Children’s Book Suggestions? The Red Headed Hostess
First… I would like to say THANK YOU to all of you amazing moms who left me such great advice for “Must need nursery items” a couple of weeks ago!
Seriously, if any of you know any soon-to-be mothers I would recommend that they jump over there and read what so many of you had to say. You talked about things I haven’t even thought about and hadn’t even heard of! So thank you!!!
As this little girl’s due date draws closer and closer, my husband and I just get more and more excited! We are just over the moon about it!
So… I would like to continue where we left off… and ask you some more things…
I grew up in a home library. Not kidding. My mother is a children’s book expert and so we were surrounded with books of all wonderful types. I remember the many, many children Christmas books that would be set out each year for us to sit by the tree and read… what wonderful memories!
So here is my question for you:
I would like to build my own personal children’s book library… and be sure that I will ask my mom… but I would like to ask you as well:
What are some of your favorite children’s books?
Both from your childhood, and for your children now?
I will start:
I remember sitting in my living room (on our yellow floral couch) so many times reading this book: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
I also remember my little brother wanting to be read this e.v.e.r.y. s.i.n.g.l.e d.a.y. Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? I think he loved it because of the rhythm of the book. He could chime along as we would turn each page.
As for Christmas books… I love the The Tale of Three Trees
Should I also admit that I used to hoard my mother’s Martha Stewart magazines and arrange them month-by-month on my shelf? Is that normal? For a young girl?
Ok… I would LOVE to hear your list. Long or short.
Thank You!
Fanny’s Dream by Mark and Caralyn Buehner
King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Don and Audrey Wood
Heggedy Peg by Don and Audrey Wood
The Widow’s Broom by Chris Van Alsburg
Good Dog Carl by Alexandra Day
. . . and every child’s library needs a Jan Brett book, don’t they?
These are some of our favorites.
books, wow…. where would I start? I started reading to my children from the age of 8-9 months onwards – Nursery rhymes and board books with simple pictures and short sentences.. anything with rhymes and actions.
We love picture books and I think that our favourite 10 would be:
“The Very Hungry caterpillar” (the perfect book, teaching children numbers and days, as well as having those fun little holes perfect for a little finger to poke through!),
“We’re going on a bear hunt” (Great sounds and actions!)
“Owl babies” for teaching little ones that although they are sometimes separated from mummy e.g. nursery, mummy always comes back.
“Rumble in the jungle” and “Commotion in the ocean” by Giles Andreae,
“Kiss, Kiss” by Margaret Wild
“Possum Magic” and “Sleepy Bears” by Mem Fox…. (in fact, pretty much anything by Mem Fox).
The Charlie & Lola books “I will not never ever eat a tomato”, “I am not sleepy and I will not go to bed” for example……
That was probably more than 10…. and that was just the picture books! I store up chapter books for when they are old enough to appreciate them. Enid Blyton’s books about the Faraway Tree and classic books like “What Katy Did”. I’m a great believer that children benefit from hearing “old-fashioned” English. It enriches their vocabulary and helps them out when they start with Shakespeare and Jane Austen in school.
Lastly – poetry!! A good collection of poems aimed at children.
I love books specially picture books. When I take my kids to the library I always look through them and find the ones that have great pictures in them. I like books that will keep their attention. Some of our favorites:
Elephant & Mouse get ready for Christmas by Lois G. Grambling
My Dad’s Job by Peter Glassman
Mom says I can by Judy Cooley
I am a child of God photos by Greg Olsen Text by Wendy & Micheal Nelsen
We went 8 years without having children and I worked at Deseret Book so you can imagine the books that I had collected. When we adopted our daughter I loved to share the books with her. When she was 6 months old she would crawl over to her book shelf and look at books for hours. When she was quiet I knew where she was. Now she is nine and still loves to read and loves to have me read to her.
I don’t remember alot of books growing up, I came from a family of 11 children and I don’t really remember my mom having time to sit and read to us. She says that she looks back and feels really guilty for not taking the time to read to us. I have learned from that, and I love to sit and read to my kids. I love to take them to the library and I love to see what kind of books they pick out. I am so grateful for so many wonderful books out there.
One picture book series that my teenagers still love is Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. Also in the series is Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay up Late, Pigeon Wants a Puppy.
We also like Lily and the Purple Plastic Purse and Chrysanthemum.
Last spring, I did a top ten picture books post – but I couldn’t whittle it down enough, so it ended up being a top 11! Here’s the link if you are interested.
http://arizona.todaysmama.com/2011/03/roberts-family-classic-picture-books/
My favorite books for little ones:
The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Beatrix Potter’s other animal tales.
Eric Carle’s books, including Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
The Scripture Readers from the church.
Favorite Chapter books to read aloud to little ones:
Charlotte’s Web
The Little House on the Prairie series
The Chronicles of Narnia series
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and some sequals
The Twenty-One Balloons
Five Little Peppers and How they Grew
The very 1st book I bought when I was pregnant was Love You Forever by Robert Munsch. I have loved this book from the very 1st time I heard it.
We all loved any thing from Steven Kellogg, from Jan Brett, and anything Winnie the Pooh. When our children got older we would read the Susan Cooper set, anything from Lois Lowry and the “All Creatures of our God and King” series. If you want to read some enjoyable books while you are rocking your little one to sleep the Jan Karon set is one of my favorite. Even now I pull them out, when it is snowing out side and I sit on the couch with a nice warm blanket and a cup of hot chocolate and read.
By the way can’t wait for the Journals … you are wonderful!!!!!
My favorite all time Children’s Christmas book is The Tale of Three Trees. I haven’t read it yet without getting choked up. As far as other children’s books, some of our all time favorites has been
The Hungry Little Catepillar. Very cute, and my children had it memorized and could “read it to me” before they could read.
Old Hat New Hat, by Stan and Jan Berenstein
Usborne Books (I used to sell them years ago) has an excellent line of books..I love their “That is not my…”line They have lots of cute touchy feeling texture books.
I also love the book Love You Forever, and get emotional each time I read it.
Dr. Seuss, of course.
Any Sandra Boynton boardbooks
Eric Carle books
Jez Alborough books- My kids love Where’s my Teddy?
Have fun creating your library. We love our books around here!
Go, Dog, Go! Hands down my favorite. In third grade, it changed to anything Nancy Drew. Still two of my favorite books/series.
My absolutely all time favorite children’s book is The Ultra-Violet Catastrophe! By Margaret Mahy. It’s about daring to be yourself and embracing your true self. I have loved it since I was 4 years old!!!
Hmmm… My favorite book from my childhood? Probably One Fish, Two Fish… Favorite books from now? The Bear books by Karma Wilson (Bear feels sick, Bear snores on, Bear stays up (for Christmas).
My favorite Christmas book? (besides Bear stays up for Christmas) The Christmas Miracle of Jonathon Toomey.
Pretty much all of Sandra Boynton’s books are great for babies and toddlers.
Our all-time favorite: “Owl Babies” by Martin Waddell with all-important and very adorable illustrations by Patrick Benson, currently available as a board book (even better!) – here’s the link at Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Owl-Babies-Martin-Waddell/dp/1564029654
Some more ideas: Since you’re having a girl, definitely get into Noel Streatfield “Shoes” series, though surely you’ve seen those before… Here’s a link to Streatfield’s work on Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Noel-Streatfeild/e/B000APKK3M/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1322586671&sr=1-1
I’m a fan of the classics, so have to mention of course the “Madeline” series by Ludwig Bemelmans and the “Eloise” series by Kay Thompson and the “Olivia” books by Ian Falconer, all very girlish and adorable.
Have fun!!!
Some of our favorite books:
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Ten Little Ladybugs
Love You Forever (I can not read it without sobbing.)
Dr. Seuss
Eric Carle
Curious George
Winnie the Pooh
Beatrix Potter
For Christmas I love The Polar Express and so many others. 🙂
Our favorite is The Three Nasty Gnarlies by Keith Graves.
http://www.amazon.com/Three-Nasty-Gnarlies-Keith-Graves/dp/0439240905
Others we really like:
There was an old lady who swallowed a fly — Simms Taback
You are Special — Max Lucado
You are Mine — Max Lucado
Cloudy with a chance of meatballs — Judy Barrett
The Tale of Despereaux — Kate DiCamillo
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble — William Steig
You can look up award-winning books for some great suggestions also.
Caldecott Medal winners are for children’s picture books and Newberry Medal winners are for children’s chapter books. Mark Twain award winners are also typically good as well. Happy hunting!!!
You’ve had some great suggestions so far. One of our little ones’ favorite books is LITTLE MOUSE THE RED RIPE STRAWBERRY AND THE BIG HUNGRY BEAR by Audrey and Don Wood. It’s one we read e.v.e.r.y. s.i.n.g.l.e d.a.y. at our house. Best of Luck!!!
The one childrens’ book that sticks out for me is Love You Forever. I read that book to my kids, as they were growing up and would just sit and read it by myself sometimes, wondering if my own children would be like that, when I became old. A very touching, beautiful book !
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is another family favorite, along with the Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree. ( Actually, any of the Berenstain Bears books.. Any of the James Harriot books – for animal lovers.
We love the book Someday by Alison McGhee. It’s a little on the sad side, but it’s also very sweet.
All those previously mentioned are great! My kids love them all.
I grew up with the Golden Book Library and still love those so much I bought a set for my kids.
The Penderwicks is a fun one to read to them.
Roald Dahl books.
My kids also like the scholastic books the Seven Silly Eaters and My little Sister ate one Hare.
Clifford the big red dog and any Mercer Meyer books as well.
There are some amazing books out there. Good luck putting together your library!
The story “Owly” is a sweet sweet story about how much a mother loves her child.
http://www.amazon.com/Owly-Mike-Thaler/dp/043918858X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322594863&sr=1-4
I also love the book “All the Places to Love”
http://www.amazon.com/All-Places-Love-Patricia-MacLachlan/dp/0060210982/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322594945&sr=1-1
The book I have bought 3 times because it got worn out is:
The BIG HUNGRY BEAR by Don and Audrey Wood
It now comes in a board book so it won’t wear out so easily!!! I love lots more but lots were already named! Have fun with your baby!!!
oh we love books too! we have 4 6″ bookcases full… Ihave somany favorites, but the first ones I thought of are click Clack Moo, and the Bear Snores On series. I also like Pinkalicious, but only the first one. books for you – the Dr. Sears ones are great, Alfie Kohn is a great author, and the Womanly Art Of Breastfeeding.
My little boy LOVES the David Gordon books.
The Three Little Rigs
Hanzel and Diesel
and The Ugly Truckling.
My girls love the the I’ll love you forever by Robert Munsch. An the altime favorite If you give a pig a pancake. I read this to my oldest daughter so much she could read it to me at 3 years old just by seeing the pictures on the page.
All the Beatrix Potter books…especially Peter Cottontail and The Tale of Benjamin Bunny
My kids loved Dr. Seuss Go Dog Go, Green Eggs and Ham, and Horton Hears a Who. Any of his books are wonderful.
Possum Come a Knocking, very fun rhyming book that makes you want to stomp your feet and clap your hands
Of course Good Night Moon is a must have
I’ll Love You Forever. I still tear up when I read this one
Any of the Corderoy books
And the Fancy Nancy books are a treat visually, as well as making me chuckle over her big vocabulary…”Splendiferous!”
Is your momma a llama, I’ll love you forever, nursery rhymes,
mommy, do I have to serve a mission,
the very hungry caterpillar,
the bearEnstain books
Chicka chicka boom boom
Some of my favorites are:
Gossie & Gertie (this is actually a series, but some of the more recent ones aren’t as good)
Leonardo the Terrible Monster and the Elephant and Piggie series, by Mo Willems
The Nice Book, by David Ezra Stein
Russell the Sheep, by Rob Scotton
Something from Nothing, by Phoebe Gilman
Forgot to add the Frog and Toad books.
Sandra Boynton books….several good ones. I love her books because they help develop a love of reading AND a sense of humor. I always give one of her books for a baby shower gift….
and I always give Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak’s book “I love you through and through” It is cute and sweet and speaks volumes of love in it’s sweet message.
Ten Sly Pirahanas by William Wise
Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (and all the others in the series) by Laura Numeroff
The Kissing Hand books by Audrey Penn
Freight Train by Donald Crews
Little Critter books by Mercer Mayer
A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon
Jan Brett books
Amelia Bedilia Series
I could go on and on and on! I love Children’s Books
One of the books that my youngest loved was “Are you my mother?” by P.D. Eastman. He had the whole thing memorized when he was 3.
I loved the Little House on the Prairie books, and any E.B. White book.
We also love the If you give a mouse… and If you give a pig… books by Laura Joffe Numeroff.
Another one is Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin. Always gives us a chuckle.
I’m not one to leave feedback normally on someone’s blog who I don’t know personally, but you got my attention asking for children’s book recommendations. Not much gives me greater satisfaction than seeing my children devour books that I have carefully selected for our home library. So I’ve picked 7 of my favorites which you are not likely to hear about from elsewhere. Some of these are out of print and I remember them from my own childhood and have ordered them used from Amazon. I may regret giving out some of these names in such a public forum, because if many people catch on to some of these gems, it may drive the used prices up or make them harder to find. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
Rum Pum Pum: A Folk Tale from India by Maggie Duff
The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman (I am in love with the illustrations in this one which tell another story in itself.)
Brave Brush-Tail Possum by Diane Massie
Hush! A Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho
A Pinky is a Baby Mouse by Pam Munoz Ryan
Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel
The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by D.Heyward and M.Flack (this one makes me cry when I read it!!)
Love You Forever
You Are Special
You are mine
Oh, and The Seven Silly Eaters
I think the ones that most people mention are great but I found the best ones we have for our son are ones that have spoken to me when I am browsing…whether its the illustrations or storyline. Each child is so different that different books will be great for some and just ok for others. Some topics are more interesting or play to their imagination, strengths, or things I would like to help my little guy improve upon. So I suggest start with some of the basic foundational ones and then build after she arrives and you start learn about who she is and how she ticks.
My husband is getting so tired of me bring home more and more children’s books. But when I find a good one for sale on the used book shelf at the library I just can’t pass it up.
My little ones have loved…
Richard Scarry books – What do people do all day, Best word book ever, Car, trucks and things that go etc.
Anything Dr. Seuss but Hop on Pop, Green Eggs and Ham and Cat in the Hat are the favorites
Go Dog Go
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Big Hungry Bear
Winnie the Pooh (the actual stories not the Disney versions)
Madeline (the bag hat in particular has been a favorite
Owl Moon
Papa Piccolo
Clown of God
King Bidgood in the bathtub
Curious George
Peter Rabbit
My 2 year old’s current favorite is Too Many Pumpkins
So many great books! It is just great to have lots on hand. You never know what you child will get excited about.
The board book I include with baby shower gifts is Sandra Boynton’s Barnyard Dance. It, and a few others, were quickly memorized and recited often in the car while driving to calm a fussy baby.
We love Dr. Suess and Max Lucado, Virginia Burton, and Robert McCloskey!
One of my favorites to read to my children is Guess How Much I Love you.
My daughter and I read the Little House series over and over, and she is just getting into Little Women, and other stories by Louisa May Alcott, which thrills me since she is my all time favorite author!
We also really enjoyed Twenty-one Balloons recently.
Gotta have Eric Carle books – there are many but the favorites are The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear Brown Bear – colorful and bright. There is a delightful series of books by a New Zealand author named Lynley Dodd (they rhyme and have great illustrations with some “NZ” english vocabulary) – Harry Macleary from Donaldson’s Dairy (a dairy here is like a convenience store), Harry Macleary’s Bone, Slinky Malinky – Open the Door, A Dragon in a Wagon, and many others; The Foot Book, Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seus, and of course Where the Wild Things are by Maurice Sendak; The Monster at the End of this Book – Seseme Street(?) We’re Going on a Bear Hunt – Micheal Rosen & Helen Oxenbury; Maisy book series by Lucy Cousins. Congratulations
Fox in Socks – Dr. Suess. Wait, what am I saying. We read tons of Dr. Suess. The rhyming really helps kids learn. But anything from the easiest board book to the Fablehaven Series. If you read to her, she will love reading. That’s the most important thing.
My favorites have always been Stephen Kellogg’s books. His illustrations are the best. We read some really cute ones at the library yesterday about Anansi the Spider. He is a character from African Folk tales, and always teaches a great lesson. One book I have read over and over with my kids is Little Britches by Ralph Moody. There are so many wonderful lessons and principles found in that book!
My real book love is for middle school age books since I taught English at that age level. But now that I have been home and raising five kids for the past 10 years I have come to love picture and early readers more and more. Here are some of the recent favorites at our house
The Quiet Book- this and the next one have become favorites quickly
The Loud Book
He Came with the Couch- incredibly hilarious picture book we all love
Superhero ABCs- yes it is more boy oriented, but my girls devour it as much as the boys; not your typical ABC book
When Dinosaurs Came with Everything
My real book love is for middle school age books since I taught English at that age level. But now that I have been home and raising five kids for the past 10 years, I have come to love picture and early readers more and more. Here are some of the recent favorites at our house:
The Quiet Book- this and the next one have become favorites quickly
The Loud Book
He Came with the Couch- incredibly hilarious picture book we all love
Superhero ABCs- yes it is more boy oriented, but my girls devour it as much as the boys; not your typical ABC book
When Dinosaurs Came with Everything- great plot
Poppleton- early reader series that I love to read
Mr. Putter and Tabby- another early reader series that I also love
Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!- I have read this one to my daughter several times in a row on more than one occasion
The Penderwicks- And this one is a late elementary series that my oldest daughter and I have fallen in love with. Everyone I have ever introduced this series to has absolutely loved it: my mom and sisters, mother-in-law, sister-in-law etc. . . If you have any sort of nostalgia for sisters or just like to read in general, you need to read these books! There are three books so far with two more planned.
A book of nursery rhymes and a book of classic fairy tales is essential!
Other fav’s I’ve enjoyed with my 6 kids are listed below.
The Caterpillow Fight by Sam McBratney
The Mitten by Jan Brett
Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola
Round Trip by Ann Jonas
Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran and Barbara Cooney
The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
Sandra Boynton:
The Going to Bed Book
Moo, Baa, La La La!
Barnyard Dance!
Blue Hat, Green Hat!
Snuggle Puppy
Pajama Time!
Opposites
Horns to Toes & in Between
(every book of hers is fun)!
Jan Brett:
The Mitten
The Owl & The Pussy Cat
Goldilocks & The Three Bears
The Wild Christmas Reindeer
(every book of hers is fabulous)!
Dr. Seuss:
Fox in Socks
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Green Eggs & Ham
There’s a Wocket in my Pocket
(there are a ton of ’em)!
P.D. Eastman:
Go Dog, Go!
Are You My Mother?
Stan Berenstain:
The Berenstain Bears
(tons of fun ones in this series)
Fox Makes Friends – Adam Relf
I Love You Through & Through – Bernadette Rossetti Shustak
Ten Little Ladybugs – Melanie Gerth
May I Please Have a Cookie – Jennifer Morris
Snug House, Bug House – Susan Schade
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear – Audrey & Don Wood
Glasses for D.W. – Marc Brown
Septimus Bean & His Amazing Machine – Janet Quin-Harkin
Franklin in the Dark – Paulette Bourgeois
Memily – Stephen Cosgrove
Stone Soup – Marilyn Sapienza
Pinkalicious – Victoria Kann
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie – Laura Joffe Numeroff (& the others)!
Lezlie Evans:
Rain Song
Snow Dance
If I were the Wind
Who Loves the Little Lamb
The Bunnies Picnic
(…and she has more. This sweet lady was my Laurel Adviser. Our families have been friends forever. I love supporting an lds author & getting great books for my kids all at once)!
One other author/artist I absolutely LOVE is Graeme Base!!!! Every book he puts out I love. But My absolute favorite (and my children’s favorite too) is the book “The Eleventh Hour: A Curious Mystery.” You can, literally, spend hours pouring over that book with your children!
There are a LOT more books out there! I haven’t even touched on chapter books or great books of poetry and classics… But these are ones that we’ve read for years and years and re-bought when they wear out.
Have FUN! Children’s books are so much fun. 🙂
John Lithgow has amazing childrens books! Original stories, and some have cd’s with songs to go along with them. Our favorites were ‘Marsupial Sue’, and ‘The Remarkable Farkle McBride’. I also love the ‘Olivia’ series.
The FIve in a Row Series picks excellent Children’s Literature that I had never heard of before and the supplements (FIve in a Row books) makes the reading together much deeper. They have the Before Five in a Row, Five in a Row Volume 1-4 and then others after. I highly recommend the series and the books outlined – I have not been disappointed and maked you really delve into the books. Go to her website and all the books are listed for each age group. Good luck on narrowing down what to buy – there are soooooooo many great children’s books out there!
A great book for parents…with lots of ideas for books to read aloud from day one (and throughout childhood) is “The Read-Aloud Handbook” by Jim Trelease.
I didn’t see this author listed but he is one of our (5 daughters, hubby, and myself) absolute favorites…Kevin Henkes. His books include, Wemberly Worried, Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, Weekend With Wendel and many more. Kevin Henkes has a special way of relating to the feelings and concerns of young minds. So wonderful for pre-schoolers on up!
Some of our other favorite authors are Don and Audrey Wood (The Napping House), Jan Brett, and Shirley Neitzel.
Children’s books are so much fun!!! My favorite time of the day is reading with my girls!
The Betsy Tacy books by maud Lovelace
Any book by richard scary
Any book written by Stephan cosgrove and illustrated by robin James ( I saved mine from when i was young)
Also if you can find The Maggie B it is the most wonderful book for a little girl (I just moved so my copy is packed so i cant give the authors name i still have mine from when I was young)
My boys love where the wild things are
How do dinosaurs say good night
And of course an essential is any of the Little bear books.
( the giving tree was and still is one of my favorites too!)
So glad that you’ve gotten several responses on _Chicka Chicka Boom Boom_! Such a favorite around here that we’ve owned three copies through 6 kids! If you like Shel Silverstein, you’ll LOVE _Runny Babbit_. Another long time favorite and my girls have several of the pieces memorized. They have used them for auditions and have always been very well received!
I love you stinky face is an absolute favorite in our house and we have 4 girls!! It’s about a child that keeps asking his mom if she will love him if he were differnt things. Ex: “But Mama, but Mama, what if I were a super smelly skunk, and I smelled so bad that my name was Stinky Face?” And she goes on to tell him how she would take care of him and love him anyways.
A must have!!
We have lots of favorites but one that stands out is Uno’s Garden http://www.amazon.com/Unos-Garden-Graeme-Base/dp/0810954737
My two favorite books are “Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect” and “The Kind’s Highway.” Check them out — you won’t be sorry.
My favorite book from childhood : The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Still love it. I also loved Marvin K Mooney (Dr Suess) and When We Were Very Young by AA Milne. My grandma used to read poems from WWWVY every time we would visit. When I was about 12 she gave me my own copy. When she passed away, we were given the opportunity to take turns choosing things from her house. That was the only thing that I really wanted, and I got it! I like to read those poems now to my own kids, and I show them my grandmother’s book, and where my own mother colored in it with a red crayon when she was four……
As an adult – When We Were Very Young, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, I Love You Forever, (but I always choke up reading it out loud to my kids, so I don’t read it to them very often) Go Car Go, picture books of the Savior illustrated by Greg Olsen.
Repeats from above, but listing again anyway: any, all Sandra Boynton board books. Though my youngest is now eight, still kept these in our “home library.”
Brown Bear, Brown Bear has to be included in any nursery – boy or girl. We’ve literally worn out copies of this book reading it over and over.
Scanned over previous comments, so may have missed this one: Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon.
One not mentioned that I love is Jamberry by Bruce Degen. An awesome, fun read-aloud book.
For slightly older kids, Robert Munsch is fun. Some are simply silly, some sweet and poignant (I Love You Forever); all are excellent. Personal favorite is Stephanie’s Ponytail.
Another book for those a bit older, a little known Dr. Seuss book My Many Colored Days.
I could go on discussing books all day. It’s never too early to start reading to children. We started reading to our kids before they were even born and they are all avid readers now.
Congratulations!
As a child, my grandma (who raised me) would read to me every night before bed. She read me most of the OZ books (The Wizard of Oz was just the beginning!). I still love those books today. My favorite is The Land of Oz because of the surprise at the end.
I also love Miss Rhumphius, because it reminds me of my Grandma who tried to make the world a better place for her having been in it and taught me that I need to do the same.
I also love:
Martha Speaks
Chrysanthemum
The Man Who Walked Between The Towers
Little Women
I’d like to add that I LOVE your website! I have started my own Scripture Journal and have recommended your site to countless people! Thank you so much!