The kids, as they are every day.
I’ve been so remiss with my kid-book posts here that we have a huge backlog of beloved books. Thus, this truncated version, in case anyone happens to have an almost-two-year-old boy and an almost-four-year-old girl who need to be distracted from the hypnotic, unending horrors that are the Dinosaur Train books (how do they always find those at the library anyway?).
Alton’s Top Five Books for Little Boys With Even Littler Attention Spans:
1) Snuggle Puppy. He loses his mind over this book, he really does. There is nothing cuter than an almost-2-year-old’s “Oooooh…I yuv oo!”
2) Bus Stop. Any book with a vehicle is good with this kid. But this one actually doesn’t make me want to scream. The illustrations are beautiful, with lots of things to find on each page. I mean, “yots.”
3) Brown Bear, What Do You See. Still.
4) Let’s Go For a Drive! Does he really get this book? I have no idea, but it does crack him up. “WAIT!” Maybe he just knows that Brooklyn kids are contractually obligated to love Mo Willems.
5) Mr. Gumpy’s Outing. Highlights: the goat and… the goat. Just the goat, actually.
Mr. Gumpy and the goat. And some other things, whatever, who cares GOAT!
Harper’s Top 5 Books for Precocious Preschoolers Who Adore Sitting Still:
1) Look… Look Again! We’ve only had this from the library for about 2 days, but Harper has declared it her favorite ever. It’s full of illustrated riddles that make her snort with laughter. Except the one where the pizza eats the chef. That one is scary!
2) Mary and the Mouse, The Mouse and Mary. I’m so glad to tell you that Harper has inherited my childhood love of stories about miniature creatures. This beautiful book is perfect for before you’re old enough for The Borrowers.
3) Jumpy Jack and Googly. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Harper laugh so hard at a book. (And no, she doesn’t find it all ironic that this book is about a monster who’s afraid of everything.)
4) The Snow Globe Family. Ditto. Tiny family sledding in a snow globe! What the what!
5) It’s a Secret. If you love cats, and dressing up, and little girls having adventures (check, check, check), this is your book.
I didn’t even notice, somehow, that this book is also the work of John Burningham! YOU KNOW THE MR GUMPY GUY! How cute is it that the kids have each latched on to their own his-and-hers John Burningham books? I CAN’T STAND IT IT’S TOO CUTE
Like @Mo Willems too except, what’s up with “We Are in A Book”?………a little too meta for resident 2 year old and me.