Oliver is sick. Again. Which means I am too. This also means Oliver only wants mom-and-dad-snuggles and comfort reads despite a teetering stack of library books we borrowed over the weekend. Here are five favorites that we are re-reading this week for the…well, I’ve lost count, really…
Your Baby’s First Word Will Be Dada by Jimmy Fallon, illustrated by Miguel Ordonez
Oliver’s first word was “dada” despite my efforts to make “mama” his first word. Your Baby’s First Word Will Be Dada explains to me exactly how it happened! It shows animal dads try to teach their animal children how to say “dada”.
It’s funny, I was on Goodreads to capture the link for this book, and I found myself in the comments section. This is such a polarizing book, I suspect because of the star power behind it. It’s always amusing to read comments and reviews from people who are not the intended audience. This book caught so much grief for being “boring”. I bought this book during Oliver’s infant days, but he seems to appreciate much more at 15 months. We read this book (and Everything is Mama) almost daily. There isn’t too much to this story– the text is almost entirely the word “dada” and animal sounds. But, simple and repetitive with bold illustrations are important none-the-less for developing minds! (Goodreads | Indiebound)
Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Jill McElmurry
When a dump truck, who believes he’s too important for the countryside animals, gets stuck in the mud, Little Blue Truck is the only one willing to help. Until he gets stuck too! Little Blue Truck, a story about the power of friendship, features wonderful rhyme and rhythm, truck sounds, and animal sounds. Oliver was hooked from the first time I read this story to him. Our collection of Little Blue Truck stories has since grown. (Goodreads | Indiebound)
Hooray for Hat by Brian Won
When Elephant wakes up, he is very grumpy until he discovers a surprise package on his doorstep. When he opens the box, the gift inside brightens his day, and he cannot resist sharing with his friends. This story is all about sharing, and how giving gifts to a friend can sometimes feel better than receiving a gift for yourself. (Goodreads | Indiebound)
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood
This is a favorite story from my childhood, that Oliver loves now, too. An unseen narrator scares a little mouse into sharing his strawberry by convincing him that a big hungry bear is going to STOMP STOMP STOMP through the forest to find the freshly picked strawberry. The story and illustrations are the cutest! (Goodreads | Indiebound)
I Love All of Me by Lorie Ann Grover, illustrated by Carolina Buizo
I Love All of Me is a recent addition to our personal library, but it quickly became Oliver’s favorite. The story celebrates loving their whole selves from wiggle toes to waggle rumps! Pointing to the parts of the body as we read along makes this book even more fun. The cherry on top? I add a creative spin at the end by saying “I love olive-you, Oliv-er!”, and Oliver crawls up to me and gives me a BIG BEAR HUG. It melts my heart. (Goodreads | Indiebound)
What stories do your little ones find irresistible?
By Golly, Ollie! 