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The Wheels on the Bus by Paul O. Zelinsky
The perfect gift for a two year-old, this book is still a hit with the Beaner at age 3. It's an amazing pop-up book that you can sing instead of read, which gives the child a chance to participate instead of being a passive listener.

Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin by Lloyd Moss
Another long-standing favorite. Hannah picked this one out at the library when the Beaner was about 18 months old, I think; I discovered it on the day it was due, and immediately put in an order for our own copy on Amazon. I usually give the hardback version as a gift, but I highly recommend the Stories to Go paperback version. This is the kind of book you'll want to slip into your bag to bring on trips. It's also relatively easy to memorize, so you can shout out sections of it when your kid is in the tub or any other time you want to surprise and entertain a child. The meter is mesmerizing.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
Hannah got this book for the Beaner for Christmas last year, if I remember correctly, and it was an instant hit. Like Zin! Zin!, it's easy to memorize and therefore to recite anytime, anyplace. The appeal has lingered, I think, because of the catchy meter and "chicka chicka BOOM BOOM!" refrain, but also because as the letters become more recognizable to the Beaner, some of the jokes become clearer, too.

Leonardo, The Terrible Monster by Mo Willems
This year's Christmas present from Hannah (she really knows how to pick 'em!). Although I am not a giant fan of Willems' Pigeon books, I can't resist this story (or Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity, which might even be more appealing to parents than kids, though the Beaner loves it, too). The Beaner's favorite parts are when Leonardo vows to "scare the tuna salad out of someone" (there's something just plain hilarious about that phrase, I must admit), and when I yell "Boo!" at the end. He usually asks me to read it twice, and sometimes three times. It's definitely his absolute favorite at the moment.

Grumpy Bird
I love reading this book to the Beaner, even though he's rarely grumpy (sad sometimes, yes, and occasionally hysterical, but grumpy not so much); I think I see myself in Grumpy Bird, if truth be told. Our copy was a birthday gift from the Beaner's friend SPL in California (to whom we have given Zin! Zin! and The Wheels on the Bus :).

Good Night, Blue
The perfect bedtime book, as there's an opportunity for a song and a firm good night at the end. I whip this one out if the Beaner asks for a third story, and I pack it in his suitcase whenever we go on a trip. Blue's nighttime ritual is slightly different from ours, but it's close enough that the Beaner recognizes it as the bedtime routine.

Paddington, Paddington Bear in the Garden, and Paddington Bear at the Circus

I actually bought our original Paddington book before the Beaner was born—I wanted to photocopy some of the illustrations and frame them as part of his travel-themed room—and then stuck it in the bookshelf with the rest of the classics that he wouldn't be able to appreciate for a while.

I pulled it out on a whim a few months ago and was delighted to find that his attention span had lengthened to the point where he would not only sit still for the entire story, but also ask that I read it again. (He can also get through Make Way for Ducklings now.) As soon as that happened, I went in search of more Paddington picture books. It turns out that the original Paddington stories were for the 8-12 set, but I was able to locate two more picture books illustrated by R.W. Alley that are aimed at the 3 or 4 to 8s. All three are now in heavy rotation.