So Obsessed With: The Baby Edition #6
My son turns two in a few days, and I just shared some of our recent baby favorites last week. But I didn't talk about books – because I knew they deserved a post of their own. If you're curious, I've chatted before about some of our favorite picture books. Since it's been a while, I figured it time for an update. Our reading routine hasn't changed much, and my son is still very opinionated on what he wants. We don't always agree on our favorites, but the books below all have his seal of approval. Here are 25 picture books we've been loving lately:
1. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown – I guess this is a classic for a reason! It's not my favorite, but he loves it. And I can see how it's a nice, quiet story that's ideal for winding down before falling asleep.
2. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans – This is one of the books that I once said I'd save if my house was on fire, so I've been pushing this one! But my son does love when Madeline says pooh-pooh to the tiger in the zoo.
3. Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion – This is a really cute classic! My son enjoys seeing Harry get all messy, especially since he loves pretending he's a puppy. So, there's lots of barking when we read this one. Haha!
4. Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr. – Y'all, sometimes I hide this book so my son forgets it exists. I get why he loves it (he's animal obsessed), but he always wants it. I just need some variety!
5. You Are My I Love You by Maryann Cusimano Love – This is such a sweet tribute to the love between a parent and a child. The rhyming text is complemented by lovely illustrations, and it's a delight to read aloud.
6. Corduroy by Don Freeman – This classic has only recently been added to our rotation, but it's quickly become a favorite. It's on the longer side, but my son loves this bear's adventures in the department store. And I love the ending!
7. Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio – This book (and the sequel, Antoinette) with my whole family. We love the poodle and bulldog families! The illustrations are so charming (my fave part of the book!), and the story is pretty cute, too.
8. The Hound from the Pound by Jessica Swaim – I saw this long before I had a baby, but it was always on my "must buy" list. I had to track down a copy on eBay because it's now out of print, but it was worth it. So adorable!
9. Night Gardener by The Fan Brothers – Laura gifted me with a copy of this book when I was pregnant, and I'm so grateful! I don't know if I would have discovered it on my own. The illustrations and the story are lovely!
10. Lola Dutch by Kenneth & Sarah Jane Wright – This reminds me a bit of Eloise, except the heroine isn't a brat. Haha! I'm obsessed with these illustrations, and Lola who is "a little bit much." My son adores her animal sidekicks!
11. Too Many Carrots by Katy Hudson – I love the illustrations in this one, but I'm not as crazy about the story. It's not a favorite for me, but my son disagrees and frequently adds it to our to be read pile on his nightstand.
12. Go Go Gorillas by Patrick Wensink – My son enjoys this tale of gorillas who get up to a bunch of shenanigans after their bedtime. It feels a little long to me, and I hope he ignores the idea of partying instead of sleeping. Haha!
13. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak – I was never a huge fan of this book, but my son has won me over! Seeing him interact with the book (repeating words, acting things out, and such) has added so much to it for me.
14. Little People, Big Dreams by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara – We still have so many of these to read, but I couldn't resist the Audrey Hepburn one. I'm so impressed by these short biographies of outstanding women.
15. One Day on Our Blue Planet by Ella Bailey – We've checked these out from the library more than once! Anything with animals is a hit in our house, and I like that this feels like an early introduction to non-fiction.
16. BabyLit Storybooks by Various Authors – I've talked about the BabyLit Primers before, but today I had to mention the Storybooks! This line is for older children, but we already love our copy of Pride and Prejudice. No surprise, right?!
17. Atlas of Animal Adventures by Lucy Letherland – This is a recent addition to our house, but it's already become a favorite. It's meant for elementary age kids, but my son loves identifying all the animals and when I read select facts.
18. Peek-a-Flap by Jaye Garnett – This book, unlike the other two, is actually geared toward's my son's age. And he's obsessed! I appreciate the thick flaps (so they don't get bent) and the notable facts about the various animals.
19. The Big Book of Beasts by Yuval Zommer – We spend a lot of time looking at this book! It's also meant for older kids, but that doesn't stop my son from dragging it all over the house. I can't wait to get him the ocean one soon.
20. Wow! The Good News in Four Words by Dandi Daley Mackall – This is a nice, simple way to present to Gospel to little kids. The rhyming text is very engaging, as are the illustrations. I like the format, too!
The next five books are from a series called Tales that Tell the Truth, but I had to feature them all separately. We love them that much! I've struggled to find books about faith that aren't cheesy, inaccurate, or pointless. So many feel like they're either written for adults or way too simplified. This entire series is a breath of fresh air, and I'm so thankful I found them! They're presented in such an engaging way that my son is always captivated. The illustrations are amazing and perfectly complement the Bible-centered stories. I highly recommend them!
21. The One O'Clock Miracle by Alison Mitchell – This is a retelling of the story of Jesus healing the official's son from John 4. I love the focus on faith and trusting Jesus' words, and the illustrations are so perfect for the story.
22. God's Very Good Idea by Trillia J. Newbell – I love this discussion of faith and diversity. It talks about how people are created in God's image and how "we are all different, but we are also all the same." Such an important book!
23. The Storm That Stopped by Alison Mitchell – This is a retelling of the story of Jesus calming the storm from Mark 4. I love that retells the story but goes one step further and explains what the story tells us about who Jesus is.
24. The Christmas Promise by Alison Mitchell – If you want a book that clearly explains how the birth of Christ fulfilled God's promises to His people, look no further. I love that this is a "Christmas" book that we'll read all year long.
25. The Garden, The Curtain, and The Cross by Carl Laferton – This presents the Gospel (and the big picture of the entire Bible) in such a clear, meaningful way. This was our first book from the series, and it's our favorite.
The next five books are from a series called Tales that Tell the Truth, but I had to feature them all separately. We love them that much! I've struggled to find books about faith that aren't cheesy, inaccurate, or pointless. So many feel like they're either written for adults or way too simplified. This entire series is a breath of fresh air, and I'm so thankful I found them! They're presented in such an engaging way that my son is always captivated. The illustrations are amazing and perfectly complement the Bible-centered stories. I highly recommend them!
21. The One O'Clock Miracle by Alison Mitchell – This is a retelling of the story of Jesus healing the official's son from John 4. I love the focus on faith and trusting Jesus' words, and the illustrations are so perfect for the story.
22. God's Very Good Idea by Trillia J. Newbell – I love this discussion of faith and diversity. It talks about how people are created in God's image and how "we are all different, but we are also all the same." Such an important book!
23. The Storm That Stopped by Alison Mitchell – This is a retelling of the story of Jesus calming the storm from Mark 4. I love that retells the story but goes one step further and explains what the story tells us about who Jesus is.
24. The Christmas Promise by Alison Mitchell – If you want a book that clearly explains how the birth of Christ fulfilled God's promises to His people, look no further. I love that this is a "Christmas" book that we'll read all year long.
25. The Garden, The Curtain, and The Cross by Carl Laferton – This presents the Gospel (and the big picture of the entire Bible) in such a clear, meaningful way. This was our first book from the series, and it's our favorite.
What picture books should we read next?
We're always looking for recommendations!
I love that Lola Dutch is on your list — we love that one too! And I’m intrigued by the blue planet one — I’ll have to check that out :)
ReplyDeleteGoodnight, Moon was absolutely a childhood favorite for me too, so it's nice to see that it's still a classic that will appeal to kids no matter what era we're in :)
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