[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
[For 2-year-olds] Recommended picture books to enjoy in January (31–40)
Ride on my sled!
The picture book Full of Kindness and Compassion, “Ride on My Sled!”, is a gentle story that will warm your heart with the interactions between Little Bear, Little Squirrel, Little Fox, and Little Rabbit.
Delighted by the falling snow, they all brainstorm ideas for what to play.
They promise to go sledding, but Little Squirrel doesn’t have a sled.
Little Bear feels embarrassed about the old sled he owns.
This picture book overflows with thoughtfulness and kindness, and after reading it, you might just feel like being kind to someone yourself.
Warm and cozy yuzu bath
It’s said that taking a yuzu bath on the winter solstice drives away bad fortune and invites good luck.
In this picture book, sparked by receiving some yuzu from his grandmother, Akkun opens a little yuzu shop.
When he cheerfully calls out, “It’s the yuzu shop!” various animals come by saying, “Yuzu, please!” This is a book that clearly presents a traditional Japanese custom.
After reading it, children will surely become interested in yuzu baths.
Why not enjoy a fun bath time with your child after story time?
Look closely at the pure white snow.
This is a counting picture book I highly recommend for babies.
Its charm lies not only in helping little ones get familiar with numbers, but also in the flocked illustrations of rabbits that offer a soft, fuzzy texture to touch.
The fluorescent-colored animals that stand out against a world of white and gray, along with the shimmering snowflakes, are strikingly vivid.
Every page turn brings a new delight, drawing in the adults reading along as well.
The design is stylish, too—leave it open for display and it could even serve as interior decor.
Mole-kun and Winter
The picture book Mole and Winter features an inquisitive little mole.
Thinking it was snowing, Mole took out his sled—but it turned out not to be snow at all, but frost.
So Mole asks the clouds to let it snow.
Can they really do that? If you give them some water to drink, they grant his wish and make it snow.
It’s a dream-filled tale that’s sure to delight children.
With its clear, simple story, even very young kids can enjoy it.
Mocchiin
Let me introduce the picture book “Mocchiin,” packed with the fun and deliciousness of mochi.
The first page shows a mochi-pounding scene using a mortar and pestle.
It also teaches various tasty ways to enjoy mochi, such as with seaweed, kinako, and natto.
The adorable illustrations feature mochi with little faces, and the vertical page layout beautifully expresses mochi stretching.
When children hear the countdown—3, 2, 1—they’ll likely say “Mocchiin!” and strike a stretching pose along with the mochi.
Just imagining it is absolutely adorable, isn’t it?
[For 2-year-olds] Recommended Picture Books to Enjoy Reading in January (41–50)
The mountain bathhouse
The picture book “Yama no Ofuroyasan” is set in a mountain bathhouse.
All sorts of animals come to the bath in the mountains—monkeys, wild boars, and… huh? Even a snowman shows up! You can’t help but worry: won’t it melt if it gets in the hot water? So, what will happen to the snowman? The surprising secret of the bath at the end is delightful, and you’ll finish the story with a smile.
It’s a perfect book to read aloud before a cozy winter bath.
Snow (A Song Picture Book)
This is a picture book based on the lyrics of the Ministry of Education song “Yuki” (Snow).
In step with the lyrics, a little girl’s eyes sparkle at the sight of snow, and she slides down a snow-covered slide.
She’s experiencing winter with the free-spirited joy of childhood.
So captivated by the snow, she remembers her hat and scarf but forgets her gloves.
A dog later brings them to her—an adorable scene that shows just how absorbed she is in the snow.
It’s a picture book that conveys the charm of snow and the fun of playing in it, so be sure to sing along as you read it with your child.