Look, here’s the deal. Someone has already hooked your pregnant friend up with the usual suspects. Where the Wild Things Are? The Runaway Bunny? She’s got one in every room of her house. Those are some solid books! But let’s come up with some gift ideas that will make you look like you know how to interact with a small, soft-skulled creature with ease. Or, you know, if you HAVE a baby or toddler, and made that decision solely so you’d one day get to shout-sing the drinking chants from The Hobbit to the fruit of your loins, and you’re getting impatient for her to make it to an appropriate age (five) these are guaranteed to please in the interim.
1. Slinky Malinki, Lynley Dodd
Not only is this an adorable story about a rapscallion cat who likes to steal things from her neighbors and stash them in a hiding place, it’s a positive lesson about the dangers of hoarding and the merits of keeping your pet indoors at night. It also rhymes. MOREOVER, Dodd is from New Zealand, so your child can be exposed early to odd Commonwealth jargon like “jumper.” My two-year-old can use “pillaged” correctly in a sentence, and it’s all thanks to this stalking and lurking adventurous cat.
2. Let’s Go For a Drive! An Elephant and Piggie Book, Mo Willems
Let me now sing a song of Mo Willems. Mo Willems is a fucking genius. No! He is. I have restricted myself to choosing just two Mo Willems books for this piece, but if I had my druthers, there would be thousands. His army of mice potty-trained my kid ahead of schedule, and then convinced her that saying “please” was in her best interests. The Elephant and Piggie books, though, are dearest to my heart. They’re about friendship, which is the same if you’re tiny or if you’re grown up, and they’re beautifully gonzo. I Am a Frog!, We Are In a Book!, A Big Guy Took My Ball!…I haven’t found a bad one yet. They value kindness, and giving-things-your-best-try and being open to new experiences. Like most buddy pictures, children’s books with two protagonists almost always have a straight man who keeps the goofball down to earth, and Gerald’s stoicism and anxious tendencies balance out Piggie’s lust for life and novelty. I love them both, very much.
3. This Is Not My Hat, Jon Klassen
This is the best children’s book about cold-blooded murder you will ever read. Mallory got it for my baby, which should not surprise anyone who has read her work. “Oh, it’s not really about murder, surely!” you may be saying to yourself indulgently. “Nicole is such a kidder.” NOPE. It’s dark, guys. Dark and funny and spooky and brilliant. And, let me tell you: your kid isn’t going to steal any goddamn hats from fish anytime soon. Trust.
4. There Are No Animals In This Book (Only Feelings), Chani Sanchez and Tina Rivers
They had me at the title, to be honest. What’s different about this fantastic, visually-stunning book (apart from the lack of animals) is that it also serves as a showcase for a bunch of cool modern artists (the index at the back is definitely for adults, and provides a mini art lesson.) If the lack of animals is a dealbreaker for your child, I’ll let you in on a secret: some animals are going to sneak in. Maybe even a robot dog.
5. Belly Button Book, Sandra Boynton
Sandra Boynton is the Randy Newman of children’s books. She is BEYOND prolific. She has written literally ninety thousand books, all of them great, and picking just one was an ordeal. My taste in Boynton books runs to the surreal; the vast majority of books for kids are about going to bed, because, you know, people want their kids to go to bed, but sometimes you want your reading matter to be in no way edifying. Belly Button Book does not attempt to make sense. Did you know hippos are obsessed with belly buttons and consider them to be your MOST becoming feature? And they like to hang out at Belly Button Beach and sing “ooooh belly button, you’re oh so fine, oooooh belly button, I’m so happy you are mine!” Me neither. But I sure do now. Thanks, Sandra!
6. A Starlit Snowfall, Nancy Willard
Nothing much happens in this book. It’s definitely got a more olden-timey feel than any of the other books in this list, but it’s got the most luscious, beautiful illustrations, and a lovely, mannered conversation between a rabbit and a bear about the merits of hibernating together. Now, if I were writing a book about a rabbit and a bear who hibernate together, my first thought would be “rabbit, you dumbass, that bear is going to eat you,” but that’s not how this goes down. The bear LEGIT just wants company and doesn’t understand why the rabbit gets antsy and bored in his cave and longs for the hills and a nibble of clover. This is definitely a more obscure title, and is a great choice if you have a mom friend who’s a little more traditional and who occasionally puts her kid in nice outfits.
7. The Frog and Toad Collection, Arnold Lobel
Of all the books I’ve listed, this is the only one I remember from my own childhood, but I could never have left it out. Frog and Toad are eternal. These are wistful, beautiful stories, and as I read them to my child, little images bubbled up and popped in my mind. “Oh, the cookies! They put them in a box so they wouldn’t eat them, but then they realized they could just open the box.” “Toad doesn’t want to get up until spring comes, so Frog tears four pages out of his calendar to fool him.” Like Gerald and Piggie, these books are about friendship. Don’t miss them.
8. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Mo Willems
As promised, this is the other Mo Willems series you couldn’t possibly do without. The pigeon ALSO stars in a book about going to bed, and a book about being conned out of half a hot dog by a duckling, and a book about being jealous of ducklings, and a book about wanting a puppy THIS MINUTE RIGHT NOW. These books are allegories, did you know that? The allegory is “toddlers are like self-absorbed, changeable pigeons, and they freak out really easily and then crash hard.” You can take that to the bank. Kids LOVE the pigeon, because he has big, unwieldy emotions, and it’s fun to watch him blow. Also, man, he comes up with some pretty impressive reasons for why you should let him drive that bus.
9. Giraffes Can’t Dance, Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees
These dudes! These two weird dudes and their great books. I’m picking Giraffes, but Bustle in the Bushes and Dinosaurs Galore! and Commotion in the Ocean and Rumble in the Jungle are all siiiick. This is your standard issue nonsense-rhymes-about-creatures series, but they are exceptionally popular and bright and vivid and funny. Giraffes is the only one with an actual narrative, in which Gerald (a very popular name for animals in kids’ books) the giraffe is consistently embarrassed by his terrible, awkward dancing until an insect tells him that everyone can dance if they find the right music. For some of us, that’s tequila and Robyn; for Gerald, it’s the imaginary music of the moon. Takes all kinds: valuable lesson.
10. Llama Llama Red Pyjama, Anna Dewdney
Moms are suckers for the Llama Llama books. You cannot even say the titles to a mom without her getting a little misty, try it! Llama Llama is a snuggly little dude who loves his mama, but sometimes gets mad at her, or scared, or doesn’t want to share, or gets a little sick and bored. They’re soothing and sweet and warm and kindly, and Llama’s mama always makes him feel better. She’s got her own life, though, and sometimes she needs him to chill out a bit and self-soothe. Llamas: They’re Just Like Us.
Well, there you go. I strongly recommend you buy these books for all and sundry, including yourself. Let’s hear your top ten in the comments, but be warned: one word about The Velveteen Rabbit (link not included), and you’ll never get to comment archly on a Texts From installment again. Because I will ban you, that is a snuff book about a monster, garbage child who deserved his illness and could be easily bought off with a shiny new toy.
Nicole, this was so timely and important. THANK YOU.
I don’t really intend on being a parental-type, if I have my way, but this was fun to read just the same. Also, Nicole sounds like pretty much the best mom.
There are three (3) new babies in my extended family (plus one on the way; my cousins all decided to procreate this year) and they are ALL getting the fish murder book for Christmas. Thank you, Nicole.
He has another murder-and-hats book, too, “I Want My Hat Back.” Bonus points: lying.
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt! It’s rhythmic and rhyming with classic drawings and you can read it aloud very dramatically. PLUS, the older kids get, the more they tune in to the ambiguously sinister ending. (Why is the bear so sad? Did he really just want to have some friends? OR is he bummed because he didn’t get to eat that family after all?)
Yes!!! I read that one for my Toddler Storytime this week. Love Helen Oxenbury’s illustrations.
I’m so excited!! Nicole, you’re the best and I’m forwarding this to all of my baby’s relatives who want to buy her Christmas presents. Runaway Bunny, you’re lovely and all but I have two copies of you already. Ditto Pat the Bunny. And “Guess How Much I Love You,” which is also about bunnies. What is with all these bunnies, is what I’m saying.
I have no clue why bunnies are so prevalent in kids’ stuff– my kid’s nursery pattern involved bunnies, and we read the board book I Am A Bunny on a weekly basis…. and it’s one my mom read to me. When we see bunnies at the zoo, he’s completely uninterested, but he’s in LOVE with I Am A Bunny.
I’m going toddler-shopping after work today, so this was extremely timely and relevant. Thank you kindly!
Did you know that if you click on one of those links in the post and buy any book, The Toast gets some of the money from each sale?
Hey Nick, if I click on one of these links and then go down an Amazon rabbit-hole and end up buying, say, 400 Sandra Boyton books that aren’t directly linked here, does the Toast still get a cut of those too?
INDEED. Your visit just has to be linked from us and we get a cut.
Is it possible to give The Toast money somehow through my purchase if I want to buy a couple of these books from amazon.ca?
Ooh, a lot of these are new to me. I will add to my list.
Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back is also great. As opposed to cold-blooded murder, it’s about BOILING HOT RAGE leading to murder. Over hats. He’s cornered that market, yep.
More hats, less murder, also great for little kids: Esphyr Slobodkina’s Caps for Sale
Signed in just to say ‘I Want My Hat Back’ is brilliant! I think I love it even more than This is Not My Hat. His books are so understated, and simple, but hilarious. I am pretty sure I have felt the same BOILING HOT RAGE as the bear in that book. but it hasn’t led to murder. Yet.
Also, anything illustrated by Brian OR Jerry Pinkney (such as A Starlit Snowfall) is going to be lush and beautiful. They are some of my all-time favorite illustrators.
Yes! I had an acquaintance-with-toddler gasp in horror at the fact that I Want My Hat Back ends in murder, but her toddler and I both loved it.
DID YOU KNOW they made a musical out of the Frog and Toad books and it is the best thing EVER?
http://youtu.be/AksOWRVhYdI
I got to see Mo Willems as Mother Ginger in a production of the Nutcracker and it was the greatest thing ever.
THAT SOUNDS AMAZING. I’m jealous of your life right now.
This is perfect timing! I have already exhausted my allotted onesie gift for my new nephew and need some Christmas present ideas. These look lovely!
P.S. Was anyone else exhausted just by the mention of putting kids down for bed? Sometimes my puppy needs to be walked an extra time after we put him up for the night and it’s like the greatest energy suck ever (I’m so lazy, y’all).
The Mitten, by Jan Brett!
Although it’s a little on the older side of what you’re looking for, Up North at the Cabin by Marsha Wilson Chall. If said young child lives near or visits lakes and woods often, there’s beautiful imagery in it that they’ll love.
Ahhhh, ALL of Jan Brett’s books! The illustrations are so good, with the edging details and little surprises! One of my godmothers is Scandinavian and she bought my brother and I so many of those books, and I adored them.
I loved that one as a kid! So beautiful
I remember very little from my childhood but I totally remember getting Jan Brett’s newsletter.
I just bought Jan Brett’s newest book for myself. Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella–and it’s just what the title says, though it’s kind of a story within a story. The illustrations are great, and, like all her work, are full of tiny details that a lot of kids (and adults) like to look at without necessarily reading the story. The chickens act like chickens, if chickens wore fancy 17th-18th c.-ish clothes (including shoes for the ‘prince’ and ‘cinderella’ which is kind of amusing itself).
If you’re not into princess stuff, it’s probably not one of her books you want to get, but it does not come across as princess-y as many Cinderella stories, because, in the end, the chickens are chickens, not role models for little girls.
If you are into making up stories from illustrations, I can see several story ideas I could use to tell a story without reading the text at all. Some toddlers I know were thrilled with Jan Brett books, others had to be a little older, so it depends on the kid.
UP NORTH AT THE CABIN. I am pretty sure that’s still AT our cabin in Northern Wisconsin, where I’m going with my 2.5 year old after Christmas. Thank you for the reminder!
Yes! My family is super Swedish with a side of Norwegian, my love for Jan Brett knows no bounds. I was RAISED on troll legends and red and blue horsies and ugh I just love those books so much, I still read Christmas Trolls outloud to my little brother every year on Christmas Eve and we are 21 and 19
I just added all of this to my baby registry, except for the Bellybutton Book, which my sister already gave me, and the Pigeons, which I was gifted. Thanks Nicole! This is great!
I’m especially excited about Slinky Malinki because we have two mischievous black cats .
REAL TALK NICOLE. NO KNUFFLE BUNNY? My kiddo (just a couple months older than yours) is aghast (or would be if he wasn’t so busy attempting to destroy everything I love). I mean, if you’re going to sing the Mo Willems chorus (and I love him!), you have to include Knuffle Bunny.
And have you see the Jon Klassen/Lemony Snicket book “The Dark”? Amaaazing.
If you are buying books for a small being who’s completely fucking garbage truck-mad, “I Stink” by Kate McMullan is pretty great and has transitioned nicely with my dude from ten months to two and a half.
What the fuck is it with garbage trucks, anyway? On garbage day my kid will park himself in front of the window for hours for a glimpse of one. I think he thinks they’re monsters (not the brightest, my little nugget.)
KNUFFLE BUNNY. That’s the Willems series of choice at our house right now. As G is preparing for a Christmas plane ride, she’s talked a lot about [Knuffle Bunny Free spoiler], and she LOVED that she found a man with the Pigeon on his shirt in the first one.
Oh man, “The Dark” is wonderful. Also the other Lemony Snicket picture books which are, respectively, (and seasonally-appropriately), “The Lump of Coal” and “The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming”.
<en>The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming</en>.
Going to a baby shower next week, now torn between all the books (and let’s face it, it’s me: I’ll probably go with the books) and some of the things from the 9 stupid baby gear post. Hey, cousin, here’s a banana toothbrush and a belly button book! It doesn’t have to make sense – just enjoy!
My kids are teens now, so I’m excited to get to know some of these newer titles. But back in the day, these were essential:
Byron Barton: Bones Bones Dinosaur Bones http://www.scholastic.com/content5/media/products…
Julia Donaldson / Axel Scheffler: The Gruffalo, aka, the most amazing monster book ever printed, plus mice are the best http://www.gruffalo.com/getmedia/63551dbd-5194-41…
Nicola Baxter: The Little Blue Tractor (it’s practically impossible to find, it’s English, it’s from the 90s, whatever: it’s captivating) http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VT3FHEGWL…
My favorite Boynton is Red, Green Hat, and my favorite Williems is Pigeon Wants a Puppy.
Byron Barton’s Trains book is one I can now recite from memory. Same with his trucks book. Sweet jesus, his books are toddler crack.
The Gruffalo is my jam. I kind of rap it to my little dude and he LOVES it.
Don’t forget The Gruffalo’s Child! “The Gruffalo said no Gruffalo should ever set foot in the deep dark wood…”Why not? Why not?” “Because if you do, the big…bad…MOUSE will be after you!”
Since I stopped being a nanny I recite it a lot at my Tall Man and he is Often Confused.
I bought a Spanish-language copy of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! for my workplace’s kids’ book drive this month, and ended up reading it out loud to my boyfriend because he loves pigeons and can’t read Spanish. Now I’m thinking of buying the whole series in English for us even though we never want kids. The hot-dog one looks amazing.
OMG THANK YOU. I am so goddamn sick of Go, Dog, Go! Not as sick as I am of Green Eggs and Ham (fuck you, Sam-I-Am), but pretty fuckin sick.
Also, Mallory, have Matt illustrate Misandrist Lullabies and I’ll buy a thousand copies and wallpaper my house with them.
Nicole, when did your daughter segue from board books to regular ones? Or did you guys do board books?
IDK about Nicole Jr, but my kid started to segue at about two. He still looks at his board books, but he’s starting to have the attention span for regular ones (you just have to keep an eye on your kid’s desire to rend paper, that’s what kept us away from regular books for a while).
Thanks! I wasn’t sure when she’ll become less likely to rend. She still sticks them in her mouth occasionally as well.
I did not know that book was about murder!!! I’M SORRY I GAVE YOUR KID A BOOK ABOUT MURDER NICOLE
I find it literally impossible to believe you didn’t know it was about murder, and even more impossible that you didn’t choose it very specifically for that reason.
That book is a delight, even if it is about murder. And, if you think about it, lots of children’s stories involve murder (Three Little Pigs, Hansel & Gretel, etc.) and they don’t have snappy minimalist illustrations!
Oh, also, I spent HOURS UPON HOURS as a kid staring at the Graeme Base books we had (Animalia, The Sign of the Seahorse), even when I was too young to really understand the words. His art made me feel like I was tripping balls. Same with Chris Van Allsburg–his books made me a little scared because of their distinctly sinister feel (even the Polar Express), but I couldn’t get enough of them.
Also-also, I spent a -while- tracking down this book series from when I was a kid, which is apparently out of print and expensive if you want to relive your childhood, but I was bonkers for Chester the mouse and Max the cat:
http://www.amazon.com/ABC-ALPHABET-BOOK-Chester-a…
Because I can’t shut up with my ideas–this isn’t a kid’s book, but my brother and I checked out the library copy so many times it was practically ours, and as a dinosaur-loving kid it blew my mind:
http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Dinosaurs-Alternati…
Dougal Dixon tapped right into my brain with that one. We were devastated when someone else checked it out and never returned it. In college I bought my own used copy of it and it sits proudly on my bookshelf.
THE ELEVENTH HOUR!!!!!
I go leaf that book that every time I go back to my mom’s house and I STILL can’t ever remember how to solve the mystery without cheating!
I STILL regret that I cheated before really giving the riddles a good try. Why did you give up so easily, younger me? Why do you give up so easily, older me? Probably because you were a dirty cheater as a child. But yeah, beautiful books.
Yesssssss! Nicole, I love it when you post stuff about kids/for parental types!
My 22-month old has every Sandra Boynton book and about half of the other ones you listed here, and I’m adding all of the others to his Christmas wishlist. Slinky Malinki was one of my favorites as a tot (as were the Hairy Maclary books, natch) so I’m trying to force that on him too. I’m envious of your kidlet saying “pillaged” and “please” – really excellent early vocabulary there, you should be proud! My little dude has exactly one word (“uh-oh”) but he really likes cleaning so I guess I’ll go with it?
Sandra Boynton also designed the best birthday card ever. http://rlv.zcache.com/hippo_birdie_cards-re2469f4…
I was nannying for a while last year and one day I took the kids to an evening event at school. I did not know anything about Mo Willems, but he was that evening’s entertainment–he read Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed to an audience of approximately one hundred toddlers, all of whom sat in rapt attention with wide eyes for the duration of the story. The man clearly has a gift.
I buy either the Pigeon book or Diary of a Wombat, which has very few words, but is very adorable and about wombats, for my new parent friends. And for those with better senses of humor, I get Go The Fuck To Sleep.
Did you know there is an audio of Samuel L Jackson reciting Go The Fuck to Sleep?
I mean, I think that’s essential information for all of us. Let me reiterate:
SAMUEL L JACKSON NARRATING MANSBACH’S GO THE FUCK TO SLEEP.
And now I’m going to go listen to it again. Five minutes of pure joy.
Brian Lies’ Bats at the… books are up there with Neil Gaiman’s Blueberry Girl in terms of books I love giving friends (with or without kids–this is a safe space, no shame). Little bats playing volleyball on the beach! Buying Cricket Jack from a vendor at a ballgame! Excited to sneak into the library and read Make Way for Ducklings! They rhyme and the illustrations are fantastic, making them wonderful read-aloud options. I’ve gone to more than one shower with a stack of Lies’ books, Stellaluna, and an Uglydoll Ice-Bat, because the need for diaper bags fades but the love of excellent children’s books rarely goes away.
I’m a currently no-kids person who deeply, deeply wants them, and I’m not going to lie — a very large percentage of that desire is Hobbit-related.
Old recommendation, but for breathtaking illustrations and a message about kindness (and LOVING SNAKES, YAY) Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters will always be my favorite. http://www.amazon.com/Mufaros-Beautiful-Daughters…
I also always loved Heckedy Peg. It’s particularly good because it allows you to say to your children “I love you so much I would do anything to save you, including hack off my own feet and/or lie to a witch if necessary” so intensely that they get uncomfortable.
My spouse has asked me 3 years running if Baby Razor was old enough for him to read her The Hobbit yet.
She is four.
My parents started me on The Hobbit when I was two (we had an illustrated version).
My dad read it to me when I was six, and then left for a week long conference in the middle – so that’s when I learned how to damn read chapter books myself, thank you. None of this waiting shit.
(I got through one and a half chapters, and he came back in time to do all the Smaug narration. Still.)
And my brother was two, and snuck out of bed to listen to the Desolation of Smaug and had nightmares for a month.
Yay! I LOVE Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughter too! I remember seeing it on Reading Rainbow when I was wee, and it’s been one of my favorites ever since. It also made me want to be nice to snakes.
wait also THE LITTLE FUR BOOK and also CAN’T YOU SLEEP LITTLE BEAR
All the Little Bear books. All of them. So soothing.
I have a 4 1/2 year old, so some of these might skew a bit older than new-baby.
Jane Yolen’s “How Do Dinosaurs” series is a big hit in our house. How do they go to school? Go to sleep? Eat their food? Love their dogs? Tell jokes? The pictures are bright and colorful, the dinosaurs are pretty accurate and labelled, the body language is clear and fun, the text is easy to read aloud and has great rhythm and rhyming (rhymes so often feel forced, you know?), and there’s lots of stuff to talk about. Also they are pretty short.
“The Monster at the End of this Book” starring your lovable furry pal Grover is a classic, and rightfully so. The book legit gave my kid anxiety the first 1 or 2 times we read it (OH NO A MONSTER! GROVER IS SO NERVOUS!) but the payoff was GREAT and he found it funny. We read this book a lot and he still finds it funny and he reassures Grover that everything’s going to be ok. It’s very charming. It holds up well to a million re-reads.
Jane Yolen’s “Piggins” series (yes, Yolen again!) is a picture book series about a butler pig who works for a fox family and solves mysteries. If you like Downton Abbey and PBS’s “MYSTERY” series and want to groom your child for the same, check out this series.
“Mystery,” by Arthur Geisert, is a picture book about a little girl (who is a pig, everyone is pigs or other animals) who solves a mystery in a museum. There’s clues in the book that sharp-eyed kids can use to solve the mystery on their own.
“Interrupting Chicken” by David Ezra Stein is just plain FUN to read out loud, and the art is lush and colorful and engaging. This is another book that holds up well to multiple re-reads (one of my personal most important criteria) and is pretty funny and also sweet.
‘”Let’s Get A Pup,” Said Kate’ by Bob Graham is a book about a family who goes to a shelter and winds up adopting 2 dogs… a puppy and an older dog. The parents have tattoos and piercings and the house is a little messy and cluttered and it feels like a peek into the lives of actual people.
“Dinothesaurus: prehistoric paintings and poems” by Douglas Florian is a fun and quirky kind of funky book about dinosaurs that is mostly playful mixed media collages and goofy poems that are fun to read aloud, with some sprinklings of facts thrown in. Has a great appendix with lists of actual informative books. Not a book for babies, or for kids who do not like dinosaurs. Great for 3+ yo dino lover.
“Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” by Bill Martin Jr (there’s also a number version and a telling time version) is a modern classic with fun rhyming cadence and bright, colorful pictures. This book never fails to keep my kid engaged and interested, and he already knows the alphabet really well.
“It’s Time for Preschool” by Esme Raji Codell is not a story book, it’s a script book, and a great book for a kid who’s going to start school and is nervous about it. When I say it’s a script book, I mean it covers what preschool is, how a typical day goes, and reassures kids that their parents will come get them at the end of the day. You know how when you get ready for an interview you go over possible scenarios in your head and practice witticisms and come up with answers to potential questions? This book helps kids do that, and get ready for something that is a big scary change.
“Fox Went Out On A Chilly Night,” by Wendy Watson, is an illustrated version of the traditional song (which you’ve probably heard I think Raffi sing, if you have little kids). The illustrations are very charming and fun.
I don’t have links to any of these, but if you click one of the links in the article and then search for these you should be able to find them AND give The Toast credit for using their affiliate link, because you’ll still be under their affiliate link.
Yesss, Monster at the End of This Book!
Chicka Chicka is my favorite book to give young kids.
The day the Sesame Street twitter did a live reenactment of Monster at the End of This Book was wonderful.
Also “Owl Moon” by Jane Yolen was very important to me as a kid. I had a minor freakout when I saw it at a used bookstore recently. Seconding “Fox Went Out.”
QUITE FRANKLY there were a bunch more Yolen books I did not put on this list lest it become a Jane Yolen List. I love that she’s written for such a wide range of ages.
Jane Yolen. LOVE.
I barely remember the story of Owl Moon, but those drawings are so breathtaking they’re impossible to forget. As I was schlepping myself up the giant hill on the way home from work (IN THE DARK, AT SIX PM), I noticed a giant, bright moon in a blue-black sky between the leafless trees. It looked so much like the cover of the book that I just had to stop and stare for a full two minutes.
AH, thank you! My youngest nephew is 5, and I’m buying him books for Christmas… I was going to get the Pigeon books but now I’m thinking maybe he’s too old for them ???
The good thing about the pigeon books is that at 5 he’ll be able to (or will soon be able to) read them himself. But emotionally they might be a little young for him. “I want my hat back” by Klass might be good (has a bear eating a rabbit in order to regain control of his hat), “interrupting chicken,” or a level 1 easy reader like Arthur (from the PBS kids show) or Franklin (he’s a turtle) or Frog and Toad or Little Bear might be good for him. Also, p much anything by Ezra Jack Keats, but “The Snowy Day” is a nice wintery tie-in. If he likes trains, “The Polar Express” might be good. My kid LOVES that book although we only bring it out at Christmas time.
My favorite book when I was that age (and older) was Richard Scarry’s The Best Word Book Ever. I buy it fo allll the babies. Not a traditional narrative book but fabulous. Endless hours of fun looking at all the pages, finding the mice, and making up stories about the bear and pig families. True story: the In the City spread is pretty much why I moved to New York City.
LOVED Richard Scarry. My husband has a couple for when my tot grows out of board books.
Richard Scarry was much loved in our house. Also Dr. Suess’ Sneetches and other stories(which I can still recite from memory even though my kids are adults now)
Love love LOVE Richard Scarry. I had “What Do People DO All Day?” and I adored it. My mum still uses “Lowly Worm” as a term of endearment, which people who are not in my family find…strange.
Please help! I’m going to a 2-year-old’s birthday party next week and I’m totally clueless. His family is very traditional so he’s into stuff like super heroes and dump trucks. Can anyone recommend some books that he’ll still like but are less gender norm-y?
Dinosaur Train has a book called “Dinosaurs A-Z.” It’s not trucks or super heroes, but dinos are a pretty big hit with little kids in general. The reason I’m specifically recommending a tv show tie in is that the tv show is educational about dinosaurs but also has great gender dynamics going on.
Good Night Engines/Wake Up Engines by Denise Mortenson or Good Night Construction Site Sherri Rinker are books about trucks/vehicles that IIRC don’t have kids/people in them and so neatly avoid issues of gender.
“I Love You Stinkyface” is a cute book with a kid who isn’t obviously male or female. There’s other books in the series, I don’t know if the child’s gender is ever revealed.
Jan Thomas is a winner. She writes zany books that toddlers love. What Will Fat Cat Sit On?, Is Everyone Ready for Fun?, Can You Make a Scary Face? are all wonderful. I do them at home with my son and also a my work for storytime.
Jon Klassen is the best. Kids are totally on board with murdering over the taking of Stuff That Is Mine.
Less murdery, but lots of fun: Chester, by Melanie Watt http://www.amazon.com/Chester-Melanie-Watt/dp/155…
I would like to give a shout-out to the original Jane and the Dragon book. Girls can be knights and make friends with dragons! This probably began my lifelong obsession with dragons.
THANK YOU, Christmas shopping for my niece is done now. Glorious list.
Also does the Paper Bag Princess count as a classic, because if people don’t have it already, you should buy it for them.
The Paper Bag Princess should DEFINITELY count as a classic.
The most successful book I’ve given to my little nephews that doesn’t star construction equipment is Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes. So sweet, such lovely art.
Mo Willems IS a genius, as I just informed my 10th grade class yesterday. And E and P are modern echoes of F and T. His Knuffle Bunny books and his less-well-known LEONARDO THE TERRIBLE MONSTER are also great. And read ONE COOL FRIEND, about a boy who steals a penguin from the aquarium, and EXTRA YARN. Can’t remember either of the authors right now.
I bought this book recently for some friends with a new baby. I won’t know until she’s older if she likes it, but the illustrations are beautiful and lovely, and the main reason I bought it: http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Emily-Hughes/dp/190926…
Aaaah, a mom-friend of mine was describing the murder book to me yesterday and I half thought she was making it up!
A few longer books that are ridiculously fun to read (besides all the Boynton & Willems books):
A Bargain For Frances, by Russell & Lillian Hoban. All of the Frances books are fun, but this one in particular cracks me up.
The Wolves in the Walls, by Neil Gaiman. Excellent for doing super-dramatic voices.
And 2 princess books that don’t suck:
Olivia and the Fairy Princesses, by Ian Falconer
The Storytelling Princess, by Rafe Martin
My daughter has over 500 books (they’re small! they’re wicked cheap at the thrift shop!), so I have recommendations for any type of kid at this point!
I love most of the Frances books (in large part because I read them as a kid) and most (all?) of them are available int he original format and also in slightly edited easy reader format. Some of the books have some weird body/fat/food issues in them though.
I really didn’t like “wolves in the walls” for some reason, although I forget why, but my kid and I both really love “day I swapped my dad for 2 goldfish.”
Is the Frances in a Bargain For Frances the same Frances that only wanted to eat bread and jam?!
YES! The series is A Baby Sister for Frances, Bread & Jam for Frances, A Bargain For Frances, and A Best Friend For Frances
Two favorites from my childhood:
“Tacky the Penguin.” Tacky is the misfit penguin who lives with his penguin companions Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect, but he saves the day when a group of hunters (wolves and bears) come after the penguins.
“Possum Come A-Knockin.” Very rhythmic and delightful to read aloud.
Tacky was an odd bird.
But a very nice bird to have around.
Goodnight Gorilla!
I work with kids and am always looking for new kid’s books. I could not see the appeal of Have you seen my Hat and I keep wondering what I’m missing…
I will reccommend Press Here by Herve Tullet . It is really creative and interactive.
http://www.amazon.ca/Press-Here-Herve-Tullet/dp/0…
Press Here makes my 18 month old niece squeal in delight even though she doesn’t totally get it. Her 4 year old brother who gets is completely is also amazed. That’s a book you have to read over and over and over, but you don’t really mind!
My favourite is obvious – Click Clack Moo Cows That Type! My husband and I are both in labour relations/collective bargaining plus it’s fun to moo while reading.
http://www.amazon.com/Click-Clack-Moo-Classic-Boa…
I posted this link before I knew about The Toast affiliate linking up above. Obviously click on one of those links and search away!
I love that series so much. Have you read the one where duck becomes president?
No, but it looks right up my (and therefore my son’s) alley! I hadn’t yet looked into whether or not they had done anything else because I have a bit of a children’s book buying problem. Does my 3 month old need 25 books? YES, YES HE DOES.
A fun thing to do is look at all the one star reviews for that book.
Oh, my god, thank you. You have seriously made my day. This is priceless.
Socialist tripe. This book was written under union influence and aimed at our children to foster the idea of collectivism. The liberals and progressives all had a hand in this socialist propaganda piece. Fits in well with C Scope and Common Core. Liberals and Progressives are now aiming at your children, much the same that German Governments did in the 1930’s. Wow does history repeat itself or what? Do yourselves a favor and educate yourselves to what the collective socialist progressives are trying to do to you and your children BEFORE it is too late.
The liberals AND the progressives? OH NO HIDF THE CHILDREN. We’ll end up just like those Communist Nazis!
OK, the book is cute, but the reason that it has received such acclaim and honor is because it celebrates and encourages Union activity. Certainly the media would not have fallen in love with this book if farmer brown turned the ungrateful, inefficient and pampered cows into hamburger and drumsticks and replaced them with more appreciative, hard working, and efficient cows and chickens. Or would it have received the same media and literary praise if it showed that farmer brown had to move his farm to Mexico or lay off farm hands because the increased electrical costs caused by the cows and chickens made his farm uncompetitive?
OH MY GOD ONE OF THE COMMENTS TO THE REVIEW ACTUALLY CONTAINS THE UNIRONIC USE OF “WAKE UP SHEEPLE.” I AM DEAD.
Yes! Click Clack Moo!! So far, it’s my favorite of all of the dozens of baby/kid books I’ve got.
My favorites from a counter-culture household:
– The Araboolies of Liberty Street – A big family of colorful people move into a “traditional” neighborhood and teach all the repressed people about the value of individuality
– Funny Bones – Skeleton parent and child (I think it’s a dad/son but my mom always read it to me as a mama/daughter skeleton) just going about normal life, but as skeletons
– Simon’s Book – Drawings come to life and little boy has to escape them. The illustrations are really creepy and cool.
HTML I COMMAND YOU TO WORK
I used to watch the Funny Bones tv series when I was little.
Weird question — any good childrens’ books in German? Either good translations of English books, or original German ones. And tips on where to find them. (for a bilingual niece, I don’t speak German myself)
All of these are going on the already set-up amazon wishlist posthaste.
One of my favorites was a story called William’s Doll, which I’m sure someone gave to us because my brother shares a name with the main character. But also, it was about a boy who wants a doll and how in the end that’s totally okay and the more I think about it, the more I realize that it might be where all of my STFU gender binary! stuff started?
The Elephant and the Bad Baby! It’s beautiful and mostly immoral and gorgeous.
OMG YES. This book is amazing and my family quote it all the time… “But he never once said pleeease!” The bad baby is so horrible, it makes my life.
But but but BUT NOT THE HIPPOPOTAMUS is clearly the most superior of the Sandra Boynton books. But yes the hippopotamus! But not the armadillo. I die.
Also, no Stinky Cheese Man?? Come on now.
Two things about Belly Button Book: It ends with the repeated line “No, never in cold wintertime, when belly buttons hide,” which is so ominous and great and we say it to our son whenever it’s cold out. Also, I bought this book solely because there’s a drawing of a baby hippo screaming “Boon!” while gazing at a balloon.
This is wonderful, but now what I really want to know is:
Where is the heartbreaking Texts From: Velveteen Rabbit edition? I haven’t cried yet at work this week.
if you’re with kids who are being raised or trying to be in a Spanish (bilingual) house, The Iguana Brothers is HIGHLY reccomended. It is super cute and a great story about how brothers can be friends. (I may or may not yell this after too many beers with my brother sometimes… CLARO QUE SI! Brothers can be friends!).
The Story of the Little Mole Who Knew It Was None of His Business by Werner Holzwarth and Wolf Erlbruch!
It’s about a Mole who gets pooped on the head and his quest to find the guilty pooper. The story involves detailed description of the size and texture of different animal feces. It is glorious!
King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Audrey & Don Wood was my favorite when I was a little, and it still remains one of my favorite to read to youngsters. The illustrations are to die for!
Also, Hamilton Pig by Robert Newton Peck.
My favourite children’s book is Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester, illustrated by Lynn Munsinger. I read it to my niece and nephews and do the voices (and sing the songs as loudly and off-key as possible! How many toes does a fish haaaaaave? And how many wings on a cooooow?) and it’s surreal and fun. I think it’s good for my niece, since she is very concerned with things being Done Properly.
Every single book by Jessica Spanyool, but especially “Bob’s Number One Van” and “Georgio and his Star Crane Train”
They are gleeful and weird and so, so much fun read over (and over and over).
Oh man, my toddler is going to be so excited that “I Want My Hat Back” has a companion book. Also, this post has totally filled up my Christmas list for small relatives.
Tough Chicks by Cece Ming–a group of chicks would rather fix tractors and swing from the bull’s tail than be good little chicks. http://www.amazon.com/Tough-Chicks-Cece-Meng/dp/0…
Rimonah of the Flashing Sword by Eric Kimmel–a retelling of Snow White set in north Africa, with a proactive heroine. http://www.amazon.com/Rimonah-Flashing-Sword-Nort…
Beware of the Storybook Wolves by Lauren Child–fairy tale characters start to come out of a boy’s favorite book. (Also, one of the boy wolves ends up going to a ball in a beautiful dress and gets to dance with the prince) http://www.amazon.com/Beware-Storybook-Wolves-Lau…
Sense Pass King by Katrin Tchana–a folk tale from Cameroon about a girl who continually outwits the corrupt lazy king. http://www.amazon.com/Sense-Pass-King-Story-Camer…
Was just reading this post saying to myself, I’ll have to comment about Frog and Toad! They’ll never have Frog and Toad!!
AUDIBLE GASP OF JOY, GUYS. AUDIBLE.
“Hairy Maclary” also by Lynley Dodd – there’s lots of Hairy Maclary books, he’s a dog (from Donaldson’s Dairy) and goes around the neighbourhood with a gang of other dogs with awesome rhyming names, like Hercules Morse, who’s big as a horse and Schnitzel von Crumb with a very low tum (a dachshund, obviously).
And here in Australia “Possum Magic” by Mem Fox is mandatory, as it should be. All her books are amazing like “Where is the Green Sheep?”.
Also to continue the antipodean theme there’s “The Magic Pudding” by Norman Lindsay. Probably for older kids, but I just love it! As wikipedia puts it:
It tells of a magic pudding which, no matter how often it is eaten, always reforms in order to be eaten again. It is owned by three companions who must defend it against Pudding Thieves who want it for themselves.
The book is divided into four “slices” instead of chapters. There are many short songs interspersed throughout the text, varying from stories told in rhyme to descriptions of a character’s mood or behaviour, and verses of an ongoing sea song.
The three friends are a koala, a penguin, and a sailor and the pudding is really cranky and uncooperative!
The cut and come again puddin’!!! The tiny skinny legs! The crankiness!
So good.
I was just thinking “Ooh I hope someone has mentioned both Hairy Maclary and Possum Magic, they are absolute musts.”
(I am 28 years old and I still sometimes just randomly come out with gleeful shouts of “Bottomley Potts, all covered in spots!” or “Muffin McClay like a bundle of hay!” because good children’s literature just ends up living in your hindbrain forever.)
Late to the party but I have SO MANY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS POST. It is amazing. But Real Talk: There are some serious Australian classics that need a bit of love.
1. ‘Possum Magic’ by Mem Fox. Literally squat adorable possums doing magic with stars and animals and colours. Squat chubby possums doing magic. Agree with Melky on this book being mandatory.
2. All Alison Lester books ever, but particularly ‘My Farm’ and ‘Clive Eats Alligators’. Best illustrations around, plus sweet, slightly off-beat stories. ‘My farm’ has PONIES!! Not sure if young young kid level, but wonderful and the WORLD NEEDS TO KNOW.
3. ‘Wilfred Gordon McDonald Patridge’, by Mem Fox. You may cry. A little boy tries to find the lost memories of a lovely old lady with Alzheimers. Beautiful beautiful.
4. ‘Where the Forest Meets the Sea’ by Jeannie Baker. I will bet you 20 bucks you’ve never seen illustrations like this before. Also it’s all about saving the environment – winner!
5. Grame Base everything, but particularly ‘Animalia’. Your kid will trip out trying to find all the clues and animals and hidden things in this. It is luscious. I forgot that it teaches the alphabet, that’s how good this is. Probs too old for babies, etc.
Possum Magic, by Mem Fox – because you need more australian books on the list.
I was just thinking "Ooh I hope someone has mentioned both Hairy Maclary and Possum Magic, they are absolute musts."
(I am 28 years old and I still sometimes just randomly come out with gleeful shouts of "Bottomley Potts, all covered in spots!" or "Muffin McClay like a bundle of hay!" because good children's literature just ends up living in your hindbrain forever.)
The book my brother and I (we’re twins) asked my parents to read to us until it literally fell apart was The Big Orange Spot. I’m sorry I don’t remember the author, but if you search for it with Mr. Plumbean, it comes up. It may be for older toddlers/preschoolers more than little toddlers, but that’s what age we really loved it. It has lots of bright colors and cute, simple illustrations. It’s about a man named Mr. Plumbean who lives in a conformist, “neat” neighborhood who decides to paint his house lots of wild colors and how the neighbors react. I think it really helped foster a sense of wanting to tell society to fuck off in me. So if you want the kids to be nonconformists, it might be a good pick.
I also want to second the Paper Bag Princess. It is simply delightful.
None of my friends are really having kids yet, but I definitely plan to buy books as gifts as much as possible.
Press Here makes my 18 month old niece squeal in delight even though she doesn't totally get it. Her 4 year old brother who gets is completely is also amazed. That's a book you have to read over and over and over, but you don't really mind!
Bunny Days by Tao Nyeu is awesome. Those bunnies are adoable and their unintenational abuse is funny (I didn’t even notice it until I was trying to explain the book to a friend). Everyone feels better in the end – even if the bunnies have been through the washer (got my two-year-old to let go of her favorite stuffy for the two hours needs to wash and dry it), sucked up by the vacuum or had their tails lopped off and sewn back on. The pictures are cute and the story is engaging for little one. No rhyming – but great one liners that are hilarious when a toddler says them.
Wow, no-one’s mentioned Each Peach Pear Plum yet? it rhymes, it’s got loads of story characters like the three bears and tom thumb, and the illustrations are amazing too!