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By age · 2 years

Books for 2 year olds: seven picture books for pointing, naming and joining in

5 min read11 sources7 books

Illustration: picture books for toddlers fanned out, one open on a flowery meadow with a rabbit

At two, a child points at the picture and says the word, or waits for you to say it. Books for this age are short, with rhythm and repetition, and they get read twenty times in a row.

Here's what's going on at this age, seven books that BookTrust or Common Sense Media rate from two, and how to read with a child who wants to turn the pages themselves.

In brief

What's going on at this age

  • A picture is learning to be a sign. In a well-known example, a nine-month-old tries to put his mouth on a pictured bottle, because he confuses the picture with the thing it shows.2
  • Two-word sentences turn into three-word sentences, and at 20 months a child typically says 50 to 200 words.1
  • Feelings get more complex. Between two and three, embarrassment and shame appear, and two-year-olds already comfort a crying friend.3
  • Two ages on the label. BookTrust lists many books with an interest age and a reading age; for a two-year-old, the interest age is the one that counts.4
Our suggestions

Seven books for a 2 year old

The age comes from BookTrust, Common Sense Media or the publisher, and is named for each book.

  1. 01

    Goodnight Moon

    Margaret Wise Brown · Illustrations: Clement Hurd · Harper & Brothers, 1947 · Common Sense Media: age 2+

    A little bunny says goodnight to everything in the room, one thing at a time. The same pattern on every page, which is exactly what two-year-olds love.

  2. 02

    Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

    Bill Martin Jr. · Illustrations: Eric Carle · Henry Holt, 1967 · Common Sense Media: age 2+

    A question, an animal, the next question. After three readings, your child says the next line before you do.

  3. 03

    The Very Hungry Caterpillar

    Eric Carle · Puffin, 1969 · BookTrust: interest age 2 to 5; Common Sense Media: age 2+

    The caterpillar eats its way through the week, with holes to poke a finger through. Days, numbers and food, without anyone having to teach them.

  4. 04

    The Tiger Who Came to Tea

    Judith Kerr · HarperCollins, 1968 · BookTrust: interest age 2+, reading age 6+

    A tiger comes to tea and eats everything in the house. Just enough surprise for this age, and an ending that puts everything right.

  5. 05

    We're Going on a Bear Hunt

    Michael Rosen · Illustrations: Helen Oxenbury · Walker Books · BookTrust: interest age 2+, reading age 6+

    A family sets off on a bear hunt, through grass, river and mud, with sounds to join in on every page.

  6. 06

    Elmer

    David McKee · Andersen Press, 1968 · BookTrust: interest age 2 to 5

    The patchwork elephant who wants to be grey like the others. Bright colours for now, and something to talk about later.

  7. 07

    Guess How Much I Love You

    Sam McBratney · Illustrations: Anita Jeram · Walker Books, 1994 · BookTrust: interest age 0 to 3

    Two hares compare how much they love each other. Short, gentle, and made for the last book before sleep.

In practice

Reading with a child who wants to turn the pages

Point, name, repeat. Your child points, you say the word, and you both look at the same thing. At this age there's no need to quiz a child about the story.

Let them turn the pages, even if it means skipping two. The book will be read again tomorrow.

The same book twenty times is how children this age learn a story. Our page on reading development follows your child up to twelve, and our bedtime stories include one for two-year-olds.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What books are good for a 2 year old?

Short books with rhythm and repetition: Goodnight Moon, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Elmer or Guess How Much I Love You, all rated from two by BookTrust, Common Sense Media or their publisher.

My 2 year old only wants the same book. Is that OK?

Yes. Repetition is how children this age learn a story: after a few readings they say the next line before you, and that's part of the pleasure.

What's the difference between interest age and reading age?

BookTrust lists many books with both. The interest age suggests when a story is likely to appeal, the reading age when a child might read it alone. For a two-year-old, the interest age is the one that matters, because you're the one reading.

How many words does a 2 year old say?

At 20 months, a child with typical development says between 50 and 200 words, and two-word sentences start turning into three-word sentences. Every child goes at their own pace.

References

Sources

  1. 1.Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (BZgA): language development, kindergesundheit-info.de. (in German)What it confirms: First words between 12 and 18 months, 50 to 200 words at 20 months, two- then three-word sentences, subordinate clauses at four to five, more than 3,000 words at school age, a passing stammer in the fourth year.
  2. 2.Judy S. DeLoache: Becoming Symbol-Minded, Association for Psychological Science.What it confirms: A nine-month-old tries to put his mouth on a pictured bottle, confusing the picture with the thing it shows; the page gives no age for understanding pictures as symbols.
  3. 3.Zero to Three: 24 to 36 months, social and emotional development.What it confirms: Between 24 and 36 months, more complex feelings such as embarrassment and shame; two-year-olds show empathy.
  4. 4.BookTrust Bookfinder.What it confirms: Books listed with two ages, an interest age and a reading age.
  5. 5.Common Sense Media: Goodnight Moon.What it confirms: The rating “age 2+”.
  6. 6.Common Sense Media: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?What it confirms: The rating “age 2+”.
  7. 7.BookTrust Bookfinder: The Very Hungry Caterpillar.What it confirms: Interest age 2 to 5.
  8. 8.BookTrust: The Tiger Who Came to Tea.What it confirms: Interest age 2+, reading age 6+; HarperCollins, 1968.
  9. 9.BookTrust Bookfinder: We're Going on a Bear Hunt.What it confirms: Interest age 2+, reading age 6+.
  10. 10.BookTrust Bookfinder: Elmer.What it confirms: Interest age 2 to 5; Andersen Press.
  11. 11.BookTrust Bookfinder: Guess How Much I Love You.What it confirms: Interest age 0 to 3, reading age 0 to 3; Walker Books.

A word about us

The age when children love being in the story

At two, a child is delighted when a story mentions their name, their teddy, their dog.

At Sagalino, your child becomes the hero of a story with their name, in one of our 21 illustration styles. You read the whole story for free, and only pay afterwards.

See what we make
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