Shoe Baby by Joyce Dunbar Illustrated by Polly Dunbar

A little baby goes on a magical shoe adventure until he is reunited with his Giant parents. It is a wonderfully illustrated tale and the pictures are interested and bright and bold. We read this book over and over and over.

Candlewick, 2005.

Nobunny's Perfect by Anna Dewdney

This book shows examples of the behaviors of good little bunny's and bad bunny's and their behaviors. It is adorable and easy to read a loud and at my house we read it over and over and over until my preschooler was very clear on good bunny behaviors and bad bunny behaviors and she reiterated over and over that nobody's perfect. The lessons from this book stretched out into my life where after breaking something my daughter turned to me and said, 'Mom, it was an accident and nobunny's perfect.'

Viking, 2008.

Knuffle Bunny Free by Mo Willems

Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion is the third installment of the Knuffle Bunny series by Mo Willems. The story follows along Trixie and her parents as they go on a trip to Holland to visit Trixie's grandparents and on the way there, Knuffle Bunny becomes displaced and is stuck on the train. Trixie must learn to live without her Knuffle Bunny and when they are finally reunited back on the plane, she learns the power of sharing and passes on Knuffle Bunny to a baby who she feels might benefit from Knuffle Bunny more than she.

Balzer and Bray, 2010.

Scribble by Deborah Freedman

While two little sister are coloring, a battle erupts between the two girls on who's picture is what when the little sister gets upset and scribbles all over her big sister's princess pictures. The drawings then take on a life of their own when the big sister leaves the room and the Kitty and the Princess fall in love after they have a colorful drawing adventure.

Alfred A. Knopf, 2007.

It's the Best Day Ever, Dad! By Brooke Shields Illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld

In this other book by Brooke Shields, the two little girls, Frankie and Violet, spend an exciting day with their dad. They do everything fun except for build a fort.

Harper Collins, 2009.

Lively Elizabeth! What Happens When You Push by Mara Bergman Illustrated by Cassia Thomas

Elizabeth is an adorable and very lively little girl, who one day at school decides to do something naughty and pushes the boy in line in front of her! She sets off a chain reaction and everyone in the class is affected! Elizabeth apologizes and everyone in the class is able to play nicely. It shows what happens when you don't follow the rules. Elizabeth is so cute and it gives a good look at a day at daycare.


Albert Whitman & Co., 2010.

Be a Baby by Sarah Withrow Illustrated by Manuel Monroy

In short and simple rhymes everything this baby is to it's parents is explored. It's a book form of a poem to say to a baby. The illustrations are adorable.

Groundwood Books, 2007.

The Fathers Are Coming Home by Margaret Wise Brown Illustrated by Stephen Savage

In simple text this book explains that at nighttime all of the fathers are coming home to their children and it explores a variety of animals all coming home to their children. The ladybug father goes home to his ladybug children. The lion father only sees his cubs on holidays and summer vacations so he goes home to watch the sunset. And a little boy's father comes home from being a sailor to his little boy that night. This was a nice book about fathers and how they go home to their children, but some of the information I questioned a bit. Where were these fathers all throughout the day? The dalmatian dog  might be a firefighting dog or something, so in that case it is understandable. But what are ladybugs and spiders and fish and pigs and snails doing all day that they are away from their children? It was an enjoyable book to read, but being the adult reader, it left me a bit puzzled.

Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2010.

Toot Toot Beep Beep by Emma Garcia

What sound does a Jeep make? What sound does a limousine make? How about a friendly green van? This book is a great early reader involving the sounds of cars and where they go. It's full of colorful blocky art that is enthralling to children. The print is large and bold and it is easy to read aloud.   I liked the little Red Jeep Beep! Beep! and off he zooms to offroad.


Boxer Books, 2008.

Welcome to Your World, Baby by Brooke Shields Illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld

This story is about a little girl who is imagining how great her new baby sister's world will be when her sister gets older. She explains all of the fun things that they will do as sisters like having tea parties and playing dress up and snuggling on mom's lap. The illustrations are adorable and this is an entertaining read. My little girl really enjoyed this book as well.

Harper Collins, 2008.

The Truly Terribly Horrible Sweater...That Grandma Knit by Debbie Macomber and Mary Lou Carney Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen

This is a cute story about a little boy who is embarrassed of the horribly ugly sweater he received from his Grandmother for his birthday. He tries everything to get rid of the sweater until later on, while visiting with his Grandmother he learns of the reasons of the colors in the sweater and he then likes the sweater.

Harper, 2009.

Five Minutes' Peace by Jill Murphy

Poor Mrs. Large can't get any time to herself, not even five minutes to just relax (which is a common thing for every parent to go through) and this is her story. All she wants to do is take a bath but of course, all three of her children follow her around the house. However, in the end, she is able to find a way that works for her and get some peace time to herself. This book is a humorous but refreshing look at family life and how parent's rarely get any peace time to themselves (atleast while their children are around.)

Putnam, 1986.

Monsters Eat Whiny Children by Bruce Eric Kaplan

Two whiny little children make their way into the hands of some hungry monsters and this is that story. This is one of those picture books that can work for any age and I was giggling away right along with my daughter while we were reading this book. Monsters are more dysfunctional than previously realized and they can't seem to make up their mind on how to eat the whiny children that they have acquired. So why they are carrying on about everything else other than how to cook the whiny children, of course, the children escape.

Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2010.

Ella the Elegant Elephant by Carmela and Steven D'Amico

After Ella the Elephant finds a unique hat that belonged to her grandmother in the attic, she decides to wear it to school and is very much set apart from all of the other elephants. Some of the other elephant children think it would be mean to call her 'Ella the Elegant' and so they do and everyone taunts her until one day the big bully Elephant gets stuck up on the wall of the schoolyard and Ella and her hat save the day. After that, everyone wants to wear a hat like Ella's. I really liked the illustrations in this book series as well. 

Arthur A. Levine Books, 2004.

If You're So Smart, How Come You Can't Spell Mississippi? by Barbara Esham Illustrated by Mike and Carl Gordon

 

After discovering that her father is dyslexic and was not always the smartest little boy in school, a little girl goes on an information exploration about dyslexia and people throughout history who have overcome difficulties with it. I think this book does a really good job of laying out the before and after thoughts of the little girl as she realized that her father was not always the smart and successful person that he is now. 

Mainstream Connections, 2008.

Bye-bye, Crib by Alison McGhee Illustrated by Ross MacDonald

Baby and Baby Kitty are getting ready to make the transition from bed to crib in this old-timey illustrated picture book. The little baby boy in the book has some initial fears about his bed being a big monster bed, but in the end him and baby kitty are able to sleep tight!

Simon & Schuster, 2008.

The Big Baby by Anthony Browne

The narrator's father in this story is really very self-absorbed and one day, because of a tonic he takes, his father really turns into a big baby! The story provides a humorous view at the ways of men and how literally, sometimes, they are just big babies.

Knopf, 1993.

Emily's Out and About Book by Cindy Post Senning and Peggy Post Illustrated by Leo Landry

Emily and her mother head out on the town for a day full of running errands. The story is simple and the font is large, it is a perfect read for a preschooler. The story reiterates the proper ways to act in certain places. Fancy Nancy even makes a guest appearance when Emily and her mom go to the library!

Collins, 2008.

Freckleface Strawberry by Julianne Moore Illustratated by LeUyen Pham

Freckleface Strawberry is your average little girl. Except that she is covered from head to toe in freckles! She gets pretty down about all of the things people say to her about being freckled and so one day she finds a solution to her problem and wears one of those winter ski-masks. Not only does she look a bit dangerous, but no one realizes she is herself and she gets to hear how much her friends miss her.

Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2007.