Purpose of this Blog...

You may have noticed that not all books are equal in capturing children's imaginations and in cultivating those innocent, tender souls. My goal is to help you find the ones that do!
(Painting by Mary Cassatt: "Mrs Cassatt Reading to her Grandchildren" -1888)




Thursday, October 18, 2012

Baby on the Brain

Since the birth of my grandson has me in Baby Land right now, I thought it would be a perfect day to highlight some of my favorite baby books - feel free to add to the list!  I'd love your input. 

Little Peter finally had a good night of sleep, and he and my daughter are taking a nap right now; so I'll start with this precious book...

Whisper softly, 
take a peep, 
the babies are all fast asleep...
ALL ASLEEP by Joanna Walsh (baby-toddler board book). The gentle text is about all babies - from tall babies to small babies, from babies asleep in cars, to babies snoozing under the stars. It's a perfect bedtime rhythmical board book story for babies everywhere. I also love that babies of all ethnicities are represented in the illustrations.



Dream of purple twilight skies,
a bedtime kiss from butterflies.
Caterpillars in cocoons
are tucked in tight beneath the moon.

SWEET DREAMS LULLABY (toddler-preschool)
This imaginative, peaceful bedtime book invites a bunny (tucked snugly into bed) to dream of comforting scenes from nature's nighttime.  Each page reveals a delightful dreamscape for children to imagine as they drift off to sleep with the lulling, rhyming text.


You were born in your very own month of the year and the world was
waiting to welcome you here with daydreams and wishes and circles
of love and in turn you brought a gift from above....
 
JANUARY'S CHILD by Andrea Alban Gosline, illustrated by Lisa Burnett Bossi. Every day is someone's birthday, a fact this book celebrates with creative attributes for each month of the year. More positive than the traditional "Monday's Child" rhyme, and geared for families to share among youngest and oldest members, this is a beautifully illustrated treasury, perfect as a gift for birthdays or new babies.

On the night you were born, the moon smiled with such wonder
that the stars peeked in to see you and the night wind whispered,
"Life will never be the same..."
ON THE NIGHT YOU WERE BORN (baby/toddler) board book by Nancy Tillman. This is an exceptional book. The sweet rhyming text of this book celebrates and praises the uniqueness of a newborn.  All of creation - polar bears, giraffes, geese, the moon, the wind - is shown as jubilant in the poetry and rich illustrations of this gorgeous book (also makes a wonderful baby shower or birthday gift)!


You can read my post "How to Find the Best Books for Babies and Toddlers" HERE (it includes a list of some of our family favorites).

Past posts about books for babies:
Click HERE to read about Helen Oxenbury's wonderful books for babies/toddlers.








Books about Dads and Babies, click HERE.









 Go HERE for not one, but two "Goodnight" books from Margaret Wise Brown.









I'll leave you with one of the most popular baby books of all time:
Pat the Bunny by Doroty Kunhardt, has been a classic baby's first gift for over 60 years - click here to read the story of how this interactive book came to be written.

3 comments:

  1. Time for Bed by Mem Fox - beautiful illustrations! My mind is all on bedtime books - but of course, there are SO MANY more! We LOVE the Eric Carle Brown Bear, Polar Bear, etc for "baby" books - especially now that they're made into board books too. Oh and "Going on a Bear Hunt" - such fun to start reading w/ babies - and soon they're anticipating the next step... Our youngest one though was quite afraid of the bear at the end - so ...maybe not for all babies. ;-) Send our LOVE to Sweet Peter and all his precious family!

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    Replies
    1. Great recommendations, Barbie - and thank you for the love. :)

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  2. time for bed is my favorite baby book too. so gentle and sweet.

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