Good books for very young children can be a challenge to find. Some of the ones available are an insult to a one-year-old's intelligence. The following are recommended. There are, of course, other good ones available.
Felicia Bond, Tumble Bumble (San Francisco: Harper Festival, 1996).
Sandra Boynton, Barnyard Dance! (New York: Workman Publishing, 1993).
Sandra Boynton, Birthday Monsters! (New York: Workman Publishing, 1993).
Sandra Boynton, Blue Hat, Green Hat (New York: Little Simon, 1995).
Sandra Boynton, Bob (New York, Little Simon, 1999).
Sandra Boynton, But Not the Hippopotamus (New York: Little Simon, 1995).
Sandra Boynton, The Going to Bed Book (New York: Little Simon, 1995). (You can actually sing this book to the tune of "Hernando's Hideaway.")
Sandra Boynton, Hippos Go Berserk (New York: Little Simon, 2000).
Sandra Boynton, Moo, Baa, La La La! (New York: Little Simon, 1995).
Sandra Boynton, Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaurs! (New York: Workman Publishing, 1993).
Sandra Boynton, One, Two, Three! (New York: Workman Publishing, 1993).
Sandra Boynton, Opposites (New York: Little Simon, 1982).
Sandra Boynton, Snoozers (New York: Little Simon, 1997).
Nadia Budde, Eins Zwei Drei Tier (Wuppertal: Peter Hammer, 1999). (Really clever but absolutely lost in translation.)
Rod Campbell, Dear Zoo (New York: Little Simon, 1990).
Ben Crowder, The Circle Book (you can read it here). (This is probably not really for very young children and currently not even a physical book but it is fun.)
Bruce Degen, Jamberry (New York: Harper and Row, 1983).
Julia Donaldson, The Gruffalo (London: Macmillan, 1999).
Julia Donaldson, Der Grüffelo (Weinheim: Beltz & Gelberg, 2002).
Julia Donaldson, The Gruffalo's Child (London: Macmillan, 2004).
Julia Donaldson, Für Hund und Katz ist auch noch Platz (Weinheim: Beltz & Gelberg, 2010). (This has lost a great deal in translation but still works.)
Julia Donaldson, Monkey Puzzle (London: Macmillan, 2000). (Get the British version; the American one, under a different title, ruins the rhyme.)
Julia Donaldson, The Princess and the Wizard (London: Macmillan, 2006). (Okay, maybe a bit old for a one year old.)
Julia Donaldson, Rauber Ratte (Weinheim: Beltz & Gelberg, 2011).
Julia Donaldson, Room on the Broom (London: Macmillan, 2001). (The American version is good but the British version is much better.)
Julia Donaldson, Sharing a Shell (London: Macmillan, 2005). (A bit old for a one year old, and most Americans will not appreciate the great pun at the end of the book.)
Julia Donaldson, La sorcière dans les airs (Paris: Gallimard Jeunesse, 2015). (The translation of this works great in French.)
Julia Donaldson, Tiddler (London: Alison Green Books, 2008).
Julia Donaldson, What the Ladybird Heard (London: Macmillan, 2009).
P. D. Eastman, Are You My Mother? (New York: Beginner Books, 1960).
P. D. Eastman, Go Dogs Go! (New York: Beginner Books, 1961). (The full version is so much better than the board book.)
Theo LeSieg, The Eye Book (New York: Random House, 1968).
James Mayhew, To Sleep, Perchance to Dream (New York: Scholastic, 2001).
Al Perkins, Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb (New York: Random House, 1969).
Dr. Seuss, Dr. Seuss's ABC (New York: Beginner Books, 1991). (The board book version is okay, the full version is better. Try singing this book to the tune of "Ah, Vous Dirai-Je Maman" otherwise known as "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" or "Baa, Baa Black Sheep")
Dr. Seuss, The Foot Book (New York: Random House, 1968). (The board book version has a couple of problems that the full version does not.)
Dr. Seuss, Green Eggs and Ham (New York: Beginner Books, 1960). (Perhaps a bit long for a one year old.)
Dr. Seuss, Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? (New York, Random House, 1970). (The board book is not as good as the full version but is passable.)
Nadine Bernard Westcott, The Lady with the Alligator Purse (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1998).
Nadine Bernard Westcott, Skip to My Lou. (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1989).
Audrey Wood, Silly Sally (San Diego: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1992).
Audrey Wood and Don Wood, King Bidgood's in the Bathtub (San Diego: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1985).
Audrey Wood and Don Wood, The Napping House (San Diego: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1984).
Audrey Wood and Don Wood, Piggies (San Diego: Harcourt, 2000).
Don Wood and Audrey Wood, The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear (San Diego: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1984).
