Ok, as a mom to 5 children, I have been reading books to little ones for almost 16 years straight. 16 YEARS of reading the same books over and over and (insert a zillion overs here) over and over again. I love reading to my kiddos, love how they curl up with you and their chubby little hands work to turn the pages. And you know when you are reading a family favorite because the only thing holding that sucker together is the tape! Corners have been rounded off by a teething baby. Binding is shot which makes it kinda hard to find where the book even begins because it'll just look closed any ol way it is shut. You know, the ones where you don't even need the actual book anymore - you can just rattle that story off your tongue like it's your address. That is how you know you've got a good book in your hands. It just has a little extra... character. I think I could now easily make a "Starter Pack" of books for a family expecting their first babe. Kinda like - hey, books are expensive make sure your buying ones your gonna wanna read ALOT. I've even made a little list of some of our family favorites:
When buying books for you new wee one definately consider these:
Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
Duck and Goose by Tad Hills
A Frog in the Bog by Karma Wilson
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
But not the Hippopotamus by Sandra Boynton
I saw an Ant on the Railroad Track by Joshua Prince
The Icky Sticky Frog by Dawn Bentley
The Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton
Fifteen Animals by Sandra Boynton
Elvis the Rooster almost goes to Heaven by Denys Cazet (maybe for 1st graders)
Russell the Sheep by Rob Scotton
HUG by Jez Alborough
The Wide Mouth Frog by Keith Faulkner
My Very First Encyclopedia with Winnie the Pooh and Friends: Animals (great, amazing photos)
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
Love you Forever by Robert Munsch
Never too Little too Love by Jeanne Willis
Pretty much you can't go wrong with anything Sandra Boynton and of course Dr. Seuss.
Get yourself some good books, a snuggly blanket, a tiny tot and READ. Cause guess what?, time will quickly grow those tiny little people that want the same story over (and over) again into people that drive cars, carry cell phones and date. Trust me, reading the books is easier.
I'm always up for adding to our mini library branch of Delaware County, the one of course residing in our playroom, so what are your family favorites?
