Whether you are preparing to buy children’s books for holiday presents or just to keep adding to your family bookshelf, there is no shortage of fun, classic, and helpful books for 2 year olds. To help you navigate the immense options out there, the team at Sawyer has put together a list of the best books for 2 year olds, broken down by theme, so you can help your child fall in love with reading!
Classic toddler books
Nothing beats the classics! These oldies but goodies will delight your toddler and bring a nostalgic tear to the eyes of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and older cousins.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
Why do toddlers love Brown Bear, Brown Bear?
This book has beautiful illustrations and because it is written in question form, it is very interactive for children and adults as they read it. In addition, as toddlers listen to the story over and over, they can learn and practice colors and animals.
Buy Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Go, Dog, Go! by P.D. Eastman
Why do toddlers love Go, Dog, Go!?
As toddlers begin to explore the world around them, they often become fascinated with transportation. Go Dog Go! explains the many vehicles that one can use and includes fun and rhyming descriptions of dogs traveling. Plus, there is a fun Netflix TV show version of this book now for the toddler that wants more dogs to go.
Buy Go, Dog, Go!
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Why do toddlers love The Very Hungry Caterpillar?
Did you know that a copy of this book is sold somewhere in the world every 30 seconds? Toddlers love The Very Hungry Caterpillar because of the mesmerizing illustrations, fun story, and beautiful message.
Buy The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Jamberry by Bruce Degen
Why do toddlers love Jamberry?
Toddlers can’t get enough of adults reading Jamberry because of the rhyming and silliness that abounds in this book. Children and adults will be in fits of giggles as they go through the tongue twisters and enjoy the wonderful jam-filled images.
Buy Jamberry
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
Why do toddlers love If You Give a Mouse a Cookie?
The fun escalation and enjoyable story keep toddlers entertained the whole way through. Plus, toddlers love that this book can be taken to so many levels with their imagination. What would happen next? And next? The story is as interactive as it is silly.
Buy If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Best books for 2 year olds
2 year olds love colorful images and interactive books with hidden flaps and things to feel. They also love rhyming and repetitive stories so that it sounds more like a song than a book. Here are some of the best books for 2 year olds.
You’re Two! by Shelly Unwin
Why do 2 year olds love You’re Two!?
This is the ultimate book for 2 year olds since it celebrates everything about the number 2! Not only does it teach about lots of different things like thumbs, eyes, and more, but it also helps children understand numbers in general (well at least the numbers 1 and 2).
Buy You’re Two!
A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara
Why do 2 year olds love A is for Activist?
This ABC book rhymes and teaches toddlers and parents alike how to be better activists. With colorful and engaging illustrations as well as important messaging about civic rights, environmental justice, race, LGBTQIA+ issues, and more, A is for Activist will inspire hope and passion in yourself and your toddler.
Buy A is for Activist
Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill
Why do 2 year olds love Where’s Spot?
The interactive story lets children “search” under and in objects to help find Spot. The questions can easily be answered by your child and they will love exploring with you.
Buy Where’s Spot?
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
Why do 2 year olds love Knuffle Bunny?
A cautionary tale, Knuffle Bunny tells the story of a dad and his daughter, Trixie, who go down to the laundromat. When Trixie, who is preverbal, realizes they left behind her beloved Knuffle Bunny, she needs to let her dad know what happened with a series of (nonsense) sounds and hand signs. Toddlers will be delighted to hear adults read this true and fun story!
Buy Knuffle Bunny
My Heart Fills with Happiness by Monique Gray Smith
Why do 2 year olds love My Heart Fills with Happiness?
A beautiful book all about the little things that bring us joy. Written by indigineous author Monique Gray Smith, My Heart Fills with Happiness shows beautiful illustrations of delighted indigenous children. This is a great way to start a conversation with your toddler about gratitude.
Buy My Heart Fills with Happiness
Toddler books about feelings
Learning how to express feelings in appropriate and healthy ways is one of the hardest tasks for toddlers. These toddler books about feelings can help them learn language and actions so they can feel more comfortable showing their feelings.
- When I Am/Cuando Estoy by Gladys Rosa-Mendoza | Buy
- My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss | Buy
- Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard | Buy
- Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst | Buy
- Lots of Feelings by Shelley Rotner | Buy
- Tiger Days: A Book of Feelings by M H Clark | Buy
- B is for Breathe by Dr. Melissa Munro Boyd | Buy
- The Color Monster by Anna Llenas | Buy
- Happy Hippo, Angry Duck by Sandra Boynton | Buy
- The Feelings Book by Todd Parr | Buy
With these classic toddler books and books about feelings, we hope you have a great list of books for 2 year olds to learn, grow, and enjoy! If you are looking for even more fun reading-related activities, Sawyer educators Online Learning Studio and Books and Cookies have online read alouds for children of all ages. Check them out, and more exciting activities, on the Sawyer marketplace.
