10 Best Books for 3-Year-Olds

Kids usually explore books at the age of three. This is also the earliest time they can be taught how to read. Although kids develop at different paces, there is a good chance that they can learn how to read at an early age especially if raised in a literary environment.

Because of this, it’s important for teachers and parents to find appropriate books to share with their little ones. Through books, a child can learn good values and important life lessons.

Here are some of the best books for 3-year-olds to help guide your kids through their reading journey.

Top 10 Books for 3-Year-Olds Table

Picture Name Format Price Rating (1-5)
1. I’d Know You Anywhere, My Love Kindle, Hardcover, Audible, Board book $ 4.9
2. The Pigeon Needs a Bath! Hardcover,
Paperback
$ 4.8
3. Llama Llama and the Bully Goat Kindle, Hardcover,
Paperback,
Audible
$$ 4.8
4. Dream Animals: A Bedtime Journey Kindle, Hardcover, Paper, Board book $ 4.8
5. The Day the Crayons Quit Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, Board book $$$$ 4.7
6. Journey Hardcover $ 4.7
7. What Pet Should I Get? Kindle, Hardcover, Audible, Unabridged $$$ 4.6
8. Uni the Unicorn Kindle, Hardcover, Toy $$$ 4.6
9. Little Humans Kindle, Hardcover $$$ 4.5
10. Mr. Wuffles! Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback $$ 4.3

How Are Children’s / Juvenile Literature Classified?

Literature for children often include story books, poems, and magazines that are appropriate for kids at a certain age. Modern children’s books are often classified based on genre and the intended age of the readers.

  • Genre. Genres for children literature include picture books, folklore tales, and concept books. Picture books, as the name suggest are books with stories depicted in pictures. Folklore tales are children’s books that touch up on the folklores of places or countries. Concept books are books that introduce children to controversial issues that might be hard for parents to discuss like bullying.
  • Age Category. Books for younger children are often written in simple language, large print, and lots of illustrations. Books for older children have a little more complex language, normal print and fewer pictures. Here are some of the common categories when children’s books are sorted by age range.
    1. Pre Readers (Children ages 0-5): More on pictures and stories about animals.
    1. Early readers (Children ages 5-7): Designed to help children learn reading.
    1. Chapter books (Children ages 7 -12): Chapter reading appropriate for children in school age.

Top 3 Best Books for 3-Year-Olds Reviews

1. I’d Know You Anywhere

I’d Know You Anywhere

Young children love to play pretend. Sometimes they would imagine themselves as animals or things. Nancy Tillman’s book for children I’d Know You Anywhere, My Love explores issues on identity and the power of motherly love.

“Whatever you pretend to be, I’d know you by heart” says the mother as she calmly reassures her doubting child. No matter what animal disguise the child wears, he can never fool his mother. It’s a lovely story with rhyming verses each carefully placed in digitally colored frames with vibrant drawings of animals from red fox to raccoons, to owls to lions.

It’s strong message – about how motherly love can’t be deceived and how mothers are accepting of their child no matter what they become is the center of the story. It makes kids understand even just a fragment of their mother’s love. One of the best books for 3-year-olds, Tillman’s I’d Know You Anywhere, my Love is a great story to read with your 3-year-old.

2. The Pigeon Needs a Bath!

The Pigeon Needs a Bath!

Have a hearty laugh reading Mo Willem’s new addition to his series of pigeon books The Pigeon Needs a Bath. The book starts by introducing a little pigeon, who despite his grimy appearance, refuses to take a bath.

Willem’s message of depicting a resistant child through a non-threatening pigeon is a great way to make you little ones giggle. So simply and clearly written, your child can even learn to read it himself. A great message about personal hygiene, parents can educate their children about the importance of taking a bath.

Among all the pigeon books by Mo Willems, The Pigeon Needs a Bath is one of the most read and popular favorite. Aside from its great message about personal hygiene, Mo’s book is also a fantastic way of teaching children persuasive speaking or writing. A child can learn all these by studying the clever arguments of the Pigeon as he tries with all his efforts to avoid taking a bath.

A humorous book that will provide plenty of giggles for the kids and the parents alike!

3. Llama Llama and the Bully Goat

Llama Llama and the Bully Goat

A brilliant concept book teaching kids at an early age about the issues of bullying, Llama Llama and the bully Goat is a great storybook to read to children at the early age of 3. Anna Dewey in this wonderful book takes on the job of presenting an important issue (bullying) to children. And she does a great job of discussing the concept in a safe and comforting way, appropriate for children who probably don’t have the slightest idea about bullying.

We have known Llama Llama from the previous books of Anna Dewdney’s best-selling series. Llama who is known for having trouble sharing his feelings, and could also sometimes feel jealous or needy takes on another challenge when he meets Gilroy Goat.

Llama Llama is spending his days at his new school and making new friends. But when his classmate Gilroy Goat starts bullying him and some of his friends – Llama Llama doesn’t know what to do. Remembering what his teacher taught him, Llama Llama walks away.

The message about bullying comes across clear and lets children understand how it’s not OK to be mean or to call other kid’s names. It also teaches that bullies can change, and they can be forgiven and befriended. Llama Llama and the Bully Goat by Anna Dewdney is one of the best books for 3-year-olds that will help them understand bullying at an early age.