Something To Read

There was recently discussion on my neighborhood group forum regarding the gifting traditions and customs that families have. They ranged from Spoil Them Rotten to We Simply Can't Afford Gifts This Year, and everything in between. My favorite response was what one family does to both limit excess (four gifts only), while being both fun and practical:

Something they Want
Something they Need
Something to Wear
Something to Read

For us, we also plan to 'adopt' a little girl and boy, the same age as Harper and Mateo, and provide gifts each year. As the kids get older, we'll have Harper and Mateo choose the gifts so that they can participate more fully.

In any event, during the giveaway last week, I asked folks to tell me something about themselves and several wrote in their kids' favorite (or maybe their own, ahem) children's books. The submissions were too good to keep to myself so I've compiled them below in the event you might be looking for book ideas for holiday giving. If you hover over the name, you'll find a link from which you can purchase, too! See how nice I am? Over the next few days, I'll add to this list with some of Harper & Mateo's favorite books, too.

Kathryn’s 5 month old - Skippyjon Jones books (Judy Schachner)

Kate’s 2 year old - The Mommy Book (Todd Parr)

Jackie’s 6 week old nephew - The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Eric Carle)

Janel’s twin 1 year old’s - Goodnight Moon (Margaret Wise Brown)

Candice’s 5 year old - Walter the Farting Dog books (Kotwzinkle, Murray, Gundy)

Ranae’s 20.5 month old twins; Justine’s 15 month old - Priddy Books (Roger Priddy)

Michelle’s 4 year old, 2 year old, and twin 11 month olds - The Little House Collection (Laura Ingalls Wilder), and books about Henry David Thoreau: Henry Works (D.B. Johnson), Henry David's House (Henry David Thoreau), and Henry Hikes to Fitchburg (D.B. Johnson)

Janelle’s 14 month old twins - Digit Dick On The Barrier Reef (Leslie Rees)

Nicole’s 8.5 month old - Smile for Elmo (Dana Richter)

Lisa’s 7 year old and twin 4 year olds - Magic Tree House books (Mary Pope Osborne)

Krista’s 14 month old - Ten Little Monkeys (Adams)

Jackie’s 26 month old twins - Baby Einstein Look and Find books

Lisa’s 14 month old twins - Ten Little Ladybugs (Melanie Gerth), and From Head to Toe (Eric Carle)

Jen’s 12 month old - Baby Says Peekaboo! (Dawn Sirett)

Bernice’s 17 month old twins - Put Me In the Zoo (Robert Lopshire), and Goodnight Sh'ma (Jacqueline Jules)

Stephanie’s twin 1 year olds - Brown Bear & Friends books (Bill Martin, Eric Carle) and Dear Zoo: A Lift-the-Flap Book (Rod Campbell)

Kristina’s 7 year old - No, David! books (David Shannon)

Becca’s 10 month old twins - Pat the Bunny (Edith Kunhardt)

Sara’s 3.5 y ear old - Fancy Nancy books (O'Conner & Glasser), and Franklin the Turtle series (Paulette Bourgeois)

Melissa’s 3 ye and 8 mo old - I Took the Moon for a Walk (Carolyn Curtis)

Have some you or yours love? Leave the name and author in the comments for all to benefit!

Comments

[ohchicken]

jude's current faves are the aformentioned goodnight moon, as well as hondo and fabian by peter mccarty, goodnight cape cod by adam gamble, who cares? pooh cares by bonnie worth (and good god it's awful, unless you replace "pooh" with "jesus", and then it's just funny), 10 trick or treaters by janet schulman, & eric carle's very busy spider, which, incidentally, we got from the library in braille, and wow jude loves feeling the book as we read.

that's all i can think of, and am immensely proud of my run on sentence above.

[reanbean]

I really like the something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read idea. We may have to implement that as well once they start to understand the gift part of Christmas.

And we'll surely involve the kids in gift giving to others in need once they get older. Growing up, there was an Angle Tree in the middle of the mall. It was covered with paper angels and each one had a child's gender, age and a few items they wanted/needed. Every year, my mother and I would pick one of a little girl my own age. I remember having so much fun picking gifts for my angel, and I am eager to share that tradition with my two.

Thanks for the list of books. Two other all time favorites in our house are Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann and The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton.

[Jeff]

Little Gorilla (and, of course, Where the Wild Things Are and Mickey in the Night Kitchen).

Little Gorilla has a nice cadence to it (at least the way we read it). It's a sweet book.

The little guy ate these up as a 2-yr-old.

[Stacy]

My 2-year-old twins have their favorites. My son loves Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Dr. Seuss and he loves the 10 little monkey's jumping on the bed. My daughter loves any book that has pop ups or flaps. They both love this Thomas the Train book where you find things. Isn't it great to get book suggestions? I also love seeing what favorites emerge. Jack has loved that Dr. Seuss book for a year and has two and for while would be seen walking around with one in each hand. Love it!

[Courtnie]

Dexter's (22 mo) favorite right now "Hands Are Not for Hitting" (Best Behavior Series)...although the message has not sunk in yet