Best Toddler Books of the Year!
When it comes to new books, it can be tough to know what are the best toddler books for your young reader.
There were a lot of fabulous books that came out in 2017, but only 20 made this list!
Be sure to check out even more best new books from the present and past years!
You can find these best toddler books perfect for kids ages 3, 4 and 5 at your local library or purchase through the affiliate links provided for your convenience.

New Preschool Books to Read with Your Child
This year it’s tough to pick our favorite best toddler books!
From Here We Are to The Bad Seed and We’re All Wonders and Dragons Love Tacos – I just couldn’t pick a couple favorites at all.
BEST TODDLER BOOKS OF THE YEAR (2017)
The unforgettable bestseller Wonder, now a major motion picture, has inspired a nationwide movement to Choose Kind.
Now parents and educators can introduce the importance of choosing kind to younger readers with this gorgeous picture book, featuring Auggie and Daisy on an original adventure, written and illustrated by R. J. Palacio.
It’s the perfect way for families and educators to talk about empathy and kindness with young children.
An Amazon Best Book of 2017
A never-before-published picture book from Margaret Wise Brown, the bestselling author of Goodnight Moon brought to life by Loren Long, #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of President Barack Obama’s Of Thee I Sing.
Readers will want to pore over this witty, wordless book again and again, finding new details and fresh stories with every reading.
Mr. Crocodile loves his job. Every morning he gets up with an alarm. He brushes his teeth. He chooses the right tie to match his outfit, eats a quick slice of toast, and heads off to work on a crowded train.
But what exactly is his job? The answer may surprise you!Â
At last — here from the team behind the beloved international bestseller comes a companion to Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site.
All of our favorite trucks are back on the construction site — this time with a focus on team-building, friendship, and working together to make a big task seem small!Â
From the celebrated team behind Creepy Carrots!, Aaron Reynolds and Caldecott Honor winner Peter Brown, comes a hilarious (and just a little creepy) story of a brave rabbit and a very weird pair of underwear.
Everyone’s favorite pig is about to have a birthday… but will her penchant for eavesdropping lead to more than presents?
The award-winning creators of Robo-Sauce and Secret Pizza Party return with a gut-bustingly hilarious companion to the bestselling phenomenon .Â
In the tradition of Uni the Unicorn and Gaston, this heartwarming and adorable debut picture book tells the story of a young unicorn who was born under the sea to a family of narwhals.
A TIME Magazine Best Book of the Year * An NPR Best Book of 2017 * A Boston Globe Best Book of 2017
Insightfully sweet, with a gentle humor and poignancy, here is Oliver Jeffers’ user’s guide to life on Earth.
He created it specially for his son, yet with a universality that embraces all children and their parents.Â
Join Bunny for a top-secret trip to the library in a story that celebrates the love of reading!Â
A warm celebration of the power of books, Bunny’s Book Club is sure to bring knowing smiles to any child, parent, teacher, bookseller, and librarian who understands the one-of-a-kind magic of reading.
Anna Dewdney’s signature rhyming text and inviting illustrations make this a perfect read aloud for for fans of things that go!
There’s Loader and Dump Truck, Backhoe and Crane. They’re ready to transform a vacant lot into a neighborhood park.Â
And who wants to help most of all? Little Excavator! But are there any jobs for someone so small?Â
An Amazon Best Children’s Book of the Year selection
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Goodnight Already! series. This is a book about a bad seed. A baaaaaaaaaad seed.
With Jory John’s charming and endearing text and bold expressive illustrations by Pete Oswald, here is The Bad Seed: a funny yet touching tale that reminds us of the remarkably transformative power of will, acceptance, and just being you.
Perfect for young readers, as well as anyone navigating their current world, The Bad Seed proves that positive change is possible for each and every one of us.
Egg is a graphic novel for preschoolers about four eggs, one big surprise, and an unlikely friendship, by Caldecott Medalist and New York Times-bestselling author Kevin Henkes.
With a compelling mix of comic-like panels, wordless pages and spreads, and a short text featuring word repetition, surprise, and suspense, Egg is an ideal book for emergent readers, as well as for sharing in a group.Â
Egg is sure to inspire creativity and storytelling in preschoolers, as they anticipate the page turns and determine their own endings!
In this tenderly funny book, girl and duckling grow in their understanding of what it is to care for each other, discovering that love is as much about letting go as it is about holding tight.
Children and parents together will adore this fond exploration of growing up while learning about the joys of love offered and love returned.
Through an enchanting read-aloud text and beautiful artwork, award-winning author-illustrator Timothy Basil Ering shares a thrilling and fantastical story of a farmer, a gentle old lady, a dancing dog, and one brave, tiny duckling that will warm the heart.
In this pitch-perfect ode to individualism, acclaimed author-illustrator Kenneth Kraegel creates a character readers of all ages can root for — whatever color pants they wear.
Bonjour! Escargot is a beautiful French snail who wants only two things: 1. To be your favorite animal. 2. To get to the delicious salad at the end of the book.
But when he gets to the salad, he discovers that there’s a carrot in it. And Escargot hates carrots.
When he finally tries one ― with a little help from you! ― he discovers that it’s not so bad after all.
With a nod to traditional fables and a wink to the reader, the award-winning Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen offer a tale of cooperation and creative cuisine that is sure to go down easy.
Here is a book for story time, for science time, for math time, for bedtime, and all the times in between.
Perfect for curious children, classrooms eager for STEM content, and readers who have devoured Ada Twist, Scientist and How Much Is a Million?
Cats of all shapes and sizes scamper, stretch and yawn across the pages of this adorable counting book.
And every now and then, they find themselves in the purrfect fluffy stack!
