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.
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Giving
Themes: giving, thankfulness, sharing
Blueberries for Sal
Themes: obedience, courage
Baby’s Boat
Themes: bedtime, poetic language
Little Donkey Close Your Eyes
Themes: bedtime, animals, mothers
A Home in the Barn
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
Themes: mother love, enjoying nature
When the Rooster Crowed
Themes: persistence, sloth, patience
Shirley Hughes’ Alfie’s Feet
Themes: growing, calmly solving problems, enjoying the outdoors
Another popular Alfie story, Alfie Gets in First
Themes: obedience, staying calm in an emergency
Little Lamb to the Rescue
Themes: helping, friendship
In Eric Carle’s The Very Busy Spider: A Lift-the-Flap Book (The World of Eric Carle)
Themes: industriousness, perseverance
Little Baby Buttercup
Themes: a mother’s love for her child
Crocodaddy
Themes: using your imagination, daddy-son bonding
In Better Not Get Wet, Jesse Bear
Themes: obedience, patience
Jan Brett’s illustrations in The Hat
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 
Themes: motherliness
Another good old story, The curious little Kitten
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
Themes: giving
Little Mouse and the Big Cupcake
Themes: sharing, generosity
Illustrated by the marvellous Hilda Van Stockum, Pamela Walks the Dog 
“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!
is a beautifully illustrated little board book talking about Jesus’ childhood.
is a sweet board book which shows the barn animals preparing for baby Jesus’ arrival.
and 
are part of a new series of board books from Katie Warner aimed at exposing the littlest Catholics to religious artwork and Catholic teaching! These are quality books that would make great gifts for a Baptism or baby shower.
is a short rhyming board book about a very hungry bear.
, always a favorite with my children, is a fanciful story of some animal friends’ trip.
helps teach little ones about their senses as baby experiences the sounds around him. Lots of onomatopoeic words keep the youngest readers engaged.
, with its beautiful illustrations of farm life, is a simple story of a father soothing his son to sleep.
is a story about a little boy searching for the perfect gift for his mother with some help from his animal friends.
and 
stories are somewhat repetitive but so loved by my children that I had to include them!
‘s gentle rhymes and clever illustrations make it another much loved and well worn toddler favorite around here. It is a rollicking little tale of a boy and bear searching for berries.
is a classic Margaret Wise Brown story, less well known than 
but equally enjoyable. Big Red Barn describes barnyard life, while Goodnight, Moon focuses on a room at bedtime.
is a great early book because it provides sensory stimulation which can engage a reluctant listener. Siblings Paul and Judy explore their house along with your child.