5 Perfect Gift Picture Books for Three Year Olds

Small in the City, by Sydney Smith
It’s hard to be little. It’s even more challenging when you’re little in a big city. This simple yet beautiful story shows the big, intimidating world of city life from the perspective of a young girl. Most impactful is its message of finding peace and a feeling of safety in a bustling world of busyness all around you.

In a Minute, Mama Bear, by Rachel Bright
Little Bella Bear likes to take her time, whether it is using the potty or getting in the car. But Mama Bear has things to do and places to go. So when she finally gets Bella Bear in the car, her patience is all used up. She honks and yells while she is driving . . . at least until she realizes that little Bella Bear is scared. That is when Mama Bear decides that maybe slowing down for the day isn’t so bad. Mama and Bella Bear head off to the park to spend a day with no errands or rushing. Author Rachel Bright handles the very real dilemma of the harried parent and slow-moving toddler with insight and humor that will resonate with both parents and little readers.

Where Is? – Donde Esta? El Chavo: A Bilingual Hide-And-Seek Book, by Patty Rodriguez, Ariana Stein, and Citlali Reyes
Author Patty Rodriguez created Where Is? – Donde Esta? El Chavo: A Bilingual Hide-And-Seek Book because she could not find many bilingual picture books to read to her baby, and this entertaining hide and seek book will engage young readers in both English and Spanish with colorful drawings and fun wordplay.

The Happy Book by Andy Rash
Author Andy Rash helps young readers make sense of big emotions in The Happy Book, the story of Camper and Clam. They are both happy, as well, clams until Camper eats the entire friendship cake made by Clam. This sets off a chain of events which finds the duo making their way through a variety of emotions, which takes them from the “Angry Book” to the “Scared Book.”  The two eventually arrive at the “Feelings Book” where all emotions are welcome, and get along. Understanding your own emotions is one of the hardest things to learn as a child and The Happy Book helps young readers recognize and make sense of their feelings.

Five Minutes, by Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Olivier Tallec
There is not a child in this world that hasn’t slumped their shoulders and dropped their head in frustration when their parent has told them they have to wait “5 more minutes.” This is the perfect book for laughing about and empathizing with the roller coaster of emotions many young children go through as they learn how to be patient, and about how five minutes can feel like a lifetime in one situation (at the zoo!), and like the blink of an eye in another (at the dentist).