EVIE READS • BOOKS FOR TODDLERS III

Me. . . Jane by Patrick McDonnell: If you've been following along through this series, it's no secret we love Patrick McDonnell in this house. I'm pretty sure at least one of his books has been in each of these collections. They're simple and heart warming, the illustrations just embody childhood in a way that most other children's book fail to, and they're entertaining for me, an adult, to read as well. This is a story about Jane Goodall and her childhood toy named Jubilee. If the name Jane Goodall doesn't ring a bell, you have to research her. I find her fascinating. Anyway, this story has a touch of whimsy that will make it a childhood classic and content that will story your and your child's hearts and encourage you to get outside and love this Earth we live on.

The Children Who Loved Books by Peter Carnavas: This is one of my favorite children's books of all time and I never say that lightly! I feel like this book was written with my soul and our family in mind. It is just absolutely perfect in every way. It's the story of a family of four (and a few animals) who live in a camper full of books. The illustrations are quirky but comforting and I immediately fell in love with the family! I really can't believe I've never heard of this author before. We renewed this book as many times as the library would let us and still could have read it every night afterwards. I'm on a mission to find more of his books and to make 'The Children Who Loved Books' a regular rotation in our bedtime story lineup!

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood: We actually happened upon this book when Alex's mom sent us his copy from his childhood. Evie immediately fell in love. You see, she loves bears, she loves mice, and she loves strawberries, so it seems this book was made for her. It's about a little mouse that finds a strawberry. A conversation happens with the reader about the big hungry bear that loves strawberries and the many ways the mouse can try to keep the bear from finding his strawberry and eating it up. To a two year old, it's suspenseful, clever, and exciting. Ev loves that she is included in the story. This is a classic that any toddler should read at least once!

Little Owl's Night by Divya Srinivasan: I have plans to do a roundup of my favorite bedtime books, but I thought I'd give you a spoiler - this one will be on the list. A little owl takes you on a tour of the night forest. Crickets sing, frogs croak, and as the night goes on 'the moonflowers close and the morning glories open.' The little owl asks his Mama what the daytime is like and she begins to describe it as the sun rises and little owl falls fast asleep. It puts a twist on traditional bedtime stories, teaches children about nocturnal animals, and is comforting and poetic. The illustrations are beautiful, but still simple and easy for children to relate to. It's a must-have for anyone looking to expand their bedtime library!

Evie Reads • Books for Toddlers II

It has long been a dream of mine to write children's books, so I sent out on a quest to actually read children's books - a lot of them. I've found that I love outlandish, imaginative, quirky stories the best and that reading to your kid gets a whole lot more fun as they get older. A few months ago, I started this series with a list of board books that were best for a baby up to an 18 month old. A few of those stories are still favorites around here, mostly for the sake of nostalgia, but Ev has outgrown most of them. I had only intended on doing one or two posts in this series because then I though to myself, "How many good books for toddlers can there be out there?" It turns out, there's a lot. A whole new world of books has been opened up to me. It's probably strange to hear an adult so excited about children's books, but I don't remember there being stories like these out there when I was a kid, or at least I never read them. Like I said, I have this little dream growing inside of me and the flame gets a little bigger each time I find a new favorite. I've been tucking away little stories and characters and illustration ideas for a 'someday' when I get the time and courage to sit down and actually start this project. For now, I'll keep sharing our favorites that accompany us home from the library each week. As I write this, I have a stack of 20 or so more that we've been reading through and I can't wait to share them with you! This is quickly becoming my favorite thing to write about in this space, and I hope you all like this series as much as I do.


An Awesome Book by Dallas Clayton: When I think of the perfect children's book I think of something fun and quirky and imaginative and a story that doesn't make any sense at all and that makes you smile, because isn't that what kids are like? 'An Awesome Book' is full of these things and more. It's based on the simple concept of dreaming big - It's touching without being cheesy, inspirational but still interesting, and it's a story that can grow with your kids. When they're young and everything is possible, they can read of rocket powered unicorns and candy cane machines and magical watermelon boats - when they're a bit older they can be inspired by the reality that dreams really are possible. In a world full of children's books that have too many problems to be solved, too many children being bratty and 'learning lessons', and too much focus on learning your ABC's instead of using your imagination, this is a welcome book to our bookshelf. A big plus in my book is that the illustrations could make up an interesting book all on their own. They're childlike and hand drawn and Ev could look at each page for hours! This really is one worth buying.

The Kindhearted Crocodile by Lucia Panzieri; Illustrated by Anton Gionata Ferrari: This is the story of a crocodile, but not your normal story of a crocodile with sharp teeth and a scary demeanor - this crocodile is gentle and sensitive and dreams of being a family's pet. So he comes out of a picture book each night to perform all sorts of tasks, trying to please the family - he tidies toys and washes dishes and even fights away monsters in the kid's bad dreams. As you can see, the story is imaginative and heartwarming, and the illustrations are quirky and interesting. Ev giggles as she points at funny little things like the crocodile with an apron on, spreading jam on toast. If I'm honest, it makes me giggle a little on the inside too. She also loves to open her mouth wide and show me what a crocodile's mouth looks like on pretty much every page. This is a story that will be read and enjoyed for years around here.


Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown; Illustrated by Felicia Bond: Almost everyone has probably heard of Margaret Wise Brown, but what I didn't know before finding this book is that she wrote a lot of children's books that are as good, if not better than her most popular ones (Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny). This is the number one best seller in 'children's farm life books' on Amazon and once you read it, it's not hard to see why. It's rhyming and simple and comforting like many of her other books. It goes through the cycle of the day's activities on a farm where families of animals peacefully play and sleep. The rhythmic quality makes for a soothing story, but illustrations keep Ev interested. This is my favorite book for teaching her about animals and animal noises because it isn't too simple (boring) or obnoxious like many others. It's a charming classic that we all love - bedtime stories really don't get any better than this.

Evie Reads • Fall Books for Toddlers

Now I know that everyone is practically already into the 'Christmas spirit,' so this post is coming to you a little late, but technically (or at least in my mind) Thanksgiving is the final Fall holiday, so I'm in the clear. Right? Right. Anyways, I had scheduled this post for two weeks ago, but we went out of town for a family emergency and I've just gotten back into the swing of things around the house, so I'm publishing it a little closer to the end of Fall than I had wanted. Sigh. The end of Fall. How sad. It went by too quickly, but it was a good one, jam packed full of perfect family days and cozy nights. I think this may have been the best Fall that Alex and I have had yet, but oh how I'm looking forward to the next one. Kids do that to you. They make your days, weeks, seasons, life more memorable and joyful. That includes things like books. Evie and I have been going through our stack of Fall books for months now, every day before nap time and every night before bed. I have such a hard time saying no to one more book when she asks, even if it's an hour past bedtime. Sometimes she just isn't in the mood for books, but I am, so I wrestle her into the chair with me and read 'just one,' and sometimes you'll find me reading through her library books myself. I feel kind of ridiculous, since I'm an adult and all and should be doing dishes or reading some lengthy mind-expanding book or something, but children's books fascinate me. There are so many out there that I never experienced as a child and they bring me back to that world of adventure that kids can dream about constantly. When it comes to books about Fall, I'm all about the ones that give you a feeling of comfort and warmth. Not of all these can be described as such, but some can, and those are my favorites.

Little Fur Family by Margaret Wise Brown - Illustrated by Garth Williams: Margaret Wise Brown wrote hundreds of children's books throughout her lifetime, but she is best known for Goodnight Moon (a favorite of ours). Garth Williams is another huge contributor to the world of children's books. His illustrations have appeared in nearly every classic children's book you can think of (Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web, The Little House Collection, and tons of Little Golden Books). So I came into this little book with high expectations, and I wasn't disappointed. It's a short rhyming story of a 'little fur family' that begins with the 'little fur child' running out into the woods to play and ends with his fur parents tucking him into bed with a lovely bedtime song (Ev's favorite part). Though there is nothing specifically mentioning Fall in this books, it exudes magic and warmth; therefore, Fall came to mind while reading it. There is something profoundly sweet and comforting about it, without the sappiness that you sense from a lot of other books. It will make you feel transported the way books used to do before you grew up. There are little odd lines like 'the dark and sunny woods,' but that really only adds to the charm. It may not captivate you in the same way it has me, but it's sure to please your little one.

Who Loves the Fall? by Bob Raczka - Illustrated by Judy Stead: Judy Stead's artwork is colorful and bright, which is what makes this book enjoyable in my opinion. The text is a simple list of people associated with Fall: 'rakers, leapers, corn crop reapers,' quilters, hooters (owls), winged migrators, bonfire builders, hibernators, etc. Although there is no story, rhyme, or reason to the text, toddlers are sure to love it and learn from it, and it is still enjoyable to read. Out of the huge stack of books we went through, this has to be the one best gauged to toddlers. It is simple, but not too simple. We're behind the books with no words, but not ready for the books with entire pages full of text yet and it's hard to find an in the middle sometimes. I definitely recommend it for a parent that wants to introduce the topics and themes of Fall to a toddler, but knows they aren't going to enjoy a lengthy book about names of different leaves or why different leaves turn different colors.

Mouse's First Halloween by Lauren Thompson - Illustrated by Buket Erdogan: I have to say, I picked up Mouse's First Fall before this and did not have high expectations afterwards, but decided to give this one a shot regardless. I'm glad I did because Ev was bored stiff by Mouse's First Fall, but loved this one. Once again, this is a great book geared towards toddlers, since there is nothing creepy or scary in it, but they will still learn about Halloween. It begins with 'One spooky night when the moon was bright, Mouse crept around and this is what he found. . .' It goes on to introduce a different seemingly scary noise on each page that turns out to be nothing. 'Flit, flit, flit' comes from flying, grinning bats, 'rustle, rustle, rustle' from tumbling leaves, and so on. Ev's favorite part is when the mouse says 'Squeak! What could it be?' and she giggles and excitedly turns to the next page to find out. It is a repetitive, gentle Halloween tale with bold and vivid illustrations that I definitely recommend!

It's Fall by Linda Glaser: 'It's Fall' is told from the perspective of a little boy who describes what is happening to animal, plants, and people as Fall approaches. Glaser uses simple sentences that are easy for children to grasp, but their combination creates a feeling of poetry without the use of rhyming. The paper cut illustrations are vivid and textured, the perfect accompaniment to the crisp words used. This is one of those books in which Evie is drawn more to the pictures than the words, but I have a feeling that it has a lot to do with her age. Some of things that are explained are a bit more advanced than she can or cares to grasp at this age, but she will still listen as I read and loves to run her fingers over the pictures of leaves and point out the boy on each page. Overall, I think a child just a bit older (Ev is 20 months.) would enjoy this more, but it is still a good choice when choosing Fall themed books for your toddler. One thing I especially liked was the list of Fall activities that are given at the end of the book. I think it is so important to accompany books with activities so that kids grasp a full understanding of what they're reading about! This is the first of four interrelated books on the seasons and I look forward to reading the others over the next year. If you've stumbled upon this page during a season other than Fall, be sure to check out the others! I'ms use they're just as enjoyable.

In November by Cynthia Rylant - Illustrated by Jill Kastner: This book is similar to 'It's Fall!' in that it presents many aspects of Fall and how people and animals prepare for Fall, but in a much more poetic and warm way. The words are absolutely beautiful and leave you with a feeling of comfort - think 'On the Night You Were Born' focused on nature and without the ryhthmic quality, but not lacking in the least in comparison. The illustrations are timeless and capture the cherished moments of November perfectly. Rylant's words are simple, but filled with wonderful sensory images, similes, and metaphors. One of my favorite lines from the book is her description of the bare November trees - ". . .all sticks and bones. . .spreading their arms like dancers." If I could choose just one book off of this list to call my favorite, this would be it. It will withstand the test of time and become one of your children's favorite and most memorable seasonal books. I'm sure of it!

Leaves by David Ezra Stein: This is a clever little story about a bear's experiences during his first Autumn. The bear is surprised when the leaves begin to fall off the trees and tries in vain to reattach them before burrowing into a cave full of leaves for a long nap. When he awakes, he is met by Spring buds and blossoms and greets the day joyfully. This really is a charming story with childlike, yet graceful illustrations. The story is told with the heart and vocabulary that a toddler is sure to understand. Evie's favorite part is when the bear is shown gathering leaves to fill his den. It looks like he is giving them a big hug and she always giggles and wraps her arms around herself. This is one that is sure to make another appearance in our house, possibly on our forever bookshelf. We are becoming fast fans of David Ezra Stein!

Ol' Mama Squirrel by David Ezra Stein: Like I said, David Ezra Stein has become a favorite in this house! His writing is always so clever and the illustrations don't disappoint. 'Ol' Mama Squirrel' is a lively tale of a feisty Mama squirrel who is determined to protect her babies no matter what! She says she has raised lots of babies and knows just how to protect them. Whenever the simplest trouble comes around, she springs into action and sounds the alarm - 'chook, chook, chook!' she says. However, her bravery sways a bit when a big bear comes around, but not to worry, Mama's never retreat when it comes to their babies! The ending is my favorite part, so I won't ruin it for you, but this is a must read! Evie loves to hear my best 'chook, chook, chook' squirrel impression and tries to imitate me on each page.

Earl the Squirrel by Don Freeman: Growing up, my absolute favorite book was 'Corduroy' by Don Freeman, so I was delighted to find that he had also written a tale about a squirrel. While this is geared towards slightly older children, neither Evie or I were disappointed. Earl has made friends with a little girl named Jill who gifts him with nuts, a nutcracker, and a scarf, but Earl's mother wants him to leave all these silly gifts behind and learn how to gather his own nuts. Of course he wants to make his mother proud, so he sets out on an adventure to find an Oak tree only to encounter an angry bull dozing underneath it. All ends well in this cheery tale of a little squirrel who is learning how to get along in the world, something we can all relate to. The illustrations are black and white with a touch of red on each page, which still seems to appeal to Ev as much as other books with more colorful pictures. And while the length of the story is a big long for most toddlers, Ev has no problem sitting still for this one, but it could always be broken up into two different story telling times throughout the day if need be.

Nuts to you! by Lois Ehlert: We are big fans of Lois Ehlert around here and this is possibly our favorite from her! It is the story of a mischievous city squirrel who sneaks into an apartment building window and has to be lured back out with a handful of peanuts. The words are clever and energetic and the illustrations are done in Ehlert's classic paper cut style, introducing the reader to a world of bold color and texture. Evie loves to tell me what the squirrel is doing on each page by holding both hands up to her mouth, wiggling her fingers, and pretending she's snacking on something, accompanied by giggles, of course. This is a book that is sure to excite any toddler!

As I'm finishing up this post, we just returned form the library with our first big stack of Winter books. I'll be sharing our favorites with you early next month! If you have any recommendations, feel free to share. We would love to check them out!

Also, notice those fancy boxes below that I finally figured out how to add. If you're new here, browse around through some older posts. The pregnancy ones blow my mind every time I read them. I can't believe this running, screaming, beautiful little girl was the rolling little thing that grew inside me. Pregnancy is wild, man.

Evie Reads • Books for Toddlers

It seems that as Evie gets older, our bag gets heavier on the walk home from each trip to the library. This last visit proved to be our biggest haul yet. We walked out with two bags, one on my back and one weighing down the stroller handles, filled with over 30 books. Over the last few weeks we've made our way through all of those books and have picked out eight of our favorites. I have such a hard time taking library books back, especially the ones that we enjoy. Alex tells me I have a problem every time I come back from the library. Something about me bringing home ridiculous amounts of books bothers him, especially when I keep them longer than the first check out period. This is apparently one of his type-A personality things coming out. Several of the board books that we have and read everyday have been renewed seven or eight times because I'm afraid that if I take them back, I'll forget the title or author and won't be able to find them again. So I decided to create a blog series and share our expert library book knowledge with you lovely people. If you're new here, Evie is 20 months old, so these recommendations are based on the attention span and interests of a younger toddler, but I'm sure, would be enjoyed by kids as old as six or so.


RRRalph by Lois Ehlert: This is such a simple book, but clever and inventive at the same time. It's about a dog that can talk and it has a corny, knock-knock joke feel that any young child will find hilarious. The illustrations are done in Ehlert's classic style (that you may recognize from Chicka Chicka, Boom Boom) featuring different paper textures, vibrant colors, large text, and recycled materials like pop tops, buttons, and zippers. Evie loves to mock the the different barks that Ralph makes and giggles the whole way through. It's a fun, short story for any toddler that loves dogs.



1, 2, I Love You by Alice Schertle - illustrated by Emily Arnold:1, 2, I Love You is a whimsical and soothing rendition of the classic nursery rhyme '1, 2, Buckle my shoe. . .', which makes it great for bedtime. It is a rhyming story, as most of Alice Schertle's books are (such as Little Blue Truck, another one of our favorites that we own), and the watercolor illustrations really enhance the lyrical feel of the words and give the book a dream-like quality. The story is full of wonder and features everything from elephants 'catching stars to put in pickle jars' to mermaids, rainbows, and trains. This is probably our favorite book out of all of the ones we brought home and will no doubt be making its way onto our permanent bookshelf to be read many more times.


Papa, please get the moon for me. by Eric Carle: 'Papa, please get the moon for me' is the story of a little girl who stares longingly at the moon from her window for quite some time, wishing she could reach up and touch it. She asks her Papa to please get the moon for her, so he builds a very tall ladder. . . and well, you'll have go check out the book to find out what else happens. This one holds some sentimental value for us because it's one of the few books that I've found in which the Father is called 'Papa' (what Evie calls Alex) instead of 'Daddy.' The little girl's name is Monica, but we like to call her Evie instead and Ev always gets really excited to hear her name in a book. It is one of Eric Carle's lesser known books, but it is probably my favorite of his and definitely worth reading.

Art by Patrick McDonnell: Patrick McDonnell has become a favorite in our house and we're on a mission to read all of his children's books. He has a quirky writing style and an imaginative illustration style, so every book we've read so far has become a favorite for both Evie and I. They're engaging for her and they're fun for me to read. This particular one is about a boy named Art who loves to create art. It draws you in with colorful crayon squiggles and paint blotches and flows from one page to the next with clever rhyming words. Just like 'Hug Time,' 'Art' has become a favorite that we reluctantly take back to the library every time. If you're a fan of 'Harold and the Purple Crayon' then this is a must read for you.

Hippospotamus by Jeanne Willis: 'Hippospotamus is a Suess-like rhyming story of a Hippo with a spot on her bum. On each page, she asks a different animal what they think it could be. Some respond with something more serious (the weasel says it's the measles, the fox says it's hippo pox and she should 'bundle up in warm petticoats and frocks, wooly pants and socks') and some respond with a simple explanation (her sister says it's a blister, a brown bear says it's an ingrown hair). The ending is my favorite part and makes me snicker every time, but I won't ruin it for you. I know that Evie doesn't understand invented words like 'bottomus,' but she is still entranced by the language and the animals.

Dog and Bear by Laura Vaccaro Seeger: This is a set of three short stories about the adventures and conversations of a dog and a bear who are best friends. Each story is simple, but clever. We go back to this book time and time again for it's heartwarming qualities. It is a quick read and would be good for children as young as 9 months, depending on his or her level of interest in books. The illustrations have a hand-drawn quality to them that Evie can really relate to. To be honest, it didn't look like much from the outside when I pulled it off the shelf at the library, but we have grown to love 'Dog and Bear.'


The Bunnies Are Not in Their Beds by Marisabina Russo: I have found that there are very few children's books that are actually fun to read out loud. A lot of times I can even fall in love with a story and a style of writing, but still find it awkward to find my voice in reading it out loud to Evie. 'The Bunnies Are Not in Their Beds' is rhythmic and soothing for bed time, but still full of fun! It is a joy to read and offers a lot of moments to inject emotion and excitement into story telling. The colors are vivid and the content is full of. . . childhood. It is what every kid wishes they could do instead of going to sleep. We especially love the repetition from the parents (think 'Green Eggs and Ham') and how the story builds to a climax using all of the different activities that the little bunnies get caught doing instead of sleeping. My favorite part of the story is the glimpses into what the parents are doing downstairs while the bunnies are supposed to be sleeping (eating cake, drinking tea, reading the newspaper). It gives kids an idea of what Mom and Dad are doing during that elusive time that they're not with them.

Wag by Patrick McDonnell: While this isn't our favorite from Patrick McDonnell, it is still a book worth recommending, especially for dog lovers. The characters in the book are repeatedly asked ". . . but what makes Earl's tail wag?" and the list of answers go on and on. It seems like everything gets Earl's tail wagging. Evie loves when I make the make the sound of his tail wagging - 'fwip, fwip, fwip.' In the end Earl's best friend, Mooch, knows the answer - love! This is such a heartwarming tribute to the joy of owning a dog.



As I'm finishing this up, we just returned from the library with bags full of fall themed books, so give us a little time to read them over and come back for another 'Evie Reads' post soon. (If you're interested in seeing the first post in this series, click here.) Also, feel free to share some of your favorite children's books in the comments so that Ev and I can check them out on our next library trip.

We just got back from a little family road trip this weekend, so it should be quiet around here for a few days as I have lots of laundry to do and grocery lists to make and a week to plan. I would love to come back to a few more votes over on Top Baby Blogs, so if you have a minute, click the link below. Please and thank you!

*Clicking on any of the pictures to the left will direct you to Amazon. HMRM is a part of the Amazon Associates program and will receive

minimal compensation for any books you buy from the links above, however I was not compensated to write this post in any other way,

nor am I writing this post in order to make a profit. We truly enjoy these books and wanted to share them with HMRM readers.

If you happen to purchase a book from the link above, thank you for your help in supporting our family.

Books to Read with Your 18 Month Old.

A few days ago, I was scrolling through Facebook and happened upon a question that another blogger had asked her readers - "Imagine a hypothetical situation where you could pick your children's future careers based on what they are like at this moment. What would you choose?" It took a matter of seconds for me to decide on a librarian. There is nothing in this world, not even Mama milk, that gets her as excited as books do. She is just like her Mama in that she can't sit still, but she will sit and listen to me read book after book after book to her. I have kept reading plenty of times just to see how many she would let me read to her in one sitting and ran out of books (and we have no shortage of books in this house, I promise). This seems to be a common occurrence lately, even with trips to the library. She is at a hard age to choose books for, however (and most toddler book lists I've found are suited to 3 and 4 year olds). First, I have to be very careful while reading ones that aren't board books. Evie is the Queen of destruction. We do our best to teach her gentleness, but as soon as I think she's ready to have paper page books put on her shelf, she proves me wrong. Second, she is beyond the pictures with one word or touch and feel animal books, but the books with more than three or four sentences on a page or that have pictures that all look essentially the same with small differences on each page (Harold and the Purple Crayon) don't interest her much yet. Each time I spend 30 minutes or more looking for books at the library I think she would like, I think surely I'm not the only with this problem.  So I thought I'd take a few favorites of ours and review them here based on how interesting the story line and pictures are, how well they hold an 18 month old's attention, and how well I, the parent, enjoy reading it (some books are just obnoxious). As Ev gets older and develop new favorite books, I will probably continue doing this series every few months. I've also thought about reviewing the library books that we pick up every few weeks, but I'm not sold on that idea yet.


Tails by Matthew Van Fleet: This is one of the first books that we ever read to Evie and it has been a favorite of hers for over a year now. Anytime I ask her to grab a book, Tails is what she picks. It has a few simple, rhyming words on each page that describe all the different kinds of animal tails, plus touch and feel spots and interactive pull tabs. There is also a scratch and sniff spot on the skunk's tail that Evie loves to smell. (She even tries to smell the pages of other books with skunks on them now.) The illustrations are colorful and fun and the book is quite sturdy, but it is still one that needs to be put up high when you aren't reading it. Evie has managed to rip a few of the wagging tails off, but in her defense, I think she was trying to figure out how they work. I have fond memories of a few books from when I was a kid that I feel helped foster my love of reading and I have a feeling this is going to be one of those kinds of books for Ev.


Pat the Zoo: This is another touch and feel must have book. It isn't quite as interactive as tails, but it is still fun to read. One of the major things I look for in touch and feel books is how accurate or creative the touch and feel spots are. Some books that we've bought have had practically the same texture on each page, especially the animal ones. This book is not like that - there is a patch of wrinkly leather for an elephant, red feathers for a parrot, the frog's tongue is actually sticky, and the seal's whiskers are actually whiskery. I like to take it to the zoo with us and show Evie the page of each animal as we're standing in front of the exhibit, so that she can pull from those memories when we're reading the book at home. Babies and toddlers will love this book, but it could also be used to teach a budding reader. We did have a few incidents with the parrot's feathers flying around the house when the book was new. Luckily, the parrot has finished molting and that no longer happens so don't let that deter you from this book. It is a favorite around here that gets read at least once a day!


Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers and Marla Frazee: I picked this book up at Hasting's (a local used bookstore) when Ev was six months old or so thinking that it may or may not get read when she was much older, but she loved it right away! It is full of babies of different colors, sizes, etc., being fed and carried and played with in a variety of ways by a variety of people. The text is simple and repetitive and the pictures are interesting for even the parents to look at, but still childlike and soothing. Evie loves to point out the dogs, balls, and Papas and it keeps her interest throughout the entire book, which is pretty long for a children's book. Also, as a breastfeeding and baby wearing Mama, it was encouraging to find a book that includes those things, but it also includes bottles and strollers so that she knows that not all babies eat like her, travel like her, look like her, etc. I love the diversity of the people that are shown and that the focus of the entire book is loving babies just the way they are. This is one of those lesser-known books that deserves to be a classic in my opinion.


On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman: Because I am sappy and emotional and loved giving birth (freak of nature, I know), this is probably my favorite book to read to Evie. It is whimsical and imaginative - polar bears dance, the honk of geese become a resounding song meant just for your child, a bird sits at a window just to see them smile. We usually practice saying her name over and over, wiggling our toes, and trying to mimic the sound of the wind in the tress or the waves of the ocean. It really is a magical book that I never tire of. The words are written in a poetic fashion and while it seems like there is quite a bit of words on each page, maybe too much for an 18 month old, the way the words flow really keep her attention. This is another one that I try to bring to the zoo with us so that I can show her what polar bears look like in real life. I love the overall theme that each person is unique and special and should be celebrated. Overall, this is a five star book that should be on every child's book shelf.

Hug Time by Patrick McDonnell: We picked this one up at the library a few weeks ago and just keep checking it out because we can't get enough of it. I'm sure the library is eventually going to cut me off and tell me that I have to return it, but until then we read it a few times a day. It is about a little cat that sets out to hug everyone and everything in the entire world - all the birds in the park, a whale in the ocean, a Baobab tree in Africa. The illustrations are wonderful and have a very hand drawn quality to them. We enjoy this book so much that we will have to order it after it has extended its stay in our home. I've also thought about adding a few more of Patrick McDonnell's books to the cart when the time comes just because I like his style so much. Most modern children's books are modeled after a television show character (which don't make sense to Ev since we don't have cable) or zoo/farm animals (which we like our fair share of, but can really only handle so much of), so this is a timeless and refreshing book to read. If you buy just one book on this list, make it this one!

The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson and Beth Krommes: Alex picked this book up on a whim when he and Ev were out on a date a few months ago. In our birthing class, one of the coping techniques we practiced was to focus on something in the room (a clock ticking), then something outside the room, then something out on the street (the wind in the trees), then something out in the city, etc. until you had made your way to the entire world, then work your way back in the same order. The text in this book reminds me a lot of that and while the words are calming and flow together well, I honestly read this book to Ev as often as I do because of the illustrations. I've been doing a lot of research on the Waldorf/Steiner model of parenting and one of the things they emphasis is sending your child to bed with comforting images in their head and this book will do just that. It won the Caldecott Award in 2009 and is a more modern children's book that is destined to become a classic.


Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown: I'm sure nearly everyone has heard of Goodnight Moon, but Ev loves it so much that I had to include it. She loves to point out the red balloon and the mouse that is hiding on each page and 'shush' with the whispering old lady. She actually learned how to say 'bowl' from reading about the bowl of mush and brings me a bowl repeating 'bow, bow, bow' when she wants a snack. After showing her the moon in this book, then the one outside her window one night, she looks for the moon in the sky every time we go outside now. While this isn't a favorite for me to read, it is a classic that children seem to love.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle: This is another classic that I'm sure most people have heard of, but it is another one of Evie's favorites that we read before nap time. She points at all the food and says 'mmm' over and over and sticks her little fingers through the holes where the caterpillar ate through each page of the book. When we get to end and the caterpillar has become a beautiful butterfly, she oohs and ahhs and we hold the book up and flap the pages like the butterfly is flying. As far as age goes, this book is pretty universal. Toddlers enjoy it and as they get older, you can get creative with crafts and snacks to further emphasize the story. It's definitely a must-have for any child's book collection.

What are some of your favorite books from your childhood? If you have a baby or young toddler who loves to read, what books have become favorites in your home? I would love to check them out!

This is the first post in a series, Evie Reads. If you want to see more children's book recommendations, click here.

* If you purchase an item through a link I've provided, I will be compensated with a small percentage of the total cost of the book from Amazon. I have not been asked to promote these products nor am I doing so in order to make a profit. We truly enjoy these books and wanted to share this enjoyment with our readers. If you happen to purchase one or more of these books, thank you for helping me support our family.