Brace yourself, this is bound to be a LOOOOONG post. Not really a post, I guess, more like a compilation. One of my high school classmates asked for book recommendations, and I promised her I’d post our favorites. (There are too many, I probably will have to do a Part II, or even Part III.)

The ones I’m listing this evening are really popular, and should be really easy to find at the bookstore or library. I’m listing these first even though you (AW) probably already know about them, because they’re too good to miss. I’ll definitely be adding more, esp. some of the obscure ones that may be out of print but are worth finding.

Here we go…

Perfect for bedtime. After 4 children, we are on our second copy — and its cover is torn too. Love the simple words. Warning: your child might want to say goodnight to EVERYTHING and EVERYONE when you start reading this book to him/her.

Both girls and boys love this book equally. And you’ll love reading it to them! Preferably with LOTS of feeling. Every little child has a little “wild thing” inside. It’s great to read when they’re in “a mood”, seems to calm them down somewhat.

Make sure you get the board book version of this. I’m telling you now, it will get TREMENDOUS wear. Eric Carle’s books are marvelous, for visual as well as tactile exploration. A real treat for your toddler!

I cried the first time I read this book. And through the years it still touches me every time I read it. You can read it from a child’s standpoint, or from a parent’s standpoint. As a new parent I often found myself meditating upon the spiritual messages in this book (and I don’t even know if that was the author’s intent, but that’s what I took away from it). Christ gave Himself to us, ALL of Him, much like the tree in this book does. And often we ignore, or take His gifts for granted, but He’s just there, waiting for us. Sometimes it takes us a long time to come back to him. Sometimes we come back to him only because we have no other options. But always, He is there, ready to welcome us with open arms. It is a BEAUTIFUL book.

Ais received this as a gift from her preschool teacher. It’s not one of my favorites, and I think it’s a little too silly, but the kids have all loved it.

Another one that’s a kid favorite but that doesn’t appeal to me very much. I guess, on some level, I understand why they like it: it tells kids that even when you have a really bad day, you can still come out of it alright. It also tells you that you’re not alone, and that it happens to other kids too.

I *love* this book — love the words, the illustrations. I find myself looking at all the minute details and am just fascinated with how the illustrator paid attention to such detail — not surprising, because I’m a detail person myself. I actually like this better than the supposedly more popular

but that may be just me. It may be similar to how I love movies, then get predictably disappointed with any and all sequels. I think somehow making another version kinda dilutes the qualities of the first one. Again, maybe it’s just me.

Here’s another favorite of my kids, but which I dislike intensely. It’s basically a fantasy picture book, and though I have a soft spot for childhood fantasies, I did not enjoy this one.

While the story in this book doesn’t give me goosebumps, I so enjoy reading this aloud to my kids, esp. the part about Tikki-Tikki-Tembo-no-Sarembo, etc., etc. Some books are just FUN-FUN-FUN to read aloud. This is one of them. I don’t know what it is about Chinese storybooks that make them so popular with the kids. Two others that they love (and a particular favorite among homeschoolers, entire unit studies have been planned around them!):

and

We bought these as a set. I love reading these to the kids, and I often find myself laughing along with them. Little Bear is just so funny and adorable! The lessons to be learned are so subtly put together that the kids may not realize it but they’re there. Themes about friendship, about relationships with grandma and grandpa, etc. You as the parent, if you don’t know it yet, are given lots of clues as to how a child’s mind really works: their imagination, their reasoning, etc.

I am NOT a Dr. Seuss fan, however, all my kids loved them and loved to read them and loved to have us read to them. Argh. I grinned and bore it.

Be back later, I’ve got MORE!!