Anyone with a toddler is a pro at animal noises. Cow says, “Moo,” dog says, “Woof!” –  there’s always a full arsenal of farm and zoo animal sounds at the tip of our tongues. Animal noises are a great way for toddlers to begin using language to communicate and identify objects, and animal books are perfect for teaching them more animal species and sounds that they may not otherwise see or know about.

We’ve rounded up six of our favorite animal books – some are educational, some are funny, all of them are stories your little one will love. Does your toddler have a favorite animal book we didn’t mention here? Let us know about it in the comments!

1. The Wonky Donkey 

This book is hysterical, and will have your toddler laughing alongside you. It’s a silly little story with rhymes that keep growing as the book goes on – it’s a great story to read with older kids around as well, and the rhyming is something everyone will want to join in on together!

2. Down on the Farm with Grover 

You can’t go wrong with a Sesame Street book, and Grover as a farmer is adorable and hilarious. There are tons of animals to identify and name on every page, and watching as Grover discovers that being a farmer isn’t as easy as he thought is a great way to talk about what life on a farm is like, animal behaviors, and of course – all the animal sounds.

3. Curious George at the Zoo

This book will be one of your toddler’s favorites! There are touch and feel pages that let them feel a rhino’s rough skin, the fuzzy mane of a zebra, and more. Curious George is also hiding on every page, giving your little one a fun search-and-find type challenge along with the story.

4. The Cheerios Animal Play Book 

This book is a great read-along during snack time, because your toddler gets to use cheerios as the finishing touches on multiple animals – give leopards their spots, owls their eyes, and more! The pages are recessed so the cheerios have an easier time staying in place, and are thick and sturdy so you can easily wipe them down afterwards.

5. Giraffes Can’t Dance 

This book about a Giraffe named Gerald is beautiful and fun, but more importantly, tells a story about not succumbing to peer pressure and being yourself. The illustrations are full of color and detail, and the sturdy pages stand up well against little hands!

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Have you read any of these books with your toddler? Have any suggestions that we should add to our list? Let us know in the comments!