Books for Babies and Toddlers! Celebrating the beginnings of independence. These books would make lovely gifts for newborns and first birthdays.
Title: Peekity Boo What You Can Do!
Author: Heidi Bee Roemer
Illustrated By: Mike Wohnoutka
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books Henry Holt and Company, 2019
First three pages: Peekity Boo! Look what baby can do . . . There's a shirt to slip off. Socks to kick off. Splishity splash! Here's a Baby's bath.
Themes: Bedtime, independence
Heidi creates wonderful poetry for young children. This story is an illustrated bedtime poem perfect for any toddler getting ready for bed.
The repetition of end words is a wonderful way to help a child build their language skills. It won't take may times of reading this book and toddler will be saying it along with you.
Why I love this book:
First I must admit that I had the privilege of taking a poetry writing class from Heidi. I may not have caught this book if not for that as I tend to read an look for books for an older age group.
This is a wonderful book for toddlers who are starting do do things on their own. It encourages them to try it themselves while at the same time, it is about family and the whole bedtime experience.
This book would make a wonderful gift for a child's first or second birthday.
Activities:
Turn getting ready for bed into a fun activity encouraging your toddler to do each activity in the story.
Play with the lovely Onomatopoeia words, Peekity Boo, Splishity Splash. Make up more words that sound like the activity you are doing.
Play Bath Games.
Title: Hooray for Babies!
Author: Susan Meyers
Illustrated by: Sue Cornelison
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers, 2019
Themes: Babies, activities, self-understanding
Gently rhyming, these babies discover the world in many different scenarios from looking in the mirror, to visiting the beach, playing in a pool, and taking a nap.
Opening Line: I'm glad that I'm a baby. I love my baby face.
Why I Like this Book:
This is a cute book for babies (6 months +). It's a full size picture book with a board book feel. Heavy paper for easier page turns. Toddlers will see all kinds of babies in this story as they experience the day. The babies are realistically painted, reminiscent of the old Gerber Baby Food campaigns with added diversity.
Title: Baby Day
Authors: Jane Godwin & Davina Bell
Pictures by: Freya Blackwood
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2018
Themes: birthday, babies, activities and emotions
First lines: Today is baby's birthday. There's going to be a party. Happy baby! Here come baby's friends. Hello!
Description and Why I like this book:
This is a cute day in the life of a baby book set on a first birthday when lots of other babies come for the party. The sparse descriptive language with the illustrations, show all the emotions and activities that can happen during a birthday party. This is great for language building and associating words with emotions and activities.
I read in the CIP notes that the "illustrations are rendered in line work and watercolor on paper, with digitally composited oil paint lino-block prints." Freya's sketchy style creates movement throughout the story. It's like she was the outsider watching the birthday party and capturing all the little moments, good and bad.
Finally, if you want to find more cool picture books check out Susanna Hill's Blog where you can look for reviews by book, title, and by themes.
Activities:
Eat ice cream.
Play with baby.
Spend time at the park.
