A few of my favorite things: children’s books

I must confess, I am not an avid reader. I am super envious of those people that can juggle everything; working, raising a family, dinner, laundry, chores, and finishing novel after novel after novel. Those people love to chit chat about their most recent “page-turner”, the “keep you up all night” suspense-filled crime drama, or their seventh “how to get rich and do everything perfectly” book in a row. They even read the same book multiple times!

Whenever I even attempt to read a book at night, I stumble through a few pages and then my eyes say “no way, not tonight” and shut down. Enter the board book! Board books are so fulfilling and you can usually finish at least a few a night. They are typically characterized with bright picture-filled pages, large rhyming words, melodic, sing-songy rhythms, and clock in at around 6-10 pages. You will definitely read the same one multiple times until you can recite the book from memory ANYWHERE. You may even find yourself reciting stanzas on your drive to work or during an important meeting. That’s okay! There are some really great board books out there, and here are my top three…


I Love You Stinky Face
Author: Lisa McCourt
Illustrator: Cyd Moore

I loved this book from the start because when Robby was born he would make a mean face without even crying and we used to call it the stink face or stink eye. What makes this book awesome is that if you’re really in the spirit, you can play different roles. For example, the little boy is talking to his mother and asking her if she’d still love him if he were a “skunk that smelled so bad that his name was Stinky Face?”, or a “swamp creature” or a “meat-eating dinosaur”, etc. You can use your little kid voice for that part, and then when the mother comes in you can switch it up. In all honesty, the illustrations are beautiful, the story is endearing, and the message of unconditional love is wonderful for any child to hear.
This book retails for $5.99 and is sold on Amazon and probably at any local book store. There are a few more Stinky Face books like Merry Christmas Stinky Face, I Miss You Stinky Face, and It’s Time For School Stinky Face. I haven’t read the others yet, but I’m sure they’re just as witty and cute.

Ten Little Babies
Author/Illustrator: Gyo Fujikawa

A cute counting book with brilliant illustrations of babies doing all sorts of cool things; eating marmalade, riding on cars, climbing frozen trees, going to the beach and many more scenarios. Ten babies start out, but they lose a baby each page until there’s only one left, a sort of ‘survival of the fittest’ tale. Fujikawa is a wonderful illustrator and his books are timeless. So much so, that I have a few from when I was a baby.

Pick up Ten Little Babies online for $5.95 at Barnes & Noble

I Love You Because You’re You
Author: Liza Baker
Illustrator: David McPhail

A sweet and endearing book, “I Love You Because You’re You” is a quick read with great illustrations. The premise is simple; anything the child does, no matter what his mood, emotional state, circumstance or other, she will still love him unconditionally. “I love you when you’re happy, and grinning ear to ear. I love you when you’re sleepy, and want to snuggle near,” you get the point. McPhail’s illustrations are sweet depicting a mother fox’s love for her little fox son. A fox has never looked so friendly before! This is a great bedtime or anytime story. Robby loves the rhythm of the text and the bright and cheerful graphics.
Buy the hardcover book online for just $6.29 at the Scholastic store.