Re-Reading the Same Picture Books Every Night? Try These 18 Read-A-Likes for 6 Beloved Classics

Little Blue Truck, by Alice Schertle
The classic picture book of a sweet little truck named Blue and his barnyard friends is a crowd favorite, but even the biggest Little Blue Truck fan can get tired of it night after night. Because the book includes farm animals and trucks, Old MacDonald Had a Truck by Steve Goetz is a great choice for your little one. There are plenty of other vehicles in the book, too, so it literally has all the major components of Little Blue Truck. If you think your child is more interested in the farm animals and their sounds, try Moo, Baa, La La La! by Sandra Boynton for a fun book to read out loud. And finally, for more farm animals and talk of the barn, pick up Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown.

Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown
If you can recite Goodnight, Moon (guilty), then you’ve read it too many times. Take a break from that sweet little bunny in the green room with a bowl full of mush and find a new favorite for your toddler. Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker is a fun bedtime story for those obsessed with tractors, bulldozers, and other wheeled construction machines. Little Owl’s Night by Divya Srinivasan is one of the sweetest stories about a nighttime routine, but the hero is a little owl instead of a bunny. But if you still want a book that talks of bedtime and sweet, sweet sleep, try The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton. With all of the animals getting ready to go to bed, it has the same characteristics of Goodnight, Moon, and ends on a similar sleepy note.

Guess How Much I Love You, by Sam McBratney
The little bunny in Guess How Much I Love You, along with his daddy, has made the rounds in many a nursery. If you love the author, pick up You’re All My Favorites, another darling picture book by Sam McBratney about three little bears and the love they feel from their parents. Because Guess How Much I Love You is a great story for dads and kids, you can also read Kisses for Daddy by Frances Watts and David Legge to celebrate the adorable dynamics between a father and his little one. But one of my favorites, Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You by Nancy Tillman, is also perfect for fans of Guess How Much I Love You, as it tells the story of a parent’s love and how big and strong it is.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle
Every kid loves The Very Hungry Caterpillar, but what is it that draws your toddler to the book? If it’s the hunger factor, you can read another classic like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff. Have a tiny nature lover? Keep up the butterfly and caterpillar narrative with the beautiful Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert. But for many kids, it’s just a love of Eric Carle, so read another great piece from him like Mister Seahorse. The illustrations are bright, the story is interesting and keeps kids engaged, and it’s still educational.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
I honestly can not tell you how many times I’ve read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, but my total is big enough to make me want to find some new read-a-likes. Because the book focuses on letters, you can read tons of fun books about the alphabet, like Dr. Seuss’s ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book!. My favorite part of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is how the letters are personified, like they are real characters, so keep that part of the story alive with The Sleepy Little Alphabet: A Bedtime Story from Alphabet Town by Judy Sierra and LMNO Peas by Keith Baker.

Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak
Believe it or not, it is possible to get sick of Max and his adventures with the wild things. But you can keep your toddler’s love of adventure alive with We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen. This story is also a classic, but it’s worth reading again and again (until you get tired of it, too) just so you can encourage your child’s imagination. For another strong character with lots of energy and imagination, try Max the Brave by Ed Vere, a story about a little kitten who never backs down. But arguably one of the best parts of Where the Wild Things Are is the fun, larger-than-life monsters. Who knows a monster better than The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone? The story is interactive, too, and your kids will love giving up a trip to see the wild things to hang out with Grover for the night.
What picture books do you need read-a-likes for?