30 Books to read before you're 2!

The books on this list have been selected by the Better Beginnings team of children's literature specialists and are favourites of many babies, toddlers and their families.

Updated January 19, 2024
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I went walking
Machin, Sue
Paper Book
A child discovers a parade of animals in this picture book filled with playful humor and rhyme. This simple, funny read-aloud follows a boy's exciting stroll through the countryside. The boy sees a black cat, then a brown horse, then a red cow, and so on, and before he knows it, he's being...
We're Going on a Bear Hunt
Oxenbury, Helen
Paper Book
Beloved for more than 30 years, this award-winning classic from Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury celebrates the joys of an afternoon outdoors with family. We're going on a bear hunt. We're going to catch a big one. Will you come too? Join a father and his four...
Press here
Tullet, Herv©?
Paper Book
The longest-running picture book on the New York Times bestseller list, now in a bestselling board book! "Tullet's brilliant creation proves that books need not lose out to electronic wizardry; his colorful dots perform every bit as engagingly as any on the...
Hello hello
Wenzel, Brendan
Paper Book
Named a Best Children's Book of the Year by The Washington Post, Amazon, Working Mother and more: A new picture book from Brendan Wenzel, the New York Times bestselling and Caldecott Honor-winning author of They All Saw a Cat! Hello, Hello!<...
The very hungry caterpillar
Carle, Eric
Paper Book
THE all-time classic picture book, from generation to generation, sold somewhere in the world every 30 seconds! Have you shared it with a child or grandchild in your life? Carle's classic tale of a voracious caterpillar who eats his way through the days of the week and...
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy
Dodd, Lynley
Paper Book
A small black dog and his canine friends are terrorized by the local tomcat.
Where is the green sheep?
Fox, Mem
Paper Book
Little ones are sure to be lulled off to a peaceful, sheep-filled sleep by this cozy book from acclaimed author Mem Fox. There are red sheep and blue sheep, wind sheep and wave sheep, scared sheep and brave sheep, but where is the green sheep? The search is on in this cozy, sheep...
Let's count wildflowers
Gibbs, Tracey
Paper Book
'Five kangaroo paws wave sooty, velvet hands/ Six Sturt's desert peas blaze across the sand'. Beautiful, bold wildflowers are the heroes of this colourful counting board book for the very young. This board book is a gorgeous addition to any Australiana collection and...
Where's Spot?
Hill, Eric
Paper Book
For more than three decades, children have been looking everywhere for Spot in this classic, first-ever lift-the-flap book. Is he in the piano? Is he under the stairs? After finding other familiar animals, there he is in his basket!  
Noni the pony
Lester, Alison
Paper Book
Meet Noni, a pony who's as zippy and fun as she is thoughtful and kind. Introducing Noni, the friendliest, funniest, and friskiest pony you'll ever meet! When she's not racing and chasing with her best pals Dave Dog and Coco the Cat, she's busy making sure they feel cozy...

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