feedback for "Editor's Note: Toddler Must-Reads"

1. My daughter loves:
   How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?
   How do Dinosaurs eat their Food?
   Anything by Richard Scarry
   
   Your story reminds me of when we took her to the Johnson Space Center when she was two and a half. We picked up a copy of Astronaut Piggy Wiggy and we read it nearly every night for two months!
   
   The funny thing is that as she gets older (she's now 4), she's quickly figured out how to pick longer books at night just to stall bedtime just a few minutes more.
   
   Nancy S.
   Las Vegas

   posted by : NancyS on 2/6/2008 at 10:55 AM Flag For Abuse

2. Barnyard Dance
   But Not The Hippopotamus
   Pajama Time
   Sandra Boynton will probably buy her next mansion off of my family :) A good rhyming book is fun for me too, because I can memorize it and 'read' in the car or anywhere. Pajama Time kinda sings like "de-lovely". I'm serious, try it.

   posted by : youngshay112 on 2/6/2008 at 11:09 AM Flag For Abuse

3. Definitely But Not the Hippopotamus, also Click Clack Moo, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (or Stay Up Late), Is Your Mama a Llama?, Sometimes I Like to Curl Up in a Ball.
   
   I'm not so sure about the developmental thing though. My son has always had patience for books that might seem above his developmental level. He's also very careful not to rip or tear his books. I say try 'em with the interesting books because who knows. It's not like he's a super genius, he's normal in every other way, he just loves books.

   posted by : mcglory13 on 2/6/2008 at 1:27 PM Flag For Abuse

4. My 15 mo old daughter really likes the following board books:
   Goodnight Gorilla
   Mr. Brown Can Moo
   This Little Chick
   The Very Hungry Caterpillar
   Three Singing Pigs
   Quiet LOUD
   Gallop!
   I Love Animals (Priddy Book)
   I Love You Through and Through
   Any "touch and feel" or "lift the flap" book
   
   I know she likes them the most because she will sit still for them and will intentionally pick them up and flip through them herself, or hand them to me for a story. Personally, I always get a chuckle from Sheep Out to Eat, but she can't sit still for it yet.

   posted by : mellymel on 2/6/2008 at 2:52 PM Flag For Abuse

5. My son is now almost 20 months and hasn't obsessed over any one book yet but has had some favorites;
   
   ABC by Matthew Porter
   Pajama Time by Sandra Boynton
   Little Bee: Finger Puppet Book (he loves the "bzzzt" noises I make and the way the bee tries to tickle him... hopefully this won't give him the wrong attitude toward bees when he's older!)
   Hush Little Baby by Sylvia Long (he may like this one partly because I sing the words rather than read them, he always gets a big smile on his face with this one)

   posted by : raincitykitty on 2/6/2008 at 3:46 PM Flag For Abuse

6. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault! I LOVE this book. I can and do read it every day.
   My 10-month old loves Grump by Janet Wong. Or maybe I love it because it so sums up what happens in our house.

   posted by : noahsmom on 2/6/2008 at 4:49 PM Flag For Abuse

7. Our 10 month old really likes the following books, and I love them, too:
   
   The Rooster Struts (best Richard Scarry board book EVER!)
   Pop Warhol's Top (the rhymes are stupid but the pictures, good!)
   Tails
   Moo Baa Laa Laa Laa
   Nap in A Lap
   Goodnight, Moon
   Art (petite connaisseurs)

   posted by : bookmama on 2/6/2008 at 4:59 PM Flag For Abuse

8. My daughter is a little older at 2.5 years old, but her favorites are:
   
   Gossie
   Barnyard Dance
   Puff The Magic Dragon
   The Lorax
   There's a Monster at the End of the Book (one of my favorites also)
   Anything with Biscut the dog
   Fisher Price Little People "Lets go to the Zoo"
   Why should I recycle?
   
   But her favorite by far is "One Tiny Turtle" which we picked up at are local aquarium. We have read this book almost everynight for about 6 months

   posted by : Lanie Rules on 2/6/2008 at 5:34 PM Flag For Abuse

9. Favorite for Toddlers:
   
   My Big Word Book by Roger Priddy - This book was read a dozen times a day, saved us on long plane trips and car rides and was a favorite bedtime, wake-up, nap time, anytime book for months. It's arranged by category, each word with a photo of what it is, Household items, Things in the Garden, on the Farm, in the City, face and body, family members, at the beach, in the jungle. It was great, recommended for anyone turning one.
   
   Hug by Jez Alborough
   ABC by Alison Jay
   I Took the Moon for a Walk by Alison Jay
   William and the Night Train by Mij Kelly
   The Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik
   Where is Baby's Belly Button by Karen Katz
   Trains by Ann Rockwell

   posted by : Yvette on 2/6/2008 at 8:23 PM Flag For Abuse

10. My son is 17 months old and he really likes these books:
    My Friends
    Bus Stops
    Spring is Here all by Taro Gomi
    Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll, I think
    Mr. Brown can Moo by Dr. Seuss
    The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle
    Goldbug & Co.
    The Rooster Struts both by Richard Scarry
    Goodnight Moon
    Runaway Bunny
    My World all by Margaret Wise Brown
    Dinosaur's Binkit
    Hippos Go Berserk both by Boynton
    
    When he was even younger
    The Beautiful Book of Babies, or something like that, he loved this black and white book.
    My First Book of Sushi
    The Very Hungry Caterpillar

    posted by : GonzoMama on 2/6/2008 at 8:52 PM Flag For Abuse

11. I too have a 16 month old. Her current favorites are:
    
    ABC by Brian Wildsmith
    1,2,3, To the Zoo by Eric Carle
    Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See by Eric Carle
    I Already Know I Love You by Billy Crystal
    The Snowy Day
    The "Classic Books with Holes" all published by Child's Play. They are hysterical British renditions of classic songs like Old MacDonald and The Old Lady who Swallowed a Spider. The pictures are a hoot and the pages all have holes that show pictures from previous pages. Old Macdonald is my favorite because he's a Scotsman in a kilt. And, by the end, he and his dog are so depressed that they've drunk all the whiskey, but you would only know this from examining the pictures. Makes it worth singing this absurd song over and over again.
    Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton
    Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
    Handsign Alphabet The alphabet with ASL letters. She's a babysigning kid so we've been transitioning her over to standard ASL and she totally digs it.

    posted by : serahrose on 2/6/2008 at 9:54 PM Flag For Abuse

12. Anything Dr. Seuss, of course - Hop On Pop is especially good for really little guys and for learning to read.
    Where the Wild Things Are
    The Story About Ping, and most of Marjorie Flack's other books (Angus is so fun)
    all the Charlie & Lola books, and Lauren Child's other books, too - there's something that draws you right in about those ones
    Ezra Jack Keats - simple stories, beautiful pictures; like Eric Carle in a new and better dimension
    Steven Kellogg - the Pinkerton books are a big hit, but anything by him is pretty much awesome
    Mo Willems' pigeon books, and Knuffle Bunny
    Go, Dog, Go!
    A great book to find more classics & favorites is the NYT Parents' Guide to children's books. We've found a lot of great stuff out of that one, as well as just browsing for covers that catch our atttention at the library.
    
    ***
    I tend to subscribe to the philosophy of challenging your kids with books - I read long chapter books to my 5 year old every night, and they provide us with a lot of fodder for discussion and questions when things are just that little bit above his head. I've always read to him - I used to rock him to sleep and read him (grown-up) poetry when he was just a tiny baby, and I even read A Wrinkle In Time aloud to him then at bedtime (though we moved on to picture books when he got more mobile & vocal and not as into sitting still for storytime).

    posted by : superblondgirl on 2/7/2008 at 8:18 AM Flag For Abuse

13. I guess our 14 month old's favorite books are defined by those he throws at us at least 30 times/day (trust, me I am working on that throwing business).
    I have been hit in the head with the following books:
    The Very Hungry Caterpillar
    Goodnight Moon
    Moo Baa La la la
    The Pigeon Rides the Bus
    and anything Maisy is doing
    
    The very first book I read to him was King Lear while nursing him at whatever...1 month old or something. It was my attempt to keep my brain from turning to mush (it has) and to get him interested in being read to (it has).

    posted by : RobinH100 on 2/7/2008 at 8:33 AM Flag For Abuse

14. My now 2-year-old was crazy about the book Ten Timid Ghosts. He ripped out the last couple of pages, but lucky for him, I had most of it memorized by that time. He also loved Little Duck and we got him Little Reindeer for Christmas. He's currently obsessing over No Diapers For Duckie.

    posted by : mnmama on 2/7/2008 at 1:38 PM Flag For Abuse

15. My son is older at 3.5 years old. His favorites at present are (they change every few weeks):
    
    Knuffle Bunny Too
    Kunffle Bunny
    Green Eggs and Ham
    Dr. Seuss's ABCs
    Where the Wild Things Are
    Don't Let the Pigeon Ride the Bus
    Dinosaur's Binket
    Curious George and the Rocket
    Curious George Rides a Bicycle

    posted by : acarman72 on 2/7/2008 at 6:59 PM Flag For Abuse

16. I gotta say, as an adoptive mother, that "Are You My Mother" is NOT on our list of favorite books. It is horribly insensitive to kids that don't look just like their caretakers, and the experience of searching for a mother is not a joking matter for my toddler (adopted out of foster care). We much prefer the adoption-friendly "A Mother for Choco" (http://www.amazon.com/Mother-Choco-Paperstar-Keiko-Kasza/dp/0698113640/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1202494879&sr=8-1) which has little-bird Choco ending up with a mama Bear.

    posted by : adoptivemom on 2/8/2008 at 1:30 PM Flag For Abuse

17. Well, we just spent way too much money on Amazon. Thanks, wonderful readers! You all are great!

    posted by : Ada on 2/8/2008 at 2:29 PM Flag For Abuse

18. The books that my 2 year old son and I love equally. With a great story and beautiful pictures are...
    
    1. The Happy Lion
    2. Madeline and the Gypsy's
    3. Norman Rockwell's Counting Book
    4. The Giving Tree
    5. The Lorax
    6. Sammy the Seal
    7. Alexander and The Wind up Mouse
    8. All of the Babar books

    posted by : Brittany and Etienne in Michigan on 2/8/2008 at 3:21 PM Flag For Abuse

19. I have 14 month old twins, and they love books more than toys. Their book bins get emptied out far more regularly than the toy chest! These are the ones they bring me most often:
    
    Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?
    But Not the Hippopotamus
    Hippos Go Beserk
    I Love You Through and Through
    Roger Priddy's ABC book
    Gossie
    I Love You, Goodnight
    
    But the #1 book around these parts is Chugga Chugga Choo Choo. Seriously. I read that thing 10 or 11 times a day. It's got great rhythm and bright, colorful pictures.

    posted by : Twin momma on 2/8/2008 at 3:50 PM Flag For Abuse

20. In addition to many of the ones mentioned--my 22 month old loves these three:
    Llama, Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
    Good Morning, Good Night by Teresa Imperato
    and even though I tried to put this one away...we're still reading
    Santa's Suit by Kate Lee

    posted by : mom of 2 boys on 2/11/2008 at 11:39 AM Flag For Abuse

21. The Gruffalo & The Snail and the Whale, both by Julia Donaldson, as well as Aliens Love Underpants, The Chimpanzees of Happytown and all the Olivia books by Ian Falconer. These are much-loved books in our home by children and parents alike. As far as toddlers' propensity to destroy books goes, I have one of each child - a sixteen month old daughter who's a crazed grabber and ripper and a nearly four year old son who's never intentionally damaged a book in his life.

    posted by : mumoflimeycanucks on 2/11/2008 at 3:37 PM Flag For Abuse

22. Cornelius P. Mudd, Are you ready for bed? by Barney Saltzberg will have your 2 year old giggling off to sleep quickly. Love Go, Dog, Go! too.

    posted by : stlmom on 2/12/2008 at 5:00 PM Flag For Abuse

23. My first blog post...
    
    Great suggestions by everyone and I laughed out loud reading the comment in the article about the DOG book - was my kid's fave, but has been completely destroyed over numerous occasions - both kids in a battle to see who could ultimately do the most destruction. I now keep all pop up books (Richard Scarry's Best Pop Up Book Ever is a great one - our favorite story of naughty Bananas Gorilla) on a high shelf!
    
    Our favorites as of late for my 2.5 year old -
    Dr. Suess - Green Eggs & Ham, If I Ran The Zoo, Hop on Pop
    10 Apples Up On Top (in the Dr. Suess series, but not authored by Suess)
    Trashy Town by Zimmerman & Clemesha
    Sandra Boyton - Moo Baa La La La, Belly Button Book
    Most books by Karen Katz are good - we love Counting Kisses and Where Is Baby's Belly Button? - she does books for most holidays so it's always a go to book for Valentine's, Halloween, etc...
    Anything by Richard Scarry and any and all in the Franklin series, Little Critter Series by Mercer Mayer and any Curious George book.
    
    My baby (11 mos.) likes all the Bright Baby Books, and books by Lisa Patrecelli (I think that's her name) - Quiet Loud, Yummy Yucky, Big Little. She has two more that are scheduled to release very soon. The illustrations are adorable. Her favorite bed time book is Mr. Bear Says Good Night.
    
    I personally love the Eric Carle books, but the pages are far too distracting/interesting for my son and I can never actually get through the text before he's flipping pages.
    
    Thanks again for the suggestions - I have added some books to our wish list!

    posted by : Florida Mom of Two on 2/16/2008 at 11:27 AM Flag For Abuse

24. I have a 3.5 year old and 14 month old and we're voracious readers - here are a few of our faves:
    Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
    Jez Alborough's stuff namely Where's my Teddy? and Duck Stuck
    Is your Mama a Llama?
    Hungry Caterpiller
    Can't you sleep little bear?
    I love you through and through
    and of course anything by Robert Munsch i.e. Murmel, Murmel, Murmel; Pigs; More Pie; Fire trucks, etc
    Jan Brett also does some great stuff such as The Mitten, Three Bears, etc

    posted by : Lisaloo on 2/23/2008 at 12:11 AM Flag For Abuse

25. My 8mo daughter loves Goodnight, Gorilla; Pat the Bunny; Goodnight Moon; Goodnight New York; Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See; and Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear and The Gingerbread Baby. She hates Good Dog Carl.

    posted by : kmarie365 on 3/6/2008 at 7:07 PM Flag For Abuse

26. My 20 month old son loves "Hand Hand Fingers Thumb" by Seuss as well. He has absolutely no interest in the Boynton books, and only mild interest in the Carle books.
    
    His first favorite book was a little lift-the-flap book I found called "Who Said Boo?" by Phyllis Root. Under the flaps were witches, ghosts, ghouls and skeletons and his Dad and I made great voices for them. Even now, he'll pick up "Who Said Boo?" and Halloween was months ago!
    
    (for the record, the mouse in the corner of the house said Boo, and my son does the cutest little squeak for him)

    posted by : Tracey on 3/9/2008 at 2:55 PM Flag For Abuse

27. I have a 19-month old son who doesn't much like TV but LOVES to read, so thank goodness for books! Here are some of his current faves:
    
    We're Going on a Bear Hunt
    Hippos go Berserk--Boynton
    I Love you Because You're You--Liza Baker
    There's a Wocket in my Pocket--Seuss
    Ned Goes to NY--Kip Cosson
    Touch and Feel Fire Trucks and Tractors
    TRUCKS--Priddy
    The Wheels on the Bus

    posted by : KJs Mom on 3/25/2008 at 12:46 PM Flag For Abuse

28. re: fuzzy bee and friends - - our daughter (4 mos) loves this book, and the other books in the series. my husband and i often laugh that the "prose" is really just a series of declarative sentences...but hey it's a cloth book - - it's for eating, not for reading! perfect for tummy time, and eye-poke-proof. with so few great cloth options out there, don't hate on the bee! we heartily recommend this series for the tiny set.

    posted by : pdx parents on 4/10/2008 at 2:12 AM Flag For Abuse

29. Everything by Robert Munsch. My 3 yr old loves them, and so do I.
    Brown Bear Brown Bear… Eric Carle. The kid will read this one to me. Anything Eric Carle gets his attention.
    Franklin in the Dark… Paulette Bourgeois. He can recite this one, too.
    The Gruffalo…Julia Donaldson. We really like this one, too.
    
    About Fuzzy Bee. At just over three years he picked this up a couple of weeks back and suddenly it's a top toy again. Go figure.
    
    The top seller is a back-pocket size, spiral bound dollar store pad of paper he keeps by his bed. I’ll flip through the blank pages and tell a story like I’m reading. He gets right into it, and stumps me from time to time by grabbing the pad, going back a few pages and saying ‘read this part again’. The same blank pad of paper has been on his bedside table for about a year now.

    posted by : DonC on 4/22/2008 at 3:48 PM Flag For Abuse

30. First, I am so glad to find out you feel the same about the Ladybug book - I almost didn't finish reading it the first time b/c of the theme, then the end was just confusing. Along the same lines that I'd love your opinion about is "Mouse Count" by Ellon Stoll Walsh. Not stupid, but too morbid for a board book? Does it matter?
    
    Second, some super duper great books - get if you don't have 'em:
    
    Bossy Bear - by David Horvath - link to description on Powells.com http://www.powells.com/s?kw=bossy+bear
    
    Bottoms - by Tanja Kirschner - link to description on Powells.com http://www.powells.com/biblio?PID=26825&cgi=product&isbn=0735820260
    
    Jodi

    posted by : Jodi in Boston on 5/19/2008 at 11:08 AM Flag For Abuse

31. my 2 yo loves the level 1 books..mostly dora and diego. he also likes the polar bear and brown bear books and books with pic of living animals..we have book called tree frongs about the day in the life of a tree frog and the pics are beautiful. i have gotten a lot of his books through my kid's scholastic book forms at their school. they have great books for toddler/preschool age meant for the early reader and you can't beat the prices..if you don't have school age kid you can prob go to your local school and ask for a form to order from since the school receives rewards ordering more books...

    posted by : finewhatever on 8/1/2008 at 12:01 PM Flag For Abuse

32. My son is 17 months old. These have been his favorites for the past 6 months.
    
    Big Bird at Bat (his all time favorite)
    Baby Einstein's First Book of Colors
    Dora's Choo Choo Adventure
    Peak a Boo Zoo (but most of the flaps are ripped off at this point)
    
    His newest favorite is a Sesame Street foam book from Sam's Club. You pull out pieces of the book to look for the food for the picnic, Elmo's comb, etc. Not sure of the exact name though.

    posted by : MomofOne on 9/22/2008 at 2:03 PM Flag For Abuse

33. Book Suggestions Reading to our children can be so enjoyable and so beneficial to them. It is also helpful in calming the mood before bedtime or nap. Here are a few books I think you'll enjoy reading to your little one:
    
    
    Do You Want to be My Friend? by Eric Carle. A small mouse has a hard time finding a friend. Beautifully illustrated. Your child will enjoy pointing out the familiar animals and objects.
    
    
    
    Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney Illustrated by Anita Jeram. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 1994. During a bedtime game, every time Little Nutbrown Hare demonstrates how much he loves his father, Big Nutbrown Hare gently shows him that the love is returned even more.
    
    
    
    
    
    Lucky Song by Vera Williams. Evie’s loving family supports her independence. She wants a toy, so grandpa helps her make a kite. She wants it to fly, and the wind obliges. She says “look” and her mother is there to admire. At the end of the day, her father sings about a lucky little girl.
    
    
    
    
    Oh My Baby, Little One by Kathi Appelt Illustrated by Jane Dyer. San Diego, CA: Harcourt, Inc., 2000. A mother explains to her child all the ways her love remains even while she’s away.
    
    
    
    
    

    Owl Babies by Martin Woddell. Three little owls await their mother’s return. The biggest one has comforting words, the middle one is not sure, the smallest says, “I want my mommy!” Mommy returns and says she will always come back.
    

    
    
    

    The Temper Tantrum Book by Edna Mitchell Preston Illustrated by Rainey Bennett. New York: Viking Press, 1969. A rhyming presentation of issues that provoke tantrums between animal (and human) parents and children. Pen-and-wash drawings portray first the angry wriggling of the young beasts, then the toddler-like situations that have upset them. The sometimes awkwardly phrased but comfortingly non-judgmental narration concludes with the joyful, “I love it when you let me play in the mud.”
    

    Excerpts taken from http://www.talaris.org/childreading.htm
    

    posted by : GummyLump dot com Toys That Make on 3/24/2009 at 11:26 AM Flag For Abuse

34. 5 Star Rating: Jay Miller’s ‘All God’s Critters’ Series

    Suitable for: infants – 8 yrs. (Yes, adults will love these books too…J)

     

    “Bingo the Banjo Picking Bear” - Book 1 in the "All God's Critters" series is an enjoyable treat for young readers. In it, author Jay Miller gives a genuine an exuberance to Bingo that ultimately proves infectious as you find yourself bopping and singing along to his musical zeal…

     

    “Sal and Sally” - Author Jay Miller does a commendable job of highlighting the advantages of getting along and working together, outlining just how beneficial the principles of teamwork, sharing, and selflessness are when put into real practice…Sure to become a permanent addition to personal libraries, Sal and Sally is an engaging tale, both enlightening and entertaining.

     

    “Opal, Herby, and Squeaky” - Miller also does a commendable job of displaying the transcendent power of forgiveness, particularly the second chances with which it provides us all. Opal, Herby, and Squeaky is a welcome literary treat with a powerful, inviting message.

    Please check out my site at: http://www.mybingobooks.com

    User friendly purchase directions follow fun videos to listen and watch.

    Jay Miller

    Inspirational Writer of Children Literature

    All God’s Critters Series

     

    posted by : Jay Miller on 3/30/2009 at 2:29 PM Flag For Abuse

35. For those of you who have children that love Goodnight Gorilla, try Ten Minutes Till Bedtime, by the same author. You child will love looking for Goodnight Gorilla hidden among the hamsters on the page.

    posted by : librarymom on 4/16/2009 at 1:26 PM Flag For Abuse

36. We love 10 minutes Till Bedtime, plus of course Goodnight Gorilla (pronounced "Goodnight Goril-la-la-la-la".  My 20 month old daughter also enjoys:
    All Sandra BoyntonAll Maisy the Mouse (she LOVES Maisy)How do Dinosaurs say Goodnight, Clean their room, etc.All the Spot books:  (Where's Spot, Spot goes to the Park, etc. by Eric Hill)All the Biscuit level one readersJack and Jill go Up the Hill (level one reader)Toad on the RoadAll the Clifford booksand of course Knuffle Bunny and Knuffle Bunny Too.
    
    
    

    posted by : NoHo Mom on 4/20/2009 at 1:46 PM Flag For Abuse

37. We're loving Chugga Chugga Choo Choo at the moment. Vibrant illustrations, great rhythm. 
    http://www.amazon.com/Chugga-Choo-Kevin-Lewis/dp/0786804297
    
    
    

    posted by : areardon on 4/20/2009 at 2:22 PM Flag For Abuse

38. Anything Llama Llama, Marley, and The Pirates Who (Usually) Don't Do Anything, and Even Fish-Slappers Need a Second Chance (both Veggie Tales books),

    posted by : bookworm momma on 6/9/2009 at 3:22 AM Flag For Abuse