Reading to your child is one of the best things you can do to help them learn about the world around them. It’s a brilliant activity to do with your child from birth and helps to build on the natural bond you have with your baby or infant.
There are so many well written children’s story books from both Australian and international authors. You can find children’s books to suit whatever interests your child has and to teach them about everything from wildlife and the environment, to the values of kindness and bravery.
When to read books
Children love to read books at any time of the day but lots of parents and caregivers enjoy reading their children a bedtime story. A bedtime story can be a brilliant way to end the day and to help your child relax before going to sleep.
You should make your child’s books accessible to them throughout the day. You may want to consider placing a small bookcase in their room at a height where they can easily reach the books themselves. Putting some comfortable cushions next to their book shelf will encourage them to sit and read here.
Try and remember to take a book with you when you go out and about. If you find yourself in a waiting room with your child, you can read them a story and keep them easily entertained. For long journeys, take a variety of books that your child can read or look at themselves.
Top 10 children’s story books
1.Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox and Helen Oxenbury
This is a beautiful story celebrating babies from around the world. It’s a great gift for any new parents to read with their children from birth upwards and is available in paperback and as a board book (useful for little hands!). Children of all ages will love the gentle rhyme and the stunning illustrations.
2.The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
This story is famous around the world and has become a much loved classic. It’s engaged millions of readers and has a simple yet hopeful story. Children will love the cut pages and the finger sized holes which they’ll want to explore straight away. The book encourages discussion about food, growth and change.
3.Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth by Oliver Jeffers
Another strikingly illustrated book explaining the world to a newborn child, Here We Are was written by Oliver Jeffers for his baby son. It’s a truly heart warming book that is written in the form of a manual or guide for living on Earth and for living well. Exploring concepts of kindness, patience and responsibility this is a wonderful read for children and adults alike.
4.Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French
French’s story about Mothball the Wombat has won numerous awards for children’s writing around the world. The story is humorous and clever, following the life of a busy wombat through words and illustrations. Children will enjoy making inferences about the text and it’s a lovely story for Australian families who will be familiar with the stereotypical ideas of a sleepy wombat.
5.The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
This is a British children’s book, illustrated by Axel Scheffler. It has sold over 13 million copies and has been turned into a TV series. It has also been developed into plays that have shown in both London’s West End and New York’s Broadway. The story is based around a mouse taking a walk in a ‘deep, dark wood’.
6.Possum in the House by Kiersten Jensen
This classic Australian children’s book has truly stood the test of time since it was first published in 1986. It follows a possum who is causing havoc in a house, being chased by a family through the pantry, kitchen, bathroom and study. The book has lovely lyrical repetition which young children will enjoy and the ending is heartwarming and funny.
7.The Tiger who came to Tea by Judith Kerr
This story was published over 50 years ago and is still as popular as ever with children in countries across the world. It follows the story of a little girl called Sophie who opens the door to a tiger who comes to her house for tea. Children will delight at the tiger eating all the food and drinking all of the drinks in Sophie’s house at this very unconventional tea party.
8.Elmer by David Mckee
This patchwork elephant has become a modern classic. Babies and children will love this story with the brightly coloured elephant who learns to celebrate his different-ness. The book was first published in 1989 and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
For slightly older readers:
9.What Zola Did on Monday by Melina Marchetta
This is from one of Australia’s most popular authors and is part of the Zola series designed for beginner readers. There are lots of Australian references (Zola lives on Boomerang Street!) and the series is set around the seven days of the week. Children who like dogs will love this story which deals with themes of memory and love amongst many others.
10.Ape’s Great Escape by Russell Punter
For children starting off with phonics, this is a brilliant book. With simple rhyming text and illustrations from David Semple, the story is engaging and funny. There are notes at the back of the book to help parents to assist their children with learning phonics. You can either read with your child or encourage them to join in with you as they become more confident.
Celebrating books
Books can bring a huge amount of joy to children of all ages. They are also enormously beneficial for their learning and development.
Always make sure you talk about books with your children. Discuss the characters you’ve met, the story lines that they have enjoyed, and any themes and ideas that have come up within the stories.
Making books a part of your child’s everyday life will help them hugely when it comes to starting school.