Yesterday there was a conversation on my local mom’s listserv about the best birthday gift for a 1-year-old. I chimed in, saying I would skip the toys as my boys enjoyed my wooden spoons, nesting measuring cups and measuring spoons, empty toilet paper rolls and egg cartons, and other such household items far more than toys at that age. Instead, I would buy a stack of good books.

I offered to send a list to the original poster if she wanted one. While I haven’t heard back from her (yet), within hours I had over 20 requests for my list of recommended books for one-year-olds. Instead of mailing it to everyone individually, I decided to write a post about it.

Here are my 6 favorite books to read aloud to one-year-olds. These are books that are fun, catchy, and I don’t mind reading them over and over and over (because, truly, any book your young child loves will be brought to you to read again and again and again).

In no particular order, my six favorites are:

Is Your Mama a Llama? By Deborah Guarino.  What kind of animal is your mama?  That’s what Lloyd the llama wants to find out.  Various animals provide cute, short descriptions of their mamas.

Time for Bed, by Mem Fox.  Mothers of all species call their little ones to come and go to sleep.

Bear Snores On, by Karma Wilson.  Will Bear sleep through the growing party taking place in his den?  Wilson tells this cute story in an easy-to-read rhyming style.

Barnyard Dance! By Sandra Boynton.  A rollicking, square-dance style beat that will get your little one up and dancing.  Stomp your feet!  Clap your hands!  You can read my review HERE.

Russell the Sheep, by Rob Scotton.  Do you have a child who has trouble sleeping?  (What one-year-old doesn’t?)  You’ll both relate to Russell the Sheep.

Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown.  While it’s not as lively as the others, people consider this book a classic for a reason.  It’s simple, meditative, and names familiar objects.  You can read my review HERE.

I’ll try to post a detailed review of each of these books individually sometime in the future (and will link to them once I do). In the meantime, they’re all fast reads, have great illustrations, and most have clever rhymes or phrasing. In other words, they’re perfect for toddlers.

For my favorite books for slightly older kids, you can look at my reviews of Zen Shorts (read my review HERE), The Gruffalo (read my review HERE), Woolbur (read my review HERE), Something from Nothing (read my review HERE), and Pete the Cat (read my review HERE).

What are your favorite books for one-year-olds?