In the first part of this series, we looked at classic bedtime books to help build your baby’s library or that of a loved one. The baby books chosen have withstood the test of time and are still loved by many. These books can be found in douban.com under the books section with the only drawback being that the site is in Chinese. But searching for the titles in English will still yield the book results. Here is a look at another five classic books.
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Poor Corduroy! Why won’t anyone buy him? Could it be because his overalls are missing a button? Late at night the teddy bear searches the store for his button. He never finds it, but he does find a girl who loves him and gives him a home.
Heartwarming and humorous, this is a picture-book classic. The illustrations are bold, bright, and highly appealing. The story speaks to many themes, including friendship, courage, and hope.
Review sourced from Common Sense Media
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
This book is a fun, amusing story about the bedtime rituals of five monkeys and their mama. The monkeys diligently complete ordinary bedtime tasks such as taking a bath, brushing their teeth and putting on their pajamas. At this point, one may be led to believe that the “obedient” monkeys are ready to go to sleep, but these five little monkeys have plans of their own.
As their mama shuts their bedroom door, the silly monkeys start jumping on their bed. Wouldn’t you know it – one monkey falls down and bumps his head. Mama is forced to call the doctor, who instructs the monkeys, “No more monkeys jumping on the bed.” Will the remaining monkeys listen to the doctor’s order? The catchy tale repeats itself as the number of monkeys left in bed dwindles and the doctors orders become more adamant: “NO MORE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED.” Before you know it, all five monkeys are injured, and they finally decide to settle down for the evening. Now mama can finally go to sleep herself…or perhaps, she decides, have some fun of her own.
Adults and children alike will look forward to reading this board book over and over again. The illustrations brilliantly bring the story to life. The expressions on the monkeys’ faces make readers laugh out loud as they change from innocent to silly and mischievous. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself joining in on the fun by jumping on your own bed. The one thing this book is missing is a warning: This book will not encourage children to settle down for bedtime!
Review sourced from Curled Up With a Good Kids Book
Gossie byOlivier Dunrea
Gossie is a little golden yellow gosling who “likes to wear bright red boots.” Gossie loves her boots so much that she wears them all the time. Whether she is eating, sleeping, playing, or walking, Gossie always wears her beloved boots.
Then, one morning, she wakes up to discover that her boots are missing. They are not under the hens, or in the barn, or under her bed. They are nowhere to be found and Gossie is quite “heartbroken” at her loss. Then she sees something quite extraordinary and Gossie’s world changes a great deal – for the better.
There is no doubt that Gossie the gosling is one of the funniest and sweetest bird characters around. Even though she is very small, Olivier Dunrea manages to give Gossie a surprising amount of character and expression. With minimal backgrounds and delicate touches of color and detail, Olivier Dunrea puts his wonderful gosling in the limelight – which is just where she should be.
Little children will grow to love this little bird, and will certainly want to read more of her books in the future.
Review sourced from Through The Looking Glass Children’s Book Reviews
In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming
If you were a fuzzy caterpillar crawling through the tall, tall grass on a sunny afternoon, what would you see? Beginning, as the sun is high in the sky and ending as fireflies blink and the moon rises above, this backyard tour is one no child will want to miss.
Singling out the "array of vibrant verbs and boisterous onomatopeia" and the "kaleidoscope effect" of the textured paper collages, PW called Caldecott Honor artist Fleming’s caterpillar safari "ideal for sharing with young explorers."
Description and editorial review sourced from amazon
Are You My Mother? By P.D. Eastman
I want my mother! Will the gritty determination of a very tiny bird win the day? Readers love the suspense and the hilarious conclusion, as a newly hatched baby bird begins a quest to find his mother. Uproarious illustrations complement the comical tale, providing giggles galore for young readers.
Parents need to know that readers eagerly anticipate the baby bird’s next move. Basic language and humorous illustrations keep the tale’s tone light.
Description and review sourced from Common Sense Media
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia commons
