We love many of these, and it’s fun to see your more British selections that I haven’t come across. Our board and picture books skew VERY “boy friendly” so I think we have every possible car, truck, and construction vehicle book of literary merit (there aren’t many as you can imagine). Since you mentioned Julia Donaldson, I think you’d enjoy *The Seven Silly Eaters* (which is about a family with 7 kids) and *A House is a House for Me* by Mary Ann Hoberman. My boys surprised me with their interest in and love for Beatrix Potter, especially the Tale of Squirrel Nutkin and The Roly Poly Pudding.
Yes! I particularly love how the mom’s cello is pictured so often, and how she gets to play it more at the end of the book. It’s such a good reminder that the chaos of the super little years doesn’t last forever, and the time for creative pursuits grows as the children do.
Some great reads here! I love those little Beatrix Potter books, too. When I discovered them I couldn't afford to buy a whole set new, so I found them individually at thrift stores and managed to acquire most of them. A couple more board books we like at our house: The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown and The Little Mouse, The Ripe Red Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood.
We have bought ours second hand too! I had a few left from my own childhood and then we’ve picked them up here and there. I will check out the books you mentioned, thank you for the recommendations.
For a simple board book, my 2 year old goddaughter cannot get enough of 10 Little Fingers. She loves all the babies in it! I appreciate that it’s multicultural without being in your face about it. (I could be wrong, but I think it was fairly groundbreaking at the time of its initial publication.)
So many good ones! We are huge fans of the Ahlbergs and Brambly Hedge. And I had the Vanessa Redgrave Wind in the Willows on VHS tape as a child. It's the best! Some author/illustrators we love are Barbara Cooney, Dahlov Ipcar, Arnold Lobel, and Tomie dePaola. And some specific books are the Children's All Creatures Great and Small, the George and Martha books, and Ben Hatke's Nobody Likes a Goblin. Noting many of yours down and excited to see other recommendations in the comments!
Yes! I always cry while reading Clown of God and also Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs and the Art Lesson. Tomie dePaola is an unparalleled storyteller ♥️ and we also love the Frances books! They always set my kids a-giggling 😂
I really miss the days of reading Beatrix Potter to my children. They're not as interested in Peter Rabbit and friends anymore (though we still recall many of them fondly, and were just the other day talking about what a great word "soporific" is).
Some of our favorites though have always been A.A. Milne's children's books (both poetry and the stories). Those are so much fun for all the ages.
Beatrix Potter is a real favourite of mine. I’ve loved discovering some of the less well known ones that I don’t remember reading as a child.
I also adore A.A. Milne, I think my daughter isn’t quite ready for the stories yet, but I have read a few of the poems to her. I have many half remembered fragments of A.A. Milne poems in my head from when my mum read them to me as a child, so I’m really looking forward to reading them with my daughters.
We love many of these, and it’s fun to see your more British selections that I haven’t come across. Our board and picture books skew VERY “boy friendly” so I think we have every possible car, truck, and construction vehicle book of literary merit (there aren’t many as you can imagine). Since you mentioned Julia Donaldson, I think you’d enjoy *The Seven Silly Eaters* (which is about a family with 7 kids) and *A House is a House for Me* by Mary Ann Hoberman. My boys surprised me with their interest in and love for Beatrix Potter, especially the Tale of Squirrel Nutkin and The Roly Poly Pudding.
Ooh love the sound of these recommendations. I think I’m gonna update this post with everyone else’s suggestions 😍
Seven Silly Eaters is a favorite in our house too! The pictures are such a joyful celebration of large family life!
Yes! I particularly love how the mom’s cello is pictured so often, and how she gets to play it more at the end of the book. It’s such a good reminder that the chaos of the super little years doesn’t last forever, and the time for creative pursuits grows as the children do.
Ahh yes I forgot about that detail! So good.
Some great reads here! I love those little Beatrix Potter books, too. When I discovered them I couldn't afford to buy a whole set new, so I found them individually at thrift stores and managed to acquire most of them. A couple more board books we like at our house: The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown and The Little Mouse, The Ripe Red Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood.
We have bought ours second hand too! I had a few left from my own childhood and then we’ve picked them up here and there. I will check out the books you mentioned, thank you for the recommendations.
Make Way for Ducklings and Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey are also very sweet. We have also loved some of the Elsa Beskow books.
For a simple board book, my 2 year old goddaughter cannot get enough of 10 Little Fingers. She loves all the babies in it! I appreciate that it’s multicultural without being in your face about it. (I could be wrong, but I think it was fairly groundbreaking at the time of its initial publication.)
I haven’t heard of this so will look it up! Thanks 😊
This was one of our favorites too!
So many good ones! We are huge fans of the Ahlbergs and Brambly Hedge. And I had the Vanessa Redgrave Wind in the Willows on VHS tape as a child. It's the best! Some author/illustrators we love are Barbara Cooney, Dahlov Ipcar, Arnold Lobel, and Tomie dePaola. And some specific books are the Children's All Creatures Great and Small, the George and Martha books, and Ben Hatke's Nobody Likes a Goblin. Noting many of yours down and excited to see other recommendations in the comments!
Thank you! Arnold Lobel rings a bell…I think my mum had some of his books when I was a kid. Will look up the others you mentioned too!
Oh, Tomie dePaola and George and Martha are wonderful! DePaola's Clown of God makes me cry every time.
I forgot to mention in my earlier comment that Russell Hoban's Frances books are favorites too.
Yes! I always cry while reading Clown of God and also Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs and the Art Lesson. Tomie dePaola is an unparalleled storyteller ♥️ and we also love the Frances books! They always set my kids a-giggling 😂
I really miss the days of reading Beatrix Potter to my children. They're not as interested in Peter Rabbit and friends anymore (though we still recall many of them fondly, and were just the other day talking about what a great word "soporific" is).
Some of our favorites though have always been A.A. Milne's children's books (both poetry and the stories). Those are so much fun for all the ages.
Beatrix Potter is a real favourite of mine. I’ve loved discovering some of the less well known ones that I don’t remember reading as a child.
I also adore A.A. Milne, I think my daughter isn’t quite ready for the stories yet, but I have read a few of the poems to her. I have many half remembered fragments of A.A. Milne poems in my head from when my mum read them to me as a child, so I’m really looking forward to reading them with my daughters.