I remember when Jona got to the age where I could transition from repeating the same beloved board books over and over, to longer picture books. He always enjoyed sitting quietly and listening to stories, yet I wondered if Violet would ever get there. Sitting quietly and listening aren’t exactly things she excels at. However, since she turned 3, her patience for reading has increased significantly. It makes me so glad to know that she relishes read-aloud time now and will happily sit and listen when I read aloud.
Jona will still sit down with us when I’m reading picture books, but if given the choice he’d rather listen to a chapter book or yet another Lego book (or lately, non-fiction fact books about dinosaurs with long, hard-to-pronounce names). But when I bring home a fresh stack from the library, both kids are eager to read them. Here are a few recent picks that both Jona (6) and Violet (3) have enjoyed.
{Have You Seen My Dragon? by Steve Light} This one was Violet’s favorite and we read it every night. It’s a counting book that’s perfect for her age. The dragon is “hiding” on every page, but he’s not the greatest hider so Violet was able to find him every time (and was pretty proud of herself when she did). The illustrations are in black and white, but whatever you count on each page is in color, so it’s perfect for a preschooler learning to count groups of objects.
{The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers} Henry loves books, but instead of reading them, he likes to eat them. Eating books makes Henry smart, so he tries to become the smartest person in the world by eating books at an alarming rate. It’s the kind of silly concept that makes Violet laugh, but I think the clever illustrations and humor throughout are more well-suited for Jona. They both loved it.
The Incredible Book Eating Boy
{All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold} In the classroom, everyone is welcome. This book celebrates diversity and the welcoming classroom environment where kids from around the world can be friends and learn together. I loved the message, the colorful illustrations, and the way it lead to conversations about how to welcome people in their classrooms.
{Look by Fiona Woodcock} This bright, unique book is made up of words with “oo” in them. It was a great book to share because Violet loved looking at the pictures and talking about them, and Jona liked reading the words and learning just how many words have “oo” in them. And I loved the illustrations, they are gorgeous.
Have you enjoyed any children’s books lately?
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