Reading: Vampire Instinct by Joey W Hill
Watching: Falling Skies
Listening to: Aladdin Soundtrack
Making me smile: My little boy rolled over!
Since the birth of my son three months ago, most of the books I’ve been read
ing lately are children’s books. They say you can never start reading to your little ones too soon…needless to say my little man has been having books read to him since he was two days old!! Now he’s old enough to look intently…even if he doesn’t quite understand what’s going on yet.
I’ve had the joy of discovering new books and new authors as I look for books that will stimulate my son (and keep mum and dad relatively entertained at the same time). It is just as exciting as discovering new authors in the genres that I read for myself!
Here are a few of our current favourites:
~ The “That’s not my…” books by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells. These touch and feel books have lots of different textures and colours. We went a little overboard and have That’s not my…teddy, puppy, car, dinosaur, monkey and aeroplane.
~ Time for Bed by Mem Fox. Ms. Fox seems to be a fav of many kids and we love to read this book right before bed.
~ The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton. This is another fav right before bed. A cute little rhyming book with great little animal characters.
~ Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni. A sweet story of two little friends that teaches about colours.
~ We also love the revamp of favourite nursery rhymes by Kate Tom including Twinkle, twinkle little star, Old Macdonald and the wheels on the bus. Ms. Tom has changed the words to these well known rhymes and given them a new twist.
I’ve just ordered a bunch more books for my little man and I hope I’m instilling in him a love for reading that will carry on as he gets older (I’m also wondering when he’ll be old enough for his very own ereader!) I look forward to the day he’s dragging some of these books around as his favourites (even if I have to read them over and over again).
So, what was your favourite book when you were a child? And if anyone has any children’s book recommendations, please pass them along!
Watching: Falling Skies
Listening to: Aladdin Soundtrack
Making me smile: My little boy rolled over!
Since the birth of my son three months ago, most of the books I’ve been read
ing lately are children’s books. They say you can never start reading to your little ones too soon…needless to say my little man has been having books read to him since he was two days old!! Now he’s old enough to look intently…even if he doesn’t quite understand what’s going on yet.I’ve had the joy of discovering new books and new authors as I look for books that will stimulate my son (and keep mum and dad relatively entertained at the same time). It is just as exciting as discovering new authors in the genres that I read for myself!
Here are a few of our current favourites:
~ The “That’s not my…” books by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells. These touch and feel books have lots of different textures and colours. We went a little overboard and have That’s not my…teddy, puppy, car, dinosaur, monkey and aeroplane.~ Time for Bed by Mem Fox. Ms. Fox seems to be a fav of many kids and we love to read this book right before bed.
~ The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton. This is another fav right before bed. A cute little rhyming book with great little animal characters.
~ Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni. A sweet story of two little friends that teaches about colours.
~ We also love the revamp of favourite nursery rhymes by Kate Tom including Twinkle, twinkle little star, Old Macdonald and the wheels on the bus. Ms. Tom has changed the words to these well known rhymes and given them a new twist.
I’ve just ordered a bunch more books for my little man and I hope I’m instilling in him a love for reading that will carry on as he gets older (I’m also wondering when he’ll be old enough for his very own ereader!) I look forward to the day he’s dragging some of these books around as his favourites (even if I have to read them over and over again).
So, what was your favourite book when you were a child? And if anyone has any children’s book recommendations, please pass them along!
It's hard to pick my fave - because, like you, I've been going through hundreds of children's books all over again with my boys.
ReplyDeleteI was like you and read to my kids right from the baby days. Now my 7 year old can't get his nose out of a book and my 5 year old is just starting to read on his own. Definitely worth it!
Hi Anna,
ReplyDeletethat is sooo cute, and what a milestone too (your little man rolling over!!)
I've read books to all my kids every night too, and I actually bought some of my old fav books last year as part of my youngest daughter's xmas present. Some of them were: The Diggingest Dog, Fish out of Water and The Best Nest. Needless to say, she loves them too =)
I'm partial to the Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy books by Lynley Dodd. http://shop.abc.net.au/browse/product.asp?productid=155795
ReplyDeleteSuch fun with language! And the dog and cat characters are so beautifully depicted. There's a whole series of them, and Schnitzel Von Krumm (with a very low tum) has a few of his own books, and so does Slinky Malinki and Scarface Claw.
I heard the other day that you can get the Hairy Maclary audiobooks with David Tennant narrating in his gorgeous Scottish accent. Fun!
Oh there are so many wonderful books out there! You can't go wrong with anything Mem Fox has written - wonderful books! And yes, we're Lynley Dodd fans here too. Anything with lots of rhyme and alliteration - so much fun to read aloud!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm quite big on Margaret Mahy as well - "Down the Back of the Chair" is a current fave. Oh and Pamela Allen... oh hell, I could go on for hours! We're so lucky to have such fantastic children's authors!!!!!
My two 'big kids' (7&8 years) still come sit on the sofa and listen to the picture books I'm reading to the 4 year olds... and the 4 year olds love the chapter books the big ones listen to on audio book in the car... books bring such joy don't you think?! A life long pleasure and reading aloud creates family memories to be treasured :)
Children's books -- sigh. What a great blog, Anna!
ReplyDeleteI remember being very partial to There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. And I adore Dr Suess. He has so much fun with language and rhythm. When you read those kinds of books out loud, you can't help but grin.
Hi Anita --
ReplyDeleteSo great to hear you have such excellent little book lovers! I'm also thrilled to hear you have hundreds of books...means I won't feel so guilty buying more for my son (-:
Hi Mel --
ReplyDeleteThe rolling over got me very excited! It is completely by accident...his rather large head tips him over from tummy to back(-:
Thanks for the book recs -- I'll check them out.
I put in another vote for Hairy Maclary and Margaret Mahy -- fabulous, both of them! (And hey, they're both Kiwis!) I love kids' picture books and spend a lot of time tidying the kids section in the bookshop I work at ... and, er, reading the odd one... Got to read them to be able to recommend them to customers, right?
ReplyDeleteWhere to start? I have a whole library of great books for kids (being a teacher) - LOL.
ReplyDelete*The Owl and the Pussycat
*Hairy Maclary (any, oh, I see Rachel's already recommended these)
*Dr.Seuss (any - although I do like Green Eggs & Ham - the language and literature rich rhyming are wonderful)
*The Terrible, Wild, Grey, Hairy Thing
For slightly older children:
*Animalia
*I Spy series
*Alpha Quest
*Whatley's Quest
These are great visual, look and find books.
These recommendations bring back happy memories. Hairy McLeary, "Fish out of Water" and "My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes" are special favourites.
ReplyDeleteIt has got to be The Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle - the hardback one where little fingers can stick through the holes!
ReplyDeleteMy boys also love Julia Donaldson books - their favourite is Sharing a Shell.
Hi Rach --
ReplyDeleteI'll defintely check out Hairy Maclary! Thanks for the rec.
Hi Natalie --
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the recs. I'll add them to the list. We also love all the rhyming books -- they are so fun to read!
Hi Michelle --
ReplyDeleteI'm planning to get some more Dr Suess. We currently only have Oh the Places You'll Go (which I love)!
Hi Emily --
ReplyDeleteOf course you need to read them (-: Okay, another two votes for Hairy Maclary and Margaret Mahy...I'll put them at the top of the list.
Hi Kylie --
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for such a great list! Ah and Hairy Maclary again. Oh and I loved Animalia.
Hi Zana -
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recs. Hairy Maclary is defintely popular!
Hi Scarlett --
ReplyDeleteThe Hungry Caterpillar is one I've put on my To Buy list and thanks for the heads up on getting the hardback one. I'll also check out Julia Donaldson.
I love Hairy Maclary as well! So another vote there! The lovely rhyming and alliteration just invites you to say the words. And I'm a Dr Seuss fan too!
ReplyDelete:)
Sharon
Oh these titles are taking me back. Wwaaaayyy back! lol
ReplyDeleteMy youngest (Tabitha) received a book for her fifth birthday, I think it was. It's called 'Tabby saves the Day' - part of the Top of the Class series. It is truly one of the sweetest children's books I've ever read. Tabby (the cat) is just the *best* role model!
I was thinking the other day I need to get rid of my little kid books. Everyone's too old for them now. Sob!
Hi Anna,
ReplyDeleteLovely to hear about your little guy's milestone. They get big so quickly!
Kids books! One of my fave topics! Each of my kids has a bookshelf, and they're full and spilling onto the floor (really, someone should teach them to clean up). We've got loads of "That's Not My..." as well, but mainly girly ones, though I think puppy wins. Mem Fox, Dr Seuss, Pamela Allen, they're all there.
As mine get older, they love funny books like "Click Clack Moo, Cows That Type" and "The Wonky Donkey". Actually, that last one talks about bodily gas expulsion, but four-year-olds think it's marvellous. There are so many excellent picture book out there.
Now my eldest is eight, we've started getting chapter books for her iPod. So much fun! Yes, I could be projecting my techno-love. :)
Great post, A! E x