Our little one has loved books since before he knew what they were. He loved his Indestructibles books and ‘tummy time’ was made easier by brightly coloured, high-contrast board books to stare at. Now that he’s well into the toddler phase, story time is a key part of his nap and bedtime routines, and he asks us to read him books throughout the day, too. (We say yes unless we absolutely can’t – I love that he loves books and I want it to stay that way!)
We’ve tried to facilitate this love of books by storing his books on shelves he can easily reach throughout the house. In hindsight, I think storing his books and toys together was a good move, since neither is given priority and he can choose what he is most interested in on a given day. I only really did it to give everything its place and simplify cleanup, but I do think it was a good call.
This is the first post of a short series where I’ll be sharing our family’s favourite board books. To make it on our list, a book must:
- Capture and hold our son’s attention
- Be enjoyable for the adults
- Not get annoying to read 5 times in a row, or on a daily basis for weeks at a time
- Have good rhythm/meter if poetry, or just read well if prose
- Stand up under rough treatment
Each post in this series will be your shopping guide for baby showers, toddler birthdays, or your own family’s library. I’ve themed each post, and today’s list highlights our top 5 board books that make us laugh! Please note these are in no particular order except the last, which was my son’s favourite even when he was an infant, so it deserves special placement. It’s really no surprise, since it was given to us by an old friend with great taste and two kiddos of her own.
You’ll notice that Élise Gravel features prominently in this list. What can I say? Her books are wonderful. I have only read them in French (shout out to my team at work who gifted them to me!), so I can’t vouch for the English editions, but wow are they ever fun to read! Plus, her illustrations are just perfect.
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Top 5 Funny Family Faves
Don’t Push The Button! On the Farm by Bill Cotter
When we first received this book, my son was too young to really appreciate it, but now (at 18M), he’s starting to do the actions. He loves to laugh and make us laugh, and he’s been reaching for this one more and more. This book is part of a series featuring a big red button that you probably shouldn’t press … or should you? Lots of potential for learning while laughing with this one.
I Want My Hat Back by John Klassen
Okay, so this book is funny to us adults more than to an 18-month-old, but I am confident my son will find this book very funny when he is old enough to understand it. In the meantime, he enjoys it and chooses it often. I call that a win-win! The darkly funny story – refreshing in a kids’ book! – concerns a bear who has lost his hat, and what happens to the thief when his guilt is discovered. For an older child, it would give a great opportunity to talk about morality, and I’m not alone in thinking this. You can check out this extensive article from the Prindle Institute for Ethics on teaching children philosophy using this book as a starting point.
Une patate à vélo (A Potato on a Bike) by Élise Gravel
One reason there is no precise order to this list is that it’s so hard to choose between Élise Gravel’s cute and funny board books. Une patate à vélo never fails to crack me up as it asks whether various silly concepts, like a potato riding a bike, are possible… but it’s the punchline that’s likely to get the most giggles out of your kiddo. You’ll know why when you get there!
J’ai faim (I’m Hungry) by Élise Gravel
Gravel’s cute illustrations really come into play in this book about a little dude who is so hungry he eats increasingly improbable things. He eats his school and a whole mountain before (spoiler!) breaking the fourth wall to try to eat the kid who is reading the book. Silly and delightful!
Peck, Peck, Peck by Lucy Cousins
This book has been a favourite since we received it. It’s full of high-contrast images with lots of primary colours, which is great for infants. It’s got little tiny holes to touch and feel throughout the book. It’s got excellent rhyme and meter. What’s more, it’s a sweet but funny story. It’s about a little woodpecker learning to peck for the first time and wreaking havoc on an unsuspecting nearby house. It also gets points for having a nice father-child relationship, when so many books put more emphasis on the mom. As a mom myself, I’m not complaining, but I do really appreciate when kids get nice examples of fatherhood in their media.
In the next posts in this series, I’ll share our favourite sweet and wholesome board books, some more typically educational favourites, and a few non-board books we love for good measure.
What are your favourite toddler-friendly books?
