Books Three Year Old Boys Like

Pre-school children usually love stories and being read to. Story time is an integral part of any young child's day - many times (at least in my own experience) they will even ask for the same story to be read several times in a row. There are many fantastic books around for young children - heavily illustrated books are marketed at this age group, as pictures help a young child to understand the text. I have a three year old child (and an older son as well) and we have enough children's books to set up our own second hand book store. This article discusses excellent books for three year old boys. I have based it on my own experience, choosing examples have certainly stood the test of time and proved their value. These are books that we have read time and time again and have been enjoyed on each occasion - by both the children and myself!

This is one of our newest books, and easily one of my three year old son's favourites. The pirate element certainly appeals to boys - he has learned some great, authentic pirate language, such as 'Ooh-arr, me 'earties!' and 'Rollickin', rollin' sea!'

The story is all about a pirate boy called Jed who decides that he doesn't want to be a pirate anymore. He lives on a pirate boat with his extended family, but wants to give it all up and become a landlubber. In fact, all Jed really dreams of is a 'house on a hill with a roof that is blue like the sky'. He leaves the pirate boat, much to the surprise of his parents, and goes off on a bike, in search of his dream. During his search, he encounters several animals who are in need of assistance - Jed helps them and then invites them to join him in his new life on land. As his list of new friends becomes longer, so do the requirements for his new home - he needs a mat for the dog; a bramble-free field for the sheep and a tree for the bird. The description of Jed's dream home is written in delightful rhyme, and as his needs become greater, the poem becomes longer. I love this part of the book: it reads well, is repeated regularly and fits in wonderfully with the story. In fact, from a parental point of view (and from someone who is a real stickler for good writing) I think it is one of the best books geared towards young children that I have read, ever.

The real question is, does Jed find his 'house on a hill with a roof that is blue like the sky?' Well, without giving too much away, Jed meets Ted and together they come up with a plan.

Zog is one of the ever-popular Julia Donaldson's most recent books, and I believe it is one of her best. My son received it as a Christmas gift around five months ago and asks for it to be read on a regular basis.

The story entails the progress of young dragon Zog at Madame Dragon's school. Written in prose, as are most of Donaldson's books, 'Zog' takes the reader through the different challenges the dragons are faced with each year, such as flying, breathing fire, learning to roar and rescuing princesses. Zog is a persistant young dragon who seems to try hard, yet always ends up suffering a misfortune. When he suceeds in breathing fire, his wing tip catches alight. When he roars too hard, he gets a sore throat. Each time Zog is hurt, a young girl appears with a remedy for his ailments. After she has helped him. Zog flies off, zigzagging 'through the blue'.

The young girl is an important part of the story - she turns out to be a princess who allows herself to be rescued by Zog so that he can get a gold star from Madam Dragon. In fact, she volunteers. Don't think that the inclusion of the princess in the story will make it any less desirable for little boys - it won't (although girls will probably like the story just as much). Zog is a story that can appeal to any young child - and Donaldson's writing flows effortlessly, making her books a pleasure for both children and the adults reading them.

The real moral of the story unwinds when a knight called Sir Gaddabout the Great arrives to recapture the princess and return her to the palace. Zog and Sir Gaddabout are about to commence battle, when they are stopped by the Princess herself. 'The world's already full of far too many cuts and burns and bumps', she cries. The idea of helping others is paramount to the heart of the story, and a peaceful conclusion is reached.

All Julia Donaldson's books are worthy of recommendation, but I feel that Zog is one of her best.  If you haven't read the Gruffalo and the Gruffalo's Child, then these are surely the modern day classics of young children's literature. 

Another of Donaldson's and Scheffler's best contributions, Stick Man has even been adapted for the stage (we saw it and it was rather good). I love the story of Stick Man and his rather unfortunate escapades. Away from his home (the Family Tree), where his wife and three kids are waiting for him, Stick Man faces danger at every corner as he is mistaken for a ordinary stick. He is caught by a dog, used as a 'pooh stick' by a girl, put on top of a sandcastle and carted off by a swan who is making a nest. Nobody can see that Stick Man is real, alive and has feelings and a family who are missing him.

This is such a brilliant story for little boys - after all, what boy doesn't like to pick up a stick and turn it into something else. I'm not a sword.....I'm not a pen..... A simple stick found in the park can be anything a child (or an animal) wants it to be - and that is the basic story and misfortune of Stick Man. With Christmas just around the corner, will he ever get back to the Family Tree again?

When we first bought this book, my three year old son used to pick up sticks in the park and pretend they were Stick Man. It's a simple but imaginative story, beautifully told in rhyme with great illustrations.

Harry and the Dinosaurs is a series of books which is very popular with little boys. It is also a popular children's television programme, although the books were written first. Boys love dinosaurs, and so will relate to Harry's excitement when he finds some dusty old dinosaurs abandoned in the attic. To a child, there is little better than the excitement of finding secret treasure. He takes them down, cleans them, and from then on proceeds to take them everywhere. The dinosaurs join in Harry's adventures, from starting school, to sleepovers, to a visit to the museum. Harry and the Dinosaurs is an effective mix of imagination and every day life. Harry lives with his mum, nan and his sister, Sam, who he argues with in every book. Many of the stories focus on challenges faced by every young child, such as starting school. The difference is, the dinosaurs are always there to help.

Although I haven't actually ever watched the TV series, my older son tells me that the dinosaurs are real onscreen. In fact, the series differs from the books in that Harry jumps into the bucket and is transported into Dino World, a place where the dinosaurs are life-sized and where Harry can play with them. In the books, the lines between fantasy and reality are much more subtle - the dinosaurs and their escapades are seen through Harry's eyes; the vivid imagination of a young boy. After all, a child's view of the world differs wildly from that of an adult.

The first book in the series is Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs. There are also other books about Harry which do not feature the dinosaurs, such as Harry and the Robots (another book that my son really enjoyed).

Hairy Maclary is a loveable, mischieveous black mop of a dog who has had a whole collection of books written about his playful escapades. He lives at Donaldson's Dairy, but seems to spend most of his time cavorting about (owner free) with the other dogs in town. The Hairy Maclary books are not new to bookstores, but were first published in New Zealand in the 1980's. That they are still popular today proves that Hairy Maclary is timeless entertainment for young children. Cleverly written in rhyme by author Lynley Dodd, Hairy Maclary is great for three year olds plus.

I have included Hairy Maclary's Bone on this page because, out of the whole series, it is my son's favourite. I must admit that some hold his attention better than others - this, however, is a story my son made me read five times over before bedtime the other night. It is a simple story, about Hairy Maclary waiting outside the butchers for a bone from Samuel Stone. Upon citing him with the bone on his way home, all the other dogs chase after him hoping to get a taste for themselves. But at each and every turn, one of the dogs end up out of the race. Hercules Morse gets stuck in the sign, Muffin McLay gets his bottom stuck in the tree, Schnitzel Von Krumm (the sausage dog with the very low tum) can't get over the wall. They fall like flies, and in the end there is no one left except Hairy Maclary, arriving back home with all of his bone.

Biscuit Bear, as you might imagine, is a biscuit - made to be baked and then eaten. After all, that's what biscuits are for, aren't they? Horace makes Biscuit Bear when his mum gives him a bear-shaped pastry cutter. He puts him in the oven and waits. When Biscuit Bear is ready, Horace eagerly goes to eat him. However, his mum has a whole list of excuses - "It's too hot, Horace...'" "You'll spoil your dinner, Horace....." "It's time for bed, Horace......" Thus, Horace goes to sleep with Biscuit Bear on his pillow, still in one piece.

Biscuit Bear has other plans. He gets up in the night and goes downstairs. There is no one up and no one to play with, so he decides to make his own friends......he uses the bear-shaped biscuit cutter and bakes lots of wonderful new playmates. Then the kitchen is transformed into a wild circus, while Horace and his mum sleep upstairs. But danger lurks in the form of the family dog........Biscuit Bear knows he must survive - but where on earth can a biscuit be safe?

Biscuit Bear is an entertaining book with lovely illustrations. Children often imagine such things as teddies and other toys coming alive - so why not a biscuit in the shape of a bear. This is an imaginative tale, simply yet effectively told.