Picture books about first experiences

The world is full of firsts when you’re a kid. Some of them are exciting, some of them are worrying, and some are downright terrifying.

But even mundane daily activities can require a little encouragement before a habit is formed. A good story, a relatable character and a bit of information about the experience can help turn firsts into fun. Here are some of our most entertaining books about those tricky first experiences.


EATING


  • Lunchtime by Rebecca Cobb – A little girl refuses to eat her lunch, and is visited by a very hungry crocodile, bear and wolf. For ages 2 and up.

  • Eat Your People! by Lou Kuenzler – A hilarious story about a monster who refuses to eat his human beings. For ages 3 and up.

  • Hungry Bird by Jeremy Tankard – A little bird becomes rather hangry when his rigid snack requirements don’t work out. For ages 3 and up.

BATHTIME


  • Rudie Nudie by Emma Quay – The joys of stripping off, splashing in the bath, being dried in a fluffy towel and doing a nudie run through the house are celebrated in this rhyming book. For ages 1 and up.

  • Bathtime for Little Rabbit by Jorg Muhle – A simple and comforting story where readers help Little Rabbit have his bath, including washing and blowdrying his ears. For ages 0 and up.

  • The Pigeon Needs a Bath by Mo Willems – The Pigeon (who definitely doesn’t smell) pulls out all stops to avoid having a bath…but once he’s in there, he doesn’t want to leave. For ages 2 and up.

BEDTIME


  • Tickle My Ears by Jorg Muhle – Little Rabbit can’t sleep without his familiar bedtime rituals in this simple and sweet board book. For ages 0 and up.

  • Llama Llama Red Pyjama by Anna Dewdney – A little llama trying to sleep is overcome with night terrors and anxieties and needs his llama mama… immediately. Mama Llama is caught up with dishes and phone calls, but returns to reassure baby llama of her love. For ages 2 and up.

  • Everyone is Yawning by Anita Bijsterbosch – Each page has a different animal getting sleepy in this lulling, repetitive read. Lift the flap and each animal yawns wide. For ages 0 and up.

TOILET


  • Busting by Aaron Blabey – Lou fails to recognise the signs in time and finds himself in a tricky situation at the back of the loo queue. Will he get to a toilet in time? For ages 3 and up.

  • Who’s in the Loo? by Jeanne Willis – A queue of animals grow increasingly desperate as someone takes a very long time in the toilet in this rhyming and irreverent tale. The culprit is revealed to be an octopus doing the right thing by washing all eight hands very thoroughly. For ages 2 and up.

  • Pip and Posy: The Little Puddle by Axel Scheffler – Pip is having so much fun at Posy’s house that he forgets to visit the loo and makes a little puddle. Posy is there to help, and the accident is easily and cheerfully fixed. For ages 2 and up.

HAIR


  • Hair by Leslie Patricelli – A romp through all the things to do with hair, including that worrying first hair cut. This is the perfect story to demystify and disarm baby’s first visit to the hairdresser. For ages 0 and up.

  • Ella Kazoo Will Not Brush Her Hair by Lee Fox – The title says it all, really. Ella Kazoo wants to avoid brushing her delightful curly red hair, until it takes over the house. Fortunately Mum has a solution for the problem. For ages 4 and up.

  • Nat’s Naughty Nits by Giles Andreae – The naughty nits on Nat’s head in this cheerful rhyming picture book are full of mischief, but none can escape Mummy’s special shampoo and comb. For ages 3 and up.

TEETH


  • Dear Tooth Fairy by Alan Durant – When Holly’s first tooth falls out she’s reluctant to relinquish it straight away to the Tooth Fairy. Instead she corresponds with the Tooth Fairy, asking all sorts of questions, until she’s satisfied. A reassuring interactive picture book with fold-out fairy letters. For ages 5 and up.

  • Ginger McFlea Will Not Clean Her Teeth by Lee Fox – Ginger McFlea’s teeth reach a truly wild and feral state after she refuses to brush them. Together, the dentist and the tooth fairy finally convince her of the need to get her teeth back into tip-top shape. For ages 4 and up.

DOCTORS AND HOSPITAL


  • Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans – The beloved little French schoolgirl gets rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night with an ailing appendicitis. This nostalgic classic from 1939 sees Madeline receive visits from her friends and families, presents and an exciting new scar. For ages 3 and up.

  • Dr Dog by Babette Cole – When beagle GP Dr Dog attends a conference in Brazil, the Gumboyle family don’t cope without their family physician and call him back home. Kids will be delighted with the gross (and accurate) details of the Gumboyles’s nits, worms and explosive wind, and Dr Dog’s sage advice. For ages 4 and up.

  • Dress the Teddy Bears: Going to Hospital Sticker Book – Take a different tack for a first hospital visit by playing with this dress-up sticker book. Little hands will love dressing the teddy nurses and doctors, and applying bandages to the teddies that need them. For ages 3 and up.

GLASSES


  • Arlo Needs Glasses by Barney Saltzberg – Getting glasses is fun with Arlo the wonderfully shaggy dog. Arlo loves playing catch but is having trouble seeing the ball. Off to the optometrist, where Arlo and the reader get to read eye charts, look through the big machines and try on an awesome array of cool glasses. For ages 3 and up.

  • Peppa’s First Glasses – Everyone’s favourite Picasso-esque pig Peppa thinks she might need glasses, but is it just because Pedro Pony wears them? A familiar book for demystifying what happens when you get your eyes tested. For ages 2 and up.

BABYSITTING AND SLEEPOVERS


  • How to Babysit a Grandad and How to Babysit a Grandma by Jean Reagan – These humorous how-to guides for grandkids give plenty of tips on what to feed, play and do with their grandparents when they are babysitting them. The funny role reversal in this picture book highlights how much fun it is spending time with grandparents. For ages 3 and up.

  • Aunt Amelia by Rebecca Cobb – When Aunt Amelia shows up to babysit them, a girl and a boy are somewhat worried. Aunt Amelia appears to be a crocodile in a dress, and has a long list of instructions and prohibitions from Mum and Dad. Fortunately the renegade Aunt takes a creative approach to the list, and the brother and sister are won over. For ages 2 and up.

  • Fancy Nancy: Saturday Night Sleepover by Jane O'Connor – Nancy is extremely confident that it’s going to be her little sister JoJo that gets freaked out on the first sleepover at their neighbour Mrs Devine’s house, but that’s not the way that the night turns out at all. A funny story about first sleepover nerves and sisterly reassurance. For ages 3 and up.

NEW SIBLINGS


  • Plenty of Love to Go Round by Emma Chichester Clark – Plum Dog is jealous at the attention Binky the cat gets from her family, but she soon learns there’s enough love for everyone. For ages 3 and up.

  • The New Small Person by Lauren Child – Elmore Green reels with shock when the new small person arrives. All of a sudden he’s not sure about sharing, or whether everyone still likes him. It’s his little brother who finally shows him how good having a brother can be. For ages 3 and up.

  • King Baby by Kate Beaton – King Baby is demanding, tyrannical even. This story takes a sympathetic and funny look at how households change with the arrival of a new baby. For ages 3 and up.

(You might also be interested in browsing our larger selection of picture books about siblings here.)


MOVING HOUSE


  • Florette by Anna Walker – Mae flounders when her family moves from the country to the busy city. Her sadness seems insurmountable until she discovers a green oasis in the city and feels empowered to create her own urban style of garden with new friends. For ages 3 and up.

  • Clara’s Goodbye by Libby Gleeson and Anna Pignataro – A brother and sister say goodbye to the rooms of their empty family home, while their little sister Clara dances a strange and mournful farewell dance in her former bedroom. This is a sweet and simple story of siblings creating their own ritual to say goodbye to a home. For ages 3 and up.

  • Amy and Louis by Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood – Neighbours Amy and Louis are the best of friends, so Louis is understandably anxious and sad when Amy and her family move overseas. Louis eventually finds his own way of thinking and dreaming that allows him to still feel a connection to Amy. For ages 3 and up.

SWIMMING AND DIVING


  • Maisy Learns to Swim by Lucy Cousins – Maisy is a bit nervous about her first swimming lesson, but it turns out to be splashy fun with her friends. This is an accessible book with familiar characters and an upbeat tone. For ages 0 and up.

  • Can I Tell You a Secret? by Anna Kang – Monty the frog has a secret to share with the reader – he can’t swim. When Monty is finally able to tell his parents, they help him to overcome his fears. For ages 4 and up.

  • Eddie Frogbert – Eddie Frogbert wants to take part in the diving competition, but is way too scared of the diving board. He builds his courage in small steps (or should I say, jumps), and before too long, is able to take the dive. For ages 3 and up.

PLANES


  • The Airport Book by Lisa Brown – A family of four (plus sock monkey) are shown catching a plane with all the steps along the way – from packing their cases to getting checked at airport security, from take-off to the luggage carousel. The detailed and colourful illustrations provide as much information as the words, which manage expectations by flagging things that might happen (‘Sometimes the plane is bouncy, but most of the time it is smooth’). For ages 4 and up.

  • Violet the Pilot by Steve Breen – Violet is a natural born pilot and inventor. Not only can she fly planes with utmost skill, she can build them too! On her way to compete in an air show, Violet finds herself rescuing some boy scouts in need. Planes are familiar, friendly and under the able control of a little girl in this dashing and daring tale. For ages 4 and up.

  • The Travel Bug by Benjamin Gilmour – A bug travels all over the world to find out his probable origins, only to find out he’s a very special Travel Bug. The psychedelic illustrations of real-life exotic locations will inspire kids to look forward to the joy of travelling and also demonstrate the benefits of self-exploration. For ages 3 and up.

SCHOOL


Going to school for the first time (or playgroup or kinder for that matter) is such a BIG milestone that we’ve put together a whole collection of stories about starting school right here.

There’s a range of approaches, from the quirky School’s First Day of School, the undeniably Australian setting of First Day, and the variety of experiences in Starting School.


We have more first experiences recommendations here.

Cover image for Eat Your People!

Eat Your People!

Lou Kuenzler

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