Nothing
quite compares to snuggling up to a good book and escaping into its pages with
your child. Then there are books you hide or sneak into your thrift shop
donation box, hoping you’ll never have to read them again. We’ve all been
there.
I
let the kids pick books from the library at their pleasure, but I also enjoy
picking them out myself. I love books written by Dr. Seuss, Jane Yolen, Mercer
Mayer, Jan Brett and Karma Wilson. The “If You Give
A Mouse a Cookie” and "Skippyjon
Jones" series are great favorites at our house. “Goodnight
Moon” and “Where the
Wild Things Are” will always have a special place on our
bookshelves.
Poetry
or prose, some books just resonate with me as a mother, and I could read them
over and over again. Here is a list of 12 picture books I could read with my
kids every day.
1. "Whose
Chick Are You?" by Nancy Tafuri
This
book is well-loved by all my children. The simple, welcoming illustrations and
narration can be understood by a baby, but older kids love the mystery of the
book and looking for the little chick’s parents, who can be glimpsed in the
background. My kids love the illustrations, the hatching scene and the little
chick’s happy ending. I have been reading and enjoying it as long as I’ve been
a mother.
2. "Muncha!
Muncha! Muncha!" by Candace Fleming, illustrated by G. Brian
Karas
I
fell in love with this book at storytime at the library where it was read with
such pizzaz, yelling and shouting that we brought it home with us that same
day. Mr. McGreely has finally realized his dream of planting a garden, but
three sneaky bunnies come by night and — muncha, muncha, muncha — eat all his
hard work. This book is best read quickly with voices and mock-shouting and
throwing yourself into the rhythm of the words. It is a blast to read.
3. "When I
Grow Up" by Al Yankovic, illustrated by Wes Hargis
Dr.
Seuss-like in its whimsy and word choices, almost every line in this book has
11 syllables and rhymes in couplets. I was a little surprised to see a book
written by the musician, and after renewing this one to the limit at the
library, I can say this book is just as good and clever as his songs. I love
the messages this conveys to children — they can grow up to be whatever they
want to be, and their imagination is the only limit. I have been known to lapse
into singing Yankovic’s “Yoda” while I read this book because “I met him in the
swamp down in Dagobah” also happens to have 11 syllables.
4. "And
Then It's Spring" by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Erin Stead
Perfectly
capturing the brown-to-green spring transformation, this book has fueled my
kids’ love for our garden. It’s helped them understand the waiting game of
gardening, and to appreciate the work we do there. Both the words and pictures
are simple but expressive of the curiosity of childhood and the anticipation of
spring.
5. "Mañana
Iguana" by Ann Whitford Paul, illustrated by Ethan Long
This
is a southwestern, Spanglish-style version of "The Little Red Hen." I
like to read this one with my “Nacho Libre” accent, and my kids love the tale
of Iguana, her fiesta and her three friends who are too lazy to help. My kids
are all about parties and piñatas, and what parent doesn’t love a lesson about
helping?
6. "Daddies
Give You Horsey Rides" by Abby Levine, illustrated by John
Bendall-Brunello
We
gave this book to my husband two years ago for Father’s Day because it is a
spot-on description for what kind of dad he is. Giving the kids horsey rides,
swinging them high in the air, cooking a meal with them and comforting them in
the night are a handful of the rites of passage in fatherhood, and ones that
for me are remembered and savored. They are also things that, in the right
moment, you watch happen as a mother and find your heart swelling until your
eyes brim with tears.
7. "Sophie's
Squash" by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf
This
is a story about a girl named Sophie who adopts a butternut squash as a best
friend and names it Bernice. They go on adventures and make lots of memories
until Bernice starts to get a little mushy. The ending is perfect. I love it
because it reminds me that sometimes the best toys aren’t toys at all, and it
reminds me of my own niece who had a similar friendship with a zucchini.
8. "Outside
Your Window: A First Book of Nature" by Nicola Davies,
illustrated by Mark Herald
This
book is filled with simple, beautiful poetry that captures the wonder of a
childhood spent in nature, playing, learning and observing. It was my sons'
first exposure to poetry outright, and they enjoyed listening to it almost as
much as I enjoyed reading it to them. More than 100-plus pages of this book are
filled with beautiful mixed media art that enriches the poems, and after
checking this one out from the library — and renewing it again and again — it
is one of those books that I have to buy.
9. "Dragons
Love Tacos" by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri
A
hilarious how-to book about how one can go about hosting a taco party for
dragons, because dragons really love tacos. My son requested tacos for dinner
on his birthday last year and we read the book out loud to the kids beforehand
— and you can bet those tacos were a hit. Funky and a little bit nerdy in its
style and artwork, this is a fun read.
10. "The Red
Lemon" by Bob Staake
"The
Red Lemon" is a classic in our home. I love the graphic-arts feel to this
book. Its geometrical simplicity, patterns and bright colors make this book
stand out.
This
book tells a story of a castoff red lemon that doesn’t fit the yellow mold.
It’s a modern day “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” story. The rhythm
and rhyme of the words is catchy and fun, and when my oldest son was 2, he had
it memorized — and I did too.
This
book about a little monster and his mama and how he knows she loves him
captures the adventures and fun of toddlerhood and the fun of motherhood. My
kids love it because it includes some of our favorite things to do together,
with a little bit of spooky mixed in. This is another book I have memorized,
and I also own a signed copy. Illustrator Mark Buehner lives in Salt Lake City
and has been known to visit book fairs and local elementary schools with his
wife, author Caralyn Buehner.
12. "City
Dog, County Frog" by Mo Willems, illustrated by John J. Muth
A
wonderful book about the beauty of friendship, its simplicity captures more
feeling than I can articulate in twice as many words. Friendship can last
through the seasons of life, and friends can pick up exactly where they left
off. Friends can always hold a place in your heart and memory, and they can
teach you lessons that change you. The watercolor pictures are beautiful.
Alison Snyder has a bachelor's degree in print
journalism from Brigham Young University. She lives in St. George, Utah.
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