Books could be the single best parenting tool in the world. I don't mean parenting books. Some of those are ok (I owe my sleep-through-the-night-by-8-weeks success to Baby Wise) some of them are more harmful than helpful (I owe endless nights of worry to What to Expect When You're Expecting). But I digress.
I'm talking about inundating your children with the written (and illustrated) word. It's never too early (or late) to start. I started reading to my son when he could barely hold his head up. I made it a part of our bedtime routine. I made it a part of our bonding time. I offer him books in the car. I offer him books on a star. Ok. So, you get my point.
Here are 8 books [among hundreds] me and my son love:
1. Hop on Pop (Dr. Seuss, 1963) Now I will be the first to say that any of Dr. Seuss' wonderful works of kiddy lit are fabulous additions to your library. But it can get a bit expensive to purchase the entire collection. It's my opinion that Hop on Pop combines all of the best Seuss flavor into a stellar book that helps teach language, speech cadence and just plain silly fun.
2. Harold and the Purple Crayon (Crockett Johnson, 1955)
The ultimate tribute to imagination. This kid creates endless hours of fun with a single purple crayon, which in the 50's might have been considered a luxury item. Now it does appear to be encouraging vandalism, but you could just tell the kids that Harold was using a washable Crayola (disclaimer: I do not advocate lying to your children, so really you're on your own to figure out how to address this).
3. Night, Night, Little Pookie (Sandra Boyton, 2009)
A new favorite, considering I'd never read it until my son was born a little over a year ago, but it's quickly become a staple bedtime read. It's just so precious and he loves to point out Pookie to me. My favorite part of Boyton's books are the little red lines spoken by the kids - so precious.
4. Berenstain Bears: The Spooky Old Tree (Jan and Stan Berenstain, 1978)
Now there may literally be thousands of Berenstain Bears books. Not sure how these authors pulled it off, but the library spans close to 40 years. However this was among their very first and it is still among my very favorites. The lessons to be learned from the Berenstain Bears should not be underestimated, including how to overcome fear.
5. Madeline (Ludwig Bemelman, 1939)
Sweet. Little. French. Girl. All the things I was (well most of the time I was sweet, and I am a quarter French) when I was a child. I hold this book dear because my mother was born to a French mother and adopted by a French teacher and her husband here in the U.S. This book is not only gorgeously told and gorgeously illustrated but it holds meaning for me.
6. The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein, 1964)
A story of self-sacrifice and generosity. A lesson much needed by today's youth. It's a sweet story that I'm not sure resonated with me as a child but definitely touches me when I read it today. Silverstein also has some great volumes of silly, clever children's poetry.
7. The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Eric Carle, 1969)
Iconic. A simple beautiful story, told in a captivating, memorable way. It also encompasses one of my other favorite things besides books — food. My son already gets excited over the colors and images in this classic.
8. The Story of Babar (Jean de Brunhoff, 1937)
Another import from France. This story is adventurous and magical, the characters are lovable and fantastical. If you like this one, you should check out all of the Babar stories — the series really has a unique, exotic appeal.
Alright, that's it for now. I could keep going.
But now I'm going to ask you, what are you're favorite children's books?
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