Not-to-be-missed board books......
If you don't know what a board book is, you just don't spend much time with toddlers. Toddlers often love to be read to, but can't resist grabbing at the pages and tearing them. So the solution is books with cardboard covers and pages. Yes, well loved board books will eventually meet destruction, but it takes a lot longer. You also may not know that great literature and art resides in board books. Not all of them. Some will make you tear your hair out when you are asked to "read it again." But some will make you, as an adult, want to curl up in a corner and read the book a few more times.
I have spent considerable time in the last few days with a toddler who is addicted to board books. Sometimes she speaks in complete sentences or paragraphs using language that astounds me. As I am about to declare her a genius, her mother sheepishly admits that she is quoting from one of her books, many of which she has memorized.
So in case you have a toddler in your life, or just want to peek into the world of "great board book literature", here are a few recommendations to get you started:
"Good Night Gorrilla," by Peggy Rathmann, comes in both a small and a large board book format. I recommend the large. This book has very few words. The amazing pictures tell the story of a zookeeper who goes around at night saying goodnight to the animals before crossing the street to his little house. He is unaware that the gorilla has stolen his keys and is letting all the animals out and that they follow him home. Reading it will make you smile.
"Counting Birds," by Jing Jing Tsong is a board book that excels in beautiful flowing original language, amazing colorful art, and a surprise twist of plot at the end. Don't miss it.
"The Pout-Pout Fish" by Deborah Diesen and Dan Hanna will amaze you with its use of rhyme, unusual long words, and beautifully drawn and colored pictures.
"I'm Building You a Robot," has an unusual feature where a robot gradually appears on colored ribbons. As each new page is turned, a new ribbon slides out with a new feature of the robot showing up. The language of the book is repetitive and uses lots of sound words.
So run to your nearest full service book store, settle down on the floor of the board book section and find some favorites of your own.
I have spent considerable time in the last few days with a toddler who is addicted to board books. Sometimes she speaks in complete sentences or paragraphs using language that astounds me. As I am about to declare her a genius, her mother sheepishly admits that she is quoting from one of her books, many of which she has memorized.
So in case you have a toddler in your life, or just want to peek into the world of "great board book literature", here are a few recommendations to get you started:
"Good Night Gorrilla," by Peggy Rathmann, comes in both a small and a large board book format. I recommend the large. This book has very few words. The amazing pictures tell the story of a zookeeper who goes around at night saying goodnight to the animals before crossing the street to his little house. He is unaware that the gorilla has stolen his keys and is letting all the animals out and that they follow him home. Reading it will make you smile.
"Counting Birds," by Jing Jing Tsong is a board book that excels in beautiful flowing original language, amazing colorful art, and a surprise twist of plot at the end. Don't miss it.
"The Pout-Pout Fish" by Deborah Diesen and Dan Hanna will amaze you with its use of rhyme, unusual long words, and beautifully drawn and colored pictures.
"I'm Building You a Robot," has an unusual feature where a robot gradually appears on colored ribbons. As each new page is turned, a new ribbon slides out with a new feature of the robot showing up. The language of the book is repetitive and uses lots of sound words.
So run to your nearest full service book store, settle down on the floor of the board book section and find some favorites of your own.