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Best Books

The 15 best books for 3 year olds (2023 Buying Guide)

written by DaddiLife 29th December 2020
best books for three year olds, 3 yar old books, great books for 3 years old, great books for 3 year olds, best 3 years old books,

Updated 30th December 2021.

Reading to your three-year-old is wonderful fun. By this age, your child will likely want to join in with common rhymes or phrases that are regularly repeated. They’ll giggle at funny pictures and the adventures of silly characters. They’ll get a lot out of the experience and so will you.

Unlike books for two year olds, and one year olds though, now is the time that reading truly starts to become fully interactive. You can ask your child questions about the pictures in the book, and what might happen next to the characters in the story. The focus here is sharing. Unless it’s specifically a bedtime story (when you may want your child to quietly listen and relax) encourage them to join in.

Here's our guide on what to look for in the best books for three year olds, and our reviews for 15 of the very best books to buy.

Table of contents
What to consider when buying books for three year olds
The 15 best books for three year olds
   1.    Blue Penguin
   2.    Calm Down, Boris 
   3.    Colin and Lee, Carrot and Pea
   4.    Eat Your People
   5.    Lost and Found
   6.    You Choose
   7.     Oh No, George
   8.    Everybunny Dream
   9.     Almost Anything
   10.   The Steves
   11.    I Am Stronger Than Anger
   12.    Animalphabet
   13.   Meerkat Mail 
   14.   Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: Pop up
   15.   The Witch’s Cat and the Cooking Catastrophe
How to read to a three year old
Three Year Old Books - Dad Stories

What to consider when buying books for three year olds


what to consider when buying books for 3 year olds, 3 year olds books, best 3 year old books, what do 3 year olds need to read

If your child is at nursery /pre-school, they may be getting to know some of the sounds of letters. They might even be encouraged to retell stories or parts of stories in their own words. They will be building talking and listening skills all the time. With that in mind, here are the key things that make a book great for 3 year olds:

  •  1: Interactive Fun. There will obviously be a step up in the complexity of the story compared to before, and rhyme / song is important at this age. According to the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY), they can help your child learn the language of stories in an easy and memorable way.
  •  2: Creates Conversation. Books that get your child asking the ‘why’ and ‘what’ questions on the story you’re reading are essential. Vary your choices and read lots of different types of books, from nursery rhymes to alphabet books and stories.
  • 3: Fine Motor Skills. Your three year old should be pretty adept at handling books at this age, so you don't have to be as focussed on buying books with really thick pages.


The 15 best books for three year olds


   1.    Blue Penguin

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Editors Review

“It’s a heartwarming tale of friendship and belonging, and stunningly illustrated!”


Blue Penguin is different from the other penguins. Will he ever fit in?

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The gorgeously realised arctic scenery.
  • Verified as a "Book Trust" pick.

ANY ISSUES?

  • Though the finale is uplifting, it’s really quite sad in parts.


   2.    Calm Down, Boris 

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Editors Review

“It’s part book, part hand puppet, and Boris is very endearing."


Boris the monster is affectionate - sometimes a bit too affectionate.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Kids are in fits of giggles after being tickled by prickly Boris.
  • The puppet is a very creative idea.

ANY ISSUES?

  • Not one for bedtime.


   3.    Colin and Lee, Carrot and Pea

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Editors Review

“A lovely book about misfits and getting along.”

 

A simple story about living with difference, beautifully told.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • It’s made using a collage of supermarket carrier bags. Trust us, it really works.

ANY ISSUES?

  • Very sweet, but quite short.


   4.    Eat Your People

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Editors Review

“It’s fussy eating given a very funny twist.”


Monty the Monster loves yucky vegetables. It’s people he won’t eat, the fussy little devil!

HIGHLIGHTS

  • A lighthearted way to talk about fussy eating and the importance of a varied diet.
  • A great interactive book where the kids will be pointing to the people in the monster's mouth!

ANY ISSUES?

  • Not really. It might not be a classic, but it’s a lot of fun.


   5.    Lost and Found

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Editors Review

“Oliver Jeffers’ story is a little bit magical, and beautifully illustrated.”


A lost penguin, a small boy and a long journey.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • It has a dreamlike quality your child will love.
  • Verified as a "Book Trust" pick.

ANY ISSUES?

  • It’s a simple, sweet story, with no bells and whistles. If that’s your thing, you’ll love it.


   6.    You Choose

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Editors Review

“The dense, detailed illustrations means there’s always lots of new things to find.”


Where to live, what to wear, what to do...this brilliant book presents your child with lots of decisions to make.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • It’s great for make believe, and a good conversation starter. Your child can be who they want to be, but who is that?
  • Verified as a "Book Trust" pick.

ANY ISSUES?

  • It’s very busy with loads going on, so perhaps not for children easily overwhelmed.


   7.     Oh No, George

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Editors Review

"It’s full of fun and affable charm."


Can George the dog be good on a shopping trip. He really, really wants to be, but everything is so tempting…

HIGHLIGHTS

  • George himself. Kids will love him, and relate to his dilemmas.
  • Another that's verified as a Book Trust pick.

ANY ISSUES?

  • It’s simple and charming, but some kids might want more in the way of pazazz.


   8.    Everybunny Dream

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Editors Review

"Lovely rhyming text and, yep, adorable bunnies."


A bedtime book that will have tired bunnies everywhere drifting off into a land of dreams.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Your kids can follow the same routines as the rabbits, making bedtime fun (and easy!).

ANY ISSUES?

  • A bit soporific for anytime except bedtime.


   9.     Almost Anything

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Editors Review

"A lovely little book about the power of self-belief."

George doesn’t think he’s good at much, but his wise friend Bear has other ideas.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Great story, good illustrations, and a very useful message.
  • It's one of those books that you'll come back to time and time again.

ANY ISSUES?

  • None really. George is great, and the story will resonate.


   10.   The Steves

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Editors Review

"Who doesn’t love feuding puffins? A fab and original story, well told."


When Steve meets Steve, neither of them are too happy about it. Who was the first Steve, who is the cleverest?

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The story makes it clear that it doesn’t matter who is the cleverest, best or first - in a very funny way.

ANY ISSUES?

  • Simple and short - one, perhaps, for children nearer three than four.


   11.    I Am Stronger Than Anger

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Editors Review

“It helps to teach children to control their anger, through a nice rhyming story and colorful illustrations.”

 

A story based on dealing with strong emotions.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Offers a variety of calming techniques.
  • A good story to help start a conversation around anger.
  • One of the best sellers in its category on Amazon.

ANY ISSUES?

  • The book is independently published, and some customers have complained about the print quality.


   12.    Animalphabet

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Editors Review

“It’s beautifully illustrated by Sharon King-Chai, with pop-out pages and folding flaps.”


From bestselling Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson, Animalphabet is a vibrant introduction to the wonders of the natural world.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • It’s not just about animals, it also helps teach kids their ABC.
  • Does a great job in expanding children's imaginations, as you would expect from a Julia Donaldson book.

ANY ISSUES?

  • The flaps can be a bit flimsy.


   13.   Meerkat Mail 

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Editors Review

“The hugely imaginative design, with glossy postcards attached to the pages!”


A funny journey of discovery as Sunny heads off to meet his cousins.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The intricate, detailed drawings.
  • The story has that lovely balance of detail, yet also being so compellingly simple. 

ANY ISSUES?

  • It’s informative and interesting, so not for times when you’re after laugh out loud silliness.


   14.   Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: Pop up

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Editors Review

“There’s so much going on in this imaginatively designed series of Alice in Wonderland spreads, with pop-ups, mini books and much more.”


A wonderful, three-year-old friendly introduction to the children’s classic.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Some of the three-dimensional images are breathtaking.
  • The illustration and detail will prompt great conversation.

ANY ISSUES?

  • A bit pricier than most on this list, but worth it.


   15.   The Witch’s Cat and the Cooking Catastrophe

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Editors Review

"Funny, silly, and chaotic, and you’ll all be rooting for the cat by the end of it."


Never let your cat do the cooking, especially if you’re a witch.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Kids love mishaps and when things go wrong. So there’s loads here to like!
  • Brilliant illustrations a very easy to follow story.

ANY ISSUES?

  • A great little read but not a long one.


How to read to a three year old


As always, read lots and regularly. After that, what your three-year-old really wants is some interaction, and try and have the following in mind:

  • Let them join in with the phrases and rhymes, and ask them what they liked (and didn’t like) about the book afterwards.
  • You could even talk about where the story might go from there, adding an exercise in imagination and storytelling to your reading time.
  • You might also ask your child to spell out simple words in the text, if they’re ready. But don’t overdo it if you or they don’t want to. Story-time should still be very much a fun and relaxing time for you both.


Three Year Old Books - Dad Stories


There's nothing we love more than seeing dads with their children during reading time. Here are some of the stories we've loved and been inspired by. 

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The 15 best books for 3 year olds (2023 Buying Guide) was last modified: January 4th, 2023 by DaddiLife

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