My pregnant sister is here visiting from the UK and we threw a baby shower for her on Saturday. The theme of the shower was Build Baby’s Library and guests were asked to bring their favourite baby or children’s book. Seeing all of these wonderful stories (which my 5.5 yr old and 9 yr old have been reading every night) reminded me that there is some great children’s literature.
Listed below are the Top 5 from this weekend’s event decided by my children.
1. The Munschworks Grand Treasury – By Robert Munsch
We all love Robert Munsch and what could be more fabulous than a book full of 15 Munsch classics including The Paper Bag Princess, David’s Father, and Purple Green and Yellow. My kids never tire of these stories.
It gets even better! There are four of these treasuries featuring different Munsch stories. Definitely a must have for any child’s library.
2. Toot and Puddle: On Top of the World – By Hollie Hobbie
We had never heard of pig pals Toot and Puddle before but now we are in love! These two best friends could not be more different but they still love and depend on each other. In this book Puddle, the homebody, sets off on a global adventure to find his best friend, Toot, the adventurer.
This charming book is full of lessons on friendship and the importance of home. We can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
3. Olivia – By Ian Falconer
Another pig character, Olivia, is a spirited and curious little girl with a wonderful imagination. My kids are big fans of Olivia and her adventures.
What I loved about the version my sister received is that it was a board book. This is a great way to make sure these books are still around for your child to appreciate for years to come.
Make sure to check out other Olivia books like, our favourite, Olivia Saves the Circus.
4. The Going to Bed Book – By Sandra Boynton
We just couldn’t talk about favourite baby books without mentioning Sandra Boynton. These were a staple for years in our hous and my kids still get a kick out of the silly pictures and rhymes. I love the fact that even after all of these years I can still recite every word to this book!
Other Boynton faves include Dinosaur’s Binkit, Moo Baa Lalala, and Opposites but there are tons more!
5. The Giving Tree – By Shel Silverstein
This Shel Silverstein classic actually made both me and my 9-year-old cry. It is such a sweet story about innocence, love, and sacrifice. Plus, the illustrations are wonderful (also by Shel Silverstein) and encouraged my nearly 6-year-old with a vivid imagination to add her own spin on this tale.
Although the baby may not be ready for this book for a few years the wonderful illustrations and rhythm of the story will bring years of pleasure for the whole family.
There are SO many wonderful children’s books out there! I would highly recommend this baby shower theme for anyone you know who is having their first child. Please share with us your recommendations in the comments below.
This post was written by Jen.
Why is Building a Mosque at Ground Zero getting encouraged to take place? I have not heard a single thing so truly ludicrous in all my entire life. If this ever arrives at reality, It will be the scariest thing of all time. alana
“no, no you say that isn’t right/the pigs say oink all day and night…” Right there with you 🙂
“A cow says moo/a sheep says baaa/three singing pigs say lalala…”
Oh, that brought back memories! I can still recite it off by heart!