What books are a hit with your kids?

[ginalc]

I REALLY need some new ones but I feel so lost in the bookstore! What are some of the favorite books at your house!?! My little ones are 2.5 yrs and 6 months.

TIA!!!

gina, mom to 3

[August Mom]

Someone on this board recommended Karen Katz books and DS LOVES them. We have several. His favorite is "Where Is Baby's Mommy?," closely followed by "Where Is Baby's Belly Button?" and "Toes, Ears & Nose." They are lift-the-flap books with cute illustrations. Here's a link to buy.com's listing: http://www.buy.com/retail/searchresults.asp?search_store=3&querytype=book&qu=karen+katz&loc=106&dclksa=1 I've found the cheapest prices at buy.com and I've purchased when there's free shipping too. I've also found them at Marshalls/TJ Maxx.

DS also really likes "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" by Eric Carle and Bill Martin, Jr.

Also, the Snappy Little series of pop-up books are very cute.

Here are some links to our monthly favorite book postings on Flagger's site. That may help you.

http://www.stayathomeparents.us/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=254
http://www.stayathomeparents.us/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=206
http://www.stayathomeparents.us/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=128
http://www.stayathomeparents.us/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=94

Good luck and happy book shopping! :)

[egoldber]

Have you tried Costco, TJ Maxx and Marshalls? That's where I get all Sarahs books. :) And the selection is much less overwhelming.

Sarah's current favs:

She is JUST starting to have the attention span for shorter picture books like "Go Dogs, Go!", "Cat in the Hat" and "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie". (I got all those at Costco.) She is also just now at the age when I can use "lift the flap" type books without worrying about the safety of the flaps! And she adores working the flaps.

Have you tried your local library? We go about every two weeks and get 10 board books. Those are usually her instant "favorites", since they are new.

HTH,

[smomom]

My favorites are the Sandra Boynton board books. DS is 7 1/2 months and he loves her book, "Doggies". The "Going to Bed" book is another favorite.

Like Beth, I have bought most of mine at TJ Maxx or Marshalls.

[Marisa6826]

We LOVE the Boynton books ! Jonathan actually walks around talking to himself saying "It's PAJAMA time!" (and for those that don't read sig lines - Jonathan's my HUSBAND not my child) :)

-m

[ginalc]

I have a least 2 melodies to "sing" all of Boynton's books. I'm Boynton'd OUT!!!

Same with Eric Carle. I've Brown Bear'd my way through all 3 and I can recite the Very Hungry Caterpillar in my sleep. :)

Maybe I SHOULD check out the library again. I just really like the thought of ordering on-line or going to the bookstore alone in the evening. But by that time of day I'm so zoned it's hard to think.

gina

[lisams]

One of my 7 month old's favorite board books is "What Is It?" I think she likes the bold colors and simple pictures. It's a cute book, and she absolutely loves it!!

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1887169105/qid=1056402452/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/002-6324374-1331258?v=glance&s=books

HTH!
Lisa

[elf]

"The Lady With the Alligator Purse"

"Olivia"

"Ackamarackus"

"Donde Esta Spot"

Amazon has that nifty 'listmania' feature that is very good for recommending books. Search for some books you like now, and you'll probably find recommendations for ones you don't have that you'll like.

[candybomiller]

Our favorite book right now is "Dinosaurs Binkit" by Boynton. DS LOVES it.

Candy
Mommy to Matt
5/22/02

[Marisa6826]

Oh the Olivia books are the BEST!!! :)

I can't wait till Sophie is old enough to understand them !!

-m

[josephsmom]

Joseph LOVES the Karen Katz books! Unfortunately, he's "loved" a lot of the flaps right off the pages! If your child likes "lift-the-flap" books, you might try "Peekaboo I Love You" from Lamaze. It's a sturdy, colorful cloth book. Also, there are abridged and simplified board book versions of several Dr. Seuss and P.D. Eastman books. Joseph enjoys those a lot, too. He also enjoys "touch-and-feel" books. He's been a book lover from very early on! I'll try to think of some more of his favorites for you.

Edited to add: we just received a set of abridged/simplified Curious George board books. They're very cute! And don't forget Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny, and Guess How Much I Love You. Where the Wild Things Are is also good for little ones, but I haven't seen it in board book form. There are a few cute books in the Baby Einstein series, and my own favorite board book is called How Do You Love Me. I think the author is Hallinan (or something close), and I got it at TJ Maxx.

Helene
mommy to Joseph 12/29/01

[egoldber]

How can you STAND that Doggies book? I like Boynton, but WHAT was she thinking with this one? I got it from the library ONCE and hid it from Sarah about an hour after we got it home! LOL!!!

[kk]

We try to go to the library every week for new books. MY favorite board book is "Sushi" -- which is like a ryhme-y , sing-song story about Kappa Maki rolls and the like. I also love Richard Scarry books-- great for pointing and learning. Kristan

[egoldber]

We also have My First Book of Sushi and that was the FIRST book that Sarah really enjoyed!

[ddmarsh]

Anything by Eric Carle
Any of the Arthur series
Any of the Franklin series
Any of the Spot books
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse
Cordouroy
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (and its follow-ups)
Any of the Froggy books
Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day
Verdi
Stellaluna
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Officer Buckle and Gloria
Curious George series


Debbie

[mam615]

Dorothy loves these:

Giant "Pooh" boardbook:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0525462325/

Hush Little Baby activity book:
http://www.nabear.com/product_detail.cfm?productid=162&mcategory=1&catname=Activity%20Books

[smomom]

About the Doggies book.... I must say again that DS is only 7 1/2 months. Right now I am still in control of the bark, ruffs, etc. I can imagine the annoyance factor once he begins barking like a dog. Actually I get so involved reading this one that DH is a little unnerved. I have to admit my howling isn't quite up to par.

[egoldber]

LOL! Yes, and factor in the toddler that wants to hear it over and over and over....

[4S Ranch]

When she was younger, my DD loved "Go, Dog, Go". What a weird little story, but so many kids love it! We still say "Do you like my hat" quite a bit. She used to like the Little Bear stories, too, esp. the Goblin story. We also liked "Sometimes I Like to Curl Up in a Ball" by Vicki Churchill and Charles Fuge, about a wombat who has a lot in common with toddlers ("Sometimes I like to scream ever so loud, it's not that I'm cross, I just like how it sounds"). And some lasting favorites are "The Big Red Barn" and "The Runaway Bunny" by Margaret Wise Brown. She still loves "Where the Wild Things Are" and Ian Penney's ABC still intrigues her - she'll spend ages just thumbing through that one.

She's almost 3 now and besides all the ones listed (Olivia, If You Give a Pig a Pancake, etc.) some of her more obscure faves right now (and mine - that becomes more important as repetition increases!) are:

"Ladybug on the Move" by Richard Fowler about a ladybug looking for a new home. Readers help her by sliding a cardboard ladybug through the slots of each picture to the next page. We lost the ladybug that comes with the book long ago so practically every time we read this book, we have to make a new ladybug from construction paper. DD loves making new ladybugs and pushing it through the slots!

"Abuela" by Arthur Dorros (in english with spanish phrases) about a girl who imagines she and her grandmother can fly like birds above the city. The illustrations are incredibly detailed and beautiful, and I ask my DD questions like "can you find the man walking a dog?"

"Going on a Journey to the Sea" by Jane Barclay about a brother and sister and their first trip to the seaside.

"Katie Meets the Impressionists" by James Mayhew about a girl who pops through impressionist paintings at the museum.

Another book I've been meaning to get is "Say Hola to Spanish" by Susan Middleton Elya ("Your hair is your pelo, your nose is nariz. Your grandmother's pelo is probably gris." "Bread is called pan and cheeses are quesos. That's what we eat, but perros eat huesos.")

Shelly

[chrissyhowie]

I just had to mention the Miffy the bunny series by D ick Bruna (the editing software for these message boards won't let me type his first name in without ##### it out, so ignore the space between the D and the i!).
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/subjects/children/miffy.asp?userid=3F0XA7F9A4&cds2Pid=1320

Bruna is a Dutch artist whose drawings are so simple and pure. When I was little, the Miffy books (that were translated to Korean) that we had were my absolute favorite! I was so surprised when I started to see them in the windows of bookstores this past Christmas season. I can't wait to get them for DD (once we're done unpacking from our move -- ugggh!)!

Great suggestions from everyone! I can't wait to start building up a little book supply for DD!

[ginalc]

Thank you, folks, for all the great suggestions.

I took your advice, Beth, and went to the Library yesterday. As I walked through the doors, it all came flooding back to me as to why we stopped going there. I bought a new house several years ago and the local library refused to issue a library card unless I gave them my Social Security number. For my child to get a card, I had to provide HER SS# TOO! I refused and haven't been back since. I've gotten my books from the bookstore instead.

I asked to get a library card yesterday and again they said that without the SS# they wouldn't issue the card. I informed them that this was actually illegal to demand the # (it's actually for TAX purposes!) and that I would give them the issued # off my driver's license instead! They said NO, that wasn't acceptable.

I know a library board member from church, I think I'll give him a call and see when they plan to change this policy. He probably isn't even aware of it.

gina, mom to 3