25 books your kids will want to read over and over (and over)
What's your child's current favorite?
My favorite part of the day, hands down, is when my freshly bathed son is all snuggly in his PJs and he’s about to sit down in my lap to tuck into a good book before bed. My least favorite part, though, is when he goes to his bookcase and grabs the same book we read earlier that day and the night before (and the night before that). I almost always say, “That one? But do you want to try something new?” (Spoiler: He doesn’t.)
So I take a deep breath and remind myself about the research that says reading the same book to your kids over and over helps their brain development. And I dive into the world of Pete the Cat or Piggy and Gerald, and before we know it I’m wrapped up in the magic of that world, too.
We recently asked #TeamMotherly to share the books their kids want to read over and over (and over) and you didn’t disappoint. Here’s what you’re reading (or, more likely, have already memorized):
What the Ladybird Heard
Kim says: “He’s not even two yet and has it memorized!”
$9.83
Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late
Danielle says: “These are at least twice daily for weeks. More if they’re kept downstairs!”
$11.15
Aliens Love Underpants
Hope shares: “After two years of constant reading pages are missing and/or torn but he still keeps going to them.”
$14.47
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Nelly shares: “When I went to the hospital to have my daughter, my sister and brother-in-law watched my two boys. She FaceTimed me because they were crying and upset. They wanted mommy to read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom because Auntie Cj wasn’t doing it right.
“I cried as I recited Chicka Chicka boom boom from my hospital bed. I wanted so badly to be there to hug them and read it in person. They were really missing their mommy and were worried about the doctor cutting open my belly to get the baby out. I recited it all from memory of course. I cried. My sister cried. And my boys finally stopped crying. ?
“I went home two nights later and read it to them, never more happy to read the same book for the 315th time. ❤️”
$4.59
Pig the Pug (and the rest of the series)
Michelle says: “We have them all and I swear he knows them word for word.”
$12.44
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes
Tara says: “Anything Pete the Cat and especially ‘I Love My White Shoes’!”
$10.93
Good Night Good Night Construction Site
Nanako says: “Read it so many times I can recite the whole book!”
$7.47
I Love You Night and Day
Samantha says: “I have read this book to my son at bedtime since I was pregnant and he’s 7.5 months. His eyes light up and he gets the biggest grin and laughs now when I show it to him. ❤️ It’s one of my favorite special times with him.”
$5.00
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
Stefania shares: “My 3yo loves the book, the song, the movie and even the Bear Hunt yoga for a year. Needless to say, her 3rd birthday will be themed …you guessed it ??”
$7.99
Dragons Love Tacos
Neveen says: “My 1.5 yo loves [it].”
$9.50
Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups
Rainy says: “Just had to hide [this book] bc we’ve been reading it on repeat (sometimes 4-5x in a row) lately.”
$17.99
Home Sweet Home: a Lift-the-Flap Book
Pegah shares: “I can read it page by page without even looking at it. Pointless to read bc my impatient LO just goes to the flap lifting before I can finish a sentence ???”
$6.99
Never Touch a Dragon (and the rest of the “Never Touch” series)
Lindsay says: “He doesn’t like to sit long enough to read unless there’s hands-on stuff involved ?”
$8.91
The Bear Snores On
Mira shares: “Every time, over and over…”
$7.99
The Monster at the End of This Book
Rebecca says: “It’s so much fun to read as a parent too.”
$4.99
The Little Blue Truck (and the rest of the series)
Kate says: “I have the Halloween one memorized haha.”
$5.00
Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?
Kristina says, “My 2-year-old can recite it from memory because we read it so much! It’s a game now when we aren’t even reading it. ‘What did the teacher see?’ ?”
$5.00
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Beejal says: “My 18-month-old daughter especially likes the page with all the food. It’s so cute to hear her trying to say what each item is.”
$5.06
Good Night Moon
Charliena shares: “We have to read [it] every night…”
$5.00
The Wonky Donkey
Leann says: “My little one is just altogether a fan of reading already…” (And check out this hilarious viral video of a grandma reading it to her grandchild.)
$4.99
May I Please Have a Cookie?
Monika shares: “[It’s] my daughter’s fav book.”
$4.99
10 Little Fingers and 10 Little Toes
Shawn says: “It’s so sweet to count your LO’s fingers and toes and give three kisses at the end ?”
$6.89
Stick Man
Rosemary shares: ” She loves all of [Julia Donaldson’s] books. We have most of them!”
$10.49
Clifford’s Bedtime Story Box
Thais says: “It has been almost six months of big red dog every single night. Thankfully, there’s more than one book about Clifford.”
$9.85
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Janet says: “I guess it was so easy to relate to!!!” ?
$7.29