Summertime Waltz by Nina Payne Illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska

The Cover Image of this book does not do the illustrations inside (or the text) justice. This book is beautifully written and quite poetic. There are lots of abstract illustrations along with creatively placed text of the poem on each page. It is visually stimulating for all and appropriate for a wide range of children although older ones would be more apt to understand the poetry of the book.

Frances Foster Books, 2006.

Child of Faerie by Jane Yolen Illustrated by Jane Dyer

This was a charming story of a little human girl and a little fairy boy who become friends and experience the worlds of one another. They are friends until old age even though they each choose to live in their own separate world. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous.

Little, Brown and Co., 1997.

The World is Full of Babies! by Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom

All sorts of animal babies are explored and compared to human babies, from fetal development to the various ways babies act and interact with their parents. The text is big and bold and perfect for younger readers while the illustrations are concise and depict animals realistically. This book does a great job in connecting with the reader on some of the various activities that are universal to all babies and brief explanation of various animal behaviors accompany the illustrations. This is a wonderful book to read to explore animal development or if children are interested in babies in general (not just human ones).

Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 1996.

Cars: Rushing! Honking! Zooming! by Patricia Hubbell Illustrated by Megan Halsey and Sean Addy

This book explores the many different types of automobiles in a fun rhyming way in which the text is in motion throughout the book. The pictures are bright and bold and very interesting to look at. All sorts of cars appear from taxis to hot rods to sedans and much more. This is a great book for any car fan and I would highly recommend it in a variety of settings!

Marshall Cavendish, 2006.

My Race Car by Michael Rex

This book is a great introduction into the stock-car racing world for any child! The text is bold and easy-to-read with bright illustrations. The book is very explanatory and shows how the racecar is built and how the driver works the car. There are many interesting details about the car and the racing world ingrained within this picture book and it is a must-read for any child who loves cars (or whose parent is an avid racecaraholic).

Henry Holt and Co., 2001.

Apples and Oranges; Going Bananas with Pairs by Sara Pinto

How are an apple and an orange alike? Anyone might say that they are both fruit, however, what you might not think of is that they both don't wear glasses! This book takes a unique approach to similar objects and asks the reader how they are alike but then presents an outlandish situation in which both items have nothing to do with. There are lots of things that don't go out for sushi, play jazz or work in a dentist's office. This is a fun-to-read book which gives a spin to pairs and similar items in a humorous way that can be appreciated by both young and old.

Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2008.

A Teeny Tiny Baby by Amy Schwartz

This teeny tiny baby describes his life in a surprisingly realistic way that any child can identify with. The illustrations are interesting and complex. I love how the book explains the various options that are given to a teeny tiny baby, such as where the baby sleeps (on the quilt, in the swing, on the sofa, in the car, on the rug, on the baby's right side, on the baby's left side, on the baby's belly, on the baby's back, NOT in the cradle and with mom and dad). Even parents will enjoy reading this book as it is surprisingly humorous and realistic when it comes to doing things with a brand new teeny-tiny baby.

Orchard Books, 1994.

Ballet Kitty by Bernette Ford and Sam Williams

Ballet Kitty loves ballet but unfortunately cannot find her ballet shoes (and instead must wear her pink sneakers) when her friend Pussycat comes to visit. The text is big and bold and the illustrations are very cute and fun to look at. No one can resist the ultimate cuteness of Ballet Kitty and everyone is happy when she remembers where she put her ballet shoes at the end of the book!

Boxer Books, 2007.

The Merbaby by Teresa Bateman Illustrated by Patience Brewster

When a fisherman and his brother make a shocking discovery in their fishing nets after seeing a beautiful harpy mermaid on the rocks, Tarron decides to return the found merbaby to the mermaid and instead of becoming rich on the exploitation of this beautiful merchild is greeted with welcome by the merfolk community for the return of their beloved merchild.

The illustrations in this book are absolutely gorgeous to look at. The story is a bit more complex for younger readers but anyone would appreciate the pictures of the beautiful mermaids and the adorable merbaby.

Holiday House, 2001.

I'm 3! Look What I Can Do by Maria Caluccio

Presented in big and bold text, each page of this book states something that any 3 year old can do (or is learning how to do). It's a great book for a child to recognize their own skills and to identify with other children of the same age. The illustrations are very nice to look at and there are lots of patterns within the pictures that make it interesting for the eyes for the reading parent.

Henry Holt and Co., 2010.

The Cuddlers by Stacy Towle Morgan Illustrated by Marvin Jarboe

This book tells the story of a family of four who come together in the wee hours of the night and become the cuddlers. It is a great story told quite realistically about co-sleeping and how it can turn out for a family. I personally love all of the illustrations of the family bed (and everyone squeezed in it with dwindling room as the children come marching in). It presents co-sleeping in a very positive way that makes me want to cuddle with my littles right now!

La Leche League International, 1993.

Brontorina by James Howe Illustrated by Randy Cecil

Brontorina wants to become a ballerina and with the help of Madame Lucille and some upwards and positive thinking children, she is able to accomplish her dreams, no matter how BIG they might be. This book is a spin on an old concept (wanting to become a ballerina) but it involves dinosaurs. Children will be inspired at the effort put forth by the ballet students and Madame Lucille in making Brontorina accepted and welcomed into Madame Lucille's Dance Academy, even though she is a larger-than-life sized Brontosaurus!

Candlewick Press, 2010.

Ducking for Apples by Lynne Berry Illustrated by Hiroe Nakata

Five little ducks decide to head out on their bicycles and go for a ride. They find an apple tree and through the use of teamwork pick some apples to make for a pie. This story is told in a delightful and easy-to-read rhyme that when coupled with the adorable illustrations make for a great and fun read for any parent or child. Another plus is that it is a book about ducks and everyone loves ducks and they are very well done in this work.

Henry Holt and Co., 2010.

Princess Baby, Night-Night by Karen Katz

Parents and children alike will quickly identify with Princess Baby's bedtime routine. From washing her face to putting on her pajamas and reading a bedtime story, Princess Baby seems to know the ropes (and instead of getting herself ready for bedtime spends an extensive amount of time preparing her baby animals). The bright and bold illustrations are signature of Karen Katz in this adorable bedtime story. It is easy to read and is perfect for any younger child.

Schwartz and Wade Books, 2009.

Fanny and Annabelle by Holly Hobbie

Fanny is at it again making use of her creative juices. This time she decides to write a picture book starring her favorite doll, Annabelle. The story is intermixed with Fanny's picture book and the storyline runs quite parallel with the events in Fanny's life appearing somewhat in the events in Annabelle's adventure story. The story has a bit of a moral kick to it and explores the situation of what to do when finding money on the street. It's a nice story with gorgeous illustrations by Holly Hobbie.

Little, Brown and Co., 2009.

A Ride on Mother's Back by Emery and Durga Bernhard

Babies, babies and more babies all being carried around by the people who care for them. This book explores babywearing as a natural phenomena in various cultures all around the world. The illustrations are bright and gorgeous with lots of detail and although it is a bit wordy for younger children, the different cultural examples of parenting are interesting for children and parents alike.

Gulliver Books, 1996.

Staying at Sam's by Jenny Hessel Illustrated by Jenny Williams

Sam's family is like visiting another planet to the little boy who is Sam's friend. Sam's family is very open and is constantly kissing one another and talking to each other and they all sleep in the same bed! This book is a great exploration of a lot of things many families do that much of children's literature does not fully explore. The book is written for first-readers but is a great picture book for any age!

J. B. Lippincott, 1989.