6 Books That Aren't Goodnight Moon

Baby showers become an opportunity for seasoned parents to pass on their tips and experiences to new and to-be parents.  My tips are modest and usually focus on saving sanity like: "if you think you have enough onesies - buy 10 more!" (incidentally, you can buy 10 onesies at a local Goodwill for about $3-$5 and they will be like new - most kids outgrow clothes gifted at showers before they get a chance to wear them in).

That being said, I don't usually gift clothes.  I like to gift books at baby showers because they give years of enjoyment for both parents and kids.

Between my two baby showers, I received three copies of Goodnight Moon and two of Good Night, Gorilla.  Now, don't get me wrong, there are excellent books.  I enjoy reading them and my kids have loved them for years.  They are classics that I think should be in every child's library.  They just seem to be "over-gifted".

If you want to give books to new parents that will ensure years of enjoyment for boys, girls and parents, here are a few that I found fit the bill, and aren't usually duplicated by other gift givers. Each uses one or all of (what I call) "The 3R's" of baby/toddler books: Rhythm, Rhyming and Repetition.

Hand, Hand, Fingers Thumb by Al Perkins
(specifically the shortened board book edition)
I like to give the shortened version of this book because it's a quick read for younger kids yet still retains a fun, catchy rhythm.  No real story-line, just a really fun book.  While reading it we would beat our thumbs along with the words.  Building up to the last few pages, I would hold my boys tight and rock back and forth to the beat of the drum: "Dum ditty, dum ditty, dum dum dum" - they would giggle with anticipation each time we read it.  To this day it brings a smile across my face.

Each Peach Pear Plum by Allan Ahlberg and Janet Ahlberg 

Originally published in 1978, this classic was introduced to me by a former co-worker.  I am a fairy tale "nut" and the fact that I had never heard of this book blew my mind!  It's essentially a look and find book, where each page has a fairy tale character hiding somewhere in the (beautifully illustrated) picture.  The corresponding verse contains a hint for each page and is fun and easy to remember.  This is another story I could repeat without the book in front of me, something I was grateful for when I needed to comfort my boys late at night without free hands or a light.

Rock-a-Bye Farm by Diane Johnston Hamm 

A cute, endearing story about a farmer who rocks his baby to sleep and then proceeds to rock the dog, the sheep and all the other animals on his farm.  The copy I found at my local used library book sale had illustrations by Rick Brown, personally I like the Rick Brown version better then this one, however it is out of print now and the newer edition is the one I've linked here.  Rock-a-Bye Farm is a perfect bedtime story.

Can't Catch Me by Michael Foreman
Another book I came across at our local library sale!  This fun story is about a mommy monkey trying to put her son to bed.  He jumps out the window and says "Can't catch me!".  Each turn of the page shows the little monkey running from a different group of animals, until they all finally catch him and.... TICKLE HIM!!!!  It's fun, funny and another great story for bedtime.

Hug by Jez Alborough

A little monkey (what's with all the monkey stories?) is looking for a hug.  All of the animals he passes in the jungle are giving or getting hugs from their mommies.  The interesting thing about this story is that there is only one word (well three by the end) through the whole book.  My kids liked to help me read this one and we all had that warm-fuzzy feeling when the little monkey found his Mommy at the end.

Inside Outside Upside Down by Jan & Stan Berenstain

One of the great things about reading to your kids is re-discovering books you loved growing up.  This was one of my favorite books when I was little.  There's no Sister Bear in the original Berenstain Bear books, just Brother, Mother and Father.  Inside, Outside, Upside Down is a quick, basic story that uses repetition and rhythm while teaching the difference between inside, outside and upside down. 

So, the next baby shower or toddler birthday you're invited to, consider giving books!

I've enjoyed reading these to my kids for almost seven years.  They have survived the book and toy purges throughout the years and have ended up on my bookshelf.  I pick them up, smell them, flip through the worn pages and even read them aloud to myself.

My kids have outgrown them, but not me.

Who can say THAT of a pack of onesies?

Side Note:  

Personally, I prefer the 

Board Book editions 

(they last longer with wee ones)

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4 Kids Books Written for Parents - Because story time 'aint just for kids!

I love books. Kids books, young adult books, adult fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, ebooks, picture books, coffee table books, blank journals... you get the picture.

Something I really appreciate are kid's books that were ACTUALLY written for parents.

Here are a few books that I get a kick out of reading (my boys liked them too, but not on the same level as me):

1 - The Boss Baby by Marla Frazee

The Baby Boss holds meetings at 2am, demands his drink be made to order, and works his employees (parents) to exhaustion.  It's funny and oh so true!  This is the perfect gift for new parents.

2 - Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

This is a book that is given to moms on Mother's Day.  It reminds me of a Hallmark card. The mother sings this song to her baby and throughout his life, until one day she is too old to do so, the adult son then sings it to his mother, and eventually starts the tradition of singing it to his son. 

 

Although written by a children's author, Mr. Munsch wrote this (it's actually base on a song he wrote) after he and his wife lost 2 children.  Here is a quote from the author's official website:  "I made that up after my wife and I had two babies born dead. The song was my song to my dead babies. For a long time I had it in my head and I couldn't even sing it because every time I tried to sing it I cried."   

"I'll love you forever 
I'll like you for always 
As long as I'm living 

My baby you'll be."

It's beautiful and touching in a way only a parent can appreciate. 

3 - Jake Stays Awake by Michael Wright

I happened upon this one at the library.  It's about a boy who can't sleep in his own bed, so he waits until 10:30 every night before slipping into his (exhausted) parent's bed.  The illustrations were great - especially Jake's parent's expressions of understated exasperation.  My kids thought it was funny when Jake's toes got stuck up his parent's nose - I laughed while shaking my head in parental understanding.  

4 - Go The F**k To Sleep by Adam Mansbach

(side note: I have never read this one to my boys)  

Not written for kids at all, this book is for every parent who has kids, for each of us who live for the 2 hours between their bedtime and our bedtime.  

It's written as a parody of all the nice, rhyming bedtime stories out there.  The audio-book is even better - since it's read by Samuel L Jackson.  

I would love to hear of books you liked more than your kids.  Leave a comment and share a title! I'm always looking for my next great read...



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From Pooh to poo - Why I like Captain Underpants too (hey, that rhymes!)

Goodbye Winnie The Pooh, hello Captain Underpants! (as long as they like reading... right?)

One thing I will never get used to is how much joy potty humor brings my two boys.  Are girls like this at 4 and 6 years old???


The newest Captain Underpants book was released at the end of August.  I LOVE that Dave Pilkey gets boys interested in books, and I will admit to giggling at some of the jokes aimed them (Pilkey is a deceptively smart story teller who knows his audience).  

Although we have yet to read the newest one (we will be buying it thorough the Scholastic book club at my son's school), I can tell you now that my kids will love it.  

I was weary about starting the series (especially with my older son), for fear of potty humor escaping into the school/classroom.  As grade one sped along, I quickly realized I can't do much about his choice of humor at school (or anywhere else).  We try to teach him the right time and place for potty humor:  with friends at recess - yes; when talking to your teacher/principal - no; when playing with your brother - yes; at the dinner table - no. 

Potty humor aside, the books are fun, and creative.  (A note to squirm-ish parents:  the spin off graphic novel series "Super Diaper Baby" is shameless with it's potty humor - explained by the concept that the comics were written by the two main characters in Captain Underpants) .



With the success of the Underpants series Pilkey's other books have been shoved out of the spotlight. A fabulous series that Dave Pilkey wrote following Captain Underpants is Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot. 

It's about a bullied boy who is befriend by a giant robot and ends up saving the world at the end of every book.  Again, aimed at boys, but with NO POTTY HUMOR. Each book has a different villain who invades Earth from one of the planets in our solar system: Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot Vs. the Jurassic Jack Rabbits From Jupiter;  Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot Vs. the Mutant Mosquitoes From Mercury; and so on.

Unfortunately, the Ricky series stops at Uranus - two more books where (supposedly) intended for the series, but with the success of Captain Underpants and Super Diaper Baby, is seems that Pilkey has been cashing in on the "sure sell" of poo and farts. 

As for story time at our house: I have given up suggesting Winnie the Pooh, the Gruffalo and and other kids books I might nostalgically enjoy more then my kids.  As long as they are interested in books, I can put up with the potty words - it's fun to laugh with them and I like that they look forward to story time still.  It won't long until they won't need me to read a story to them, and one day (I've been told), I'll miss it.


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