The 20 best picture books for children

It's Children's Book Week so what better time to list my (completely subjective) list of best books for young children? Reading is a brilliant thing to do with your baby or pre-schooler, introducing them to words, pictures, language and communication. In a very subtle way, it's also the start of their education, and may also give them a hobby for life. So rush off to your library or local bookshop and get some books now! It's never too early to begin reading to your child, and it's something that you can continue with right up until they start school and beyond.

My list is governed by two main criteria - the book has to be one which parents and children are happy to hear or read over and over again, and I am allowing just one book per author. I would love to know your suggestions too.

Here are my top 20

1) The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
You just can't top this story of the caterpillar's journey through life, and especially all the food he eats to get there! I remember being enthralled by it when I was young, and my children have similarly fallen in love with Eric Carle's masterpiece (I think they can recite most of it by heart). A perfect picture book.

2) The Tiger who came to Tea by Judith Kerr
This pushes any of Judith Kerr's Mog books out of the running, which was a hard decision to make. However, the Tiger who Came to Tea is just such a wonderful book - a truly unusual story which is so beautifully illustrated. Even the fact that it has dated a little somehow adds to its charm.

3) Cock A Moo Moo by Juliet Dallas Conte and Alison Bartlett
We've never tired of this brilliant rhyming book about the cockerel who forgets how to crow - until he really needs to. It's an excellent book about language, and very funny.

4) Slinki Malinki, by Lynley Dodd
Slinki Malinki forces Hairy Maclary off the list but, although I love Hairy and all his friends, for me Slinki is the most wonderfully written, perfectly illustrated story. It tells the tale of a very naughty cat who goes out stealing at night - until he is found out. The language is terrific, and the story quite gripping!

5) Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
An excellent "lift the flap" book, about a child who's waiting for the right pet to arrive, but keeps being sent ones that are too big, too scary or too grumpy! Its appeal never wanes.

6) The Maisy books by Lucy Cousins
Yes, perhaps I should have picked one, but these books do, somehow, tend to blend together. However, that doesn't detract from their appeal to young children - ours loved the different characters and the simplicity of the writing. 

7) Lettice the Dancing Rabbit by Mandy Stanley
This delightful Rabbit has captured the heart of both boys and girl and her first adventure is her best (although our son does enjoy book number two, when she has a flying lesson). Lettice is a great character, full of personality, and desperate to live life to the full.

8) A Squash and a Squeeze by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
I know that many of you will complain that this made it onto the list, and not The Gruffalo, but both our children (and I!) had other Julia Donaldson/Axel Scheffler favourites (in fact this one pushed out The Smartest Giant in Town and The Snail and the Whale).
A Squash and a Squeeze is funny, excellently illustrated and has a great sing-song rhythm (it was originally a song). There's a good moral in there too.

9) The Blue Balloon by Mick Inkpen
Kipper the dog makes his first appearance in this book, but he's only a secondary character. Instead, this marvellously creative book is about a balloon which just won't burst. Excellent and with some lovely little tricks that will delight your child.

10) Little Rabbit Lost by Harry Horse
This book is so original and such fun that you can read it over and over and even over again without getting bored. That's got to be the sign of something brilliant.

11) Good night Gorilla by Peggy Rathman
This book - about a naughty gorilla who lets all the animals out of their cages and takes them to visit the zoo keeper at his home - shows how illustration can be everything. It has very few words, but is still enchanting.

12) Poppy Cat's Dream by Lara Jones
The Poppy Cat books have become firm favourites of millions of children, and I think this is the best. It is brilliantly designed, with a lovely bedtime story (Poppy Cat is trying to find Bear), and the most magnificent pop ups.

13) Monkey and Me by Emily Gravett
Emily Gravett is a simply fantastic illustrator and this gorgeous book tells the story of a very tiring trip to the Zoo.

14) Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion and Margaret Bloy Graham
I loved this one when I was a child, and it doesn't seem to have dated. A heart-warming tail of the bath-averse Harry, who soon realises that his family means more to him than his dislike of a good wash!

15) Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
This is probably the most recently published book on the list, and I'm including it because it is so heart-warming. Unusually, but beautifully illustrated in black and white, it tells the story of a kitten desperate to lap up the moon, which he has mistaken for a bowl of milk. Another lovely bedtime book.

16) The Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss
A fantastic, zany introduction to language.

17) Kiss Goodnight Sam by Amy Hest
We really love this book about Sam, who appears to be waiting for something before he can go to sleep. What can it be? A kiss of course.

18) Where's Spot by Eric Hill
This was the original "lift the flap" book and although it's now nearing its 30th birthday it hasn't dated at all. Young children will love looking for the naughty dog.

19) Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram
This is a gorgeous, irresistible book about the love between a daddy (hare) and his child. If you don't have it, buy or borrow it!

20) Alfie gets locked out by Shirley Hughes
Shirley Hughes has written so many excellent books, and this one pushes Dogger off the list. But I just love Alfie and Annie Rose, and the drama in this book is as good as that in Dogger! 

Honourable mentions must go to the wonderful Lauren Child for her Charlie and Lola books, which I feel are probably for a slightly older audience than the ones in this list, and Mary Hoffman's Amazing Grace, which I feel similarly about. Bill Martin's Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, which is such good fun, just missed out, as did Laurence and Catherine Anholt's Chimp and Zee books, Dick Bruna's Miffy series and Mick Inkpen's Wibbly Pig books (but that's because he's already represented in the list).

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Comments

[Gipsy]

oh bless, those are lovely books. And I wholeheartedly agree about the Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Maisey is very popular in our house too, but so is Charlie and Lola - these are great picture books and I love their mix of drawing and photography.

If anyone is looking for a truly amazing picture book then try this little known gem - Sadie the Airline Pilot. The drawings are amazing. My son particularly likes the snow and ice one on the mountain. Hover the cursor over the book cover to see pictures of the illustrations.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sadie-Airmail-Pilot-Kellie-Strom/dp/0385605064/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223469035&sr=8-2

[Helen]

My favourite picture book is George and the Dragon by Chris Wormald. Hilarious. Books need to be fun for parents to read as well as kids to listen to!

[whimsey]

What's the one with Max who goes off dancing in the middle of the night with the Wild Things? Can't remember the name, but always liked that one.

And though I appreciate the Thomas books aren't exactly picture books, every page has a picture on it, and they were obsessively loved in my family.

[Jennifer]

Dear Whimsey,

The book you are referring to is 'Where the wild things are' by Maurice Sendak.

My twin boys loved that one too!

One of my favourites is 'When Mum turned into a Monster!'by Joanna Harrison. Brilliant! And I loved all the Paddington Bear books (but am still furious that they let him advertise Marmite!'

[newjerseygirl]

My son - who's three and a half - loves many of the books mentioned, but special favourites at the moment are Nick Sharratt and Stephen Tucker's fun retellings of Three Little Pigs and Goldilocks, Jez Alborough's It's The Bear and Where's My Teddy, which I love reading out loud, and Amy Rosenthal and Jen Corace's Little Pea, in which a baby pea has to eat lots of candy before he gets to eat his favourite food... spinach. Also absolutely love the Curious George books, too.

Tiger who came to tea and Very Hungry Caterpillar were on my book shelves when I was small:-)
Does Alan and Ahlberg not get a mention. One of my favourite books was 'Each Peach Pear Plum'. I also loved 'Five minutes Peace' and 'Burglar Bill'. I also remeber a book called 'Amy's place' set in Australia, where a girl finds baby possums living in her new tree house.
I am afraid that I loathe the Dr Seuss books and have always refused to read them when babysitting.

[Kim]

There should be a special mention for Chris Van Allsberg. First, for The Polar Express. Then for Jumanji and then for The Mysteries of Harris Burrdick. His graphites are stunning, as are the mysteries they depict and unravel.

[anita]

Where's Spot?

I do know many a guy in their twenties who swear by the Caterpillar.

[Charlotte]

I agree that Janet and Allan Ahlberg should be on the list somewhere, especially for 'Each Peach Pear Plum', 'Cops and Robbers' and 'Bye Bye Baby', which were loved by my brothers and the children I looked after. I enjoyed reading the books to them, and the illustrations are lovely.

The Velveteen Rabbit was another favourite.

There are probably other books/authors, but it is a while since I have had to read them!

[Oonagh]

Don't forget The Elephant and the Bad Baby by Elfrida Vipont and the fantastic Raymond Briggs (I assume before his Father Christmas books, which are also wonderful).

[Annabelle]

I like this list and am so glad the Hungry Caterpillar tops it!
But does anybody else remember the Avocado Baby - who became very strong from avocados. And also The Tiger who came to Tea!

[whimsey]

Jennifer, that's the one. Thank you!

[Ezmeralda]

Where the Wild Things Are and Meg and Mog are my all time favourites!! Fab pictures (and great words too!).

[tom]

Loved the avocado baby.

A couple of others I haven't seen mentioned were funnybones and the lighthouse keepers lunch.

[Tara]

That's so funny, I've recently posted a piece about this too - only it was decided on by my children (with a little help from me!)
They are a bit older now (3 and 6) so have moved on from Charlie & Lola and the Hungry Caterpillar, but they still devour books (thank goodness).

My list is here: http://blogs.coventrytelegraph.net/fromdawntillrusk/2008/10/i-am-a-bookworm-i.html

[Sally]

The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch - was our absolute favorite -- wonderful heroine - very funny -

[Lisa]

I'd like to add "Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp" by Carol Doggory-Shields. Fabulous romping rhythm and rhymes.

So pleased to see "Guess How Much ..." on here. I still get teary every time I read it.

[Lisa]

Oops - Carol Diggory-Shields, not Doggory! (blush)

[Lynda]

I have just bought, for my baby grandson, the book my children remember with most affection from their childhood: Peace At Last by Jill Murphy. It's about Daddy Bear who can't sleep and goes from room to room looking for peace and quiet. I always loved reading it and the children soon join in with "Oh NO!" said Mr Bear, "I can't stand THIS." at the end of each page.

[Diana]

As the genre is picture books, Lauren Child has got to be there. My 16 and 18 year sons didn't have them as children, but picked up my set and were absorbed by the illustrations. As children they had all the usual suspects mentioned so far, and now read manga to Dostoevsky.

Oh I loved Peace at last and the funnybones books! I still occasinally intone the beginnings of the funnybones to the probable annoyance of my friends. Our other favourite book as children was a massive myths and legennds book with stories from all over the world.

[kate]

Where the Wild Things Are!! Come on.. it can not be a serious list without that.

[Lucy (without kids. Yet)]

Yay! The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Tiger Who Came to Tea define my generation ... so glad they're still popular.

I also loved Jan Pienkowski's (I hope I spelt that right) lovely silhouette-style illustrations of The Christmas Story (it's told through short lines from the King James Bible, mostly Luke, which is very lovely to read aloud). There are the most beautiful images of the kings travelling in procession and all the wild animals creeping through the pages. Amazing book.

[lizzie]

picture books, and I'd never heard of some of these, and others I would consider vastly superior! How about Each Peach Pear Plum? How about some of the beverly Cleary books? Personally, I've always though ERic Carle kind of overrated.

Oh well, everybody likes different things. We just got, for the brand-new addition to our family, some new and wonderful picture books by Lance Waite. They're "A Day with my Dad" and "A Day with my Dad at the Beach." (For my brother and his new twin girls!) My other niece loves the "Beach" book and we like the idea of fostering that all-important dad-child relationship. We know our new nieces will love these books and spending time with their dad at the beach, at the park or snuggling on the couch reading.

[Ruth]

My kids always loved any kind of picture book that was filled with animals. I'm glad to see a few of their favorites in your list. One of the nicest new children's books I've come across lately is Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Dog, by Barbara Techel. It's the story of her dog Frankie and how they dealt with and have overcome the challenges of Frankie becoming paralyzed.

http://www.joyfulpaws.com/

[Becky]

My kids love The Hungry Caterpillar book, the Maisey books, and "Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Dog," by Barbara Techel are my kid's favorite books.
http://www.joyfulpaws.com/

[Emma]

Click Clack Moo - Doreen Cronin & Betsy Lewin.

I idly picked this up while waiting in a queue at a book shop, it was so funny I ended up buying it.

[marianne]

Gyo Fujikawa's,
Oh What a Busy Day, was, hands down, the favorite "read to me" book for my kids. The illustrations are superb and complex and captured their complete attention. This book launched hundreds of tangential stories, and all because the illustrations are so child-perfect.

[Bianca S]

As already mentioned, how can this list not include Funnybones, and Janet and Allan Ahlberg's oeuvre?
Another one missing is Mr Bear's Chair, and Mr Magnolia...

[charlotte]

Great to see Cock A Moo Moo mentioned. We love this one and the illustrations are vibrant and lovely. Plus another vote for the Elephant and the Bad Baby. Fantastic.

[Judith]

The horrid Guess How Much I Love You but not Where the Wild Things Are? How could you?!

[Wendy]

Great to see Julia Donaldson/Axel Scheffler here, but no mention of Room on a Broom which I think is the best of them all!

[Miss May]

The Ox-cart Man is a lovely story for ages 4 to 8. Donald Hall and Barbara Cooney are the author and illustrator. I may have read it to my children 3,000 times! :) Cheers!

[Naomi]

What about: Harold and the Purple Crayon, Tell Me Something Happy Before I go to Sleep, The Paperbag Princess, Each Peach Pear Plum, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Good Dog Carl, Click Clack Moo, Love You Forever, Jamberry, Runaway Bunny, Guess How Much I Love You . . . so many good books for young children.