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.