A Few of My Favorite Children's Books

I have a huge collection of Children's Books.  I started this collection long before I had my own children and it has grown and grown every year - especially after being blessed with three great kids!  I thought I'd share some of my favorite picture books in case someone is still in need of a Christmas gift suggestion.  I think books are a wonderful gift!

I really like books by Audrey Wood and David Wood.  The pictures are life-like and the stories read like poems.  Here are two of my favorites.

 Corduroy was a book I loved to check out at the library when I was little.  It's still a favorite and one my daughter loved to have read to her.  It's a sweet story of bear in store who nobody wants because he's missing a button on his overalls.  The story has a very sweet ending.

This next book I gave to my daughter's school library in honor of her kindergarten teacher.  It's a story about standing up for yourself and remembering that we all have something special about us to make us unique.  Her teacher was always making sure each one of her students knew how special they were.

David Shannon has authored some really funny "David" books which appeal to boys.  This one is written with girls in mind - those who wish to be a fairy.  It's funny and the pictures are childlike and vibrant.

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn is a sentimental story about a little raccoon who is scared to leave his mom for his first day at school.  She kisses the palm of his hand and........  I don't want to ruin the ending!

This is my daughter's all time favorite book.  She had it read to her for the first time at camp at the Minnesota Children's Museum.  It's about a mother dog who really wants her son George to BARK.  He does everything but bark.  He quacks, he moos......  It's a cute book with a funny ending.

Enemy Pie by Derek Munson came in handy when teaching my boys about friendship.  To quote the summary on the book jacket, "....one little boy learns an effective recipe for turning a best enemy into a best friend".

Books by Jan Brett are works of art.  Each page is beautifully illustrated and brightly colored.  I have all of the books she has written and illustrated.  I often display one of them on a little easel on my book shelf.  This book, The Mitten,  is about a little boy who loses his mitten in the forest and it is found, and shared by many animals, big and small. 

Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming is my middle son's favorite Children's Book.  I read it to his preschool class on his birthday 9 years ago!  It's about a farmer who has trouble with some rabbits and goes to great lengths to keep them out of his garden.

The last book recommendation I have is The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant.  This book is special to me because it reminds me of when we used to travel to see family when I was a child.  We'd drive long distances then sleep wherever there was room and have a great time with these people we loved and who loved us - just like the characters in this book. 

"I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves."  -Anna Quindlen