Books for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Today is the first Thursday of the month, which means it was "Double Library Day" for us again! It was my turn to lead Book Discussion Group... today we discussed The Van Gogh Cafe by Cynthia Rylant, a sweet little gem of a book. The general opinion among the group of 6 to 12 year olds was overwhelmingly positive, the only complaint (from two precocious 8-year-olds) was that it was too short. :) They were a rowdy, chatty bunch today, what with spring fever in the air... but I was pleased at their enthusiasm, and impressed at how even the youngest readers picked up on some of the subtle nuances of the book.
Back at the other library, we checked out our stacks of reading for the week. Since I have now dedicated two posts to discussing books for middle readers, today I'm going to share some of Harry's favorites... some of our top picks for the preschool set!
Please Baby Please, by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee... This one has been a favorite of Harry's since he was about 18 months old. We checked it out of the library about a 60 times, and then he finally got his own copy for his second birthday. He his now 3, and he still reaches for this one at least 2-3 times a week! The text is bouncy and just repetitive enough for little ones, and the illustrations by Kadir Nelson are gorgeous.
The Pig Who Wished, by Joyce Dunbar... another of Harry's long-time favorites. This book is SO silly! It was originally published in the UK... I find it very hard not to read this one with a British accent.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter... speaking of British authors :) Harry LOVES this one... but beware of imitations... only the original Beatrix Potter edition with her original illustrations will do. However, when reading this one aloud I always skip the line about the father rabbit being baked into a pie, because, well, ew.
Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore, by David McPhail... The narrator of this story finds that late one night his home has been taken over by pigs.... "black and white pigs, brown and pink pigs, making-oatmeal-in-the-sink pigs". Funny rhyming text... you'll probably be asked to read it over and over.
Click, Clack, Moo...Cows That Type, by Doreen Cronin... This is one of those books that parents will enjoy as much as their kids! Also not to be missed are the sequels, "Giggle Giggle Quack" "Duck for President" and "Dooby Dooby MOO".
The Cow That Wouldn't Come Down by Paul Brett Johnson... Poor Miss Rosemary! One day, her cow, Gertrude decides to take up flying. This book will have your little one laughing out loud.
17 Kings and 42 Elephants by Margaret Mahy... Lyrical text and absolutely beautiful batik-on-silk illustrations.
This is, of course, a VERY short list, that barely scratches the surface of our favorite picture books! But I'm going to stop myself now, as it's time to go make dinner! Otherwise, I could just go on and on and on :) We do LOVE books, around here!