So after my last board book review was posted, an early childhood/literacy expert friend of mine pointed out that I should real hammer home the idea that any reading is educational reading, and she’s right. So, let me say that again, any reading is educational.
There is much to learn from any book a child may choose to read or have you read to them. Even if the content is not age accessible, you can make any book/magazine with illustrations into a “look and find” or “tell me about what you see” moment. (This can also be a lifesaver when you make an unexpected detour to Urgent Care and are stuck in a waiting room without any of the usual distractions for kiddos). I even read my master’s thesis out loud to one of my kids when he was 6 months because he was home sick the day I had to do my final edits.
Can he tell you anything about teaching world music to middle school band students? Of course not! But, hearing my voice, hearing inflection, diction, and seeing my facial expressions all helped nurture an interest in language. So the long and short of it is, the books I refer to here as “educational” are books designed to teach kids about a specific concept. This does not mean that they are the only kinds of books to which your kiddos should be exposed. Let’s all say it one more time: ALL READING IS EDUCATIONAL!
That being said, here are books that address specific events or developments in a child’s life and these are the books we have found that our kiddos love. Be sure to comment below with your favorites too!
Leslie Patricelli’s board books are a household favorite and it all started with this book. Potty is the story of a toddler who has decided that he no longer wants to go potty in his diaper. He follows the cat and dog to see where they go potty, does a potty dance or two, and then decides to try to go on his own potty. The language and illustrations are simple but charming. There are a couple pages with no words at all that allow you to narrate in a way that makes sense for your family’s approach/experience. This also makes it fairly re-readable since you can change the dialogue (or better yet, let your kid explain it to you) as you read it over and over. As an additional bonus, if you are raising a bilingual English/Spanish child, there is a 
Bear’s Loose Tooth by Karma Wilson (author) and Jane Chapman (illustrator) is one of many board books in the Bear series. Just like Bear Snores On (which was included in the Nature books review), the illustrations are delightful with the animals stylized slightly to up the cute factor. This is a bit text heavy, but by 18 months kiddos are ready to sit still for this one. The story is told in rhyming text (though it took me a bit to find the groove of it) and starts with Bear noticing he has a loose tooth. His friends try to help him pull it out and keep him calm by explaining that a new tooth will take its place. The book even takes a moment to find the humor in the silly smile that is now missing a tooth. There’s enough length to the book to make it decently re-readable but we’ve found our kiddos are usually good after the second read. And if they ask for a third read? Maybe have another Bear book handy and see if your kiddo will go for a swap!
Bathtime for Twins by Ellen Weiss (author) and Sam Williams (illustrator) takes us through the bathtime routine of a pair of twins. Now, we have twins so this was quite appropriate, but I would argue that it works for any family. The rhyming text is simple and the illustrations are equally simple and cute. The illustrations never reveal any nude anatomy below the belly button or above the knee and the gender of the twins is never revealed even in the text. This makes the board book more marketable but also means any family with two young kids who bathe together can make their own decisions about the twins. The book starts with the twins already in the tub and playing things like “fill and pour,” watching their boat, making bubble hats, and washing their hair. It then moves on to their bedtime routine which can make this a good bedtime book too. It is short and simple so re-reading isn’t much of a chore, and as I’ve said on many reviews before, you can always put them in the storyteller’s seat if you just can’t stomach reading it for the fifth, sixth, or twentieth time that night.
No! By Tracey Corderoy (author) and Warnes (Illustrator) tells the story of a little rhino who learns the power, for good or for ill, of the word “no.” The non-rhyming text uses simple language to tell the story of what happens when a rhino toddler decides to say, “No,” to everything. At first the board book shows him refusing to do things like eating his vegetables or cleaning up his toys, but then it moves on to him saying, “No,” to things like “Would you like a special treat?” and, “It’s time to come inside. It’s about to rain.” The little rhino learns that he should listen to what he is being asked and not just say, “No,” for the sake of saying, “No.” This one can get a little old with the rereading but as your kiddos start to flex their own independence, you can certainly turn re-reads into little chats about the power of “no.”
Hands Are Not For Hitting by Martine Agassi Ph.D. (author) and Marieka Heilen (Illustrator) is one of many board books in the “Best Behavior Series.” We discovered this one when one of our kiddos was hitting himself and others (well, mostly Mama) a little too often. The text is basic and short and the illustrations show young kids of various ages and ethnicities modeling the positive behaviors that the book encourages. The sentence, “Hands are not for hitting,” starts the book off followed immediately by the question, “What are Hands for?” The book then spends a few pages offering suggestions and illustrations of things hands should do like cleaning up, getting dressed, and holding hands as you cross the street. It then repeats the first sentence and question followed by new positive examples. The book cycles through this pattern a third time before it finishes. This reinforcement helps drive home the need to not hit and positive things to do with hands. I do wish it would give positive suggestions for ways to vent frustrations besides hitting. Still, it is a simple message of “don’t hit” with positive behavior encouraged. As you reread it with your kiddo, you can even encourage them to try some of the motions the book suggests.
So, what do you think? Do you agree, disagree, or have a favorite you don’t see here? Even if it doesn’t fit this list, I’d love to hear about your favorites in the comments below!
