Books my 3 year old enjoyed being read to..

Ever since Sriman, my older son who is 8 now, was little we started a nightly routine of reading in bed. It started as a way to unwind and connect after a long day and with my unimpressive story telling capabilities I turned to books to narrate a story, to take them into a land of fantasy, pushing their boundaries of imagination. The comfort my soothing voice brings them and the warmth of sleeping next to them are only added bonuses.

Now that Sriman is old enough to read for himself, I continue the habit with Nihaar, who got accustomed early on. Its a funny age being 3, he so badly wants to be grown up like his older brother and yet there is only so much growing that happens everyday. Every time I'm pleasantly surprised by what he has mastered doing independently, things as simple as wearing pants or switching the light on/off or playing Spongebob games on the Xbox(sigh!), the immediate question is "Can I sit in the booster seat now?" haha like thats the only measure that can assure him of his growth. Taking baby steps, he is trying to understand how the world around him works. Insisting on reading a book over and over and over, making sure he did not miss any information, marveling at the possibilities endless.

So a weekly trip to the library is a given these days and here are a few of the books we went over numerous times...

THE MOON IS GOING TO ANDY'S HOUSE

The Moon is going to Andy's House is about a little girl who is traveling in the car with her family to get home after a busy day. Along the way she notices that the moon is following her over the bridge, through the mountains, in the rear view mirror of the car and so on until she is in bed and the moon is still watching over her.. always..

CURIOUS GEORGE

                                                                         
Curious George book series are his favorite! Having watched the television show he can quickly identify with George's curiosity towards how things function. The character's antics are so age appropriate for him and the topics that get covered are things he wants to learn more about too, like the dump truck, the beach, the city and so on..

TAD AND DAD

Tad and Dad is a book about a tadpole and its transformation into a frog, its about how he is changing everyday, growing up looking more like his Dad. What better way of giving hope to a kid who is also growing quickly..

NERDY BIRDY

Nerdy Birdy is the most endearing book about a nerdy bird who loves to read, play video games and then read books about those video games. He is trying to fit into the cool birds but does not feel accepted until he finds a flock of birds who can relate to him. 

FLIGHT SCHOOL

Flight School is about a penguin joining flight school to learn to fly. Its a book about dreaming beyond what nature(or society) dictates what you can or cannot do. It teaches you to go beyond your comfort zone and tap into unknown terrains. Clearly, I have learnt more from the book..

SOON

Soon is about a small elephant Raja walking next to his mother while she takes him along a path with unsafe surroundings away from the safety of home and reaches a mountain top with a spectacular view of the forest below. All along the way the small elephant keeps asking when they will get home as he is tired from walking so long and the mommy replies "Soon!" When they finally reach home at night, the small one asks when can they do it again and then the mommy says.."Soon" Its the most beautiful story teaching kids(and adults alike) that a journey with endurance and hard work is also satisfying in a unique way.

THE BERENSTAIN BEARS

The Berenstain Bears book series is another favorite with Nihaar. Books like 'Go to School', 'Go to Dentist' give the kid an insight into the challenges of being the younger sibling and learning to overcome fear of doing something for the first time.

PEPPA PIG

I am yet to meet a kid who doesn't love Peppa Pig, the TV and book series! Peppa makes me wish I was her age again, back when jumping up and down in muddy puddles was the most enjoyable activity. Peppa pig teaches kids social skills, without being all preachy.. the only thing you should watch out for in real life are muddy puddles :)

Although I couldn't get my hands on these books from our local library, I remember Sriman thoroughly enjoying these books too..

TOM AND PIPPO

Tom is the little boy and Pippo is his monkey soft toy who is also his imaginary friend, whom he talks to and blames on when needed! Their antics together are so amusing, do I need to say more..

KIPPER

Kipper! oh Kipper! He is the most entertaining character I have come across! Kipper is a dog and his friends Tiger(a dog), Pig(a pig), Arnold(a pig too) and so on make the mundane of interactions, an interesting read. We use to love watching Sriman chuckling at Kipper's TV show at an age when we thought he was too young to understand humor!

I'm sure there are many more books out there but I hope this list helps you choosing a book for your toddler or 3 year old kids. Please let me know of any other book recommendations you may have in the comments below.

Ps: (All images in this post are courtesy of Amazon, Good Reads and Pinterest via Google Images)

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