toddler Book Gift Guide 2022

Books make amazing gifts. Reading with your child is one of the best things you can do for their language development. As pediatric speech-language pathologists, we’ve read a lot of books over the years, and we’re always on the hunt for books that really engage toddlers (and that we like, too!). In this gift guide, you’ll find a list of many of our current favorites for toddlers. Check out these lists If you’re looking for ideas for a baby or preschooler.

We love shopping small when we can, so these links go to bookshop.org. This is an easy way to order books online that supports small, local bookstores. But, head’s up! It’s only for USA readers. If you’re in Canada, some of our fav small local bookshops / toy stores are Kids Books in Vancouver, Chorus and Clouds, and Collage Collage. For other Canadians, there’s always Indigo, too—which isn’t exactly a small business, but is Canadian! Or simply head to the library with this list. That’s often our go-to.

Let’s get into it!

Snuggle the Baby by Sara Gillingham We love the interactive component to this book. And most toddlers we meet are obsessed with bandaids.

Chirri and Chirra by Kaya Doi This whimsical series always sparks a lot of imagination. We love the vibes of these books that are best for ages 2.5+.

Instructables “Let’s Get Outside” Thin, light, chew + rip proof, and perfect for your diaper bag.

The Wheels on the Bus by Jane Cabrera It wouldn’t be a Wee Talkers book picks list without our favorite singable books by Jane Cabrera.

Maisy “first experiences books” by Lucy Cousins We love books that help explain to toddlers the things in their world. Maisy books are ones we reach for over and over.

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown Mr. Tiger reminds us of the importance of being true to ourselves. The illustrations are so good–grown ups are sure to love reading this one.

Counting Collection: Counting Cars by Roger Priddy If your little one likes to count, categorize, or search-and-find, this one is for you! We also love just talking about what we see –there is SO much to chat about in this one. 

Wishy Washy: A Book of First Words & Colors by Tabitha Paige  This book has beautiful watercolor illustrations and was created by speech-language pathologist, and mother, Tabitha Paige. We love how interactive it is! And it looks beautiful on a shelf. We also love this set by her. And this gift set is darling.

Best Little Word Book Ever! by Richard Scarry The common, everyday objects featured in this book are so helpful for your little one’s vocabulary development. 

Bizzy Bear Series These books have moveable parts that really help words come to life for little ones. And they are super durable. 

I See by Helen Oxenbury The repetition of “I see ___” can really help your little one start to make simple phrases and sentences. Helen Oxenbury is one of our favorite authors for babies and toddlers. Be sure to check out her other books! 

Red House, Tree House, Little Bitty Brown Mouse by Jane Godwin The illustrations in this one are just the sweetest! We love the rhythm of the words and all the descriptive words your little one will hear (so important for starting to put words together).  

Time To Go Home by Shasha Lv A darling book, with a predictable text format. Your little one is sure to love it! 

Hooray for Little Fingers by Tristan Mory If you have a wiggly-reader, this is a really interactive book that just might pique your little one’s interest!  

Big Bigger Biggest by Xavier Deneux Your little one will discover how different animals compare. Featuring some more complex vocabulary  (ex: enormous!) that we love to start sprinkling in more and more as toddlers grow.

More great book ideas

#1 Shop All Our Bookshop Picks

If you can’t get enough of our favourite books for littles—and you love the easily shoppable links—click the link below to shop our complete list of favourite titles on Bookshop.org!

#2 Download Our Free Book List

Wish you could pick our brains about the top books we recommend specifically for language development? Good news: You (kinda) can! We put together a downloadable list of our top picks from our years of pediatric speech therapy. If you’d like a copy, click the button below. We’d love to share it with you!

#3 Join our Songs+Stories membership

With our Songs+Stories membership, your family can access our library of videos featuring story times and songs and rhymes classes, all on demand and led by speech therapists. It’s something they will love, and you can feel really good about.

We’d love to hear your picks in the comments. It’s fun to share ideas and hear what other families are loving. Happy reading!