read this book and he tries to sing along with me every time. A classic in our house.
5. Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker
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Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker is a returning top favorite among two year olds’ best books this year.
When I was a kid, I would say goodnight to absolutely everything in sight—all to avoid going to bed. Teehee! In this story, the big trucks and hardworking equipment of a construction site are settling in for a snooze. Say goodnight, goodnight to dump trucks, cement mixers, and bulldozers!
“A hit with truck-loving preschoolers” is what one reviewer called it and boy did they nail it. My son is vehicle and truck mad and this book is a favorite of his. Forget bedtime, he wants to read this all the time.
6. Paris: A Book of Shapes by Ashley Evanson
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Next – Paris: A Book of Shapes by Ashley Evanson.
From the Hello World collection. This book is a colorful, beautiful journey for little travelers. Paris boasts amazing, natural shapes, and this tale shows little readers where those vivid shapes are. My favorite part is the page full of stars.
Paris is a treasure trove of fascinating shapes: there are triangles at the Louvre Museum, rectangles at Notre-Dame Cathedral, arches at the Arc de Triomphe, and stars in a beautiful Parisian night sky. Explore shapes all over Paris in this gorgeous board book!
7. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
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Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney is a personal favorite of mine among 2017’s best books for kids age 2.
I am one of those parents who tell my kids how much I love them in outrageous ways every single day. For example, I love you more than all the creamy chocolate in the world. Grin! This book tells a similar tale of Little Nutbrown Hare and his loving dad.
The soft color palette the illustrator uses is such a nice complement to the simplicity of the words and the story – nice and soothing to read to a youngster prior to a nap or at bedtime, and just the right size (6-1/2″ x 7-1/2″)… just make sure you’re aware that this particular copy is NOT a board book with thick pages (and no pop ups or pull tabs.) Nice little encircled area inside with three lines where you can inscribe your own dedication to the recipient.
8. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems
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Possibly my personal favorite children’s book of all time – Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems.
If we have learned anything from the Pigeon series, it is that this feathered fowl is hard-headed, argumentative…and persuasive. In this story, this stubborn bird wants to drive a bus. And he will say absolutely anything to make it happen.
PreSchool-Grade 2-A brilliantly simple book that is absolutely true to life, as anyone who interacts with an obdurate three-year-old can attest. The bus driver has to leave for a while, and he makes one request of readers: “Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus.” It’s the height of common sense, but the driver clearly knows this determined pigeon and readers do not-yet. “Hey, can I drive the bus?” asks the bird, at first all sweet reason, and then, having clearly been told no by readers, he begins his ever-escalating, increasingly silly bargaining.
9. Go! Go! Go! Stop! by Charise Mericle Harper
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Making it to #9 on the list – Go! Go! Go! Stop! by Charise Mericle Harper.
When Little Green comes to town, the cars and trucks all have major rushing around to do. But rushing gets exhausting…and a bit dangerous. These vehicles need a way to stop and rest FAST! Great story about working well together.
10. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.
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The final pick of the top ten books for two year olds this year – Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr..
In this crazy, fast-paced story, the letters of the alphabet are racing full-speed ahead to the top of a coconut tree. These ABCs have lots-a attitude, and each one thinks he is the fastest, best letter ever. Which letter will make it to the tippity-top of the coconut tree first?