I thought it would be fun to share some of Dante’s favorite books every month. He tends to have a few favorites at a time and we read them over and over. This way, parents & teachers can learn about some picture books they might want to share with their kids and I got a built-in memory of his favorites over time. Win, win!
Dante really sticks to his favorites and this month was another month where not a lot of new books rose to the top (maybe it’s time to buy him some new books?). So I don’t know if we can say that these are his favorites for the month, but they are ones that we read more than we have in previous months.
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr., John Archambault, Lois Ehlert Published by Little Simon on August 28, 2012
Genres: Picture Books
Pages: 36
Format: Hardcover
Source: Gift
Goodreads
There is always enough room on your child’s bookshelf for this Classic Board Book edition of the rollicking alphabet chant that has been a children’s favorite for over thirty years!
A told B, and B told C, “I’ll meet you at the top of the coconut tree”
In this lively alphabet rhyme, all the letters of the alphabet race each other up the coconut tree. Will there be enough room? Oh, no—Chicka Chicka Boom! Boom!
Countless children—and their parents—can joyfully recite the familiar words of this beloved alphabet chant. Bill Martin, Jr., and John Archambault’s rhythmic text keeps the beat with Caldecott Honor illustrator Lois Ehlert’s bold, cheerful art. This winning combination has made the Chicka Chicka series an enduring classic.
This was a baby shower gift and a book I had hoped Dante would love from the get-go, because it’s a favorite and a classic. But he only recently started picking it regularly and sometimes he still doesn’t have the attention span to finish it. It goes through the alphabet two times, so it does take a bit longer than some of his other books.
For his age, I think the Chicka, Chicka, Boom Boom is his favorite part. As kids get older though, I know they enjoy all the personification in the book and it’s really good for just getting them used to their letters (from a former kinder teacher perspective).
We are in a Book! by Mo Willems Series: Elephant & Piggie #13
Published by Hyperion Books for Children on September 14, 2010
Genres: Picture Books
Pages: 57
Format: Hardcover
Source: Gift
Goodreads
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald and Piggie are best friends.
In We Are in a Book! Gerald and Piggie discover the joy of being read. But what will happen when the book ends?
Using vocabulary perfect for beginning readers (and vetted by an early-learning specialist), Mo Willems has crafted a mind-bending story that is even more interactive than previous Elephant & Piggie adventures. Fans of the Geisel Award-winning duo won't be able to put this book down--literally!
I have to admit, I was surprised when Dante started grabbing this book on the regular – it also requires a bit more attention span than he has. But he does love Elephants, so that may help. And while there are a lot of pages, the amount of text on each one is very brief, meaning he can turn the pages quickly.
As he gets older I still think this will be a great book – for one, it’s Mo Willems, so duh! But also I like that it recognizes that we have a role in a book as a reader. Again, a good kinder level lesson.
Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton Published by Workman Publishing Company on October 1, 1993
Genres: Picture Books
Pages: 24
Format: Hardcover
Source: Gift
Goodreads
Everybody sing along—because it's time to do-si-do in the barnyard with a high-spirited animal crew! From Boynton on Board, the bestselling series of board books, here is BARNYARD DANCE, with Sandra Boynton's twirling pigs, fiddle-playing cows, and other unforgettable animals. Extra-big, extra-fat, and extra-fun, BARNYARD DANCE features lively rhyming text and a die-cut cover that reveals the wacky characters inside. Guaranteed to get kids and adults stomping their feet. The "Barnyard Dance! song, performed by John Stey, is available for download. For ages 0-4. Oversized lap edition also available—perfect for reading aloud!
This was a gift from Brandee (Unconventional Bookworms) when Dante was about 4 months old and he’s loved it ever since. Sandra Boynton as a favorite of his in general and so this book has gone through the rotations of top spot over the past year. Dante really loves farm animals, so I think that’s the main appeal. It has great rhyming and rhythm and as he gets older, I suspect he’ll act it out a bit more than we do now (it has a square dance caller like feel to it, so you feel the need to dance along).
Those look like cute books.
These all look adorable and make me think about the books I have to shelf in the library I volunteer at.