some books we love

Black?White!Day?Night! by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
What an artisticly creative book! The pages and their respective cutouts demonstrate how perspectives change with the turn of a page. You'll be reading this one over and over - as well as Lemons Are Not Red - another fun book to read. A beautiful visual way of learning, children can read these books all by themselves!

The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
The Gruffalo? Why didn't you know? It's the best rhyming story about a tiny little mouse who sets out to look for food and uses his clever imagination to help him walk through the forest without being eaten himself. Not only is this a great book, but I've since discovered that it's become a hit production as well - and can be seen in play theatres worldwide. This is a classic for all!

Strega Nona by Tomie de Paola
The first book in a series, Strega Nona is one grandmother you instantly fall in love with. I don't know if I love this book because of the wonderful illustrations or the fact that its so fun to read in an Italian accent more. DePaola is a must have for any child's library...

Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin. Age 2+
We love how funny the idea of cows typing is - and even more so, making sounds together. I start off, "click, clack.." and Ava finishes with the "moo" right on cue. It's got a lot of expression and humor and a great lesson about compromises.




Corduroy by Don Freeman Age 2+
A little teddy bear on a hunt to find his missing button in a department store, until Lisa comes to the rescue. I love to read this story with a different accent each time. It's such a classic series that will last through all generations. The book we have was actually one we purchased for my little sister 19 yrs. ago.

The Earth and I Age 1+
The photos in this book and simple sentences of appreciating the earth will have your little one asking questions. Ava interrupted with, "Fish is upset, Mommy" which opened up the doorway to discuss the effects of litter, our environment and role in helping it grow. Truly a book to treasure.

A Pocket for Corduroy Age 2+ The adventure continues for the bear who now longs for a pocket on his overalls. He falls into mischief in search at a laundromat. Reminds me so much of my childhood and how we looked for adventure in the laundromat, or what we called, "the dungeon" of the old apt. building we lived in. Such good times. I'll have to do a load there just so the kids can experience the same.

Olivia by Ian Falconer Age 2+ It wasn't until another mom at a bookstore told me how much her son loved this pig and how he got into art because of her that I bought one for Ava to read. Now, it's her favorite to read before bedtime. Ava adores her. And saying "oh-liv-e-ya." She wants me to point out all the ways Olivia exhausts her parents in the black, white and red colored pages. Olivia is laying down - Ava will say, "she's pooped" - and we laugh. It's a wonderfully simple book about how fun a day can be - visiting the museum, going to the beach, playing dress up, dreaming about becoming a ballerina...and of course family. It's a wonderful story - and I look forward to growing her collection with the series.