5 of my favorite Children's books

Reading books to my daughter is one of my favorite things to do with her, and she has many to choose from through books handed down from her brother and her grandmother, the librarian. Thanks to my great mother, I feel that I know quite a bit about the different children's books there are. Reading to children from a very early age is extremely important for many reasons. It builds their imagination and teaches them endless amounts of information (not to mention, helps them learn to speak). I feel blessed that I grew up with reading in my life, as I know that it has helped me to develop my writing, and given me a sense of accomplishment. So what that I was a horrible athlete, or that I was tongue-tied when it came to social situations, at least I know that books will always be here for me. Some books are just great fun for kids to look at and read, others are filled with love, and others still create a wonderful adventure. There are just so many, everyone should be able to find one they like. I hope these reviews will help you with this because if your child still hasn't discovered the benefits of storybooks, it is important to keep looking for the perfect one.

Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton is a newer book published by Harper Collins in 2008. I learned about this book through my librarian mother when my daughter was maybe only a year old, and even though it didn't interest her too much then, by two she was loving it. We read the Love Splat first, and I was amazed to find her sitting and listening through the whole story; something she hadn't done yet . There are many great things about this book, but the top reasons to read it is: first, there is awesome humor that young kids get, and makes them laugh, second, the illustrations are wonderfully rendered. He is just such an interesting cat to look at. Before the book came out, Splat was featured on dinnerware, greeting cards, calendars and diaries in England. He even has his own website.

All the World written by Liz Garten Scanlon and illustrated by Caldecott Honor medalist Marla Frazee is mostly on this list because I absolutely love the art, but the poetic words go beautifully with it creating a masterpiece throughout. The only way to describe what it is about, Is to give you a little excerpt. These words are on four pages of wonderful artwork:

Spreading Shadows, Setting sun

Cricket, curtains, day is done

A fire takes away the chill

All the world can hold quite still.

I realize that it is easy to be drawn to picture books with great stories for children ages three or older, so I decided to write about Counting Kisses by Karen Katz for those moms with younger kids. This is an awesome book for babies and little toddlers, and I loved how I could interact with my daughter while I read to her. It starts off counting back from ten kisses (on teeny tiny toes), ending with "one last kiss on your sleepy, dreamy head." You aren't obligated to kiss your child, but he/she will enjoy it much more if you do. I love the way that it slows down as the baby slows down. Preparing your own child for bed, as the baby in the story goes to bed. Loving and nurturing babies is so important for their happiness;this book really adds that little piece of pie to help you show your love.

The Little Red Caboose was one of the A Little Golden Book publications that I grew up with, and the best of the classic original stories published in 1953. Marian Potter is the author and Tibor Gergely is the illustrator of this fascinating book for ages 3-5. It's hard not to know about the story of the little engine that could which was published later by the same company, but if you read about the red caboose, it seems to fit in perfectly. The caboose saves the day when the engine to the train loses steam going up the mountain, and the caboose finds an engine to pull them up (which is a blue engine). My favorite part as a child was of course the ending when the engine puffs his way to the top saying "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." Even though the artwork is generic, there are still many things that kids can pick out of the pictures, and they get a kick out of it. I think this is a wonderful story with a great moral that you can do anything you put your mind to, and to keep trying. It seemed like I had a hundred of these classic Little Golden Books, but The Little Red Caboose was definitely in the top three.

Laura Joffe Numeroff and illustrator Felicia Bond do a great job with If You Give a Moose a Muffin as the sequel to If you give a Mouse a Cookie (also a great story). It has won them the IRA/CBC Children's Choice award! Kids admire this book because of the interesting humor, and the fun,colorful atmosphere that Bond creates. It is great to see how the moose interacts with the boy in every page. I learned about this story when my son received it for a Christmas present in 2001, and I remember how this was one book he really actually wanted to hear over and over again. It is so simple and yet your child will want to hear what happens when "you give a moose a muffin." If you like an author with a great sense of humor, and your children have a hard time sitting still for a book, try this one out.