The Best Informational Books for Toddlers
When you hear “informational books for toddlers,” do you picture a tiny human with a disproportionately giant encyclopedia perched on his or her lap? Don’t! Informational books for the very young are actually a thing, and the children’s publishing world is bursting with more enticing options each year. Including informational books in a toddler’s reading diet builds vocabulary and world knowledge. For some children, informational books are the ones that spark their love of reading.
Toddlers’ worlds tend to be pretty small, so informational books that connect to their real-life experiences are reliably appealing. Of course, books also serve to expand children’s worlds, so books that introduce unfamiliar ideas in age-appropriate and engaging ways are shelf-worthy, too. Here are some toddler-approved go-to options.
This list originally appeared on ReadBrightly.com.
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1
Add to BookshelfHello, World! How Do Apples Grow?
by Jill McDonald
Like all parents know, as toddlers grow better at communicating, they start asking questions. A lot of questions. With a range of captivating topics, the Hello, World! series includes many of the standard features of informational writing for older readers — labeled diagrams, captions, and charts, but with adorable, little-kid-level flair. How Do Apples Grow? was immensely helpful in explaining to my frustrated toddler why our backyard apple tree didn’t offer fruit for picking in the middle of January. Able to grow with a child, Hello, World! titles can be enjoyed just by browsing the pictures, and later by sharing every fact and label. (Chances are, adult readers will learn a thing or two also.)
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2
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What Can You See? In Space
by Kate Ware
Kids curious about outer space and astronauts can have their questions answered with this nonfiction board book. They’ll love the peek-through pages that explain the galaxy, what astronauts do, and how everything fits together.
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3
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Paper Peek: Colors
by Chihiro Takeuchi
In this innovative search-and-find book series, little ones learn to see colors, animals, and the alphabet in a fun and exciting way. Peering through kaleidoscopic shape openings, they’re encouraged to discover hidden patterns and get to know the world around them with each page!
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4
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Hey, Water!
by Antoinette Portis
Curious young children will appreciate this informative picture book about water. From rivers to snowmen, water comes in various shapes, temperatures, and states. It even makes interesting sounds. With spare text and colorful illustrations, this book is an excellent way to introduce your toddler to the essential substance.
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5
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She Persisted in Science
by Chelsea Clinton
Introduce your tiny reader to some of the most influential and exciting female scientists. Whether they’re modern change-makers or lived a long time ago, the women featured in this book will inspire your little one to reach for the stars.
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First Conversations Series
by Megan Madison and Jessica Ralli
It’s important to acknowledge that discussions around race, gender, consent, and body positivity can be difficult, but research has shown that starting these conversations early on can help children develop empathy and understanding. The First Conversations series makes this easy! Through simple language and adorable illustrations, your little ones will learn essential topics in an informed, safe, and supported way.
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How It Works: Tractor
by Amelia Hepworth
Inquisitive children will love this delightful interactive board book. With adorable illustrations, flaps to lift, facts to learn, and a farm to explore, this book will become a storytime favorite for you and your child. Continue the fun with even more books in the How It Works series.
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8
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Antiracist Baby Picture Book
by Ibram X. Kendi
From award-winning author Ibram X. Kendi, Antiracist Baby aims to guide us toward a more just and ethical world starting with our children. Providing the tools to start important conversations and eradicate racism from our society and within ourselves.
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9
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Seed to Plant
by Gail Gibbons
Young children can learn about where food comes from and how plants grow with this board book edition of Gail Gibbons’s bestselling picture book, From Seed to Plant. Colorful art and simple text help toddlers understand the basics of seeds, plant growth, and the anatomy of a flower.
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10
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Hair Love ABCs
by Matthew A. Cherry
Inspired by the bestselling Hair Love comes an adorable and affirming alphabet board book for young readers to embrace the beauty of natural hair while learning their ABCs!
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11
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Good Night Seashells
by Adam Gamble and Mark Jasper
This series wins for breadth of topics — its titles can help your toddler say goodnight to just about any location or thing you could imagine. In my family, we’re partial to Good Night Beach and Good Night Lake. Our family enjoys both landscapes in the summers, and reading these books year-round keeps the conversations about fishing and sandcastles flowing. All the titles in the series are excellent for breaking down big topics into toddler-sized ideas.
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12
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Mrs. Peanuckle’s Alphabet Series
by Mrs. Peanuckle
Get ready to discover some remarkable animals, insects, plants, and foods in this unique series of alphabet board books. With vibrant artwork and interesting facts on every page, these books are fun and educational to read with your toddler.
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13
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Cerca / Close
by Juan Felipe Herrera
This charming dual-language board book endearingly engages young children. As a little girl walks from her kitchen through a daisy-filled yard to the house next door, she notices some things are close to her, while others are farther away. A fun story that teaches children the meaning of the words close — cerca — and far — lejos — in a fun and relatable way.
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14
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One Little Egg
by Becky Davies
Teach your tiny reader about the birds they see at the park or in their backyard with help from this interactive board book. Toddlers will love every die-cut page of this fascinating book as they lift flaps, peek through the pages, and absorb interesting facts about birds and eggs.
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15
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Tool Book
by Gail Gibbons
Gail Gibbons is an institution in the field of children’s informational books. Her board book options for toddlers are to-the-point but still offer plenty of specificity for little ones who appreciate a higher level of detail. My little construction-worker wannabe loves the labeled pictures of different hand tools in Tool Book. (Now, where do I find a plastic chisel for their toddler tool belt?)
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Hello, World Series
by Ashley Evanson
Traveling with a toddler can be a nightmare — unless you do it from your couch. With the help of this brightly illustrated board book series, you can show your child the sights in Germany, New York City, Tokyo, Paris, and many other exciting places. They’ll also learn concepts like opposites, shapes, time, and colors as you read.
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17
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This Is Music: Voice
by Rekha S. Rajan
This board book series by world-renowned music educator Rekha S. Rajan serves as a hands-on introduction to the four instrument families: drums, horns, strings, and voice. Invite young readers to explore a variety of vocal musicians from around the world and encourage them to use their voices in their surroundings. It also comes with a mirror so littles can watch their mouths move as they sing out loud.
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18
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Wheelie Books Series
by DK
If you have a toddler vehicle-enthusiast, you’ll make his or her book dreams come true with Fire Truck, Digger, and Tractor. The chunky, shaped pages layer to create an actual head-on vehicle shape. Inside, the labeled photos of related vocabulary encourage lots of studying and pointing. For adults who are more comfortable delivering dramatic renditions of story books, the language gives a little help toward expressive reading of the informational genre. Fire Truck asks, “Can you flex your arm like my boom?” and ends with, “Siren on, lights flashing, we are off to the rescue!”
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First Emotions? Series
by Rekha S. Rajan
Help your little one explore their emotions with this adorable board book series. From happy to angry and everything in between, these books will help your child identify their feelings and learn how to handle them. It’s the perfect primer for toddlers as they venture into the world of playdates and preschool.
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How It Works: Dinosaur
by Amelia Hepworth
Normally, you wouldn’t want to get under a T-Rex’s skin, but this interactive board book does just that. It gives toddlers an inside look at the bones, muscles, and organs inside of a tyrannosaurus rex. Cut-out pages, vibrant artwork, and plenty of fun facts about these apex predators make this a must-read for tiny dino fans!
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21
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Global Fund for Children Series
by The Global Fund for Children
Toddlers love to look at pictures of babies and children. These titles are akin to coffee table books for the under-three set. The image-focused books share photographs of youngsters from around the world and have so many details for toddlers to marvel at. It’s hard to pick a favorite photo, but my son is partial to the Peruvian baby in the brightly colored woven hat and the Spanish infant supporting his local soccer team in Global Babies.
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Hello, World! Rocks and Minerals
by Jill McDonald
Children who love digging in the dirt, collecting rocks, and picking up seashells at the beach will enjoy this informative board book. With colorful art and simple facts, it teaches kids what rocks are, where minerals come from, and how we use these items. It’s an excellent introduction to the world of geology!
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