Author Topic: Books for 3 - 4 year olds  (Read 8106 times)

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Offline creations

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Books for 3 - 4 year olds
« on: October 14, 2013, 18:29:12 pm »
What are your 'must reads' for this age group and are there are any series or box sets you'd recommend?
« Last Edit: January 13, 2015, 19:19:40 pm by creations »


Offline michaeljacknnugg

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Re: Books for 3 - 4 year olds
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2013, 18:36:34 pm »
The snail and the whale, one of my favourite books to read aloud ever!
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Offline LovelyLilyandJack

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Re: Books for 3 - 4 year olds
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2013, 18:45:02 pm »
"You Choose" by Pippa Goodhart has been a very popular book this year.  Not so much a story as one to sit down and talk about together.  Lily loves going through and choosing where she'd live, who her friends would be, what she'd have in her house, what she and I and Daddy would wear, pointing out people who look like people in real life that she knows etc.  Definitely a favourite....



Offline *Liz*

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Re: Books for 3 - 4 year olds
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2013, 19:03:04 pm »
My favourite is 'The Paper Dolls', and I also like the Winnie the Witch books.

Funny Bones books are quite fun as well.

Really though it's a case of any 'real' picture book at this age, anything with a proper rhyme or a story.

Julia Donaldson is prob my overall favourite. Superworm is fun, Monkey Puzzle, The Gruffalo of course.

Princess Spaghetti, Norman the snail with the silly shell, Supermarket zoo.

Goodness, there are SO many I like  ;D ;D.

Offline Khalam's Mama

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Re: Books for 3 - 4 year olds
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2013, 20:03:09 pm »
Also love Julia Donaldson. We have room on the broom, stick man, a squash and a squeeze, gruffalo and gruffalo's child. I love them because the kids love them and because they rhyme I find them more enjoyable to read for the millionth time.

Offline anna*

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Re: Books for 3 - 4 year olds
« Reply #5 on: October 14, 2013, 20:07:50 pm »
Oh yes, we got LOADS of mileage out of You Choose - also it was a real icebreaker. Stan was (so funny to remember, he is so confident now) pretty shy so we travelled with this book and he would use it as a conversation starter with unfamiliar adults ie at a family get-together (not strangers, obvs).

All the Alfie books by Shirley Hughes, oh we read those a million times.

Where the Wild Things Are

The Neighbourhood Mother Goose

Of course everything Julia Donaldson

Dr Seuss - The Cat in the Hat, Fox in Socks, Mr Brown Can Moo, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

The Tale of Two Bad Mice

The Enormous Crocodile - Roald Dahl.





Offline Katet

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Re: Books for 3 - 4 year olds
« Reply #6 on: October 14, 2013, 20:16:52 pm »
The snail and the whale, one of my favourite books to read aloud ever!
Was going to say any thing that is Julia Donaldson (Gruffalo etc) would be top of my list

Not sure if you get them in the UK/Nth America, but also LOVE Mem Fox books.
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Offline We Three

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Re: Books for 3 - 4 year olds
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2013, 20:29:34 pm »
All time faves here are the "Bear" books....incredible rhythm and rhyme, and FANTASTIC stories...so sweet, with themes of true friendship and understanding....we ADORE them, and have since dd was 2! They still hold up today at almost 7!  They are just perfection, from the characters to the illustrations.....just perfect! And they will last a long, long time! 

  http://www.amazon.com/Friends-Collection-Paperback-Includes-Christmas/dp/0545423406

  http://karmawilson.com/books/main.htm
« Last Edit: October 14, 2013, 20:34:49 pm by Amelia1227 »

Offline *Ali*

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Re: Books for 3 - 4 year olds
« Reply #8 on: October 14, 2013, 20:35:12 pm »
Another Julia Donaldson fan here. Room on the broom and the gruffalo are the most read here.

We also love Harry and the Dinosaurs series and the tiger who came to tea and Hairy Maclary books.

We also have a traditional nursery rhyme book that both boys love reading.

If you are thinking of the kid actually reading themselves then the ORT Biff, Chip and Kipper series are good.
« Last Edit: October 14, 2013, 20:40:32 pm by *Ali* »
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Offline Mashi

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Re: Books for 3 - 4 year olds
« Reply #9 on: October 14, 2013, 20:58:03 pm »
I like a couple of Julia Donaldson but I think most were a rush to put something out and they are just not that good!

DS likescthe "Once there was a Boy...." set and it is quite cute.

Meg and Mog.

The Little Critter booksxare American and harder to find in the UK but worth it.

Richard Scarry, although a bit dated, they are lovely.

There is one that DS hascwhich he has read at least once a week sincem he was nearly 3yo and still criescwithnlaughter, called A Lark in the Ark...a lift the flap book where the animals get up to tricks on the Ark while Noah sleeps. Rhyming and silly.

Offline creations

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Re: Books for 3 - 4 year olds
« Reply #10 on: October 14, 2013, 21:36:17 pm »
LOADS of mileage out of You Choose
We've had this for several months now (from around 2.5yo) and DS loves it, I can see it will continue to be a fav after he turns 3 too.
Another, in a similar vein which gets lots of attention is an old Oxford Children's Picture Dictionary (1981 L A Hill and Charles Innes, illustrated by Barry Rowe ), it's not the standard dictionary with one picture per word but instead scenes of various subjects with various items numbered which goes to a key on that page with the words.  There is so much to look at and talk about even without the words. It's not available new but can be found second hand and in various languages - looks tacky and old but it's fabulous.

Dare I admit I don't think I have ever read a Roald Dahl or Julia Donaldson book  :-[ I realise this must be rectified before DS starts nursery or he'll be outcast.

I shouldn't really comment on this thread as DS isn't 3 yet so I have no evidence of the books he will enjoy however, we get a lot of mileage out of the various Dr Seuss books we have, the most recent favs are
Oh the places you'll go
Inside your outside
No place like space


Offline Buntybear

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Re: Books for 3 - 4 year olds
« Reply #11 on: October 14, 2013, 21:55:13 pm »
You must have read the Gruffalo?! :o

I love Stick Man for it's rhyming. Room on a Broom is ok some of the others are pretty boring tbh you have to pick and choose

Offline creations

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Re: Books for 3 - 4 year olds
« Reply #12 on: October 14, 2013, 22:19:26 pm »
You must have read the Gruffalo?!
No  :D
Closest we came was a toddler yoga class where the lady read the Gruffalo (or was it Gruffalo's Child - see I can't even remember) and did yoga moves for each animal but we were so focused on the moves I have no memory of the story whatsoever.
Yeah, odd isn't it.

Keep them coming ladies - we have an entire year to fill :)


Offline *Ali*

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Re: Books for 3 - 4 year olds
« Reply #13 on: October 14, 2013, 22:28:17 pm »
I tend to think of Roald Dahl as chapter books for older kids but I've never tried. I'm sure most nursery aged kids won't have read them though.

We also have the Room on the broom DVD because the kids liked the book so much. It has some lovely music and extra bits in. Other JD favourites are Stick Man, A Squash and a Squeeze, Smartest Giant in Town, Zog and cave baby. We have several more and they are all well-liked.

Some other books they like are giraffes can't dance, the Charlie and Lola books, the bedtime bear and the mr Men series.
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Re: Books for 3 - 4 year olds
« Reply #14 on: October 14, 2013, 22:55:12 pm »
We love Shirley Hughes books and anything by Sarah garland http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/184507727X/ref=redir_mdp_mobile. I love books that the kids resonate with-so ben has loved the alfie books and the Sarah garland ones are about real life activities like doing the washing or the gardening, but in a lovely way. Oh, and I like the way that both authors have pictures of untidy, realistic homes! It always makes me feel better  ;)
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