A Reader's Dozen

I am convinced that board books are one of the best inventions known to mothers of toddlers. In addition to all the wonderful benefits of reading together, Caleb can keep himself busy for hours (literally!)a day "reading" his board books. We keep a basket full of board books in the living room and the bottom two shelves of the book shelf are full of board books. He loves to run to the bookshelf, hunt for a favorite book and the bring it out to the carpet to "read". I love that I don't have to worry about whether or not he is destroying the books, since board books are virtually indestructible. (They are not, however, immune from being thrown away by well-meaning toddlers who are trying to "help". . . we recently lost a favorite, My Truck is Stuck!, this way.)

Here is a list of a dozen of the most popular board books in our house:

1. Barnyard Dance! by Sandra Boyton: This book is pure fun. I usually sing-song the words and Caleb dances. The only thing I hear at the end of this book is "MORE!"
2. Chugga Chugga Choo Choo by Kevin Lewis: This is a very rhythmic book that is perfect for reading aloud. Caleb loves saying the "whooo whooo" every time we get to that part. The pictures are great, too-- perfect for pointing out familiar items.
3. Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell: This lift-the-flap book is adorable. Caleb makes all the animal noises, my favorite being the spitting camel. This book is worth owning, if for no other reason than seeing your little one impersonate a camel!
4. Find the Puppy by Felicity Brooks: This book is part of a series called Usborne Find-Its. This is the only one we own, but I'm sure we'd love all of them. If you're looking for intense plot, this isn't the book for you. The words and drawings are simple, but Caleb loves pointing out the puppy on each page. The simplicity is what makes the book work.
5. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown: Okay, this book is famous and it's everyone's favorite, but there is a good reason. . . this book is the perfect quiet-down-get-sleepy book. I don't know what makes this book so magical, it just is. Take my word (and everyone else's) for it!
   
6. My Big Animal Book by Roger Priddy: It's not the words (take 'em or leave 'em. . . we usually leave 'em) that make this book a favorite; it is the big, colorful pictures. Caleb absolutely loves to sit with this book and stare at all the different animals. This book is one of the better ones for learning animal names and sounds because it uses real photographs. This is a great chair-time book.
   
7. My Little People Farm Book by Doris Tomaselli: This lift-the-flap book makes it onto the list because it's a perfect choice when you don't actually want to read. Caleb often crawls up into my lap to read when I'm trying to do something else (like read a "big-people" book or pay bills or check email). I don't like to turn him down, but it isn't always convenient or possible to drop what I'm doing. That's where this book comes in. Each page is loaded with tiny little flaps that keep those little hands enthralled. I can usually provide enough sound effects and object names to make him feel like I'm engaged, without having to completely drop what I'm doing.
8. One Bear, One Dog by Paul Stickland: We love this book. The pictures are great and the surprise ending (not so surprising to anyone who can rhyme worth beans) gets Caleb every time. The last character to make an appearance (warning: spoiler alert!!) is "ME!" (a little mirror on the last page). I don't know when or how it started, but Caleb loves to give himself a kiss in the mirror each time we get to the last page. This book has been Caleb's favorite since he was about 4 months old and he shows no sign of losing interest. Like all kids, I think he tends to be a bit narcissistic =)
   
9. Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt: I know we're not the first to list this book as a favorite, but it is still a favorite nonetheless. My two complaints with this book are that the traditional comb binding tends to fall apart and "Judy's Book" is way too easy for little boys (and girls, too, I'm sure) to tear out when their Mommy isn't looking. I did see that this is available in a board book, which I think I would prefer. But, despite the drawbacks, this simple activity/skill book is great. When we first started reading this book, I had to take Caleb's hand and help him with all the activities. It has been fun to watch his skills grow over the last 18-months. Now he does all the activities on his own, usually before I can even finish reading the page.
10. That's Not My Train by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells: This touchy-feely book is great for little fingers to explore. Caleb also enjoys finding the tiny mouse on each page. Whoever came up with this idea (Fiona and Rachel, presumably) hit on a winner. There is a whole series of these books and each of the ones I've seen are great.
11. That's Not My Truck by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells: Ditto the previous book's review
12. Who Says Quack? by Jerry Smith: This little book is the perfect size for throwing in the diaper bag and pulling out when needed (on the bus, in the doctor's waiting room, etc). Caleb loves the real pictures and his animal imitations crack me up, especially the donkey. I love the pictures, too, because the baby animals are very cute. . . almost as cute as the kid to whom I read =)

Of course, there are many, many other favorites around here, but I limited myself to 12. Whenever possible, I buy the board book binding. . . it's usually cheaper (believe it or not) and it allows Caleb to enjoy his books without his paranoid mother hovering nearby to make sure he doesn't rip the pages. We do read a lot of "regular" books, as well, and I am teaching him how treat books properly, but it'll be a long while before that skill is totally mastered. Until then, board books are a great way to encourage him to "read" on his own.