Reading is an essential part of a child’s development and can help build their vocabulary, comprehension, and imagination. 

The Best Board Books:

Board books are perfect for little hands, and they are durable enough to withstand chewing, throwing, and drooling. Here are some of the best board books for babies and toddlers:

• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
• Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt
• Moo, Baa, La La La! by Sandra Boynton
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
• Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

The Best Picture Books:

Picture books are great for toddlers and preschoolers. They help children develop an appreciation for storytelling, language, and art. Here are some of the best picture books for young children:

• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
• Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
• Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
• The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
• Olivia by Ian Falconer

The Best Alphabet Books:

Alphabet books can help children learn their ABCs and improve their reading skills. Here are some of the best alphabet books for young children:

• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
• Dr. Seuss’s ABC by Dr. Seuss
• LMNO Peas by Keith Baker
• Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert
• A is for Apple by Georgie Birkett

The Best Counting Books:

Counting books are a fun way for children to learn numbers and counting. Here are some of the best counting books for young children:

• One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
• Ten Little Ladybugs by Melanie Gerth
• Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
• The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
• 123 to the Zoo by Eric Carle

The Best Animal Books:

Animals are fascinating to young children, and they love learning about them. Here are some of the best animal books for young children:

• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
• The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
• Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
• Curious George by H.A. and Margret Rey
• Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell

The Best Bedtime Books:

Bedtime is a great time for reading, and it can help children wind down and relax. Here are some of the best bedtime books for young children:

• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
• The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
• Time for Bed by Mem Fox
• Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
• Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

The Best Classic Books:

Classic books have been loved by generations of children and can still captivate young readers today. Here are some of the best classic books for young children:

• The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
• The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
• Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
• The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

The Best Diversity Books:

Books that celebrate diversity can help children learn about different cultures, races, and ethnicities. Here are some of the best diversity books for young children:

• The Colors of Us by Karen Katz
• All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold

The 40 best books for 1 to 6 years old by themes

The Best Books about Friendship:

Learning about friendship is an important part of a child’s development. Here are some of the best books about friendship for young children:

• Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel
• How Do Dinosaurs Play with Their Friends? by Jane Yolen
• The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat
• A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead
• We Are Best Friends by Roger Priddy

The Best Books about Family:

Families come in all shapes and sizes, and it’s important for children to learn about the different types of families. Here are some of the best books about family for young children:

• The Family Book by Todd Parr
• I Love My Daddy Because… by Laurel Porter-Gaylord
• The Berenstain Bears and the Mama’s Day Surprise by Stan and Jan Berenstain
• My Mommy and Me by Tina Macnaughton
• The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster

The Best Books about Feelings:

Learning about emotions and how to express them is an important part of a child’s social and emotional development. Here are some of the best books about feelings for young children:

• The Feelings Book by Todd Parr
• In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek
• When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really Angry… by Molly Bang
• The Color Monster: A Pop-Up Book of Feelings by Anna Llenas
• The Way I Feel by Janan Cain

The Best Books about Diversity and Inclusion:

It’s important for children to learn about diversity and inclusion from a young age. Here are some of the best books about diversity and inclusion for young children:

• All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold
• The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler
• We’re Different, We’re the Same by Bobbi Kates
• The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
• A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara

The Best Books about Nature:

Learning about nature and the environment can help children develop an appreciation for the world around them. Here are some of the best books about nature for young children:

• The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
• Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
• We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
• The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
• A Butterfly is Patient by Dianna Hutts Aston

The Best Books about Imagination:

Imagination is a powerful tool for children, and it can help them develop creativity and problem-solving skills. Here are some of the best books about imagination for young children:

• Not a Box by Antoinette Portis
• Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
• The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
• The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat

The Best Books about Adventure:

Children love stories about adventure and exploration. Here are some of the best books about adventure for young children:

• The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
• The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
• Curious George by H.A. and Margret Rey
• The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne
• The Secret World of Og by Pierre Berton

The Best Books about Learning:

Reading is a great way for children to learn about the world around them. Here are some of the best books about learning for young children:

• Chicka Chick

The Best Books about Loss/Grief:

Dealing with loss and grief can be challenging for young children. Here are some of the best books that can help children understand and cope with loss:

• The Goodbye Book by Todd Parr
• The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
• I Miss You: A First Look at Death by Pat Thomas
• The Tenth Good Thing About Barney by Judith Viorst
• Badger’s Parting Gifts by Susan Varley

The Best Books about Belonging/Identity:

It’s important for children to understand their own identity and to appreciate the diversity of others. Here are some of the best books that can help children develop a sense of belonging and identity:

• The Colors of Us by Karen Katz
• The Family Book by Todd Parr
• The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
• I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont
• I Am Enough by Grace Byers

The Best Books about Growing Up:

Growing up can be exciting but also daunting for young children. Here are some of the best books that can help children understand and navigate the process of growing up:

• Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss
• The Berenstain Bears Go to School by Stan and Jan Berenstain
• The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
• First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg
• I Am a Big Brother/Sister by Caroline Jayne Church

The Best Books about Jealousy:

Jealousy is a common emotion that young children may struggle with. Here are some of the best books that can help children understand and cope with jealousy:

• The Berenstain Bears and the Green-Eyed Monster by Stan and Jan Berenstain
• Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard
• A Rainbow of Friends by P.K. Hallinan
• When I Feel Jealous by Cornelia Maude Spelman
• When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really Angry… by Molly Bang

The Best Books about Anger:

Anger is another common emotion that young children may struggle with. Here are some of the best books that can help children understand and cope with anger:

• The Feelings Book by Todd Parr
• When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really Angry… by Molly Bang
• Sometimes I’m Bombaloo by Rachel Vail
• Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney
• The Angry Dragon by Michael Gordon

The Best Books about Courage:

Courage is an important trait that children need to develop as they grow up. Here are some of the best books that can inspire and teach children about courage:

• The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
• The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
• Brave Irene by William Steig
• Corduroy by Don Freeman

The best 35 books for 1 to 6 years old

The Best Sticker Books:

• My Big Book of Stickers by Priddy Books
• Ultimate Sticker Book: Frozen by DK Publishing
• Peppa Pig: My First Sticker Book by Ladybird Books
• Disney Princess: My First Sticker Book by Parragon Books
• Usborne First Sticker Book: Things That Go by Felicity Brooks

The Best Fairy Tale Books:

• The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales by Brothers Grimm
• The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen
• Cinderella by Charles Perrault
• Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont
• Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault

The Best Poetry Books:

• Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
• A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson
• The 20th-Century Children’s Poetry Treasury by Jack Prelutsky
• Insectlopedia by Douglas Florian
• The Random House Book of Poetry for Children by Jack Prelutsky

The Best Coloring Books:

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar Coloring Book by Eric Carle
• Disney Princess Coloring Book by Parragon Books
• Crayola Color Wonder: Frozen Coloring Book by Crayola
• Melissa & Doug Jumbo Coloring Pad by Melissa & Doug
• Paw Patrol: All paws on Deck! Coloring Book by Parragon Books

The Best Pop-Up Books:

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar Pop-Up Book by Eric Carle
• The Night Before Christmas Pop-Up Book by Clement C. Moore
• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Pop-Up Book by Lewis Carroll
• Pop-Up Peekaboo: Farm by DK Publishing
• Peter Pan: A Classic Collectible Pop-Up by Robert Sabuda

The Best Bath Books:

• Splish Splash Bath! by David Melling
• Bath Time! by Sandra Boynton
• Bath Book: Counting Fish by Inc. Sterling Publishing Co.
• Jungle Bath Book by Little Bee Books
• Squeaky Baby Bath Book: Sophie la girafe by DK Publishing

The Best Interactive Books:

• Press Here by Herve Tullet
• Don’t Push the Button! by Bill Cotter
• Goodnight Moon: Touch and Feel Book by Margaret Wise Brown
• The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
• That’s Not My… Series by Fiona Watt

The Best Rhyming Books:

• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
• Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae
• Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
• Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
• The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss

These books are sure to captivate young children and make reading time an enjoyable experience for both the child and the parent. So, pick up a few of these books and share them with your little ones for a fun-filled and engaging reading experience.