Best books for babies and toddlers (0–3 years)
Picture books, early readers and novels suited to children aged 0 to 3, chosen for stories that build empathy and show children the wide world, with Indian authors first. Age ranges are a guide: every child reads differently, so do look one band up and one down too.
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The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk
by Kabir Sehgal & Surishtha Sehgal
Ages 3–5Indian author
The classic nursery song takes a ride through India on a bouncy, beeping tuk tuk, picking up passengers, cows and all. A joyful read-aloud to sing along to.
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A Bucket of Blessings
by Kabir Sehgal & Surishtha Sehgal
Ages 3–6Indian author
A little monkey sets out to bring rain to his thirsty village in this gentle retelling of an Indian folk tale about kindness and gratitude.
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Festival of Colors
by Surishtha Sehgal & Kabir Sehgal
Ages 3–6Indian author
Siblings Mintoo and Chintoo gather flowers, grind colours and share them with friends and neighbours as they get ready for Holi.
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What Shall I Make?
Ages 3–6Indian author
Neeraj turns a ball of dough into a snake, a mouse, a cat and a lion, before Amma helps him turn it into a roti. A playful story of imagination in the kitchen.
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Catch That Crocodile!
Ages 3–6Indian author
A crocodile wanders into town and everyone tries, and fails, to catch it. A rollicking rhyme with lively art by Pulak Biswas.
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Paati's Rasam
by Janaki Sabesh
Ages 3–6Indian author
A cosy story about Paati, her much-loved rasam and a kitchen full of family. A warm read about grandparents and South Indian food.
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Tiger on a Tree
Ages 3–6Indian author
A tiger gets stuck up a tree — and no one in the village can agree on what to do about it. A brilliantly funny picture book with rollicking rhyming text and gorgeous illustrations by Pulak Biswas. Published in multiple Indian languages.
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Ammachi's Glasses
by Priya Kuriyan
Ages 3–5Indian author
A hilarious wordless picture book about a grandmother who misplaces her glasses and proceeds to cook chappals and eat spiders.
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Flutterfly
Ages 3–6Indian author
A wordless picture book in black-and-white with coloured butterflies. Children make up their own story each time — a different book on every read.
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Purple Jojo
by Sameera Zia Qureshi
Ages 3–5Indian author
A puppy wakes up with big purple patches on him! Children guess how Jojo got the purple stains in this charming bilingual story.
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Sunu-Sunu Snail
by Sandhya Rao
Ages 3–6Indian author
A little snail rushes home to tell his mother all about the sights, sounds, and noises of a storm. Sweet and sensory.
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Mallipoo, Where Are You?
by Radhika Chadha
Ages 3–6Indian author
Mallipoosundari the baby piglet goes missing! Her elephant friends try to find her in this warm, funny tale about caring for others.
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Kahaani Rangeeli
by Pridhee Anu Sehgal
Ages 1–4Indian author
An interactive touch-and-feel board book pairing simple Hindi words and colours for toddlers, from the makers of Kahaani Chamkeeli.
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Nila Nila (Tamil)
by T4Tales
Ages 1–4Indian author
A Tamil-English interactive board book for toddlers, bringing T4Tales' bilingual reading experience to a new Indian language.
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Gutargoo
Ages 1–4Indian author
A sensory board book of everyday sounds and words for babies and toddlers just starting to talk.
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Chuglubugloo
by T4Tales
Ages 1–4Indian author
A playful interactive board book of silly sounds and words designed for very young children.
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My Mother's Sari
by Sandhya Rao
Ages 2–5Indian author
A young child explores all the wonderful things a mother's sari can become — a swing, a tent, a peekaboo curtain.
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If There Was One Thing I Could Be
by Kalpana Subramanian
Ages 3–6Indian author
Vir imagines what it would be like to be a bird — feathers, a beak, and all — before discovering that being himself is the most fun of all.
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Busy Ants
by Pulak Biswas
Ages 2–5Indian author
A wordless picture book following a line of ants as they go about their busy day — a classic of Indian picture-book art by the award-winning illustrator Pulak Biswas.
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Seven Swaras: My First Book of Carnatic Music
by Aparna Kaushik
Ages 2–6Indian author
A bright, gentle first introduction to the seven swaras of Carnatic music for toddlers and preschoolers, with colourful illustrations and simple explanations of why learning music is fun.
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Thakitta Tharikitta Bouncing Ball
by Jacob Samson Muttada
Ages 3–6Indian author
Abu's big red ball bounces to the beat of dance syllables — thakitta tharikitta! A rhythmic read-aloud that brings the sounds of Indian dance to little ones. Illustrated by Ashok Rajagopalan.
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The Rabbit in the Moon
by Indrani Krishnaier
Ages 3–7Indian author
When a herd of elephants tramples through the jungle, do the little rabbits run away? No — they come up with a clever plan involving the moon. A retelling of a classic Jataka-style tale, published in bilingual editions. Illustrated by Harsha Nagaraju.
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The Musical Donkey (Paadum Kazhuthai)
by Niveditha Subramaniam
Ages 2–5Indian author
A donkey who loves to sing — even if nobody else loves hearing him! A cheerful, funny board-style picture book for the youngest readers, available in bilingual editions including English–Tamil (Paadum Kazhuthai).
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Bindu's Bindis
Ages 3–7Indian author✈️ Import only (pricey)
Bindu's bindis connect her to her Nani and give her courage at the school talent show. A companion to The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh.
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My Name
Ages 3–6Indian author✈️ Import only (pricey)
When an Indian American boy starts at a new school, he learns to celebrate his name and everything that makes him unique.
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Where Is Mr. Thookam?
by Anusha Veluswamy (illus. Janan Abir)
Ages 3–7Indian author🔍 Hard to find in India
Pattu wakes in the night to find Mr. Thookam (sleep) gone, and she and her Akka set out to find him. A funny, comforting story about night-time fears and the love between two sisters.
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Pooni, Pooni, Where Are You?
by Manjula Padmanabhan
Ages 1–3Indian author
Minnie can't find her little cat anywhere! Bright, bold pictures help toddlers follow Pooni around in this find-it board book from the creator of Where's That Cat?
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Who Is Boodabim?
Ages 1–3Indian author
Is Boodabim a cloud? A fish? A tiger? Or a clown? A playful guessing-game board book that gets toddlers naming shapes, animals and things.
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Oluguti Toluguti
by Radhika Menon & Sandhya Rao, eds. (illus. Kshitiz Sharma)
Ages 2–6Indian author
54 rhymes from 18 Indian languages in lively English versions that keep the sounds: kau kau crows, chuk chuk trains, chham chham rain and dam padam pappadams. A joyful celebration of India's many languages.
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Haathi Bhai
by Traditional Gujarati rhyme (illus. Paridhi Didwania)
Ages 0–3Indian author
A big, round, colourful Haathi Bhai is on his way! A sturdy board book that turns a lively Gujarati rhyme into English without missing a beat.
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Akkad Bakkad
by Traditional Punjabi rhyme (illus. Shreya Sen)
Ages 0–3Indian author
Numbers walk, run, skip and laugh in this board book of a favourite Punjabi counting rhyme, adapted into English with bright, bold pictures.
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Cheep Cheep
by Traditional Marathi rhyme (illus. Soumya Menon)
Ages 0–3Indian author
Birds, animals and the everyday sounds of a child's world, in an English board-book version of a Marathi rhyme that encourages little ones to listen and look around.
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Dosa Amma Dosa
by Traditional Tamil rhyme (illus. Anupama S. Iyer)
Ages 0–3Indian author
5, 4, 3, 2, 1… hot dosas for the family! A board book of the much-loved Tamil rhyme about making and sharing dosas, with pictures inspired by wooden toys.
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Jhiri Jhiri Rain
by Traditional Bengali rhyme (illus. Priyadarshini Banerjee)
Ages 0–3Indian author
Jhiri jhiri comes the rain… and with it the sights and sounds of a wet, wet world. A board book of a Bengali rhyme that is just as musical in English.
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Karadi Rhymes with Usha Uthup
by Shobha Viswanath (sung by Usha Uthup)
Ages 1–5Indian author
Indian rhymes for Indian children, about mangoes, not daffodils, and kites, not surfboards. Three picture books with QR codes for songs set to simple Indian ragas and sung by Usha Uthup.
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Crow vs Vada
by Aruna Shekar
Ages 3–6Indian author
The tea stall opens, hot masala vadas pile up, and Crow just wants one. But the tea-seller is watching, and there are other competitors too. Who wins? A cheeky new spin on a classic tale.
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Magic Stitches
Ages 3–7Indian author
A little boy loves to crochet, and the other boys make fun of him. As they watch, his stitches turn into a cape, a river and a maze. Will they join him?
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Hugs Are (Not) for Everybody
by Ella Russell
Ages 3–7
At a birthday party, the guests discover that not everyone enjoys a hug, and try waves, high-fives and handshakes instead. A cheerful first book about asking before touching.
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Respect Me! Respect My Boundaries!
Ages 3–8
Everyday situations help children work out what feels okay and not okay, and how to say so. Covers body ownership, consent, feelings and speaking up.
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Yes! No!: A First Conversation About Consent
by Megan Madison & Jessica Ralli
Ages 1–4
A simple board book that helps toddlers notice their feelings, say yes or no, and listen when others do. Part of the First Conversations series.
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No Means No!
Ages 3–8
A little girl knows she's the boss of her own body and says no to things that don't feel right, from hugs to tickles. Teaches personal boundaries and respecting others' choices.
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Same Love, Different Hug
Ages 3–7
Different people like different kinds of hugs, and some would rather wave or shake hands. A gentle look at all the ways we can show love while respecting each other.
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Hattie Hates Hugs
Ages 3–7
Hattie doesn't want hugs at the family reunion, and her great-grandma helps her find the words to set boundaries. With new confidence, she enjoys the day.
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My Body Belongs to Me
by Jill Starishevsky
Ages 3–8
A rhyming book that teaches children their private parts are private, and that they should tell a trusted adult if anyone touches them inappropriately.
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Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept
Ages 3–8
Prince Alfred learns the difference between good secrets and bad ones, and that he should always tell if someone touches his private parts. A gentle body-safety story.
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Daddy, Papa, and Me
by Lesléa Newman
Ages 1–4
A toddler spends a busy, happy day playing, cooking and cuddling with Daddy and Papa. A warm rhyming board book about a two-dad family.
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Knuffle Bunny
by Mo Willems
Ages 2–5
Trixie and her dad take a trip to the laundromat, and her beloved bunny gets left behind. A funny Caldecott Honor story about a dad who saves the day.
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Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me
by Eric Carle
Ages 2–6
Monica wants to play with the moon, so Papa fetches a very long ladder and climbs up to get it for her. A classic with fold-out pages about a father's love.
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Dad by My Side
by Soosh
Ages 3–6
A little girl and her dad do everything together, from building to exploring to comforting each other. Gentle illustrations celebrate a father's steady love.
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My Dad Used to Be So Cool
by Keith Negley
Ages 3–6
A boy wonders why his dad, who once played in a band and rode a motorcycle, isn't cool anymore, and discovers what his dad chose instead.
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Just Me and My Dad
by Mercer Mayer
Ages 3–6
Little Critter goes camping with his dad and is sure he's taking care of everything. A gentle, funny classic about a father's patience.
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I'm a Big Brother
by Joanna Cole
Ages 2–5
A boy welcomes the new baby home and learns all the ways he can help look after him. A reassuring book for new big brothers.
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The New Small Person
by Lauren Child
Ages 3–7
Elmore Green doesn't want to share his life with his new little brother, until the two of them find they have a lot in common.
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Kitchen Dance
by Maurie J. Manning
Ages 3–7
Two children creep downstairs to find their parents singing and dancing while doing the dishes, and are scooped into the dance.
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Unplugged
by Steve Antony
Ages 3–6
Blip the robot is always plugged in, until a power cut sends her outside to discover friends, fresh air and fun.
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Screen Time Is Not Forever
by Elizabeth Verdick
Ages 1–4
A simple, friendly board book that helps little ones understand why screen time has limits, and what else is fun to do.
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Whoever You Are
by Mem Fox
Ages 3–5
Children around the world may look different and live in different places, but inside, their hearts are just the same. A simple, reassuring first book about diversity.
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Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
by Mem Fox
Ages 1–4
Babies are born all over the world, and every one of them has ten little fingers and ten little toes. A rhythmic, much-loved celebration of babies everywhere.
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The Colors of Us
by Karen Katz
Ages 3–6
Lena wants to paint herself brown and learns from her mother that brown comes in many shades, from cinnamon to chocolate. A celebration of skin colour.
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Global Babies
by The Global Fund for Children
Ages 1–4
Photographs of babies from seventeen cultures around the world, each cared for and loved. A simple board book about how alike we all are.
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Happy in Our Skin
by Fran Manushkin
Ages 2–5
A cheerful look at all the colours skin comes in, and all the things skin does for us. Bouncy text and bright pictures for the very young.
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Handa's Surprise
by Eileen Browne
Ages 3–5
Handa carries seven fruits in a basket on her head to her friend Akeyo, but along the way animals sneak them away one by one. A funny, much-loved read-aloud set in Kenya.
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Baby Goes to Market
by Atinuke
Ages 2–5
Baby rides on Mama's back through a busy Nigerian market, collecting treats from friendly stallholders. A bright counting story full of warmth.
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Lulu Loves the Library
by Anna McQuinn
Ages 2–5
Every Tuesday Lulu and her mummy go to the library, and Lulu loves every part of it. A gentle celebration of books and reading with a Black girl at its heart.
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The Snowy Day
Ages 3–5
Peter explores his city on a snowy day, making tracks and snow angels. A Caldecott Medal classic, and one of the first picture books with a Black child as its hero.
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Peter's Chair
Ages 3–5
Peter's old baby things are being painted pink for his new sister, and he decides to run away with his chair. A classic about adjusting to a new baby.
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Whistle for Willie
Ages 3–5
Peter wishes he could whistle for his dog Willie, and keeps trying until he can. A classic about patience and practice.
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More More More, Said the Baby
Ages 1–4
Three toddlers from different families are scooped up, swung and loved by the grown-ups around them. A Caldecott Honor book full of warmth.
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Jabari Jumps
by Gaia Cornwall
Ages 3–6
Jabari is sure he's ready to jump off the diving board, until he's at the top. With his dad's gentle support, he finds his courage.
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Hands Up!
by Breanna J. McDaniel
Ages 2–5
A young girl raises her hands to stretch, to reach, to high-five and to celebrate. A joyful, rhythmic look at a Black girl's everyday life.
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My Friend Isabelle
by Eliza Woloson
Ages 3–6
Charlie and Isabelle are best friends. Isabelle has Down syndrome, and the two of them are alike in some ways and different in others. A simple story about friendship and difference.
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Red Is a Dragon
Ages 2–5
A girl spots colours all around her Chinese-American neighbourhood, from red dragons to yellow mooncakes, in a rhyming book of colours.
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Round Is a Mooncake
Ages 2–5
A little girl finds round, square and rectangular things in her neighbourhood, from mooncakes to dim sum. A rhyming book of shapes rooted in Chinese culture.
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Hush! A Thai Lullaby
by Minfong Ho
Ages 1–4
A mother asks each noisy animal to hush so her baby can sleep, while the baby stays wide awake. A Caldecott Honor lullaby set in rural Thailand.
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Mama, Do You Love Me?
by Barbara M. Joosse
Ages 2–5
An Inuit girl tests how far her mother's love goes, and Mama assures her it never ends. A tender, reassuring bedtime story.
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Don't Touch My Hair!
by Sharee Miller
Ages 3–6
Aria loves her hair, but everyone wants to touch it without asking. A funny, empowering story about consent and personal space.
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Lovely
by Jess Hong
Ages 3–6
Big, small, curly, straight, loud, quiet: lovely comes in every shape and size. A bold celebration of how different people look.
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The Kissing Hand
by Audrey Penn
Ages 3–6
Chester Raccoon is nervous about starting school, so his mother kisses his palm to give him a kiss he can carry all day. A classic for first-day nerves.
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The Invisible String
by Patrice Karst
Ages 3–7
Twins learn that an invisible string of love connects them to the people they care about, even when they're apart. Often used for separation and loss.
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In My Heart: A Book of Feelings
by Jo Witek
Ages 2–5
A girl describes how each feeling sits in her heart, from happy and brave to sad and angry. A beautiful first book for naming emotions.
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Grumpy Monkey
by Suzanne Lang
Ages 3–6
Jim Panzee is grumpy for no reason, and everyone keeps telling him to cheer up. A funny book about letting yourself feel what you feel.
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Ruby Finds a Worry
by Tom Percival
Ages 3–6
Ruby's small worry grows bigger each day until she learns that talking about it makes it shrink. A gentle book about sharing worries.
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The Rabbit Listened
by Cori Doerrfeld
Ages 3–6
When Taylor's block tower falls, the animals all offer advice, but only the rabbit simply listens. A quiet, powerful book about empathy.
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Llama Llama Misses Mama
by Anna Dewdney
Ages 3–5
It's Llama Llama's first day of school and he misses his mama. He finds out that school can be fun too. A rhyming read-aloud for first-day nerves.
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Owl Babies
by Martin Waddell
Ages 2–5
Three baby owls wake up and find their mother gone. They wait and worry until she flies home. A classic for little ones who miss a parent.
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We're Different, We're the Same
by Bobbi Jane Kates
Ages 3–6
Elmo and his Sesame Street friends show that noses, hair and skin look different on everyone, but they all do the same jobs. A cheerful first book about diversity.
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What's That Noise?
by Charlie Higson
Ages 3–5
Bob is hiding in a box and being very noisy. The more he gets away with it, the more ridiculous things he adds. Great read-aloud.
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Ant Party
by Ross Montgomery
Ages 3–7
Andy the ant wants a small birthday party but the whole colony turns up. Can the ants work together when an uninvited guest crashes the fun?
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The Biggest Dog in the Book
by Ben Lerwill
Ages 3–5
Agnes the Chihuahua isn't the biggest dog — so who is? Repetitive text makes it a joy to read aloud.
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Oh No, Flo!
by Catherine Cawthorne
Ages 3–5
Flo the sheepdog tries to help Farmer but mixes everything up. A funny farmyard fiasco.
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Beautiful Oops!
by Barney Saltzberg
Ages 3–6
Every smudge, torn page, and accident is a chance to make something beautiful. A tactile, hands-on book that turns art anxiety into pure creative joy.
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar
by Eric Carle
Ages 3–5
A tiny caterpillar eats through a spectacular array of food before emerging as a butterfly. One of the most beloved picture books of all time — an art-and-science classic.
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Bee-Bim Bop!
Ages 3–6
A child helps her mother shop, chop, and cook a traditional Korean meal — all in bouncy, irresistible rhyming verse. A joyful celebration of Korean food and family.
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My Heart Fills With Happiness
by Monique Gray Smith
Ages 3–6✈️ Import only (pricey)
A lyrical picture book celebrating the small things that fill an Indigenous child's heart — the smell of bannock, warm sun on your face, holding hands with a grandparent. Gentle and joyful.
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Walking Through the Jungle
by Debbie Harter
Ages 3–5
A child walks through jungle, ocean, mountains, and river — encountering lions, whales, crocodiles, and more in bold, cheerful illustrations. A beloved Barefoot Books classic for the very young.
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A New Year's Reunion
by Yu Li-Qiong
Ages 3–6
A young girl's father comes home for Chinese New Year — making dumplings, setting off fireworks, sharing warmth before he must leave again. A tender, luminous picture book. Bologna Ragazzi Award winner.
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My First Book of Mandarin Chinese Words
by Faye-Lynn Wu
Ages 3–6
An illustrated bilingual introduction to Mandarin Chinese — words grouped by theme (colours, animals, family, food) with each entry in English, Chinese characters, and Pinyin. Perfect for early Mandarin learners.
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Dim Sum for Everyone!
by Grace Lin
Ages 3–5
A young girl and her family visit a dim sum restaurant and share beloved dishes together. A warm, joyful celebration of Chinese family culture and food, with simple text perfect for early readers.
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Grandpa's Ocean
by Arielle North Olson
Ages 3–7
A grandfather and grandson explore whales, starfish, sea lions, and glorious sunsets together on a seaside visit, celebrating the bond between generations.
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All Are Welcome
by Alexandra Penfold
Ages 3–7
A joyful, rhyming celebration of a school where every child — whatever their background, faith or family — is welcome just as they are.
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The Family Book
by Todd Parr
Ages 2–6
A bright, silly, reassuring look at all the different shapes families come in — big, small, same-sex parents, adoptive, single-parent — with one loving message: all families are special.
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You Can
by Alexandra Strick & Steve Antony
Ages 2–7
A joyful, rhyming picture book in the real words of disabled children themselves, imagining all the things they can be and do when the world is built around them.
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This Is Me
by George Webster & Claire Taylor
Ages 3–7
CBeebies presenter George Webster, who has Down syndrome, celebrates everything that makes each of us unique — our bodies, families, feelings and dreams.
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Talking Is Not My Thing
by Rose Robbins
Ages 3–7
A lively picture book following a non-verbal autistic girl and her big brother through their busy day — full of energy, humor and a fresh way of seeing communication.
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Swimmy
by Leo Lionni
Ages 3–6
A small black fish teaches a school of red fish to swim together as one big fish and outsmart the hungry ones — a Caldecott Honor classic about teamwork.
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Froggy Plays Soccer
by Jonathan London
Ages 3–6
Froggy's team is in the big game, and he must remember the one rule: don't touch the ball with your hands! A funny first sports story.
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Black & White
by Tana Hoban
Ages 0–2
Fourteen bold black-and-white photographs of everyday things and animals, in a fold-out board book that stands up by itself for tummy time. A classic first book for newborn eyes.
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Look, Look!
by Peter Linenthal
Ages 0–2
Bold black-and-white cut-paper pictures of children running, fish swimming and stars shining, made for babies who are just beginning to look and learn.
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Baby's Very First Black and White Book: Faces
by Stella Baggott
Ages 0–1
Simple, bold black-and-white faces for the youngest babies to gaze at, from Usborne's Baby's Very First Books series.
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Global Baby Bedtimes
by The Global Fund for Children
Ages 0–3
Photographs of babies around the world getting ready for bed, from Panama to Peru and Vietnam to Argentina. Every one of them is cuddled, snuggled and loved.
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Whose Toes Are Those?
by Jabari Asim (illus. LeUyen Pham)
Ages 0–3
A cheerful, bouncy rhyme celebrating a beautiful brown baby's toes, made for lap-time giggles and toe-counting.
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Lokpriya Baalgeet
by Wonder House Books
Ages 1–4
A padded board book of traditional Hindi nursery rhymes with bright pictures, for singing together with little ones.
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Cloud Boy
by Greg Stobbs
Ages 3–7
Bobby floats up into the sky whenever his attention drifts. He ties himself down to focus like his friends, but it leaves him feeling empty, until the people around him learn to see the world his way.
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How to Catch an Idea
by Forest Xiao
Ages 3–7
A curious girl sets out to discover where ideas come from: do they grow like seeds, bake like buns or get caught from the sea?
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Taste of Home
by Maryam Hassan (illus. Anna Wilson)
Ages 3–7
Tariq loves food, from big family dinners to lunchbox surprises. Asked to bring one special dish to a class picnic, he listens to his family's food stories and finds the one that tells his.
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Wiggling Words
by Kate Rolfe
Ages 3–6
A child gets lost in a forest of letters as words wiggle off the page. With creative thinking, they find their own way through, sharing tips that helped the dyslexic author.
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Zeki Goes to the Market
by Anna McQuinn (illus. Ruth Hearson)
Ages 1–3
Zeki and his family go to the market: spices to smell, honey buns to taste and noodles to take home. A busy, tasty day.
