Board Books for Busy Toddlers
Guest post by Nicole, reader of many board books.
I love books. I read books like most other people breathe. I want to pass the love of reading on to my daughter who is two and a half (known hereafter as The Poptart), but up until now she hasn’t shown much regular interest. She likes books and she likes looking at pictures, but she doesn’t really have the patience for a book; she likes to move and do stuff that is interactive.
This? Is why we are prisoners of the Wiggles.
We don’t have a set bedtime routine that includes reading a book. But we collect them for The Poptart and read them to her when she asks. So when VancouverMom.ca asked me to review some board books for toddlers, I jumped on it. I was given six books to review (thank you), and I’ve classified them according to how my tot liked them, since she’s the (un)captive audience.
Romeo & Juliet and Pride & Prejudice by Jennifer Adams
Board Books Based on Classics
Romeo & Juliet is in the “Little Master Shakespeare” BabyLit series. I was a little surprised when I looked at it because I was pretty sure they died at the end of the original and it didn’t seem quite appropriate for a toddler book.
Likewise, Pride & Prejudice is in the “Little Miss Austen” series. Again, I was a little surprised because the original has some fairly adult themes and concepts.
Ultimately, though, these are both counting primers. Using key concepts from the two classic works of English Literature, they teach the numbers one to 10 with things for toddlers to count. The concept of using items and things from the stories as a very early introduction to classical works is interesting.
In my Jungle and In my Ocean by Sara Gillingham and Lorena Siminovich
Board Books with Finger Puppets
Now these books were a hit. They each have a little finger puppet attached to the book so you can move it around and make Monkey and Dolphin sounds while you’re reading. The Poptart was more interested in the puppets and the pictures than in the moral of the story which is about the little creatures joining their families at the end.
Of course the pictures were awesome, especially with toddler narration: “Dolphin eat da fish! Dolphin eat da squish!”
Good Morning, Toucan and Good Night, Owl by DwellStudio
Board Books with Design Sense
These two books were the biggest hits of all. They’re both lift the flap books, and follow the morning or nighttime routines of the Toucan or Owl. The bright colours and the interactive nature of the books made it really easy to get the Poptart interested. She especially likes exposing the creatures hiding behind the flaps.
It also led to a discussion – inasmuch as you can have a discussion with a toddler – about toucans and birds. And a toddler obsession about birds.
Well, I suppose birds are cheaper than ponies, right?
Anyways, go. Buy these board books for your toddler. They’re good and can keep the busiest toddler in the world (aka The Poptart), focused on a book for a few minutes.
What are your favourite board books to read to your toddlers?
Nicole is mom to the Poptart (a two and a half year old whirlwind) and partner to Darren (a network engineer). She lives in Maple Ridge, works in Vancouver, and blogs at Resolving Timeline Issues occasionally, usually when the Poptart is climbing on her head.
