[For 2-year-olds] Recommended picture books to enjoy reading in January
By the time children are two, some begin to enjoy the humor of repeated words and feel a fondness for characters, discovering picture books in ways that differ from when they were zero or one.
With that in mind, here are some recommendations: picture books perfect for two-year-olds to enjoy in January.
Two-year-olds’ picture-book world expands quickly—they get excited just seeing the cover, and they start remembering simple words and imitating them.
In this article, we introduce a variety of picture-book worlds.
Let’s read the books that catch your child’s interest together and have fun!
- [For 1-year-olds] Recommended picture books to read together in January
- [February] Recommended picture books for 2-year-olds: Books that evoke winter and Setsubun
- [For 2-year-olds] Enjoy spring-recommended picture books with your children
- [For 3-Year-Olds] Recommended for January! A Collection of Exciting and Heartwarming Picture Books
- [For 2-year-olds] Let's read together! Recommended picture books for March
- Recommended Picture Books to Read in January for 0-Year-Olds
- Picture Books to Read in February [For 5-Year-Olds]
- [For 0-Year-Olds] Picture Books to Read in Spring | Enjoy Picture Books with Your Children
- Books to Enjoy Winter With: Picture Book Ideas to Read with Your Two-Year-Old
- [For 5-year-olds] Picture books recommended for reading in January
- [February] Picture books for 1-year-olds: books that evoke winter and Setsubun
- A special feature of recommended picture books for Christmas that will captivate 2-year-olds!
- [For Age 4] Must-Read in January! Picture Books to Enjoy Winter
[Age 2] Recommended Picture Books to Enjoy Reading in January (21–30)
Go for it! Lululolo: Lots of Snowmen
The twin sisters Lulu and Lolo help shovel the snow that has piled up in the garden.
As they roll the snow, they also make a snowman.
What kind of snowman will Lulu and Lolo create? For adults, shoveling snow can be hard work, but with a little creativity, doing it together with children might lead to new discoveries and fun.
You can enjoy the anime currently airing on NHK Educational TV as an original picture book.
The interactions between Lulu and Lolo are very adorable, too.
It’s a perfect picture book for the cold winter season.
Kuupii and Kirakira-chan
The story’s main character is Kuupee the little bear.
Kuupee meets Sparkle-chan, who has been separated from her friends, and decides to help her find them.
It’s a heartwarming tale perfect for winter read-alouds, and the white parts of the illustrations—like snow and snowmen—are fluffy to the touch, so you can enjoy the tactile feel as you read.
There are also glitter details and other fun features that kids will love.
As you search for Sparkle-chan’s friends with Kuupee, enjoy the textures and scenery of winter.
It’s coming! It’s here! New Year Seven!
“Here It Comes! It’s Here! New Year Seven” might be irresistible for kids who love sentai-style heroes.
The ever-sudden hero, Seven, has arrived for the New Year! Let’s learn about New Year’s Eve and New Year traditions together with Hero Seven.
From year-end preparations and ozoni soup to osechi dishes and New Year’s games, this book offers a solid introduction to Japan’s wonderful traditional customs.
It even comes with a sugoroku board game, dice, and a spinning top, so the whole family can play and enjoy time together!
Guruguru-chan and Fuwafuwa-chan
When we woke up in the morning, everything was a world of silver! Little Squirrel Guruguru was overjoyed.
But seeing that white, cold stuff for the first time, she wondered, “What is it?” Then Fluffy the Rabbit came along and told her, “It’s snow.” After that, the two of them rolled around and played in the snow, and before they knew it, they were covered head to toe in white.
This is a seasonal picture book where little ones can also enjoy peekaboo.
Seeing Guruguru and Fluffy having so much fun will surely make children look forward to playing in the snow too.
Komadako-san and Yukidaruma-san
Komadako, who lives in the countryside, wakes up to find that snow has fallen and decides to make a snowman.
When she finishes a snowman about the same size as herself, she sits next to it for tea time.
To her surprise, the snowman starts having tea with her, too! After that, they play together, take a bath, and spend a delightful time.
It’s like a dream where you can spend the day with a snowman as if you were friends.
Please enjoy this gentle and lovely book during winter read-aloud time.
Gorongo snowman
When you think of winter, you think of snow…
and when you see snow, don’t you just want to make a snowman? In this picture book, a big snowball comes rolling along and then turns into a snowman.
He becomes friends with a dog, and they have fun racing around together.
It’s such a dreamy story, it warms your heart as you read.
The illustrations are also created with dyed fabric, with the stitches clearly visible.
The tactile, three-dimensional feel makes you want to reach out and touch it—and kids are sure to love it too.
Where are the zodiac animals going?
A picture book that summarizes traditional Japanese events for infants and toddlers, “Where Are the Zodiac Animals Going?” It’s not about memorizing the order or names of the twelve zodiac signs; instead, it tells the story of the zodiac animals aiming for the top of a mountain to watch the first sunrise of the year.
Since long ago, seeing the New Year’s Day sunrise has been considered auspicious and special for everyone.
If you can watch it together, the experience is all the more moving.
It seems all the zodiac animals make it safely and offer prayers to the first sunrise.
Will children imitate them and pray too? May the new year be filled with wonderful days.