Books for Talkers
(Two- and Three-Year-Olds)
Barry, Frances
Duckie’s Rainbow
Narrative skills, print motivation, vocabulary
2004
Barton, Byron
My Car (and other similar titles)
Print awareness
2001
Bornstein, Ruth
Little Gorilla
Print motivation
1976
Burningham, John
Mr. Gumpy’s Outing
Narrative skills
1970
Cabrera, Jane
If You’re Happy and You Know It!
Phonological awareness
2005
Campbell, Rod
Dear Zoo
Narrative skills, print motivation, vocabulary
1982
Christelow, Eileen
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
Phonological awareness, narrative skills
1989
Curtis, Jamie Lee
Today I Feel Silly and Other Moods that Make my Day
Vocabulary
1998
Dewdney, Anna
Llama, Llama Red Pajama and Llama Llama Mad at Mama
Phonological awareness, print motivation
Doyle, Malachi
Splash, Joshua, Splash!
Print awareness
2004
Emberley, Ed
Go Away, Big Green Monster
Print motivation
1992
Fleming, Denise
Lunch
Narrative skills
1992
Hoban, Tana
26 Letters and 99 Cents
Letter knowledge
1987
Kalan, Robert
Jump, Frog, Jump!
Phonological awareness, narrative skills
1981
Lewis, Kevin
Chugga Chugga Choo Choo
Narrative skills
1999
MacDonald, Suse
A Was Once an Apple Pie
Letter knowledge
2005
Martin, Bill
Chicka Chicka ABC
Letter knowledge
1993
Massie, Diane Redfield
The Baby Beebee Bird
Phonological awareness, print motivation
2000
McDonnell, Flora
Splash!
Print motivation
1999
Rathmann, Peggy
Good Night, Gorilla
Narrative skills
1994
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro
First the Egg
Narrative skills
2007
Shannon, David
No David!
Narrative skills
1998
Smee, Nicola
Clip-Clop
Phonological awareness
2006
Walsh, Ellen
Mouse Paint
Print awareness
1989
Webb, Steve
Tanka Tanka Skunk
Phonological awareness
2004
Weeks, Sarah
Overboard!
Print awareness
2006
Wells, Rosemary
Max’s ABCs (and other Max titles)
Letter knowledge
Whippo, Walt
Little White Duck
Phonological awareness
2000
Williams, Sue
I Went Walking
Phonological awareness, print motivation
1989
Wood, Aubrey
The Napping House
Phonological awareness, print motivation
1989
Yolen, Jane
How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night
Print motivation
2000
More book suggestions for two- and three-year-olds are available at www.wccls.org under the Kid’s Place link, as well as bilingual book suggestions.
Ask a librarian for the accompanying Every Child Ready to Read @ your library brochure for more ideas about how you can help your child be ready to read.