A scented storybook for the holidays

I spent all morning yesterday baking cookies. And tonight, Emma and I made an apple pie for Thanksgiving. The house smells wonderful! Baking for the holidays reminds me of my next pick:

23. The Sweet Smell of Christmas 
by Patricia M. Scarry

The is a scratch-n-sniff book with a very simple story. The little bear recounts his family's Christmas traditions, smelling the Christmasy smells all the while. I loved this book when I was a little girl, and I was thrilled to find out that it was still being published when I had Emma. Now she loves it too. Sure, there's not much to the story, but the smells keep the kids engaged. It's just so much fun. Emma also loves Little Bunny Follows his Nose, another scented Golden book by Katherine Howard.

Good little monkey

A year or two after I graduated from college, I had an interview at Houghton Mifflin. I remember sitting in the reception area surrounded by Curious George books in all shapes and sizes. I was in awe to think that I could possibly work at a company that published such an incredibly popular and classic series. I didn't get the job, but that's OK. (I'm happy at my current company.) But I will always remember the moment when I visited the home of Curious George.

21. Curious George and the Rocket 
by H. A. Rey

What's not to love about a curious little monkey? He's always trying to do good, yet is constantly getting into trouble. In this story, George is asked to ride in a rocket ship by the infamous Dr. Wiseman. The rocket lifts off, and the man with the yellow hat loses sight of George. George is ejected from the rocket and floats safely home. At the end, he gets a medal. The story is short and simple, but for some reason, it's Emma's favorite. We have at least a a dozen other Curious George books. They're all a lot of fun. Emma recently chose to download a Curious George book on my Kindle too.

Note: I heard that the Curious George Store in Harvard Square closed recently. Such sad, sad news. I had lots of fun visiting the store over the years. My most memorable trips were in college and then again when I was pregnant with Emma.

Anoter snow day classic

20. The Mitten by Jan Brett

Against her better judgement, Nicki's grandmother makes him a pair of white mittens. She warns him not to lose them in the white snow. But as soon as Nicki ventures out, one of his mittens disappears. A mole, a rabbit, an owl... they all take refuge in his warm, white mitten. Even a bear! But it's the mouse who stretches the mitten to capacity when he makes the bear sneeze. The mitten then floats up into there air where Nicki finds it again. I love that the practical "parent" and the fanciful child are both right in this story. The illustrations in this book are great too — there are just so many interesting details. (Brett illustrates all her own books.) This is such a nice winter tale, perfect for a snowy evening. Emma also likes The Three Snow Bears and Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett.

Button button, who's got the button?

19. Corduroy by Don Freeman

This classic is one of everybody's favorites, I think. Corduroy is a lovable little bear who goes in search of the button that's missing from his overalls. He's convinced that no one will buy him from the department store shelf if he doesn't find the button. Eventually, however, a little girl takes Corduroy home and gives him a new button and, more importantly, a home. She makes it clear that she loves Corduroy just the way he is. There's not much else to say about this wonderful and endearing story, except that it's got to be one of the most well-loved children's books ever. Happy 40th anniversary, Corduroy!

Big lessons from a little fish

18. Swimmy by Leo Lionni

A few days ago, Emma and I were watching Finding Nemo on TV. It reminded me of one of our favorite books, Swimmy by Lionni. Swimmy is a unique little fish. He's a different color than the other fish in his school and he's brave — not afraid to venture out into the sea or to stand up to fish that are bigger than him. There are so many good lessons to be learned from Swimmy, but my favorite is that if you work together, you can solve big problems (like bullying!). It's so important to sand up for what you believe in, and that's just what Swimmy does. The illustrations in Swimmy are wonderful too. And the words are simple, yet poetic. We also like Frederick, another Lionni classic, but Swimmy is our favorite.

Photo: Emma and Buttercup

Buttercup is named after the mother rabbit in The Little Rabbit.

Oldies but goodies

My next three picks are really old and rather obscure. They're not by popular authors, nor are they considered classics (or at least I don't think they are). But all three are near and dear to my heart. They were some of my very favorites growing up. So, here goes:

15. The Lunch Box

This book is out of print. It's a story about a boy named Davey who is disappointed to have the same old boring lunch in his lunch box day after day. On his way to school, he runs into his animal classmates and they all describe what they have in their lunch boxes. In the end, they decide that they each have what's best for them. (After hearing  about the cat's cold fish and the dog's old bone, Davey decides his peanut butter sandwich doesn't seem so bad after all.) I loved this book because it's shaped like an actual lunch box with a handle. There are some funny details too. The cat's lunch box is shaped like a fish, for instance. And the goat has an old boot for lunch and eats the newspaper that his lunch was wrapped in for dessert. Emma gets a kick out of these details too.

16. The Lonely Doll by Dare Wright

I have no idea where this book came from or why my mom got it for me. (I'll have to ask her sometime.) But I really loved it. It's about a doll who has no friends until one day she meets a little bear and his father. She befriends them, but is frightened that she will lose their friendship when she and the little bear misbehave. I found (and still find) the pictures in this book totally intriguing. They are actually still photographs of a doll and teddy bears. It's amazing to me how the photographer captures the story with her camera and evokes so much emotion with each photo. Apparently this book is rather controversial, since father bear spanks little bear and the lonely doll. Regardless, even if it's no longer PC, I definitely enjoyed it as a child. (Emma has a copy on her shelf, but we haven't read it yet. I'm not quite ready to have a conversation with her about spanking...)

17. The Little Rabbit by Judy Dunn

I sill love this book. We had a bunny growing up, so it was extra special  when I was a child. The story is about a little girl whose pet rabbit gives birth to seven bunnies. (She names them after the days of the week.) She wants to keep them all, but once they start growing up, they keep getting in to mischief and are just too difficult to look after. So, she has to find them all good homes. The pictures in the book are actual photographs. They're totally dated (from the late 70's), but that gives the book some of its charm, I think. Emma loves this book as much as I do. She even named our bunny after the mother rabbit in the book, Buttercup. There is a whole series of these books. The Little Lamb was (is) my other favorite.

My last board book picks

13. Yummy Yucky by Leslie Patricelli

This is a very simple book with great illustrations and lots of repetition. Emma didn't appreciate it's humor at first, but now it cracks her up. Sure, people might be offended by some of the language (e.g. burgers are yummy, boogers are yucky), but not us. I've also heard complaints from those who like coffee and hot sauce, both of which fall into Patricelli's "yucky" category. But, Emma just says... hot sauce is yucky, unless you're daddy. Patricelli wrote this book when one of her children was going through the must-put-everything-in-my-mouth phase and was using the words "yummy" and "yucky" all day every day. I love the following quote from Patricelli: "Talking to and watching my young children all day gave me a voice and inspiration for [this book]. I write down what I say to them and what they say to me."And she does just that. I haven't checked out all of her other books, but I'm sure they're just as funny and kid-friendly.

14. Good Night Maine by Adam Gamble

This is the last board book I'm choosing to write about. It's also the first book that Emma ever asked for by name. She calls it "Maine" and it's always been one of her favorites. I got three copies of this book at my baby shower. And I kept all three. We even read it to Emma before she was born while I was still pregnant with her. I have probably read it a thousand times. It follows all of the other "goodnight" books (We also have Good Night Boston), saying goodnight to all the things and wonders around them. And it's just so great for bed time. From black bears and wild blueberries to moose and country roads, this book really captures the essence of Maine. The illustrations are great too, and spark a lot of good conversation. (How many lobsters can you count? Which one is a kayak? Do you know what a lumberjack does?) I highly recommend this book for anyone lives in or loves to travel to Maine.

This book really wears me out

12. Olivia by Ian Falconer

This (Caldecott honor) book is awesome. It's about a spirited little pig with an amazing imagination. It strikes a chord with Emma in particular, who is an incredibly active and rather mischievous little girl, just like Olivia. The story takes you on a day-in-the life of Olivia adventure, doing all the things she likes to do — playing dress up, making sand castles at the beach, painting — with sharp, clear, witty writing. The tongue-in-cheek humor is infections. And the black and red illustrations (also by Ian Falconer) are, well, artistic. The story ends with Olivia bargaining with her mother for more bedtime books. Olivia's mother tells her that she (Olivia) really wears her out. But that's OK, her mother loves her anyway. It's an ending that I can relate to all too well!

Brilliant board books

I've been talking a lot about Emma in my posts, which makes sense because for 4+ years she's been my primary reader. But, now I have baby Lindsay too. So, just to be fair, I thought for the next few days I'd write about my favorite board books. Lindsay's still too little to appreciate them, but we've started reading them to her none the less and I'm sure they will be her favorites too.

10. Time for Bed by Mem Fox

I was first introduced to this book by a coworker and friend. It was one of her granddaughter Emma's favorites and she thought my Emma would like it too. I'm so happy that she shared this with us. It's a rhyming book about different animals going to bed. The words and rhythm are wonderfully soothing, perfect for lulling little ones to sleep. It's just an absolute pleasure to read. Emma and I have read this over and over. And I'm sure that when Lindsay is old enough to listen to the words, they will lull her to sleep too.

11. Gossie by Olivier Dunrea

The same coworker also bought us Gossie. This cute book is about a gosling who likes to wear bright red boots. Gossie can't find her boots in this story, so she looks everywhere for them. It's so much fun to follow Gossie over hills and under haystacks, through the rain and the snow, until she finally finds them — on someone else's feet! Emma liked this book so much, I think I we both have the whole book memorized. We even bought some of the sequels (Gossie and Gertie and Boo Boo). But the original is definitely the best. Before I know it, Emma will be reading this to Lindsay. I can't wait.

My pinktastic pick

9. Pinkalicious by Elizabeth Kann

So, usually I'm more a fan of classics. But this book is really cute and Emma just loves it. Our copy has bent and torn pages and the jacket is long gone. It is definitely well read! The story is about a little girl who eats so many pink cupcakes that she turns pink. A diet of green vegetables is the only remedy. This is definitely a girly book, which might be why Emma likes it so much. But it's also charming and some of the words and phrases are catchy. My favorite Pinkalicious saying: "You get what you get and you don't get upset." So, there's a lesson thrown in for good measure too. Anyway, it's a lot of fun and it's my #9 pick.

The sequels are no where near as good as the original. I do not recommend them at all (Purplicious, Silverlicious, and Goldalicious). Some of the "I Can Read" follow-ups are cute though. In particular, Emma likes Pink around the Rink and the Pink Drink.

Video: Pete the Cat

Good things come in small packages

8. Nutshell Library by Maurice Sendak

I had this mini collection when I was a little girl. It's a set of four rhyming books, one about counting (One Was Johnny), one about the alphabet (Alligators All Around), one about the months of the year (Chicken Soup with Rice), and one boy-who-called-wolf cautionary tale (Pierre). These books are such little gems. I can hear my mother saying, "I don't care, said Pierre" just like it was yesterday. (Pierre was always my favorite, followed closely by Chicken Soup with Rice.) They are timeless and include just enough humor to appeal to both young and old readers. The illustrations (also by Sendak) are also wonderful. I know Sendak is known for Where The Wild Things Are and perhaps The Night Kitchen, but this little collection is my favorite. Emma also loves Little Bear, but I admit, she's more into the PBS show than the actual books. I hope to give the "I can read" Little Bear books another shot when Emma starts reading on her own in a year or two. We'll see!

Muffins aren't just for people anymore

7. If You Give a Moose a Muffin 
by Laura Joffe Numeroff

OK, so this book is full of nonsense, but it's also full of fun! It's a series of comic complications that begin with giving a moose a muffin. The punchline happens at the end, when the book comes full circle and you're lead to believe that the moose wants another muffin, which will probably start the trouble all over again... Emma loves this book and several of its silly prequels/sequels (If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, If You Give a Cat a Cupcake). There is not a lot more to say about these, except that their silliness is contagious and always a hit with the kids. I've got Numeroff's latest, If You Give a Dog a Donut, on Emma's holiday wish list.

Lovely and lunar

6. Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me
by Eric Carle

Who doesn't love Eric Carle? He's written some of our very favorites like The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear. But Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me is one of his best, I think, and it's my #6 pick. The story is about a little girl who wants to play with the moon and asks her father to go get it for her. The father tries and tries and eventually reaches the moon, only to find that it's too big to take home. So, he waits until it gets smaller. This story appeals to children on many levels. It teaches about the cycle of the moon. The illustrations are brilliant, like all of Eric Carle's books, and it even has several interactive, fold-out pages. The language is beautiful and the story is emotionally touching. We received this book from one of my best friends. I'm so glad she shared it with us.

Someday, perhaps when Lindsay (daughter #2) is a little bit older, I'd like to take both girls to the Eric Carle Museum, a museum totally dedicated to picture book art (in Amherst, MA). How cool would that be?

My own Grandma Witch

When I found out I was pregnant with Emma, I wanted to share the news with my parents in a creative and meaningful way. So, I bought a book that my grandmother used to read to me and I inscribed it. I wrote that now it was my parents' turn to read to their grandchild. The book I chose was Strega Nona, my fifth pick. We're visiting my parents this weekend and last night my dad read Strega Nona to Emma. So, the timing is perfect to write about this favorite.

5. Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola

Strega Nona is an award-winning and magical story about an old Italian healer, Strega Nona or "grandma witch," who has a bottomless pot of pasta. Strega Nona's helper Big Anthony causes trouble one day when he tries to use the pot without fully understanding how it works. Anthony makes enough pasta to feed the whole town, but he just can't figure out how to make it stop. And soon, the pasta is completely out of control. In hopes of hiding is mischief, Anthony has to eat all of the pasta to get rid of it. I love that this story stresses the importance of listening to your elders. And dePaola's illustrations are incredible. They are so good, it's almost like you don't even need the words.

The book is still a little too long for Emma (age 4), but she's getting there. And even though she doesn't always sit still long enough to hear the entire story, it's still amazing to see my parents reading it to her. It brings back many happy memories of my grandmother reading it to me. (I even used to call her "Streg" sometimes.) Tomie dePaola has lots of other books too, but I admit, I have not read them. When Emma is a little bit older, he's definitely an author we'll explore.

Ode to Snowtober

My fourth pick was a favorite of mine growing up and is now a favorite of Emma's too. I thought it was an appropriate pick after lats week's way-too-early snow storm.

4. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

This classic is celebrating it's 50th anniversary this year — a testament to how good it is. It's title says it all; it's about a little boy named Peter and his experience during a snowy day in the city. Keats does a wonderful job of capturing the serenity and beauty of a snowy day, yet does so through experiences and words a child can understand. He takes simple things like making footprints and snow angels seem magical. And he gives meaning to the story by making Peter too small to join the big boys' snow ball fight and having Peter worry about whether or not the snow will melt overnight. This book will forever be one of my favorites.

My first three picks: Emma's favorites

What better way to kick off my picture book blog than to list three of Emma's current favorites. Sure, these are not books from my childhood, but experiencing them through the eyes of my own child is just as special (if not more so). And the thought that Emma might read these to her children someday makes me happy. So, with no further ado, here they are:

1. Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes 
by Eric Litwin

This book was recommended to me by my mother's friend (a fellow literacy specialist) because its repetition is great for emerging readers and, well, it's just a lot of fun. Pete is one cool cat! He keeps stepping in things, turning his new white shoes different colors. But he doesn't let it bother him and he just keeps moving on. Our life is so fast and furious sometimes — I really appreciate Pete's calm, cool "it's all good" attitude. Emma had the song-like verses memorized after a few readings and she repeats them back to me all the time. I've got a great video of her saying the words that I'll post sometime soon (when I figure out how to get it off my phone, that is). You can hear the whole story read aloud on the Harper Collins Web site. There is a recently published sequel Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes. I can't wait to check it out, but I might hold off until this spring or summer to help get Emma excited about kindergarten.

2. Ladybug Girl 
by Jacky Davis and David Soman

A coworker friend of mine (who is also the mother of two girls, both a few years older than mine) recommended this to me. There's a whole series of these adventure books, in which everyday things are made extraordinary by a little girl named Lulu (otherwise know as Ladybug Girl). The author does a great job capturing the creativity and imagination of children. Emma's favorite in the series is actually Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy, a playground adventure where the Bug Squad saves Lulu's dog from a scary monster (a squirrel) and protects everyone on the playground from a vicious snake (the twisty slide). These books are great for vocabulary too. "Boulder" and "infinity" are just two of the new words Emma learned from Ladybug Girl. She was so into these books over the summer that she even chose to have a Bug Squad-themed birthday party. Fun!

3. Llama Llama Red Pajama 
by Anna Dewdney

I heard a mom friend of mine talking about this book and decided to check it out for myself. Oh, what a pleasure to read! All of them — there's a whole series. The rhymes are infectious and just roll right off the tongue. I'm sure they're equally fun to listen to — I know Emma certainly enjoys them. The best part, though, is how relevant and easy to relate to these stories are. Little Llama is scared and won't go to sleep. So, Mama Llama explains that grown-ups have things to do. And there's no need to be scared, she'll always be there for Little Llama. Little Llama has to go shopping with Mama Llama and has a meltdown in the store ("llama drama"). Mama Llama, in turn, invites him to be her "helper" and rewards him with an ice cream cone at the end of the day. I mean, really? This is my life! Anyway, Emma and I love the whole series and each one offers a new and important teaching and/or conversation opportunity. You can't ask for much more than that.

November = Picture Book Month

Reading has always been an important part of my life. Books are magical to me. They teach me things and take me places I've never been before. They are both comforting and stimulating at the same time. I've loved to read for as long as I can remember. My memory is filled with many happy reading moments, whether I was being read to by my parents or experiencing a good book on my own. No books are more special to me, however, than the picture books of my childhood. Before Emma (my oldest daughter) was even born yet, I started collecting books for her shelves. I'm proud of her library and I'm proud to say that we read together almost every day.

My friends and family often ask me to recommend books. And trust me, I'm willing to drop everything and make a list of my favorites every single time. The most recent request for recommendations came from a coworker who asked me to suggest some books for her two-year-old son. And, the same day, I just happened to see a blog post from my local library about Picture Book Month. These two events inspired me. So, thanks Heather and Ms. Cathie for encouraging me to share some of my favorite Children's books via this blog. I'm starting a few days late, but my goal is to share a book (or author) a day for the month of November. Wish me luck.