From: Katie Day <day.katie>
Date: Tue, 8 Nov 2005 09:07:26 +0800

So many excellent books for babies have been mentioned already.

I second the recommendations of:

Hug -- by Jez Alborough -- a one-word wonder of a book. Number One, Tickle Your Tum -- by John Prater -- perfect for toddlers to stand up and act out.. The Big Book of Beautiful Babies -- by David Ellwand -- a gorgeous rhyming sequence of black and white photographs of babies ("baby happy, baby sad, baby good, baby bad"), ending with a mirror on the last page for the baby reading the book to see themselves. Dear Zoo -- Rod Campbell Where's Spot? -- Eric Hill (which I see on Amazon has just had its 25th anniversary edition published)
--- those two are the first flap books I buy for any newborn.

Anything by Byron Barton -- e.g., his Airport -- which was a tremendous favorite with the two-year-olds at my last job (though granted, it was on an island and all the kids had to fly to go anywhere, so planes and airports were definitely familiar to them).

I also must vote for Barton's The Three Bears as the very best introduction to that classic story. (Just as Paul Galdone's The Three Billy Goats Gruff is the best introduction for that one -- I can't think of an uglier-looking troll....)


Other ones that haven't been mentioned yet include (many of which are old -- and so probably familiar, but -- hey -- I'm enjoying coming up with this list and maybe there are people who haven't heard of them yet....):

Quick as a Cricket -- by Audrey Wood

Balloon -- another simple one by Jez Alborough -- a rhyming story of a boy and a balloon in a park -- a clear visual action story (and I must put in a plug for his brilliant "Some Dogs Do" -- for slightly older children -- which explores the question, 'do dogs fly?');

Another great balloon story for the very young is "The Blue Balloon" by Mick Inkpen.

I Went Walking -- by Sue Williams and Julie Vivas -- what some have called Australia's counterpart to "Brown Bear, Brown Bear", which incidentally covers counting, colors, and the names we use for animal babies (puppies, kittens, calves, etc.).

The Wheels on the Bus -- by Paul Zelinsky -- with the ever-fascinating moving parts which must be kept out of reach If You're Happy and You Know It -- by Jane Cabrera -- with animals prompting the kids to do a variety of actions: clap, stamp, nod, roar, spin around, go kiss kiss, flap your arms, say squeak squeak, jump about, and shout out loud.
-- both great sing-along versions

Another song which is a huge hit (with all ages) is Michael Rosen's picture book version of "Little Rabbit Foo Foo".

Jane Yolen's How Do Dinosaurs Say Good-Night? and How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon? are a perfect complement with Paul Stickland's simpler Dinosaur Roarand Ten Terrible Dinosaurs.

There's another book that my toddlers wanted over and over again at the story sessions -- but it's an old one and out of print, even in the UK where I got it many years ago. It's called "Mr. Little's Noisy Car" by Richard Fowler and it's a flap book about a man with a car making funny noises and opening the flaps reveals things like a lion under the hood (or bonnet) and an elephant in the trunk (or boot), and a bear in the back seat, and a snake wrapped around the axle. If you ever see one second-hand, just buy it.

Another old UK one -- though still in print -- and, as one customer review on Amazon said, it is a little strange.... BUT the language is so infectiously romping (or should I say 'rumpeta' -ing) that it's worth a try on American kids: The Elephant and the Bad Baby by Elfrida Vipont
(illustrated by Raymond Briggs) -- first published in 1969. It's a cumulative tale which opens with "Once upon a time there was an elephant. And one day the Elephant went for a walk and he met a Bad Baby. And the Elephant said to the Bad Baby, "Would you like a ride?" And the Bad Baby said, 'Yes'.".....

For one-on-one lap time with the littlest ones, I always like Usborne's Stephen Cartwright's board books -- Find the Piglet, Find the Duck, Find the Teddy, etc.

That's all for now. Back to work...

-- Katie Day

day.katie at gmail.com katie.appleton.day at gmail.com Singapore
Received on Mon 07 Nov 2005 07:07:26 PM CST