Thursday, April 2

Children's' Books

Ok, ok... i had some comments for our top children's books I have at home... here are my top toddler faves.

Well, I actually don't have 10 favorites... because I feel like my kids are at different stages of reading all the time, so this is how I go about it....

Our Favorite right now...

Duck on a Bike, David Shannon 
(so cute... has animals and is a cute story)







There are the classics... you know the books I would feel bad if my kids never read:

Where the Wild Things Are 
(which the movie hits theater Oct 09)


There's a Nightmare in my Closet,
Mercer Mayer


Swimmy, Leo Lionni 
(Bishies... bishies! what my kids ask for when they see this book)









The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle 
(We are on our 4th board book... we love 
this book so much!)


Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?, Bill Martin Jr. 
(The twins can almost read this to me.)








There are the Cliff Note classics... these are the books that are too long for my little attention span chillins', so I totally cliff note it.... :)

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 
(this movie comes out Sept 09)

The Little House, Virgina Lee Burton








Blueberries for Sal, Robert McCloskey


The Little Engine that Could, Watty Piper
(I ti a tan I ti a tan.. That is what Merrick says when we read this.)







There are the rhyming books with a good rhythm that most little kids love...

Is Your Mama a Llama, Deborah Guarino (they can read part of this book to me!)


The Ugly Pumpkin, Dave Horowitz (my kids ask for this book every night since October when I bought it!)








There are the fad books...

Knuffle Bunny, Mo Willems ... (I read this when I have to wash their blankets. :)  They love it when I act out the little girl talking)


Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! 
(Merrick LOVES buses right now.)








How I Became a Pirate, David Shannon
 (lovin' pirates. When they see this book they put their hands
 up like they are on the ride at Disneyland. )


No, David, David Gets in Trouble, and David Goes to School, David Shannon (They laugh so hard at these books.)









There are the learning books... colors, counting etc.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Chicka Chicka 123, Bill Martin Jr. (this is where Merrick's classic one liner comes in handy, "Oh no, oh no, oh no.")


Mouse Paint, and Mouse Count, Ellen Stoll Walsh,  (counting and colors)


Anno's Counting Book, Mitsumasa Anno (This book is SO cool, and I have a really fun activity to do with it if you want it.)








There are the ones we dance too...

Silly Sally, Audrey Wood 
(We try to walk upside down and backwards... it is really funny.)







There are the girlie girl books...

Fancy Nancy, Jane O'Conner 
(for the hardcore girlie girl. :)

Twelve Dancing Princesses, Marianna Mayer 
(a favorite growing up)

Olivia Books, Ian Falconer








Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters, John Steptoe 
(Cinderella story with a twist)

The Rough Faced Girl, Rafe Martin 
(my favorite Cinderella Story)









There are the Animal Books...

The Very Busy Spider, Eric Carle

Click, Clack, Moo Cows that Type, Doreen Cronin (My kids love this book right now because of the animals, but I think it gets funnier when you are older.)









Oh, and here are some of our favorite authors.

Our favorite authors: Bill Peet (a little old for them right now), David Shannon (so colorful and cool stories), Patricia Polacco (a teacher's dream author, she has good morals to her books), Kevin Henkes (a good toddler writer, but not super creative books), Eric Carle, Lois Ehlert, Ian Falconer.


14 love notes:

Jenny said...

yay! thanks for doing this post...so many cute books! where do you get them all? books are so expensive.

Kyle, Laurel, Elle and Brett said...

i loved this post, Jen! thanks for your fave list of books. gives me some great ideas for more books we need. :)

garcias said...

Your such a good mother. I only get books from gifts for garage sales. I have no interest in packing books to move. :) And I figured I get to rotate books more often. But I do have my favorites that we do take along. I love kids books, but now I am starting on chapter books for my daughter. We will see, but so far she is enjoying "The Enormous Egg"

Judith said...

Jen, What a cute idea! I love any books that have the illustrater David Catrow! He is get! One of the authors he draws for is Alan Katz! Here is a fun one; "Take me out of the bathtub" They are silly songs that you can sing with the kids!

I love this illustrater! HE is AWESOME and fun!
Miss you to pieces!

Sally said...

I've never been into buying books, I figure that's what the library is for. And I used to be good at taking my kids to the library....but now there are too many of them and a library trip is kind of an ordeal so my youngest kids haven't been read to as much as they should. Maybe I should think about buying books now? Good list of books!

April said...

Awesome post! We read a few of the same ones, but you just opened up a whole new realm of reading material for us!

Sheryl said...

We have lots of these as our favorites too!! Books are so fun--huh? Elizabeth brought me a book yesterday and begged me to read it. It made me so happy that she likes books!

Sheryl said...

We get books from my sister-in-law's book orders (she teaches second grade). So if anyone wants cheaper books--that's a good way to do it! My neighbor who has a son in kindergarten offered to let us order from hers too.

Chelsea said...

YAY! Ive been wanting your top books! Im gonna do an amazon order now :)

thanks Jen!

JS said...

That is where I got all mine. I got them while I was teaching school... with my free points, and they are just CHEAP in a book order!

ecuakim said...

Hey GREAT POST! I knew about most of these because I worked at BYU's childrens section, but I had forgotten about them! Thank you, thank you! I would also add the Donald Crews books; great for boys (trains, planes, boats, etc.)

Brandon and Kim Waldron said...

I'm so glad you posted this! I was just thinking that Hudson needs some new books--now I know where to start! thanx!

Lou Ellen said...

Some old favorites:

1. "The Story About Ping"...there is lost, there is found, there is a mother, there is lots of yellow, there is danger and you get to say the word "Spank!"

2. "But No Elephants!"...this was my mom's favorite book to read to my kids...animals, hip grandma, a problem, a solve, the beach.

3. "The Runaway Bunny"...don't care if it's sentimental and written in the 40's...just don't care. Classic.

4. "If You Say So, Claude"..maybe it's just a fav of mine, not my kids. Funny. Texan.

Honorable mention: "Jamberry"...just fun. Ooozing colors
Mercer Mayer..favorite: "Just Me and My Dad"sob
Corduroy...gentle story & sweet

Melanie Jacobson said...

I stayed with Grant in nursery today and Merrick and Berkleigh pretty much just wanted to read the whole time. I read them the Curious George Opposites book several times and every time George fell in the water, Merrick would say, "Oh, no!"