Picture books- our favorites!

Recently I asked Kendra of Preschoolers and Peace if she would be willing to give some good read-aloud suggestions. She kindly responded with a great list for girls (click here) and another list of her picks for boys (click here). Also, Amy over at Amy's Humble Musings posted an entry on read-alouds, too. (Click here.)

Amy and I were talking last week about how we didn't really have much to offer in the way of read-alouds (as we're just entering this stage with our children), but we DO each have a list of picture books we've enjoyed reading with our children. So... here's my list:

Mr. Putter & Tabby books- Cynthia Rylant


If you have not yet discovered these books, you've got to check them out! You'll meet an elderly man named Mr. Putter and his cat Tabby, and Mr. Putter's neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry, and her dog Zeke. Mr. Putter and Tabby go on all sorts of adventures together and usually their neighbors join in on the fun! The illustrations are excellent. There are more words per page than most picture books, but pictures accompany each page and they aren't too wordy to hold my 2-year olds attention! Our favorites are Mr. Putter and Tabby Paint the Porch, Mr. Putter and Tabby Walk the Dog, Mr. Putter and Tabby Fly the Plane, and Mr. Putter and Tabby Make a Wish.

The Gardener by Sarah Stewart (illustrated by her husband, David Small)


Here's the description from the School Library Journal: "Through her letters to her farm family, Lydia Grace tells how she brightens her uncle's dreary bakery and his disposition with a little dirt and a suitcase full of seeds."

The illustrations in this book are outstanding. The first time we checked this one out at the library I spent a good deal of time poring over the illustrations on my very own (after my children went to bed!) You'll love it!

If You Were My Bunny by Kate McMullen, illustrated by David M. McPhail


This is a good nighttime lullaby book. It begins with the story of a mama bunny putting her baby bunny to bed, then a mama bear, a mama cat, a mama duckling, a mama dog, and finally, a mama putting her child to sleep. My favorite part about this book is that you can sing all the lullabies in the book. For instance, the bunny lullaby is sung to the tune of "Hush, Little Baby". The final page has the mama pulling up the covers, giving her child a great big hug, and a great big kiss ,and saying "I love you!" My children love this book- especially the singing part! :)

Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming, illustrated by G. Brian Karas


We recently discovered this book at the library and it has become a fast favorite! This is the story of Mr. McGreely, who plants his first garden and tries to protect it from a trio of smart rabbits (he first builds a fence, then a tall wooden wall, then a deep trench,... and more!) It has a great refrain as you find that the rabbits consistently outsmart Mr. McGreely: "And the sun went down. And the moon came up. And-- Tippy, Tippy, Tippy, Pat! Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!" (Envision those bunnies eating away happily!)


And here are some of our other favorites: (*before making this list, I consulted with my husband and four-year old daughter).

Gossie & Gertie books by Olivier Dunrea
Maisy books by Lucy Cousins
Honkers by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Leslie A. Baker
If Anything Ever Goes Wrong at the Zoo by Mary Jean Hendrick, illustrated by Jane Dyer
To Market, To Market by Anne Miranda, illustrated by Janet Stevens
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Dr. Seuss books
Richard Scarry books

So. That's our list. Please leave a comment and tell some of your favorites! I'd love to hear them!