Good Books for Catholic 3 to 4 year olds 

By age three to four, toddlers are becoming preschoolers and are ready for longer, more challenging stories. Here are some of our favorites for this age!

pinterest image good books for catholic 3 to 4 year olds

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If you only buy one book off this list, buy Dogger. In my opinion Shirley Hughes’ greatest work, Dogger tells a humorous and heartwarming story of losing a favorite toy, and big sister saving the day through a sacrifice. I always tear up for this one.
Themes: sacrifice, sibling love, giving

Peter in Blueberry Land is a truly beautiful book by Elsa Beskow about Peter’s quest to find berries for his mother’s birthday. If you’re looking for a gift, An Elsa Beskow Gift Collection: Peter in Blueberry Land and other beautiful books is a cute set of miniature versions of her most popular books.
Themes: giving, imaginary lands, friendship, helping

With The Big Alfie Out of Doors Storybook, you get four stories plus poems in one book! In this collection, Alfie and Annie Rose build a store, help a cow find its way home, go camping, and visit the seashore.
Themes: enjoying nature, patience, playing together, sibling love

Under the Moon by Joanne Ryder has incredibly beautiful, detailed nature scenes (my kids wanted to eat the blackberries!). Mama Mouse teaches baby mouse to find her way home by using her senses.
Themes: nature, five senses, mother-child love

Make Way for Ducklings is a famous Robert McCloskey story about a mallard duck couple raising their babies in a busy city.
Themes: helping, kindness to animals

Speaking of ducklings the lesser known Lucky Ducklings is a fun story about baby ducklings falling down a storm drain and being rescued in a dramatic manner by fireen and a truck with a tow hitch.
Themes: helping, rescues, bravery

Jane Hissey’s beautifully illustrated Old Bear books about the adventures of a collection of plush animals are definitely worth buying. Her original unabridged stories are difficult to find, but The Old Bear Collection contains most of her charming text and illustrations.
Themes: friendship, sharing, kindness

The Little Island by Margaret Wise Brown is a layered story about at once an island steadfast through the seasons of the year and a curious kitten who adventures on the island.

The Perfect Pony is a perfect story for horse loving children. It has an amazing theme about patience and kindness mattering more than beauty.

The Apple Pie Tree describes two sisters watching their apple tree and a family of robins throughout the year, eagerly waiting to make an apple pie!
Themes: waiting patiently, observing nature, sibling fun

Tractor Mac, the friendly red tractor, learns about building a barn, patience, and humility in Tractor Mac Builds a Barn.
Themes: patience, humility, boasting, hard work

Charlie Goes to School is a funny story about Charlie the ranch dog’s family starting their school year as homeschoolers. Charlie is such a sweet, amusing, sleepy basset hound he is sure to become a family favorite. You can find more of his adventures in Charlie the Ranch Dog and Charlie Plays Ball .
Themes: starting school, homeschooling, friendship, helping

Percy the parkkeeper is another wonderful character of British children’s literature. In Percy’s Bumpy Ride , Percy invents a flying lawn mower and takes his animal friends for a ride over the park.
Themes: friendship, building machines, kindness

The Brave Cowboy is a tale of a little boy whose days are colored with cowboy adventures courtesy of his vivid imagination. The illustrations are cleverly executed with the boy’s visions in red ink and real life in black ink.
Themes: bravery, imaginative play, the wild west

Another cowboy tale, Cowboy Small rides his paint pony cactus on the range, getting back on even when he hits the dust, in this fun little story from Lois Lenski.
Themes: trying again, bravery, perseverance, wild west

Raven and River is a beautifully illustrated story about a Raven and a winter in Alaska. Simple, beautiful text, poetic in its diction and rhythm, make this book memorable.

Homeplace is a fascinating book about a homestead that has been passed down through seven generations of a family. The detailed illustrations visualize what each generation adds to what begins as a tiny log cabin and ends as a thriving home and farm.

When I Was Young in the Mountains is another wonderful reminiscence about country life and simple pleasures.

The Seven Silly Eaters is a hilarious rhymed story of a mom struggling to cope with seven picky children until they decide to do something for her for a change. I found it heartwarming, even if the ending is far fetched, and kids love the detailed illustrations.
Themes: picky eating, helping out, big families

In Honey… Honey… Lion!, you get a gorgeously illustrated retelling of an African folk tale. This book is a great introduction to onomatopoeia! (Onomatopoeia are words that imitate the sound of the subject or object they refer to, like “buzz” or “drip-drop.”)

We love the description of homestead life in Ox-Cart Man accompanied by illustrations from the wonderful Barbara Cooney. A family works industriously all winter to have goods to trade in the spring.

Eric Carle’s Pancakes, Pancakes! is stellar for starting preschool minds thinking about from where food comes and appreciating the work that goes into a simple meal. Jack wants a pancake, and his mother will make it if he gathers all the ingredients himself!
Themes: hard work, perseverance, where food comes from, earning something makes it sweeter

Doctor Dan the Bandage Man is the story of Dan learning from his mom’s care of his own cut to care for the hurts of his sister, pet, and even dad.
Themes: caring for others, helping, bravery

As I add yet another British classic to the list, I’ll confess a weakness for British children’s books! Mick Inkpen’s Kipper Story Collection introduces Kipper, the sweet-natured dog, whose gentle adventures with his stuffed animals and real animal friends make soothing bedtime stories.
Themes: friendship, kindness

In The Mitten Nicki loses his mitten despite his grandma’s warnings, and when he finds it is stretched out from a tangle of animals using it as a den.
Themes: good stewardship, sharing

Another favorite Jan Brett, Annie and the Wild Animals features adorable Annie, who is searching for a new pet after her cat Taffy disappears.
Themes: perseverance, friendship, loneliness

Home Sweet Home is a beautiful book both both in its detailed illustrations of different animal habitats and in its simple message of God blessing all things.
Themes: appreciating nature, blessings

The Complete Adventures of Curious George: 75th Anniversary Edition is, to me, a good book in essence as long as one adequately discusses George’s disobedience and its negative consequences. These original stories by the Reys are funny and have good lessons about obedience, impulse control, and friendship.
Themes: obedience, actions have consequences, helping, self control

Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business is a funny kid favorite based on a Russian folk tale.
Themes: stealing, cleverness

Reading Richard Scarry’s Please and Thank You Book is a great way to start instilling a positive view of good manners.
Themes: obedience, kindness, good manners, sharing, kindness

Pond is a beautifully illustrated book that combines an introduction to the seasons with the concept of creative outdoor play.

The Seed Who Was Afraid to Be Planted is a great story to introduce the idea of dying and heaven to young children in a positive way. A little seed is afraid to be planted and “die” but realizes that only by dying can he attain a life more beautiful than he could imagine in his dark drawer. Check out my full review here.

Please also check out my list of specifically Catholic books:

Good books for Catholic 2 to 3 year olds

At two to three years old, children have a longer attention span and a greater appreciation for detailed illustrations. There are so many wonderful books for this age!

Some of my favorite authors to begin to explore with 2 to 3 year olds include Shirley Hughes, Margaret Wise Brown, Eric Carle, Jan Brett, and Robert McCloskey.

books for catholic 2 to 3 year olds

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Giving is a wonderful story about all the different meanings of “giving.” Described by a little girl and illustrated by the ever-charming Shirley Hughes.
Themes: giving, thankfulness, sharing

Blueberries for Sal is possibly my favorite book for two year olds. Little Sal and little bear learn that they should stay close to their mommies, even if yummy berries are tempting!
Themes: obedience, courage

Baby’s Boat is a luminous bedtime story we love describing a dream voyage on a moon-boat.
Themes: bedtime, poetic language

Little Donkey Close Your Eyes is by the great Margaret Wise Brown. Animals around the world settle down for bed in their own ways as their mothers urge them to close their eyes.
Themes: bedtime, animals, mothers

A Home in the Barn is another favorite by Margaret Wise Brown with lovely illustrations from Caldecott Medalist Jerry Pinkney. This book describes the coming of winter and how various farm animals prepare for the cold and wind.
Themes: winter, opposites, onomatopoeia

Peter finds treasures on his walk, but has no pockets to put them in! Mommy saves the day by sewing new ones on in Peter’s Pockets
Themes: sharing, creativity

Hush Little Baby is a nature-focused variation on the traditional rhyme, and is the version we sing in our house.
Themes: mother love, enjoying nature

When the Rooster Crowed is a toddler favorite about the farm animals trying to wake up the sleepy farmer.
Themes: persistence, sloth, patience

Shirley Hughes’ Alfie’s Feet is a simple but beloved story in which Alfie gets new boots and solves the mystery of why they feel funny.
Themes: growing, calmly solving problems, enjoying the outdoors

Another popular Alfie story, Alfie Gets in First, is a cautionary tale warning children against locking doors. But don’t worry it has a happy ending!
Themes: obedience, staying calm in an emergency

Little Lamb to the Rescue, one of the most beautiful picture books we own, is the story of a little lamb helping an even littler bird.
Themes: helping, friendship

In Eric Carle’s The Very Busy Spider: A Lift-the-Flap Book (The World of Eric Carle), the spider works despite all distracions to build a beautiful web. Lift the flaps on each page are fun for little ones.
Themes: industriousness, perseverance

Little Baby Buttercup is a charming recounting by a loving mother of her day with her little girl. This sweet book is a must read to your little girl!
Themes: a mother’s love for her child

Crocodaddy is one for the daddies and sons! A little boy and his father play at a pond, using their imaginations to make an enjoyable day even funner.
Themes: using your imagination, daddy-son bonding

In Better Not Get Wet, Jesse Bear, Jesse Bear, a very active little bear, learns about all the times one shouldn’t get wet, and finally when one should!
Themes: obedience, patience

Jan Brett’s illustrations in The Hat are, as always, worthy of lengthy study. In this story Hedgehog struggles to get untangled from a stocking, and Lisa tries to find her missing clothes.
Themes: perseverance, being kind to others

Also check out some other simple Brett stories perfect for this age like The Mitten, Annie and the Wild Animals, and Cozy.

Little Mommy is a good old story of a little girl caring for her dolls. It’s sure to delight any little mommy!
Themes: motherliness

Another good old story, The curious little Kitten details the adventure of a very curious little kitten! It is a good cautionary tale to show the dangers of too much curiosity.
Themes: curiosity, persistence

Is Your Mama a Llama? is a funny story that connects animal mamas and babies together. I think Steven Kellog’s trademark illustrations work perfectly with this story.

Once Upon a Cloud is a modern tale with illustrations to delight little princesses and a fanciful story of a little girl going on a magic carpet ride to find the perfect gift for her mother.
Themes: giving

Little Mouse and the Big Cupcake is a delectable, gentle story about a little mouse trying to get a huge cupcake home, with some help from his hungry friends.
Themes: sharing, generosity

Illustrated by the marvellous Hilda Van Stockum, Pamela Walks the Dog is a hilarious little book about Pamela’s lengthy preparations to take her non-existent dog for a walk.

“So she took her little sister instead.”

Themes: perseverance, creativity

Simple stories about Poppy and Sam are always a hit with two year olds. In Complete Book of Farmyard Tales, Poppy and Sam find lost animals, discover kittens, and help rescue the tractor.

Sylvia Long’s Big Book for Small Children is a charmingly illustrated collection of nursery rhymes, simple fairy tales, lullabies, and more.

Elsa Minarik’s Little Bear books are intended for beginning readers, but toddlers are entranced by these stories that celebrate the joy of being with family and friends!

A Horse Named Jack is our favorite rhyming and counting book for toddlers. Enjoy Jack’s escapades and learn to count to ten!

But don’t stop here! There’s so many more books!

Looking for something more, well, Catholic? Check out my book lists of specifically Catholic books for Catholic Preschoolers and Kindergarteners  and Catholic Board Books for Catholic Toddlers.

Need a bedtime story?

Look at my list of Sleepy Bedtime Stories for Little Ones.

Have a budding animal lover?

Check out my list of The Best Farm Animal Picture Books!

Have a new baby on the way?

Check out my list Good Books for… Preparing Catholic Kids for a New Baby!