I don’t know where it started, but I have a group of friends who
challenge themselves every year to read 100 books. There are some libraries
that challenge youngsters to read 500 books before they start Kindergarten (and
those who succeed get a prize and certificate). I personally have never took
the challenge before but believe this is the year I should start logging how
many books my children read so that they have a sense of accomplishment by the
time they start Kindergarten. I urge each of you to take on this challenge in a
way that works best for you!
To kick off this experiment, I would like to share with you some titles
that are already on my list:
Princess Patty Meets Her Match
By: Charise Mericle Harper
The ultimate “unprincess” princess book is here! I love mothers of
girls who specifically say “NO princess books” when recommending books for
their young daughters. When Patty gets tired of waiting for her Prince to show
up, she goes out to look for him. Her Prince is quite charming but nothing out
of a Disney movie! This book is adorable and a new staple in my own daughter’s
bedtime story rotation. If you want your daughter to grow up acting like a
princess, Patty is the one to emulate!
Sheriff Callie’s Wild West: The Cat Who Tamed The West
By: Holly Huckins
My son has been counting down the days until the first Sheriff Callie
book would be published for the masses and it did not disappoint! The story
behind how Callie became the Sheriff of Nice and Friendly Corners is a cute
one, filled with all the familiar characters (townsfolk and bad guys!) from the
show. The bold, all caps font for names of characters and key familiar phrases
often heard on the show are clear for all young children to spot. The pictures
are perfect and any fans of the show are going to want to read the story over
and over, WHEE-DOGGIE!
Vincent and the Night
By: Adele Emerson
A Harold and the Purple Crayon for the 21st Century. Adele
Emerson satisfies your curiosity about what babies think about after they are
put in their cribs and have no interest in falling asleep. Vincent goes on
exciting adventures and is impressive in navigating himself out of any sticky
situation. Babies and toddlers are going to love following Vincent especially since
he looks like one of them while preschoolers are going to love vocalizing and anticipating how
Vincent decides to fix every mess he creates for himself!
Smick
By: Doreen Cronin
I have never read a Doreen Cronin book that I didn’t love. This is an
excellent book for a beginner reader. This adorable story of a dog who befriends
a chick has such simple text and pictures it is sure to become a family
favorite.
Edmund Unravels
By: Andrew Kolb
My children were first introduced to the concept of a ball of yarn from
an episode of Sheriff Callie’s Wild West when Callie knits a blanket for Uncle
Bun for his birthday. I then showed them what a ball of yarn looks like because I like them to learn that things they see on television are
sometimes real, tangible objects. When my son saw the cover if this book he
immediately said “Is that a ball of yarn?” and together we journeyed with
Edmund as he ventured out of his home to discover new things. The illustrations in this book are beautiful and lively and the premise is so original and
different. As a parent it is a cute metaphor to want to hold on to your child
by the end of their “yarn” while they push themselves further away to explore
the world on their own. It is an extremely loving and comforting message that
Edmund realizes there is no place like home and no one loves him more than his
friends and family.
