In spirit today with Read Across America and First Lady Michelle Obama, I thought it would be great to exchange ideas on our favorite kid books. Parenting.com just published their Best Books to Read With Your Kids today too. I am an avid reader and one of my favorite things to see my boys do (right behind cleaning up after themselves and being nice to each other) is seeing them sit and “reading” a book. Reading books together is my favorite part of the bedtime routine outside of the obvious of just GETTING them to bed. I go to the library once a week (hey, you can get movies and music there for free!!!) so I keep the bookshelf freshly stocked and really run with an author or illustrator that I like.
Sure we have the classics, like Where The Wild Things Are, Dr. Seuss (Happy Birthday!) books, and lots of Richard Scary, but they don’t always enrapt BigBoy the way I would hope. Some of my recent favorites are the SkippyJon Jones and the Jamie Lee Curtis’ books (Is There Really a Human Race? is my favorite). I LOVE books that rhyme or have a particular cadence; it makes reading fun and challenging for me. Remember, I have boys so you won’t find Amelia Bedilia in this list. Although I do read girly books to BigBoy too, but admittedly he doesn’t like them very much. Here are some of BigBoy’s favorites right now (he’s five years old, btw). Please comment! I’d love to hear your favorites too.
How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? By Jane Yolen & Mark Teague
This is often a baby shower gift along with some dinosaur baby clothes. We love dinosaurs and dragons in this house. I think you’ll see that reflected in our reading list. This is the first kid’s book that I fell in love with. In fact, I’ve had to take a respite from reading it from time to time because I don’t want BigBoy to hate it. When Husband and I read this book, we get loud and dramatic and express the dinos feelings similar to BigBoy in hopes that he sees himself. And really it’s all about being a good dino and going to bed. Yolen & Teague have a whole series of these books about good dino behavior reinforcement for going to school, playing well with friends, cleaning their rooms and eating their food. Santa brought BigBoy How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You which has been nice to read and hopefully it’s rubbing off a little bit.
The Best Pet of All by David LaRochelle and illustrated by Hanako Wakiyama
First of all, I love a mom that can say no. This is a story about a boy who persuades his mom to get a dog. They do get a dog, but it’s to get rid of a dragon that is like a sloppy, slacker, college friend who overstays his welcome. I love the depiction of 1960s Southern California in the illustrations of this book. If you love dragons and fiestaware, you’ll like this.
I Stink! By Kate & Jim McMullan
BigBoy and Baby are in love with garbage trucks. It’s a huge event when the garbage trucks come to our house on Thursdays. We have a ton of garbage truck toys and my Favorites list on YouTube is full of garbage truck videos. I don’t get it, but the boys are crazy for it! This book is full of onomatopoetic words and attitude. I love reading it in my garbage truck voice, whatever that may be, but it makes BigBoy laugh, so I’m all for it. There’s also another book by the same authors called I’m Dirty!, which if you have dirty boys then they both may be for you.
All Aboard the Dinotrain by Deb Lund
It’s just like peanut butter and chocolate. I’m pretty sure that this book is not related to the PBS kid’s show Dinosaur Train, but you get the concept…two things that go great together! We’re a fan of both the show and this book. I love how this book rhymes and I’m challenged to read it fast when the train really gets going down the tracks. Good times, good times.
Where Did All the Dragons Go? by Fay Robinson and illustrated by Victor Lee
I just got this book from the library, but I’m going to buy it (used) because I find it so magical. The illustrations are beautiful and amazing, depicting many different species of dragons. I’ve always been captivated by stories of dragons, maybe it was an early crush on Pete and his dragon, I don’t know. This story also rhymes and creates such an awesome tale of the disappearance of dragons. I found this book absolutely enchanting.
Happy reading everyone! Enjoy the time reading with your kids while you can. For me, this is just about the best part of the job. Cheers!
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We are also fans of the “How Do Dinosaurs….” books. Just read two of them the other day. It is hard to trump dragons and dinosaurs in this house as well as my boys are 5 and 6 years old. We also really enjoy the Leo Lionni books…Fish is Fish and Swimmy top the list . My husband and I have been known to act out the Llama Llama Red Pajama book, so the verdict is still out…Do the boys really like it, or do we?
I find few things that make my heart smile more (dang, I sound like Tenly) than finding my older reading to my younger. Books are fabulous gifts, but the time spent sharing them is even more precious.
Awesome comment Steph! We feel the same way about Llama Llama…it cracks us up, but not so much the kids. That’s funny. I’ll look up the Leo Lionna books. I haven’t heard of them yet. And please check your butt, rainbows are falling out.
lol!
Hi Jen,
Read your review of Loving Frank and thought it was poignant and insightful. You captured so many thoughts that I had when I read the book but couldn’t articulate them nearly as well as you did.
At the end, I went into a serious depression for a few days. I won’t spoil it for your other readers but it really is such a great book.
Oddly enough, my boys developed a game called Tabor Mamah about a year or so ago – no one knows where they got it from. I laughed hysterically when I read that her name was pronounced exactly the same way. Maybe that’s why I liked the book so much?
And as far as children’s books we love in our household, The Araboolies of Liberty Street by Sam Swope is Charlie’s favorite. Gregory is digging on Dinosaur Reg by Dan Crisp, which has such a great ending it makes us laugh every time. Also check out Purplicious by Victoria Kann.
It’s fun because Charlie is really getting into longer stories, I think we’re going to start reading some chapter books soon. I’ll let you know how that goes.
Hi! I’ve been out of town over the weekend and just got a chance to read your post for Feed Me Books Friday. I love it!
With your passion for books I hope you will join us more Fridays because I am having a blast learning about all these mom and child approved titles.
I love many of the same books you do, and now that my B is older I see her acting them out and I just love to see her wheels turning with imagination!
Sounds like dinosaurs and dragons are big hits at your house! I have a feeling we’ll be there soon, too…thanks for sharing!
Janna, I am a weekly library visitor and we bring home LOTS of books. I’d be happy to contribute to Feed Me Books Friday! I’m already on to some great ideas. Thanks for the McLinky, your great community and stopping by to say hi.
Thanks Ashley for stopping by to say hello!