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[For 1-year-olds] Recommended picture books to read together in January
When January comes, the cold really sets in, doesn’t it?
Of course, it’s important to spend time playing energetically outdoors, but it’s also important to relax and read picture books indoors.
This time, I’d like to introduce picture books recommended for one-year-olds that are perfect to read together in January.
Children around one year old can vary quite a bit depending on whether they’re on the younger or older side of the age range.
In daily childcare, whether they can help out, how we understand their feelings, and coordinating activities as a group can be challenging.
Amid all that, picture books are wonderful items that, regardless of age in months, draw children in once you start reading—they gather around and listen intently.
I hope you’ll find some favorite books for the children and enjoy them together!
[For 1-year-olds] Recommended Picture Books to Read Together in January (1–10)
Speaking of winter…
“When You Think of Winter…” is a picture book where you can enjoy a word-association game.
For example, the snowman on the cover—your hands get cold when you make one, right? Speaking of cold hands… that’s right, gloves! Wearing gloves makes your hands feel nice and warm.
So then, what else makes you feel warm? You keep making associations like that.
Many wintry things appear, so children will be able to fully sense the season.
The things that appear all have cute faces, too.
Kids are sure to love it.
Let’s warm up.
I’d like to introduce the picture book “Let’s Warm Up,” about everyone soaking in hot springs during the cold winter.
The main character is a little rabbit.
Saying “So cold, so cold,” he walks through the snowy mountains and slips into a hot spring he finds to warm up—but it turns out to be the monkeys’ hot spring, or the bears’ hot spring, and he gets chased out.
In the end, though, he makes his own big hot spring, invites everyone, and they all warm up together.
It’s a heartwarming book featuring a kind rabbit and animals smiling contentedly as they soak in the baths.
On chilly January days, we’d love for children to imitate the rabbit and make sure to warm up their bodies well.
Abuku-tatta
“Abukutatta” is also known as a children’s hand-clapping song you can play.
In this picture book, Abukutatta, the story follows a mouse family as they make and eat sweet red bean soup (oshiruko).
The mouse mother is boiling azuki beans in a big pot.
They sing the opening lines of the nursery rhyme “Abukutatta,” then taste a little to check if it’s ready… Perhaps because everyone is happy to sneak a bite, the children, the father, and the grandfather all gather, and the family keeps growing and growing.
Many households make oshiruko for Kagami Biraki on January 11.
This is a lovely picture book that conveys the feeling of January—please give it a read.
Mr./Ms. Onabe
One book from Kokuyo’s interactive picture book series, “Onabe-san.” The illustrations in this series are incredibly detailed—so realistic that kids can’t help but reach out and touch them! There are various titles featuring themes like vegetables and fruits, but today I’m introducing one that’s perfect for January: a book themed around hot pot dishes.
This picture book features many delicious dishes such as oden and sukiyaki.
Since it’s a pop-up/interactive book, you can flip the flaps to reveal the food.
Hot pot dishes warm the body and make it easy to get your vegetables—such a welcome meal.
I hope children will take an interest in them, too.
warm and cozy like a hot spring
The picture book Onsen Pokapoka depicts a day in the life of monkeys who love hot springs.
This work was created by Chilean picture book author Pato Mena, featuring the monkeys of Jigokudani Onsen in Nagano Prefecture as its protagonists.
While adults may associate hot springs with monkeys, children will likely wonder, “Do monkeys like hot springs too?”—sparking their curiosity and interest.
The book is illustrated using onomatopoeia and pictograms, so please enjoy it from a variety of perspectives.
Whose footprints?
Let me introduce the picture book “Whose Footprints?” where you can enjoy guessing footprints.
The main character is a little mouse.
When the mouse notices that it’s snowing, he excitedly dashes outside.
Then he finds someone’s footprints on the snow… Whose footprints could they be? A variety of animals appear, including a rabbit, a fox, a bear, and a chicken.
After reading this book, when it snows, you’ll surely want to check your own footprints.
It’s a perfect picture book for January that you can enjoy like a quiz.
The mountain bathhouse
January is a bitterly cold time of year, so even if you invite children to “hop in the bath,” many don’t want to take their clothes off right away.
That’s when we recommend the picture book Yama no Ofuro-ya-san (The Mountain Bathhouse).
In this story, animals come one after another to a mountain bath.
They all go splash into the tub and look so cozy and content.
Seeing it might make many kids feel like getting in too, don’t you think? As a cold-prevention measure, we’d love for them to warm up thoroughly in the bath and boost their immunity.