Somebunny Turned One!

Since it's publication in 1940, Pat the Bunny has been one of the most popular books for a toddler's library!  Dorothy Kunhardt wrote and illustrated the book for her 3-year-old daughter, Edith. 

Children love the interactive features of this cute little book (the original "touch and feel" book), and my granddaughter is no exception!

She loves to feel the softness of the bunny's fur, play peekaboo with Paul, touch Daddy's scratchy face, put her finger through Mommy's ring...

Happy 1st Birthday to the sweetest girl!

My daughter was beyond excited to find some cute little bunny paper products to complete the "Pat the Bunny" theme of Little L's first birthday this month.  

Book themed parties are so much fun, don't you think?  Click on any of the titles below to read my past blog posts, for more ideas.
Seriously Cute Storybook Party Ideas
Books About Tea For Two Year Olds
Nursery Rhyme Tea Baby Shower
Parties With A Book Theme

Come 1, Come All! It's a Birthday Giveaway...

I'm celebrating! Our grandson Peter just turned 1, and his creative Mommy hosted a cute circus-themed birthday party in our backyard. (Giveaway details coming...)

Dumbo is one of my daughter's favorite Disney films (can you watch the "Baby Mine" scene without crying? Alison Krauss has a beautiful rendition, here).  

Elephants and circus images grace Peter's nursery - so I wasn't surprised when his Mommy chose a circus theme!

And I found three unique circus books - two feature elephants - for Baby Peter that I'm excited to share with you...(Giveaway details at the end of this post.)

One book for NOW...
Of course, when I saw this cloth book of Dr. Seuss's Circus McGurkus 1-2-3 (based on If I Ran the Circus - a family favorite), I knew I had to get it!  [for 1-2 year olds]

It's fun and interactive, with a rattle on the page about the "Drum-Tummied Snumm" drumming away on his tumm-tumm. (Peter's favorite page.)  Stupendous! 

One book for SOON...
A new find,  The Secret Circus [ages 2-6], by Johanna Wright, is simply adorable!   I was immediately taken in by the quiet opening sentence: 

Somewhere, deep in the city of Paris, there is a circus that is so small, and so secret only the mice know how to find it... 

(Read this book in a whisper!)

One book for LATER...
Here is an incredible story that Peter will enjoy when he's a little bit older: The World's Greatest Elephant [ages 6 and up], by Ralph Helfer, based on the true story of an elephant and a boy born on the same day in a small town in Germany.  They grew up side by side in the circus (the boy's father was the elephant trainer).

I discovered this poignant book a couple of years ago on Anita Silvey's informative Book-a-Day Almanac website - you can read her post here.  The illustrations by Ted Lewin are gorgeous. 

AND NOW, INTRODUCING THE BIRTHDAY BOY! (and a surprise...)

Baby Peter and his Mommy.

(I think Peter is going to love all his new books...but right now, he'd rather play with his birthday balloons!)

Leave a comment and Peter might just share with you!

• He'll help me choose 1 lucky winner...  
• Which book will he be sharing?  The Secret Circus    
• You can enter two ways: here on my post with a comment, and/or by leaving a comment on my Good Books Facebook page link to this post.
• Giveaway ends Friday, October 18, 2013 at midnight, PST.   
• Winner announced on Saturday, October 19, 2013.

PARTIES WITH A BOOK THEME...

A month ago, I helped throw a baby shower for my niece, who is expecting a boy any day now! She and her husband already have two adorable beagles and decorated their nursery with puppies, so we went with the theme, "Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails".  I found an adorable card on Etsy, that I built the "boy theme" around: we decorated with natural tones and blues and...books!

I love this set of miniature Golden Books!

The unfinished wooden toys were purchased at a craft store.

We decked out the tables with small children's books, plants, stuffed animal puppies, and wooden toys.  On the invitation, we asked everyone to bring a picture book in lieu of a card.  I purchased a cute ex-libris puppy rubber stamp and as they arrived, each guest made a bookplate to adhere in their "book/card" to the baby.

This all got me thinking about the endless possibilities for book-themed baby showers and birthday parties!  You could go with general Nursery Rhymes or specific stories: Peter Rabbit, Curious George, Dr. Seuss, Winnie the Pooh, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan... the choices are endless.

Martha Stewart has some really cute ideas for a book- themed baby shower with a Mother Goose Menu on her WEBSITE.
For tons of ideas from parents for parties based on children's books, click HERE.

Think of all the fun food inspiration you could get from picture books at a  Storytime Tea. You could match refreshment choices to favorite children's book titles, displaying the books next to the treats. Then read Miss Spider's Tea Party as an activity. Let me know if you have more ideas.

MENU IDEAS (WITH ACCOMPANYING BOOKS):
Cake!
The Duchess Bakes A Cake


Blueberry Muffins or Scones
Blueberries for Sal 



Madeline tea cakes
Madeline



Chocolate desserts or candy
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory



Strawberries and whipped cream
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear!


Chocolate chip cookies
If you Give a Mouse a Cookie


Crustless jam sandwiches
Bread and Jam for Frances


Melon balls (watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe) - served in a halved out watermelon
The Very Hungry Caterpillar



Baby carrots and dip...
The Carrot Seed