Kiddy Litter

Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys, and Their Monkey Business By Esphyr Slobodkina

"Caps, caps for sale," is the cry of the peddler walking through the town with a huge pile of caps on his head.  On this particular very slow day the peddler decides to take a nap under a tree.  When he wakes up he discovers his caps are missing and after a moment he realizes that they've been stolen by the monkeys in the tree.  The monkeys mimic his moves as stomps in anger and shakes his fists at them.  Kids are very amused by this simple tale.  It's a fun one to let them "read" back to you after you've read it to them once or twice. 

The Baby Beebee Bird By Diane Redfield Massie

This is a beautifully illustrated picture book about a new addition to the zoo.  A new baby Beebee bird arrives and keeps all the animals up all night with "beebeebobbi...beebeebobbi".  The animals are exhausted the next day and decide they must keep the Beebee bird awake so that it will sleep at night.  Most parents will relate to how the animals feel.  Kids love to hear this one read as there are lots of funny sounds to be made.

Zoo Poo: A First Toilet Training Book By Richard Morgan

If you are in that frame of mind in which you think you might venture into the exciting world of potty training this book is a must.  Even the tiny tot crowd, that aren't quite ready for the toilet, enjoy this one.  The illustrations are bright and simple starring a nearly bald baby visiting a zoo.  The book starts with an intriguing question.  "How do you doo-doo at the zoo?"  Your kids will then get a tour of all different sorts of animal poop.  With easy phrasing and rhymes this will quickly become a favorite.  What kid wouldn't want a book all about animals and their poo!

How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? By Jane Yolen

After reading this book you will be convinced that dinosaurs go to bed much easier than most children.  Dinosaurs don't roar, don't pout, don't throw their teddy bear about...no, they give their mommies and daddies kisses and whisper "goodnight".  The illustrations are brilliant and if you have a dinosaur lover in your house it is helpful to know that every page has the name of the type of dinosaur spelled out somewhere in the picture.  You can show off and act like you too are a dinosaur expert and your kids will be amazed at your superior knowledge (at least until they can read for themselves). 

The Tale of Peter Rabbit By Beatrix Potter

Let us all just admit that Beatrix Potter was a genius when it came to writing whimsical children's stories.  This is probably the most popular of all of her classics.  The tale of a bunny who disobeys his mom and goes into Mr. McGregor's garden.  He loses all his nice clothes and nearly loses more than that!  The illustrations are intriguing to children.  My kids would sit and look through her books even at very young ages transfixed by the little animals all dressed up in clothes.  And her tales teach children the value of obeying their parents and listening to the wisdom of others.  Some of our other favorites are The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, and The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck.

Guess How Much I Love You By Sam McBratney

If you are looking for a sweet bedtime read reach for this story.  Little Nutbrown Hare is attempting to show how big his love is for Big Nutbrown Hare.  He stretches his arms out and says "I love you this much", but Big Nutbrown Hare does the same and his arms are much longer.  The game continues throughout the book...and, of course, this is a game in which everyone wins.  My kids adore this book and it inevitably prompts a love contest in our house.

Harold and the Purple Crayon By Crockett Johnson

This is a great classic.  I love this book and so have my children.  The story of a boy who uses his purple crayon to draw whatever he imagines and has a great adventure.  The illustrations are simple and effective.  A great catalyst to encourage children to create their own magical journey.  One word of caution...be sure to tell your kids that the walls aren't really the best place to record their undertaking (sidewalk chalk might be a fun alternative).

Elmo's Big Lift-and-Look Book By Anna Ross

I must admit when I was given this book years ago with my first toddler, I resisted.  I didn't like Elmo and I was (I'll be honest) a bit of a snob about it.  However, after 4 toddlers in this house have lifted every flap in the book so many times I can almost hear it begging for mercy I am a fan.  This is a giant board book that teaches opposites, shapes, counting, ABC's, and more.  The kids love the Muppet characters and what toddler can resist lifting the flap to see what the opposite of dry is!  A great teaching tool and really fun for older siblings to read with the little ones.

Chicken Cheeks By Michael Ian Black

This picture book had me laughing aloud in the book store.  The illustrations are hilarious.  The subject matter is just as good.  Most of the book is spent describing different animal's backsides..."turkey tushy, duck-billed platypus gluteous maximus".  As you read through you see the animals seem to be standing on top of one another and when you reach the end you can see it is an elaborate animal tower built to retrieve honey from the bumble bee (who, by the way, has a bum).  Young kids get a good chuckle out of this one...especially boys! 

Sheep in a Jeep By Nancy E. Shaw

Sheep in a Jeep is great for beginning readers.  It's also a great read aloud for young kids.  The illustrations are humorous (I am especially fond of the fact that one of the sheep is almost always knitting).  The sheep run into a few minor problems on their adventure and I think we learn a valuable lesson that sheep really shouldn't drive jeeps.  It's great rhyming fun for little ones.