A few last books to share with you (Did I mention we love books at our house?)…
A BOOK TO MAKE YOUR CHILD LAUGH:
Tickle Monster by Josie Bissett, illustrated by Kevan J. Atteberry (Compendium, 2008, $16.95)
A furry pastel blue monster with a stripedy tail and horns on his head flies in from Planet Tickle to tickle your child’s adorable footsies, cute bony knees, and little tum-tums. My daughter starts giggling as soon as I reach for the book and the matching Tickle Monster Mitts (sold separately, $14.95). The rhyming text is fun to read aloud, the glossy pages are filled with brilliant colors, and the massive mitts are soft and so-so fun. My only critique is that the book uses two phrases that we don’t use in our house: “what the heck” and “holy moly.” We’re pretty particular about our language around here so we creatively “skip” those phrases in the book when we read it.
A BOOK FOR MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS:
Along Came You by Karona Drummond, illustrated by Estelle Corke (Zondervan, 2009, $15.99)
Author Karona Drummond shares a sweet story about a mama and her little girl. On each page, the dark-haired mama tells her daughter what life was like “before you” and “after you.” Essentially, the book’s premise is that life changes when a baby enters the world. It may be messier, sillier, crazier, and noisier…but it’s also better (much, much better). That is a great message. My only critique – and this is a minor one – is that the story doesn’t give any “hints” that there is a dad in the house – or other siblings. I realize that the point of the book is to showcase the love between a mother and her preschool daughter, but it struck me that all of the everyday scenes lacked other members of the family. Perhaps, though, that “lack” would make this an especially ideal pick for single moms.
A BOOK TO INSPIRE CONVERSATION:
Could You? Would You? by Trudy White (Kane/Miller Book Publishers, 2007, $12.95)
Simplistic, sketch-book-inspired illustrations and open-ended questions make this book a delight to share with a child. This ISN’T a “come-sit-on-my-lap-and-I’ll-read-you-a-bedtime-story” book. It’s more of a dreamer’s book. It’s the kind of book you might take out in the backyard with a big blanket to lay on, some jars of fresh-squeezed lemonade to drink, and not a care in the world. Then, you could sit there and look at the clouds and ponder: “What is the best thing about where you live?” OR “Where will people live in the future?” OR “Could you imagine waking up one morning as a baby again?” My almost-three-year-old loves those kind of questions – and I love hearing her answers.
YOUR TURN: What books have you been reading to/with your kids lately?
WIN IT! One winner will receive a copy of each of the above titles: Tickle Monster (PLUS, the Tickle Monster Mitts!!!), Along Came You, and Could You? Would You? To enter, leave any topic-related comment on this post prior to Tuesday, September 8th at 11:59 p.m. (Don’t forget to follow the rules…all generic comments like “Enter me!,” “Love it,” and “Cool stuff!” will be disqualified.).
*UPDATE* The winner is #77 susan. Congratulations!
I love children’s book and think these look great! But then how can you ever go wrong reading to a child!
I don’t have kids but my friend has been reading nursery rhyme books to his baby.
We love Dr. Seuss here too. Green Eggs and Ham is a big favorite.
I love to read lot of books with my son
We’ve been reading “A Visitor For Bear” and a bunch of French stories such as “Roule Galette” which is similar to “The Gingerbread Man.” Thanks for this awesome giveaway!
Both of my kids love there books I just started reading to them from my favorite author as a kid shel silverstein we also gave them a shelf on are bookshelf in the living room. Thanks for the chance to win eaglesforjack@gmail.com
We have been reading the no david books by david shannon and we love it we have to get his other books my girls love no david
grandchildren would love these never can have to many books
We’ve been reading lots of Phase 1 early reader books – science, rockets, etc.
Amelia Bedelia!
I would love to get those tickle monster mitts on my daughter!
I would love to win these for my granddaughter–especially Tickle Monster! Thank you for the contest!
My kids have had books read to them since they were born. Today,they are all readers.My husband and I are too.
My husband loves to read to our son and calls it their “boy time”. He would be so excited if I won these and could add them to the book collection. :)
My 5 year old is reading “I Can Read God’s Word” to me and doing a great job. It’s a nightly ritual.
sylviarj at yahoo dot com
My kids like the book No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
We reading PreLevel 1 books with picture. I am reading Go Goofy Go for my 3yr old.
My children have been taught from a early age that reading can take you to so many places. It is a evening ritual that I love. It is so interesting to see which book that they will pick out for the evening.
We’ve been reading whatever the teacher sends home or they check out of the library. My oldest has to read for 30 minutes a night so she reads whatever she has to take a test on. My youngest just started K and checked her first book out of the library so we’ve read that book a ton of times. We will be reading whatever the teacher sends home soon to work on learnging to read. Thank you!
I read my Daughter her Dora storybook, Dr. Seuss, And Lots of others we have laying around! She reads to me too, I just don’t understand!
My daughter is a little older, but we like to read together, each reading one chapter. This is nice because we can discuss the books. The last one we read was “Holes.”
We love books around my house, too. Starting reading to the babies as soon as they could sit up. What a wonderful giveaway. Thanks!
Tickle mitts? A great idea for a present for my little ones… and my husband, lol!
I like this: Fat Cat On a Mat
Series: Easy Words to Read
All the books in this series would be great for my classroom.
Along Came You, seems really sweet! I love snuggling up with my godchildren and sharing a good book with them. Reading was such a huge part of my life growing up, I hope to share that joy with them!
Right now we are working on going through the Top 100 Picture Books on the Fuse #8 Production blog. One good one for the start of school and my daughter’s latest fav is “Miss Nelson is Missing” by Harry Allard, ill. James Marshall.
We love books in our house. I must read about a dozen and a half books in one day. Not to mention the two stories I read before bedtime. We could really use new reading material. My 2 y/o rather get a new book than a new toy anyday. My 4 y/o is picking up on his reading skills and will probably be reading by himself anytime now. Thanks for the chance to win.
I use to read to my 3 children, but now to read to my 5 Grandchildren.I love to cuddle them in my lap or putting them next to me under my arm.
I’ve never seen these before, but they look awesome! My daughter loves reading before bedtime and we need some new material! Thanks for the offer!
These books sound fun. My 5 month old twins are enjoying Mayday to the Rescue (a pop-up book), Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny, Brown Bear, What Do You See, and a few others.
Not an entry; just a note that we’ve posted about this at Winning Readings:
http://winningreadings.blogspot.com/2009/09/childrens-books.html
we just atarted reading the The Rainbow Goblins by Ul De Rico again. My mom read this to me when I was little and a few years ago she got me a new copy to share with my girls.
You just inspired me to blog about this book. I am writing the post now!
Love, Love , love books!!! My daughters love reading time!! Right now my 3 yar old loves anything with dogs and my 18 month old loves anything. They would love Tickle monster, we play the tickle monster almost every day. I chase them around the house until we finally crash into the couch or bed and I get them both so they would love the tickle mitts.
Oh man where to start? the latest favorites are a: Ninja Turtles: The Secret level 1 reader for my son. My daughter has been picking “Mortimer” by Mr. Munsch. :) She likes yelling MORTIMER BEEE QUIET with me.
And my youngest keep going after this book called “God made me” by Priddy Bricknell books. It’s a touch and feel book and loves trying to pull the hair off the little girl.
We read a lot of books by Sandra Boynton and Little Critter and Max and Ruby!
Lately my daughter has been hooked on Q Poozle 5, she wants to read it every night! Thanks for the chance, we love new books!
These books look terrific!
Here we’ve been reading stuff like Skippyjon Jones; Ten Little Fish by Audrey Wood, and other fun picture books…
janemaritz at yahoo dot com
My 2 kids really like the veggie tales books. (We do not watch on TV, but they like the music on cds too.)
My 22-month old is already a reading junkie. We read Sandra Boynton, Dr. Suess, Audrey Wood…basically whatever he can get his hands on, including the older kids’ books (much to their dismay).
I’d love to expand his library ever further.
My son loves to hear the Dr. Seuss books Hand, Hand, Finger Thumb and Fox in Socks. He also loves Baby ABCs and Big Dog, Little Dog.
i’d love to read these aloud for my god-daughter.
We’ve been reading Goodnight Moon..a zillion times a day!!
mj.coward[at]gmail.com
I love the sound of the Along Came You book, it would be great for my daughter. We love books around here too and I could definitely use some new ones to read. I can only ask Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? so many times.
WE love the Froggy books by Jonathan London
Some of my favorite books to read to my children are the Margaret Wise Brown Books. “Goodnight Moon, “The Big Red Barn” and “The Runaway Bunny.”
sounds like such a great book to share with my grandbaby
shopannies@Yahoo.com
My husband has the entire Dr. Seuss collection from his childhood so we always dip in there and find a good one!
What wonderful books! Children’s picture books are the best! Even though the kid is bigger now, the love of reading and reading together that we fostered in her is a part of who she is! Our favorites were Eric Carle books, Madeline, Tomie dePaola books, Good Dog Carl and Spot books, too many to mention!
At our house Daddy is the tickle monster! I think my boys would LOVE that book
She loves books right now and thinks the tickle monster is real:)
That just brings back happy memories. My dad used to chase us around as the tickle monster and we loved it!
No thats wrong is a favorite and jan thomas books are also very funny
I love the idea of all those questions! This is the type of book that I love, one that will get those little talking and thinking.
We use to have great fun with “Mr. Monkey” the hand puppet and tickling! I bet my son would love the Tickle Gloves!
thanks!
I would love to win these for my granddaughter. She loves to read and read everything she sees. She would be happy with these.
I think my younger son would go crazy over the Tickle Monster. I would love to have a new favorite in the house. Knuffle Bunny has definitely outstayed its welcome.
I love reading to my kids. Right now we are into the book The Flea’s Sneeze and Green Eggs and Ham. They are fun to read.
My daughter loves books, we read books every nights, some of her recent favorites are “please baby please”, “Frogs lunch”, and “the sticky anteater”
We would love to introduce these books into our routine
I love to read with my grandkids! I especially like to read them stories that they can retell by looking at the pictures. Brown Bear, Brown Bear (what do you see?)is one of my little grandson’s and my favorites. (He also loves Polar Bear, Polar Bear (what do you hear?)I love the beautiful colors, large clear pictures, and the repetitive rhyme of these books.
We love the Sandra Boynton books in our house. The Belly Button Book and Barnyard Dance are so cute!
My daughter is too old to read to now, but I used to read Dr. Seuss to her a lot. Thanks for the giveaway!
My son has really been into the Richard Scarry books lately. He also likes If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff, as well as her other books.
We’ve been reading a lot of Mercer Mayer books. We like the titles, I Just Forgot, Time for Nap, New Baby, I’m so Mad. My son has recently decided that he loves these books.
You can never have enough books for your little one! We don’t have these and we’d love to add them to our library. “Tickle Monster” sounds like a lot of fun (and laughing)!
what the heck! I read the “tickle monster” and loved it.. after all.. it’s for kids.. and he is a “monster” right? a fun, furry, loveable monster who brings kids and family together for laughter and time shared! Great Book!
My little grandson wants to be read to every night at bedtime. Trouble is he’s never happy with less than 4 or 5 books.
We have been reading books by the author Kathy Katz. She is GREAT! We have a ton of books, and every night, after bathtime, and lotion time and coming hair into long braids, I tell them to go and get a book.
We all curl up on my bed amongst pillows and books and read One per child on the bed. Then, off to bed they go, with cups and kisses.
My three year old granddaughter loves to read Cinderella over and over-frankly it’s getting a little tiresome!
smchester at gmail dot com
Our recent picks from the library were Mouse Mess, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Big Dog and Little Dog Making a Mistake. The dog book was a definite favorite. Thanks for the giveaway.
The Along Came You book sounds precious, I love books that emphasize the importance of family and love. I would love to read all of these books in my house!
We have been reading Fancy Nancy and also the magic school bus books.
My niece is in love with Black Beauty and we got her a younger reader book – she can’t read yet but can “read” that book just fine after all the times it’s been read to her!
My daughter has become fascinated with Eric Carle books. They are so simple, yet are full of information. The illustrations are also amazing!
We read books every single day, it’s even part of our bedtime routine. We read different books from our collection or whatever we get from the library. My son is really into the Bernstain Bears right now and my daughter is loving our newest book “I love you stinky face!”
This morning we re-read Joseph for the umpteenth time, then Raggedy Ann and Rags. Yesterday it was Celebrate, a Book of Jewish Holidays.
I’ve been reading a book called “Flat Stanley” which was one of my childhood favorites!
My grandson reads every evening before bedtime, he loves all Dr. Suess books!
These books sound great! We’re always looking for something new to read to our daughter. Lately she really enjoys the Fancy Nancy Books, anything Dr. Seuss, Curious George (old and new), the If you give a mouse a cookie series, and the list could go on and on. We love reading!
Although our son is only 5 months old, my husband and I read to him every single night, we both feel that reading is so important. We each read him 2 books, usually one about mommy and child (“Mommy Loves Me”) and one about daddy and child (“A Father’s Song”), and then we each read one of our choosing. My husband likes “Hand Hand Fingers Thumb” and I like “Chicca Chicca Boom Boom”, although there are many we choose from. We conclude our bedtime story time by reading one last book, “Snuggle Up Sleepy Ones”, this one we both read to him together. I love our bedtime reading/snuggle time, and so does our son, he even turns the pages for us sometimes!
I have instilled a love of books in my children and grandchildren. You never stop learning new things as long as you read.
I started reading Matty Stypanick’s Heart Songs to my son recently.
I don’t have kids yet but I read books with my nephews and nieces. They love a variety of books but one of my nephews is obsessed with sharks, bugs, and other creatures. Reading is such a wonderful thing.
We go to the library every week (or every other) and always leave with our limit of books (35). The ones we’ve re-read over and over this last time are “Dustylocks and the Three Bears” and “Monster Mess”!
My youngest son is so into books right now and I think he would get a real kick out of the Tickle Monster book. What a fun giveaway!
I love books! Reading with my kids is a nightly routine and they love it and so do I. It is quiet time and I love books!
I love reading anything to kids. My favorite is if you give a mouse a cookie.
Right now we’re reading the Disney Storybook Collection. It is LONG!
Lovely Blog! And what a great giveaway, my mom always read to us growing up, and I hope to do the same with my children…..
I come from a family of Bibliophiles! We adore books in our home. We have been reading books about various kinds of bugs, animals, etc. Also,
books about families, diversity and hugs!
Please count me in your fabulous book giveaway drawing. Many thanks, Cindi
My MIL bought my daughter two books for her b-day; Llama Llama Red Pajama and Llama Llama Mad At Mama, and so I have been reading those over and over again.
We read constantly to my daughter and I’m beginning to see it pay off. My daughter often picks books up on her own now.
I guess I came to the right place to help grow our book collection! Love these suggestions. Keep ’em coming.
We were just introduced to the skippy jon jones series. Love them!
Those look like good reads. We go for anything Dr. Seuss these days. Also, on the daily reads list are Moo, Baa, La-La-La and What’s Wrong Little Pookie.
My three year old loves all kinds of books! We try to get to the library every week to pick out some new ones! I really like the Could You? Would You? book because I’m curious to see what her answers will be! It’s amazing to see how someone so little can have such cool thoughts!
Cassie
cjm92995@yahoo.com
reading is already a cherished ritual with my 3 week old. It would be great to have some new material to try out on her!
My little guy loves to be read to. I hope that a love of books is something that he never outgrows.
We love to tickle at my house. My son has the best laugh.
I have a three year old so we have been reading alot of green eggs and ham (about three times a day) and curious george books. I also have a nine month old and she really likes to touch and feel books so we have been reading that’s not my car, thats not my dragon and thats not my dinosaur.
I would love to have this set. My niece absolutely loves books more than anything else. She takes books with her everywhere she goes, even to church!
These look like such cute books. Thanks for the chance.
One of my son’s favorites is “Marvin K Mooney, Will You Please Go Now!” I change my voice and get more and more irritated with poor ole Marvin. We have so much fun with it. My daughter loves “Are you My Mother” – she always feels so sad for the little bird until he finds his Mom.
clenna at aol dot com
kids can never have too many books
Tickle mitts? How fun!!!
my son loves when i read with him! we read everyday and its so relaxing and enjoyable especially when i get to snuggle with my kids. the best gift in the world is a book!!!!!
my grandson will love this one mverno@roadrunner.com
I would love to read the mother daughter book because I love to read to my daughter and I have not read any books like that to her yet
I would love to win this so I could add the books to my classroom library (kindergarten!)
Books are the best toys! Well, my niece thinks that they are toys and they have always been a favorite of hers since she was little.
My little one loves tickling.
That tickle book sounds great, the other ones too but I love to tickle my Peanut.
The tickle mitts are adorable!
My daughter LOVES Fancy Nancy and Ella takes the cake! Such cute cute books with great morals!
You should check out Imagination Library, Dolly Parton’s foundation. They partner with local libraries to provide one free book per month to children from birth to age 5. By the time they go to kindergarten, they will have 60 free books! I got some of the brochures and include them with baby shower gifts, and then I register the baby when he/she is born- the parents love it and the older siblings love to read to the younger!
I’m a library lady…yeah, how cool is that? Right now, I work only part time, but to be surrounded by all of those books…it rocks my world! I’ve always, always wanted my children to have a love and passion for books, just as much as I do.
We love reading, sharing and growing. Books take you places, they really do!
My little grabs all kinds of books at the library. From Dora to princesses. My son has been reading the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” books. And my oldest is reading Judy Blume.
Unfortunately, I have not had anything good for myself to read lately. Maybe when we get back in the school groove, I will get something.
My 5yr old daughter has been fascinated with Abraham Lincoln lately. So last night we read Abe’s Honest Words and a chapter from an Abraham Lincoln biography geared towards children.
We love good books in our house. Reading to kids is SOOO important.
Could you, would you might be inspired by the song ‘the way we were’. Or it might not.
We love Dr. Seuss here too. These books all look so fun! My daughters would just love them! (I think I would too!)
my son just LOVES this book with pictures of cars/trucks/ boats/ planes/trains, etc… every. single. night. same. book.
Reading is a huge part of mine and my kids’ lives. I think that is why I would have to say that Carol Casey’s latest book, “Dear Baby, What I love about you!” is our favorite book to date. The book is illustrated in fun, bright colors and contains a lot of fun and nurturing rhymes that tell them just why he or she is so lovable.
We LOVE books at our house as well! My 5 year old loves Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs right now and my toddler loves Chika chika boom boom.
My daughter would undoubtedly love the Tickle Monster– the mitts in particular!– but I agree with you about the “what the heck” language. I’d probably change it to “what in the world.”
We’ve been reading Snowflake Friends a lot lately, because it has magnetic characters Sarina can move around.
My toddler daughter loves books! Right now she loves the Brown Bear series of books…she loves having them all read to her daily by me, her dad, then her brother!
Oooh, I *love* getting new books! And new kids books is always a wonderful thing… These each look like they’d work wonderfully in our family, and I’d love to add them to our collection!
My kids are currently in love with “Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy”, and I’m not sure what exactly about it draws them in. Lovely illustration style, and a good story about kids pretending to be superheroes at a playground. I like the message of it, too: Work together and be imaginative so everyone has fun.
We are currently loving where the wild things are, alaska ABC that was a gift from Grandma and grandpa, God Gave us you and God Gave us TWO. HEy pancake.
Many more. :)
I simply cannot pass up a book contest. I wanted to share a post I did about grown-up reading.
http://momtrends.blogspot.com/2009/08/mommy-time-monday-books-at-beach.html
But in addition, my toddler is now obsessed with books–so new ones would be welcome. Hope you had a great weekend.
Because I just had a baby, at the library I’ve been finding books on kids with baby siblings. I think “The Difference Between Babies and Cookies” by Mary Hanson is a treasure, even if I’m not sure my son gets the subtle humor behind it all.
My daughter loves the same three books. We do switch it up a lot but usually come back to her faves. My husband always reads Molly and Max at the seashore because he does great voices in his English accent.
My oldest (4.5 yo) selected one of her earliest favorites for bedtime tonight… Bunny’s Noisy Book. It is a very sweet story, and thanks to the fact that we read it nearly every day from the day she came home from the hospital, it was the book that provoked her very first sound. She mimmmicked the sound of the little bunny sneezing. I still remember how she would giggle and think that part was so funny long before she could communicate verbally. We love, love books here!
Along Came You looks super sweet. I have dark hair, and both of my girls are blondies… perfect. :)
I don’t know if I have shared this link before or not. Wonderful list of literature broken down into age classifications. I used this a lot with my children through the years.
http://www.classical-homeschooling.org/celoop/1000-primary.html
These books sound great. Any suggestions on good books about welcoming a baby into the family? I’m looking for some for my daughter!
We love books in our house too. Right now, my son is a huge fan of Clifford the Big Red Dog. I’ve seen reviews of The Tickle Monster and it sounds like it would be a hit in our house!
We love books in our house too. Right now, my son is a huge fan of Clifford the Big Red Dog. I’ve seen reviews of The Tickle Monster and it sounds like such fun!
My little guy loves this book called “Captain Hog.” He mimics the voice my hubby reads it in :)
We’ve been enjoying the Stella books from Marie-Louise Gay. The illustrations are fantastic and the stories are just delightful.
I don’t have kids, but I love the Llama Llama books. Llama Llama Red Pajama and Llama Llama Misses Mama make me happier than most kids books!!
My five year old is always asking for her Rhymme Bible Storybook and my three year old loves all things Seuss.
I love reading Dr. Seuss books with my kids. My 1st grader can read some of them himself now, which is really cool. I’ve always liked them. Green Eggs and Ham is one of my favorites!