The best books to read to children at bedtime

The Very Hungry Caterpillar has been chosen as the book parents most enjoy reading to their offspring in the latest poll of the best page-turners for tiny people.

The Eric Carle tale of the caterpillar who eats his way through various foods before spinning a cocoon and emerging as a beautiful butterfly came top in the poll of the best bedtime books.

Second place went to Julia Donaldson's The Gruffalo, which has sold more than 13 million copies and turned into shows for both television and the theatre.

While Cat in the Hat, We're Going on a Bear Hunt and The BFG completed the top five.

The study by ChannelMum.com asked thousands of parents for their views - with every nine in 10 of those asked to admitting to reading the same few books over and over again to their offspring.

ChannelMum.com founder Siobhan Freegard, said: “Practise makes perfect and that’s never truer than when it comes to reading.

“Though you may have read your child’s favourite book two hundred times and know it off by heart, it’s a price worth paying to give them the gift of words.

“Though the classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar has come top in our poll, there are dozens of new books and authors breaking through with a modern twist to keep even the fussiest readers enthralled.”

Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory came sixth in the list of children’s books parents most enjoy reading, followed by Winnie-The-Pooh and Dear Zoo.

The Harry Potter series and Room on the Broom completed the top ten.

Other stories popular with parents include The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Matilda and Charlotte’s Web.

Meg and Mog, A Bear Called Paddington and The Dinosaur that Pooped a Planet also made the top 50.