Top Children’s Books of 2009

My kids absolutely LOVE books!

In fact, my Kindergartener BEGS me to order new ones out of the Scholastic brochures when they come out each month.

While I can’t get new ones EVERY month, we try to get at least one new one a month.

I’ve read to my kids since they day they were born. I even used to wonder if I was insane because I would read to them before they could even hold their heads up good. But now that my oldest is learning to read and has such a passion for it, I do believe that reading to your children is one of the best things you can do for them.

And if your like me, your always wondering what books to buy, what books aren’t a waste of money, and what books are actually suitable for your children.

So, I’ve done some research and thought I’d share what I found.

Top Children’s Books for 2009:

• The Curious Garden- Peter Brown (Little, Brown) -With humor and some showstopping spreads, Brown offers a green fable about the rebirth of a city, without a hint of preachiness.
• Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales- Lucy Cousins (Candlewick)- Moving beyond the geniality of Maisy, Cousins expertly draws out the primitive emotions at the core of Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, and six other beloved stories.
• Otis- Loren Long (Philomel)- Long’s story of the friendship between a tractor and a young calf exudes a comforting sense of nostalgia and a gentleness of spirit.
• Duck! Rabbit!- Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illus. by Tom Lichtenheld (Chronicle) – A simple, fixed design and two combative, off-screen voices make this book and its central optical illusion—is that animal a duck or a rabbit?— a delight.
• Going Bovine- Libba Bray (Delacorte)- An angel, a dwarf, cults, wormholes and mad cow disease all factor into the surreal cross-country road trip that teenage Cameron takes, in a satirical story that’s as memorable as it is funny.
• All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon- The joy of life and family is beautifully celebrated in this picture book about a family’s enjoyment of a day at the beach. The multicultural family is large and loving and enjoys a myriad of activities. These are chronicled in words and phrases that rhyme and flow to create a wonderful mood of joy and promise.
• Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems- This funny story of Wilbur, the naked mole rat who liked to wear clothes, celebrates individuality, in Mo Willem’s inimitable humorous style.

Do you have any suggestions?

What is your child(ren)’s favorite book?