Being a mom is absolutely wonderful. I will admit that the first month or two passed by very slowly, and I was very eager to sleep for longer than two-hour spurts. I don’t think most moms are willing to share how relentless and exhausting those days can be. Now that I am six months into the job, I feel like Henry and I have hit our stride. We have a system, and it works very well for us. If either of us breaks that system on a given day, there is a lot of irritability (from both of us), but most days run smoothly and blissfully. I am truly grateful for the days I spend with my little boy.
Every night, Henry, his dad, and I read books together. While his dad is at work, we love to travel to the library. I have been posting a lot of books in these first six months, and a viewer asked if I would consider listing our favorites. At first, I had trouble consolidating. There are so many beautiful stories (and to be honest, many that left us a bit disappointed). But I always crave the best of the best from book lists, so here are Henry’s and my top ten children’s books from our first six months together (in no particular order—because ordering them would take me hours and involve a lot of stress). Enjoy!
1. This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
A clever story, This Is Not My Hat will suck you in from the first page. It is about a tiny fish who steals a hat. The illustrations are beautiful and constructed digitally with Chinese ink. As an adult, I love how dark this story is, and I think kids will find it to be simply delightful.
This is a wonderfully innovative book. It asks the child to interact with the story—pressing, tilting, shaking, etc. at each page. I am not ashamed to admit that I was smiling and following the instructions, eagerly wondering what awaited me on the next pages. I suspect I am going to have a very active child (based on the stories about my husband), and this book will allow him to wiggle and jump as he reads. This is a book that makes reading fun.
3. Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox
This is such a simple story, but it makes my heart swell. The ending of the book is what makes it truly wonderful. I suspect that moms everywhere will love this book because it shows how very special our children are to us.
4. Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
There are so many lessons to be learned from this delightful picture book. It felt very whimsical to me—a lion in the library is just silly and fun. I suspect this is going to be one of Henry’s favorites when he is older.
5. Love You Forever by Robert Munsch
Break out the tissues! Every time I read this to Henry, I get weepy. It is a beautiful story. Now that I learned the truth behind the story, I cry even more.
6. Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney
I just love these Llama Llama books. They are simply delightful. This is my favorite of the series because I think it will be useful when Henry goes to school. He is a bit attached to me, so we may need to use books to help him learn a bit more independence when he gets older.
7. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
This is a clever story that will surely entertain readers. I loved reading about the crayons’ revolt.
Filled with a beautiful array images (watercolor, ink, acrylic, etc.), this incredibly well-researched book takes readers on a journey through the summer of 1869. It is a standout and well-deserving of the accolades it has received.
9. Noodle by Mauro Leaf
I borrowed this book from the library and immediately put it on my to-buy list. I loved the story of Noodle, a dog who is given the chance to be any other size and shape. Noodle spends time asking other animals about their sizes and shapes as he works to figure out the best choice. This is a great book to teach confidence and individuality to kids.
10. Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
The paintings in this book are phenomenal. It teaches lessons of kindness. Too often, children’s books finish with a neat, little bow that ties up the happy ending. This book breaks the mold, and I think this aspect offers great opportunities for discussion.
What are your favorite children’s books? Henry and I would love to reserve them from the library! Please share!
