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15 Best Books for 3-Year-Olds

These great reads for toddlers, including award winners, will inspire a lifetime love of reading.

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best books for 3yo

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Reading with your toddler can be a precious — not to mention educational — activity. It's a great chance to spend meaningful time together, broaden their vocabulary while having fun at the same time and inspire a lifetime love of reading. When your child hits age three, they are likely engaging more with the books in their room or at the library. Even though parents will be doing the actual reading out loud, 3-year-olds will likely be able to point to objects in a book, ask questions about the story and be able to listen for longer periods of time.

When you're looking for the best books for 3-year-olds, they are colorful, engaging and include lessons that will teach your child important and exciting facts about the world. And because we all know kids at that age love to read the same books over and over again, they're also adorable enough that parents won't mind when your child begs for "just one more story" at bedtime.

We've rounded up some of our favorite board books, picture books and books for toddlers, as well as award-winning reads that are sure to find a place of honor on your child's bookshelf. They make great birthday presents for 3-year-olds, preschool graduation gifts or a special treat for anytime your kid has earned a little something.

And once you've run through all the great books on this list, check out the Good Housekeeping Kids' Book Awards for more favorites to suit any age.

With two built-in activity wheels, there are lots of exciting objects of all shapes and colors to find in this innovative book. It's great for working on memory and observation, as well as fine motor skills, not to mention, it's sturdy enough to read on the go.

If the mail carrier's arrival is the highlight of your toddler's day, they'll love this engaging board book. Sixteen flaps and a double gatefold at the end give your little one lots to discover.

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If there's a toddler out there who doesn't love fire trucks, we've never met them. This fun board book features steering wheel handles and interactive elements with a fun rhyming story that will hold their attention all the way through.

Eye-popping colors, bold shapes and a delightfully impish tale make this book's visual humor really sing, both for kids and adults because reading to your toddler should be fun for all involved.

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Teach your toddler about the beauty of body differences with this adorable tale about a box turtle born without a shell who uses a cardboard box instead.

With so many ABC books out there, it can be hard to pick just one. This durable, chunky board book has raised and scooped-out elements to encourage your little one to explore the alphabet through a tactile, multisensory experience.

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This exciting accordion fold-out book has plenty to discover, taking kids on a tour of the ins and outs of an airport train. It's chock-full of silly surprises, like vacationing penguins, glamorous movie stars and lots more.

Either as one of your child's birthday gifts or to teach them about birthdays before attending their first kids' party, this fun and colorful book is too cute for words.

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Get ready for your kids to high-five everyone they meet once they get into this cute way to teach social-emotional skills. It's a great way to teach children who can be a bit shy how to navigate meeting new people.

Show your 3-year-old that if they can dream it, they can do it with this inspiring book featuring 18 women, from writers to inventors, artists to scientists and other important trailblazers.

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Parents of picky eaters, this one's for you. Teach your kid easy-to-remember Spanish vocabulary as well as delicious new dishes with this celebration of food truck cuisine.

For kids who are having a hard time adjusting to a move, a new school or other life changes, this imaginative adventure will help. It's a sweet story about finding new friends that grown-ups will love as much as their little ones do.

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Welcome fall with this sweet story about adjusting to change while acknowledging the anxiety new things can sometimes bring. It's also a great introduction to the seasons, perfect for ringing in a new school year.

If that fish's face doesn't convince you to pick this one up, the rhythmically rhyming story and beautiful illustrations will. Reading about a fish who discovers that spreading "dreary wearies" isn't his thing will make even the most nap-deprived smile.

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If you don't already own a copy of this classic, you owe it to your kid's bookshelf to pick up a copy. The board book version is sturdy enough for your toddler to read at home or to bring along on trips where a comfort object will make bedtime easier.

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