"One learns to love, laugh, and walk from their parents. But only when you come into contact with books do you discover that you have wings." American actress Helen Hayes said this, succinctly capturing the power of books. Reading aloud is an important part of your child's development, and it’s about more than just promoting reading and language skills. But what can you read aloud? That’s exactly what we asked the LILLYDOO Community on . You can find the results here: the ten most popular children's books among LILLYDOO moms and dads.

Reasons why reading aloud is important

Before we reveal the favorites of the LILLYDOO community, we want to explain why reading aloud is so important for early childhood development. One thing to note upfront: There is no such thing as starting too early when reading aloud. Even babies benefit from listening to stories and becoming familiar with books—even if your baby obviously doesn't understand what you're reading. If your child is a little younger, they will likely enjoy interactive books. These promote development in a playful way. motorischen und cognitive abilities strengthened. One of the most obvious advantages of reading aloud is that it Language Development promotes. Over time, vocabulary and Concentration ability grow.

But reading aloud offers so much more: books stimulate Imagination and creativity and help your child learn about various subject areas . In addition, stories often convey important values , such as courage, trust, and a sense of justice, which support your little explorer in developing into a confident and empathetic personality .

And one more advantage: Reading aloud strengthens the Attachment between you and your child. During this time, you share a special moment of closeness and experience wonderful stories together. Reading aloud in the evening helps many children calm down. Books not only support falling asleep, but can also help with other challenging topics. For example, there are books about Potty training or stories that cover the first day of kindergarten or a dental visit. These stories offer an easy way to start conversations with each other and to talk about topics that may make your child feel uncomfortable.

The Top 10 Most Popular Children's Books

There are plenty of bookworms in our LILLYDOO Community who enjoy regular storytime with their child. We asked on Instagram what your favorite children's books are. Here are the titles mentioned most often.

1. "Do you actually know how much I love you?" by Sam McBratney

The most popular book among children in the LILLYDOO community is the enchanting picture-book bestseller “Do you actually know how much I love you?” from 1990. It’s about how much the little bunny loves the big bunny—and how he can show it. The book is suitable for children from about two years old.

2. "The Gruffalo" by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

"The Gruffalo" tells the adorable story of a fearless mouse who encounters the Gruffalo, whose favorite meal is a butter sandwich with little mice. The book is suitable for children aged three and up and conveys values such as courage, cleverness, and trust.

3. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle

In third place in our community poll is a true classic: “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” for children aged two and up. Perhaps you were read the story of the caterpillar—who munches its way through all kinds of food until it becomes a butterfly—when you were a child. What is the book trying to convey? Above all, the idea of hope: it’s worth “digesting” everything until you become a wonderful person.

4. "Good Night, Little Excavator" by Natalie Mendes and Joachim Kruse

Especially popular with children in our community: excavators! In this bedtime story for children aged about two and up, the little excavator wishes all the other construction vehicles good night. Little construction-site fans also enjoy the books about "Excavator Ben," written by Dörte Horn.

5. "Tickle the Cockatoo: An Interactive Book" by Nico Sternbaum

A book that’s not only read aloud—your little explorer gets to actively join in. They can shake the book, rock it, tap on it, or blow across its pages, depending on what the story calls for. Nico Sternbaum has more interactive books for children aged two and up that promote motor skills and creativity.

6. "Where is Mommy?" by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

"Where is Mommy?" is perfect for training logical thinking and the ability to make connections in children from two years old. The story centers on a little monkey who has lost his mother in the middle of the forest and searches for her together with a butterfly.

7. "The Little Bumblebee Bommel" by Britta Sabbag and Maite Kelly

The picture-book story "The Little Bumblebee Bommel" aims to convey the message, "Be yourself, believe in yourself, and you can achieve anything!" You can read the story of the brave little bumblebee, who learns to fly, to your child from about three years old.

8. "The Little Seven Sleepers" by Sabine Bohlmann and Kerstin Schoene

Not just one book, but an entire book series that shouldn’t be missing from the children’s rooms of the LILLYDOO community. And who’s surprised?! Because in the series of little seven-sleeper, there is something for every age group. There are books with bedtime stories and fall-asleep tricks, ideas for crafting, playing, and cooking for the whole family, as well as a beginner reader book for school enrollment.

9. "Good Night, Gorilla" by Peggy Rathmann

A good-night story for all animal fans: "Good Night, Gorilla" is about a gorilla who takes the zookeeper's keys, causing all the zoo animals to follow him into the bedroom. The humorous picture book invites children from two years old to look closely—with the right perspective, you and your little explorer might even discover a parallel story.

10. "Seven Little Hares" by Sabine Praml

Another animal book series in which the adorable protagonists lovingly and simply convey a variety of topics: from bedtime to colds and helpfulness, everything is covered. The books are suitable for children aged two and up.

We hope there was a book among them that will soon find a place on your shelf and turn your child into a little bookworm. Have fun reading aloud!