Most Beloved Picture Books

We are a reading house here at the Beating Hearth.  Both my children love to read.  Most nights they get a story read to them, a song sung and a big old snuggle before they go to sleep.  Trust me, when I say the harshest way to punish My Youngest is to tell her she doesn't get her bedtime story or song because she was naughty.  I think it's her favorite part of the day.

The Mister is an avid reader...usually nerd stuff like String Theory or Stephen Hawking or WWII books or the Golden Ratio.  Imagine the nerdy dudes from Big Bang Theory...that's basically who I am married to.

I LOOOOOOVVVE to read as well.  I don't know how I managed before the kindle...oh wait, yes I do...I bought a heck of a lot of books.  I have an entire closet filled with shelves...filled with books.  So today I am talking about my favorite children's books.  Let's get going.  If you click on the book itself, it'll take you to the link on Amazon.

I am starting with my favorite picture book. King Bidgood's in the Bathtub is fun and exquisitely illustrated. I have never loved looking at a book quite so much as this one. The King doesn't want to get out of his bathtub and so the members of his court try to devise ways to get him out. They all think they know the king best, but...well, they end up in the tub with him with hilarious results. I especially love watching the dripping wet people take the walk of shame in their period clothes....Classic.  You will be amazed at the gorgeous colors and the details put into each illustration. Fun for kids and adults!  It's also a Caldecott Honor Book.

Cinder Edna is a fun remake of Cinderella.  It's about a girl who is in Cinderella's same situation, evil step family...has to clean for them etc etc etc, but instead of relying on a Fairy Godmother to get her to the ball, she figures things out for herself like...what's the last pick up time at the bus stop.  She doesn't just give up her dreams to marry some guy, she makes sure she actually likes him.  Which, as a mother of daughters, I really appreciate.  I can't tell you how many times I tell the girls that thinking your husband is handsome is important, but even more important is that you actually like him...a lot!  She isn't the fairest of the land, but she still gets a pretty cool guy...Prince Charming's nerdy younger brother who has a sweet red Pompadour.

This book is interesting for kids and the grown-ups reading it.  It teaches about the interesting body parts that different animals have and why they have them.  For example, it explains how the horned lizard can actually leak blood from it's eyes!!!  Or that the archer fish shoots insects out of the air with a jet of water.  Love a fun and educational book!!

This is another visually stunning book...the illustrator uses a technique where they use a  die cut and cut out a shape. On the first page the cut out looks like one thing and then when you turn it over it looks like something else.  So clever.  So creative.  A great book for the younger set...I still like it and have been reading it to My Youngest...for a good 3 1/2 years.  She really likes chickens, so this is the perfect book for her.   It's also a Caldecott Honor book and a Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor Book.

So, if you have a child who is in need of some good books, please consider one of these, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Thanks for reading!

Heather