Our favourite books for 2013

Although my posting has fallen by the wayside lately, our reading certainly hasn't and so I thought it was timely to write a quick top books list for 2013.

These are the books that Maximilian has adored and asked for, over and over and over, often by name; the books that he can "read" now because we have read them so many times; the books that look the most dog eared in our collections and, in some cases, even need replacing due to the tough love they've received this year!!

In no particular order:

A bit lost by Chris Haughton

I was very surprised that I haven't reviewed this book in detail yet, because it has been a favourite for almost this whole year. We bought it as a gift for Maximilian when he was born because we fell in love with the quirky illustrations on first sight. It is the story of a little owl who falls out of his nest, and his search for his mother, with the help of a strange and slightly manic squirrel. "A bit lost" taught Maximilan one of his very first words - uh oh - and by 15 months of age, he could recite parts of the story. Still a firm favourite (in fact we read this just tonight!), I can't recommend it highly enough (and will write a proper review asap)

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld

I have already reviewed this wonderful book, so let me just say again how much we love it and how gorgeous the artwork is. It is a long story, so it took quite a while to take off as a favourite, but we now pretty much know it off by heart and Maximilian knows all the names of various construction machinery thanks to this book. It also inspired his bulldozer birthday cake and he often requests this book by name. I also still credit this book as the book that taught Maximilian how to go to bed - and for that it will forever be a favourite of mine :-)

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Seuss

The story of Sam-I-am is a much loved classic here in our house. For months, when asked "what book would you like tonight", Maximilian would reply "Sam, Sam, Sam". When we went to Sydney, packing light I only took three books and this was one of them. After staying an extra week, and reading this book every night and day for fourteen days, he still loves it enough to request it regularly. A true hit!

Teeth are not for biting by Elizabeth Verdick

Like most (all?) toddlers, Maximilian went through a biting stage (and received quite a nasty bite on his face from a daycare child earlier this year). Fortunately, his phase only lasted a couple of weeks, but it was long enough - and painful enough - that I bought this great little book as a way to talk to him about not biting. It is really simple, repetitive (teeth are not for biting; ouch! biting hurts), bright, colourful and has a great tips for parents section at the back which is very reassuring when your lovely toddler turns into an evil biting machine. Strangely, Maximilian took to this book really well, and it has become a favourite bedtime story in our house!

101 First Words: things that go

This little board book is another very strange favourite because it is really just a collection of 101 photographs of things that go accompanied by the word that describes them. It is really quite difficult to read this book as a bedtime story but, when your little dictator demands it's the only book for them, you find a way, believe me!! I actually hid this one once or twice when I was so thoroughly sick of trying to read it to Maximilian, but he was so downcast that I felt bad and got it out again!!!

Time to say bye-bye by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

By far the most popular library book we've borrowed this year (and reborrowed four times!!), this is a fabulous little story that Maximilian just loves. It follows a young toddler through her day, at the park, visiting Grandma, playing with toys, having dinner, bath and bedtime. At the end of each activity, it is acknowledged that the toddler doesn't want the activity to end and encourages her to "say bye-bye" before moving on to the next activity. Sounds simple, but anyone who has ever had anything to do with toddlers will be familiar with the tantrums that occur when it is time to stop doing something they are enjoying. This book has been loved by both Maximilian and me - he loves the story, especially following along with the character and saying the words, I love being able to use this technique to help avoid tantrums - win win, I say!


At 9 months of age now, Walther is still a little young to have grown attached to any particular books,  although he does enjoy chewing on "Green Eggs and Ham":

So this year, this list is really Maximilan's favourite books for 2013. I can't wait until 31/12/2014 where the list will include favourite books from both my boys ;-)

Until then, happy new year and happy reading everyone!

My Dad's the Coolest by Rosie Smith and Bruce Whatley

Since Father's Day is just around the corner in Australia, I thought I'd look at another one of our favourite Dad books: My Dad's the Coolest.

Maximilian gave this book to his Dad as a Father's Day present last year. I like to give picture books to adults as gifts because it creates a wonderful excuse and opportunity for parent and child to spend some time together. And it's always nice to receive presents that tell you how cool you are!!

Like Some Dads, each page of this book features a different animal Dad and child and simple text about why that Dad is the coolest. I like this book because of the great range of animals it features, from the obvious (brave lion) to the bizarre (funny puffer fish). It is also a great celebration of the father-child bond and of the fun that all different kinds of dads have with their children.

My Dad's the Coolest has plain coloured pages with just a few words of text and facing pages with animal illustrations, again on plain coloured background. This is a really simple book, which is a refreshing change from the really busy, detailed full page illustrations in many picture books. Bruce Whatley's illustrations are terrific, and each picture shines with the love between the dad and child. If you haven't seen this book, it really is worth a look. With only a very small amount of text, My Dad's the Coolest is also suitable for even the youngest baby to enjoy reading with their dad.

If you are keen to get this book as a gift for the cool Dad in your child's world, I have also just found this awesome gift pack which includes the book My Dad's the Coolest in a mini hardback edition and a drink cooler - how cool is that?!? (Thought I'd throw in a dad joke there to finish with!)

Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld

Set against a cityscape backdrop, Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site tells the story of five tough trucks working on a big construction site. It is the end of a hard day's work and the reader gets to learn a little bit about each truck and the work they do before saying goodnight to each of them.

The story is told in delightful rhyming text. There are lots of action words used, which provides wonderful opportunity to engage little ones - Maximilian loves to "reach and stretch and lift" like Crane Truck and, of course, the repetitive Shh...goodnight is nice to say together with "shushing". The language used also makes this a great read aloud book, as it's fun to crrrunch the gravel along with Dump Truck and rooaaar along with Bulldozer.  Like all good bedtime stories, there are also lots of opportunities throughout the story for parent and child to enjoy some good cuddles!

Lichtenheld's illustrations are just magnificent and really are works of art. The trucks and diggers manage to be both cartoonish and realistic, and their faces are filled with such personality. There is also incredible detail in every picture, and I've been amazed by how many things Maximilian sees in the pictures that I've missed - there is one page with a little owl that he spots every time! As he gets older and his vocabulary grows, I'm sure he'll notice and articulate even more of the details in the pictures.

The bedtime detail in the pictures is also really charming - Crane Truck has a teddy bear and night light while Cement Mixer has a little blankie. The night sky with the lovely sleepy moon illustration is featured on each goodnight page and the twilight blue is really striking and unusual and very engaging - as are the illustrations of the trucks and diggers.

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site is a wonderful book that will always hold a special place in our hearts, because this is the book that taught Maximilian about bedtime!

We chose very gentle bedtime techniques with our babies. As a small baby, we always cuddled Maximilian to sleep before putting him in his cradle or cot. As he grew bigger, we would cuddle him on our bed before transferring him to his own cot once he was fast asleep. But, as I got bigger and bigger when I was pregnant with Walther and as Walther's arrival grew closer and closer, it became impossible - I simply couldn't bend over his cot to lift his 12kg sleeping body in any more!! It was time to help Maximilian learn to go to sleep in his own bed. 

We tried lots of different things - putting him in his bed awake and sitting nearby singing songs or reading books, patting him off to sleep, etc. We had moderate success and things were going quite well. Then, one night when Walther was only a few weeks old, Daddy had to be out at night and Mummy needed to do bedtime by herself. I knew I didn't have very long before Walther would need feeding, so it had to be a pretty quick bedtime routine. I cuddled Maximilian up in my feeding chair and read him Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site. As we said Shh...goodnight to each of the trucks in the book, Maximilian grew sleepier and sleepier. When we had finished the book, I carried him over to Walther's cot and he said Shh...goodnight to bubby, then Shh...goodnight to our parrots, then Shh...goodnight to ape (his favourite cuddly toy) etc. When I put him in his bed, I simply said Shh...goodnight Maximilian, tucked him in and left the room - and he went straight to sleep and didn't wake again until morning. It was magical! And it was the same night after night - the bedtime ritual and routine that this book gave us worked like a dream and we haven't looked back since.

Maximilian received Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site as a gift for his first Christmas. We fell in love with the beautiful artwork and delightful rhyming text immediately and tried reading it to him when he was a few months old. It is quite a long story though and didn't immediately catch his interest. We tried again a few months later and made it through a few of the trucks in the book, but it wasn't until he was around 14 months old that he started to really enjoy this book and sit through the whole story. Once this happened though, Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site was a firm favourite and the only book he wanted to read for several weeks!!

I really can't recommend this book highly enough. Great for any little person interested in trucks, diggers and construction equipment. This is a wonderful book to give as a gift - we have the hardcover edition. The story is most suitable for ages 2 and up, and there is also plenty to engage older readers.

This is our best bedtime story ever!

What is your favourite bedtime story to read with your children? I'd love to hear about it!

Our book shelf and reading corner - a personal post

This is our (very crowded) book shelf. We got it from Toys R Us after seeing the same one at our nephews' house and it is awesome. Now that our collection has expanded so much, I'm going to go back and get a second one - with all the books we receive as gifts and all the books I can't resist buying it too will be full in no time!!



We also have a tub of cloth and board books on the floor that Maximilian can choose books from.

This is great because the board books don't fit really well on the other book shelf and, being strong and hard wearing, tend to get thrown around a lot!

Our storage tub comes from Ikea and is part of the Trofast system, so can be stored easily in the matching shelving - although ours is permanently in the corner. We read so often there is little point in putting it away!

At our house, we've gotten into a great pattern of self directed reading. When Maximilian was very small and less mobile, we chose various books regularly to read with him. When he was around 9 months old, every night Daddy would read a story with him before cuddling him to sleep. We developed a great system where we would choose a story then read the same one for a week with him, which I think gave him a great sense of the books because he would remember them night after night. Of course, we chose books that were our favourites, perhaps from childhood or that we'd found recently and loved.

Now that Maximilian is older and physically able to choose his own books, we try really hard to encourage that. Every afternoon we read books together for about an hour - a terrific way to reconnect when I get home from work and he is tired and a little cranky. Having Maximilian choose his own books works fabulously, although it does sometimes means that Mummy gets to read "101 things that go" far more often that perhaps she'd like!! But it also means that we get a real sense of what interests him at any given moment and can build on that interest through other play activities. And what interests a toddler changes very quickly, so what is a favourite book one day is sometimes completely blah the next.

The other awesome and amazing thing that has happened a few times is when we ask Maximilian to choose a book, such as the one with the caterpillar or the one with Max in it, and he toddles off the book shelf and then returns with the book you asked for. This level of comprehension just blows me away and I am so proud that he is so engaged with his book collection that he can do this.

It's no surprise that one of the pleasures of a picture book is the pictures, and so it's also no surprise that seeing the covers displayed makes the books so much more attractive than displaying them spine out. So many children's books are so thin that the spines are lost on regular bookshelves, which is why a display system like this one works so well. The low fabric "shelves" are perfect for face out display of books and to engage your child with the eye catching, interesting, textured or brightly coloured book covers.

Children learn a love of reading by physically engaging with books, and that is where this book shelf and storage tub excels. The books are stored low to the ground, so really encourages children to engage with books because they are at their level. It also means that often Maximilian will "play with" his books as much as any other toy because they are so accessible to him.

Our house is very small and we don't have a lot of space to spare, but we have made sure that we've set up a small reading corner for Maximilian and Walther. As well as the low book shelf and board book tub, we included a fabulous little $20 couch from Kmart - perfect for snuggling up with a good book. I'd love to get some wall stickers as well - either the alphabet or maybe just spell out "read".

Here is the reading corner in action!

How are your children's books stored? Do you have a reading corner or nook at your place? I'd love to hear about your ideas for encouraging reading and making books accessible for your child!

Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers

Once there was a boy and one day he found a penguin at his door...

So begins Lost and Found: the story of an unlikely friendship between a young boy and a penguin. When the penguin turns up, the young boy assumes he is lost and tries to help the penguin find his home - with surprising and heart warming results.

Lost and Found is quite long for a picture book - I remember when Maximilian first chose it for us to read (when he was around 13 months of age) that I was surprised that he sat through the whole book. The story is told in narrative format with no rhyming text. A young child with a short attention span might not make it through the whole story initially, but there is lots of detail in the illustrations to help sustain their interest.

On the flip side, Lost and Found is definitely a picture book with lasting value - even primary school readers would find much of interest in the illustrations and parents could have some fascinating discussion with their older child about the story elements. It would also be a nice addition to a beginner readers collection - so often early reader books don't really have much of a story so Lost and Found would be a nice story to help children who are learning to read independently.

Maximilian was lucky enough to receive this gorgeous book as a gift from a dear friend. Lost and Found was the first Oliver Jeffers' book to make it into our picture book collection (although I do have a copy of The Heart and the Bottle that is in my own book collection that I bought some years ago - an amazing book about grief. Right up there with A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness.)

As I said in my post about Stuck, I love everything Oliver Jeffers creates and he is one of my favourite children's authors. He manages to create stories that are funny, interesting and completely engaging as well as books that are absolutely delightful and beautiful to look at. Jeffers is an amazingly talented artist - most of the artwork in his picture books could easily be framed and hung on the wall, and the illustrations in Lost and Found really are unique and beautiful. Jeffers' website has prints of images from his books for sale - I'm coveting this one of the cover of Lost and Found amongst others!

We have the board book edition of Lost and Found, but it is available in paperback as well. If you are buying this book as a gift, I'd definitely recommend the board book for any child aged 3 and under - it will be much more hard-wearing for those little hands that won't be able to resist turning pages and examining the illustrations. For an older child, the paperback version is a great choice as the illustrations look even better bigger!!

Lost and Found has won multiple awards and has also been made into an award winning short film, which I can't wait to watch! 

I highly recommend this book as an addition to any picture book collection, and it is a real keeper - so perfect as a gift for any child. Best suited for children aged 2 and up.

Dr Seuss's Seusscase by Dr Seuss

It's been a real Dr Seuss week in our house and this is largely due to the fantastic Dr Seuss Seusscase!

The Seusscase is a fantastic collection of ten Dr Seuss stories. It has all the popular hits: Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, Oh, the Places You'll Go!, The Lorax, Fox in Socks and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish; plus a whole lot more less well known Seuss titles (well less known to me anyway!) like I Wish that I had Duck Feet, Dr Seuss's ABC, etc.....

And the best part is all the books are packed together into a fantastic little suitcase (or Seusscase!) There is nothing cuter than Maximilian grabbing his little Seusscase and coming up to me saying "book, book!"

Maximilian received this great compendium of Dr Seuss books as a gift for his first Christmas, but it is only very recently that he has started to sit through and enjoy books by Dr Seuss. I hadn't remembered just how long many of the stories are but now, at 20 months, Maximilian quite happily sits through over 40 pages of Dr Seuss, which is pretty impressive I think.

The back of the books in the Seusscase are also colour coded: blue for sharing with your child, green for children just beginning to read on their own and yellow for fluent readers to enjoy. Dr Seuss books are full of rhyme and repetition to help early readers recognise the words and are also full of crazy nonsense words which are just plain fun to read aloud!

Maximilian loves to open his Seusscase and choose a book for us to read together. His first favourite was Oh! The Places You'll Go! - which I'm sorry to say I didn't know very well before but now adore. Green Eggs and Ham is also a huge hit and, this weeks favourite read by a long way, Fox in Socks - although I, like Mr Knox, have trouble reading the tongue twisters aloud! He has also just started to enjoy One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, which was a childhood favourite of mine.

If you're looking for a book gift for a child, you could do far worse than a Dr Seuss book and you probably can't do better than a whole box of them!! We love our Seusscase!

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Seuss

The story of Sam's quest to get a grouch to eat green eggs and ham is a well deserved classic of children's literature and has always been one of my favourite Dr Seuss books.

This is such a funny book. Who doesn't love the interplay between Sam and the grouch?! The way the grouch gets more and more exasperated and the way that Sam's suggestions get more and more outrageous is nothing short of hilarious!

The fantastic rhyming, rhythmic repetitive text in Green Eggs and Ham makes this a terrific story for kids learning to read independently.

This is also a perfect book for parents to read aloud to their child. Unlike some Dr Seuss books, this one is easy to read, with simple plain language and no real tongue twisters!

I've used Green Eggs and Ham as a library storytime book lots of times and the kids always love it. It is especially good for reading out loud with a partner as you can have so much fun as either the increasingly grumpy grouch or the wheedling pleading Sam.

I've also been surprised when rereading Dr Seuss just how many themes and morals are contained within these simple stories - the moral in Green Eggs and Ham being try new things even if you think you don't like them as you may just be surprised! And what a great book for parents to quote to their child during those wonderful dinner time discussions about eating one vegetable or another - try it and you might like it :-)

It wasn't until I started reading Dr Seuss with Maximilian that I realised just how long the books actually are. We tried One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish a few times but he hasn't taken to it at all yet (although it is my childhood fave). Green Eggs and Ham though was a hit from the first reading and we now read it every other day! In fact, Sam is the second book character that Maximilian now recognizes and knows by name - the first was Max from Where the Wild Things Are.

At 20 months, Maximilian doesn't truly understand the humour in this book. It is lovely though how he earnestly shakes his head and says "No" along with the grouches refusal to eat the green eggs and ham and how he claps at the end when he tries and likes them! And the rhythmic text keeps him totally riveted through the whole book.

Green Eggs and Ham would be a great addition to a food themed storytime session - team it with I will not ever never eat a tomato by Lauren Child, and you are guaranteed to have lots of fun!!

Two Little Bugs by Mark and Rowan Sommerset

 Two Little Bugs tells the story of friends Little Bug Red and Little Bug Blue.

Little Bug Red lives on top of the leaf while Little Bug Blue lives underneath. Little Bug Blue would like to move to the top of the leaf but lacks the courage and confidence to do so, despite Little Bug Red's offers of help.

Each page follows the dialogue between the two bugs as Little Bug Red munches away at their shared leaf. The pages feature really interesting die cut holes and cutaways to illustrate Little Bug Red's appetite and this makes Two Little Bugs a beautiful and unique book.

The artwork is very unusual and quite lovely. I like the bug illustrations very much and they are very expressive. The use of colour is understated and works well, although probably isn't interesting enough to engage young children.

Two Little Bugs is the first book published by New Zealand husband and wife team Mark and Rowan Sommerset and is dedicated to their son. I was not surprised to read that Two Little Bugs won the Best Children's Book in the 2012 New Zealand Book Design Awards. The judges said "this wonderful book looks as if it was fun to design. In other words... it is a work of wonderful charm and considerable skill" and I really have to agree - it is one of the most unusual and most well-produced children's books I've come across. 

The problem I have with this book is the depressing and defeatist attitude of Little Bug Blue. All he does for the whole book is sit around complaining about poor little him and how hard his life is. It's downright infuriating!! And the ending, where he flies away with Little Bug Red only adds to my frustration because if he could fly the whole time what was he complaining about?!? Aargh!!

Most children's books with morals and values have a good message and I'm just not sure what this one says. I guess as Maximilian gets older we can discuss life choices and how to be positive and make something of yourself.

Putting that aside, this is a lovely little book and Maximilian often chooses it for us to read so it definitely has appeal for him. It will certainly be a book he'll grow into even more as he is older and can enjoy the lovely page cut outs (without fear of ruining it).

If you want to find out more about this great book, you'll find an excellent review of Two Little Bugs by someone who doesn't want to squash Little Bug Blue here on mylittlebookcase.

I like the way this book shows the lifecycle of a caterpillar while telling another story altogether - it is almost a story within a story. Two Little Bugs could be used well in conjunction with other books about caterpillars or bugs for a themed story time or science curriculum.

This really is a beautifully produced book with really interesting and unusual die cut pages - too interesting unfortunately for an 18 month old. We've had many near misses with this lovely little book so I'd recommend it for older picture book readers, ages 3 and up.

Some Dads... by Nick Bland

This is one of the best books about Dads that I've come across.

Sadly, many Dad books feature crude humour like farting and burping or narrow gender stereotypes like sports and cars, which I find pretty offensive really.

Some Dads... is different, and I love it. Each page features an animal dad and child engaging in an activity of some kind, such as skiing, swimming, playing Wii, or throwing water bombs.

The back of the book says this book "brilliantly captures the simple joys all dads bring to everyday life" and I couldn't agree more.

There is a real sense of fun throughout this book, with dads and their children enjoying each other's company. My personal favourite is the rocking Rhino dad Elvis impersonator with baby rhino banging on pots and pans!!

The text in Some Dads... is really very short - each page has only one sentence of text, so the whole book is only a few paragraphs. This makes it a really quick book to read aloud, but rhyme is used to good effect.

The painted illustrations are just marvellous and the double spread artwork rewards close inspection as there is so much detail in the pictures. There is also humour and surprises to be found in the illustrations that both parents and children will enjoy, so the illustrations are a great discussion point whilst reading with your child.

At the heart of this book is the love between a dad and their child and the fun and pride they share - it is a really nice message told in a way that is sincere and fun without being schmaltzy.

This means Some Dads... would be a terrific book to give to a Dad for Father's Day - Maximilian's dad has had many hours enjoyment reading this one with him, and I think there is a special thrill when your child chooses a book for you to read which is about you!

Mr McGee by Pamela Allen

This was the first installment in the classic and popular Pamela Allen stories about Mr McGee. These stories about the funny little man in a bowler hat who lives under a tree are great fun for kids of all ages.

I love these books! They are fantastic to read aloud, perfect for any age to enjoy and Pamela Allen's illustrations are excellent - simple and detailed at the same time, colourful and often hilarious.

The language in Mr McGee is simple and clear and would be great for children learning to read. The rhyming text is fun to read aloud - the Mr McGee books are a favourite choice for my library story time sessions and toddlers aged 2 to 4 love these stories.

Maximilian has really enjoyed this story. He laughs when the bird pecks Mr McGee and likes to chime in with the words he knows. The story is also the perfect length for the attention span of a wriggly 18 month old - this is a great book for when I'm looking for a quick story to fill in some time.

There is always an element of humour in the Mr McGee stories, which engages both the children and adult reader. He often gets himself into trouble of one kind or another, mostly through poor decision making, which children find funny (and probably relate to!!) Humour can also often be found in the illustrations - details such as Mr McGee's bright yellow underpants will have kids of all ages chuckling!

Pamela Allen is an absolute classic in Australian children's publishing and Mr McGee, like all her books, shows why.

If you are ever looking for a picture book to enjoy or to buy as a gift for someone, you simply can't go wrong with a book by Pamela Allen!

Noni the Pony by Alison Lester

Noni the Pony is a sweet and simple story about a pony and her farmyard friends: Dave the dog and Coco the cat.

The story is told in simple rhyming text - "She lives on a farm at Waratah Bay, and likes eating apples and carrots and hay." This makes it a satisfying story to read aloud and the language is very accessible for very young children.

Noni the Pony has very sweet illustrations that are very engaging for even the youngest reader. The colours are really lovely - the cornflower blue sky and green grass capture the colours of outdoor Australia beautifully I think.

There is also lots in the story for young children to relate to, such as the way that Noni gets scared in the dark. There are lots of nice messages about kindness and friendship in the story - with the help of her friends Noni overcomes her fear of the dark and feels much braver.

We borrowed Noni the Pony from the library and it is a book we have both enjoyed very much. With two kids under two, our trips to the library are a bit of a mixed bag at the moment - Maximilian randomly throws things into the book bag and I just grab handfuls of whatever board books are available before leaving in a rush, so what we end up with is a bit of pot luck :) but this story was a real hit from the first time we read it.

Alison Lester has published over 25 picture books for children since 1985, so her books are always a very safe choice!

This board book is a lovely size and shape and perfect for little hands to enjoy. I'd recommend this book for all ages - even the youngest babies will find something to enjoy in this sweet tale.

The Odd Egg by Emily Gravett

All the birds have laid an egg. All except for Duck. But when Duck finds a large, spotted odd egg and decides to sit on it to hatch it, everyone is in for a surprise!

This is a really lovely little board book. The format is very clever, with small flaps that lift as each bird's egg hatches - "Creak, Crack".

The sweet illustrations are very engaging and I really like the washed out colours that Gravett has used - the bird artwork is beautifully realistic. The detail is also amazing - I love the way that each of the baby birds is born saying something cute; the flamingo says "honk, honk" while the owlet says "twit-two x 2 = 4..."!!

The Odd Egg is a very simple story with few words. Despite this, there is a lovely depth to the story and it has a nice message about following your dreams and not worrying about what other people (or birds!) think.

There is also good opportunity throughout the story for discussion with older toddlers, such as which animals have eggs, can boy animals lay eggs (duck is a he), 

This is a humorous and cute book - there is much in The Odd Egg for young children to enjoy but also more complexity for older kids and parents reading the story. This book is probably most suitable for ages 3+

We borrowed The Odd Egg from the  library. It was my choice, as I recalled it from previous occasions. Maximilian has really enjoyed reading it and often selects it from the book bag for us to read over and over again. Although the humour is beyond his immediate comprehension, he still enjoys the story - duck was one of his first words so he has a special fondness for books with ducks in them!!

Warambi by Aleesah Darlison and Andrew Plant

Warambi is the story of a little bent-wing bat. The story follows Warambi growing up and learning to fly and hunt. When the bat colony's cabe is demolished by excavators, Warambi finds herself separated from the other bats and the story follows her adventure to find a new home.

We stumbled across this book at The Library Shop, the State Library of Queensland's bookshop - a wonderful place to find excellent children's books, particularly Brisbane, Queensland or Australian books (actually it is a wonderful place to find all kinds of fabulous books!!)

As soon as we saw Warambi, we had to buy a copy - the illustrations are excellent and the realistic artwork really brings little Warambi to life. (It is amazing to learn that the bent-wing bat is only 45mm long - hard to believe from looking at the incredibly detailed drawings of the bats in this book).

The other really lovely thing about this hardcover book is the endpapers, which contain additional information about bent-wing bats, including where they live, what they eat, etc. We don't read this information to Maximilian yet, but these are a great way to  learn more about the facts behind the story - something which will really appeal to the wonderful curiosity of older children.

This isn't a short story so it is not one for young babies or toddlers. Although the text on each page is quite short, there are a lot of pages so younger children just wouldn't have the attention span to enjoy the story. The illustrations are remarkably realistic and mostly dark coloured, so also wouldn't really appeal to young children in the way that bright primary colours do. At eighteen months age, Maximilian will now sit still and listen to the entire story and he enjoys it but he doesn't really understand what's going on in the story, and it will probably be more suitable from around age 3 and up.

Warambi would be a terrific addition to a storytime program based on Australian animals and could also be used for environmental awareness or a conservation theme. It would also be a great book for primary school teachers or librarians to use an education aid. I really think this is a wonderful and unique book and I'm glad we found it - it will be enjoyed in our home library for many years to come.

Peek-a-boo Forest by Lamaze

Peek-a-Boo Forest is a cloth book for young babies made by Lamaze.

We love this book! Maximilian received it as a gift and the 3D furry owl on the front cover immediately piqued his interest. The bright, colourful, cartoon-like illustrations are also very engaging.

Each of the colourful double pages asks a simple "Who is?" question and features a shaped flap behind which the "Peek-a-boo" animal is hiding. See the image below for an example - the animal is owl!

Although simple, each page features lots of images that provide learning and discussion opportunities with toddlers. As well as owl, there is a ladybird, tree, leaves, moon and stars and more in the image below.

The interactive flaps are made from crinkly fabric, which makes reading this a lovely tactile experience - Maximilian has always loved grabbing and turning the flaps.

The story is short, featuring just five animals: moose, owl, raccoon, bear and beaver, so it will engage even the shortest attention span. I also found the rhyming text very engaging and fun to read aloud.

This book is quirky and interesting for us as Australians, because it features animals from faraway places such as moose and beaver. My favourite page is the last one - "Who built this dam? What an achiever!" "Peek-a-boo! It's the beaver!" Ha ha!

Like all Lamaze products, this cloth book is very well made and has excellent construction which withstands even the most ferocious chewing and sucking! One of our first books which Maximilian still enjoys at over 19 months age - he still loves flipping the flaps and saying "boo" to the animals!

Along Came a Bedtime by Ian Whybrow and Guy Parker-Rees

Bear and baby bear are having a bath before bedtime when along comes a cheeky duck. Duck isn't ready for bed and so begins this romp of a story!

Along Came a Bedtime is a playful story featuring lots of fun animals and animal sounds that Maximilian really enjoys. All the favourite animals are here - bear, duck, cat, dog and cow!

The cheerful illustrations are perfect for this fun story - simple and colourful.

This book has great rhythm and rhyme. I love to read it aloud and Maximilian loves to chime in with all the words he knows. There are lots of animal sounds to engage your child throughout the story and I really love the way the baby bear talks in baby language - 'dop' for stop etc. I think this would really engage young children just learning to talk. We also love the repetitive counting : 1, 2, 3, go! Maximilian loves to count on his fingers then shout Go!

A simple but really fun book that we were lucky enough to stumble across at the library. Definitely one we'll add to our home library!

Bug Me! by Jeanette Rowe

For some reason bugs became a bit of a theme when we were preparing Maximilian's nursery space. We have a bug mobile and several bug toys, so when I came across this cloth book while still pregnant, I couldn't resist adding it to our collection.

Bug Me is a very basic book for very young babies. 

Being a cloth book, it is perfect for chewing and sucking! The cover page also has a lovely crinkly texture which makes it attractive for grabbing and scrunching and squeezing.

There is no story in this book - each page simply features a picture of a bug with the word beneath the image eg. caterpillar, ladybird, spider. The images are stylized, cartoon like and very bright and colourful. This would appeal to very young babies limited vision and focus and boost their development. We also use it to sing songs such as Incy Wincy Spider.

This would make a great first book and is definitely suitable from birth. It's appeal lies in its colour and tactile qualities so is probably best for babies up to around 18 months age. We still read Bug Me occasionally and Maximilian still enjoys touching and crinkling the pages - now that Maximilian can say all the bug names in the book, he reads it to me!! We'll hand it over to Walther now so he can start enjoying it too.

Stuck by Oliver Jeffers

This is a book that I bought for me! I simply couldn't resist Stuck when I came across it while browsing my favourite independent bookstore, Riverbend Books.

I have been an Oliver Jeffers fan since I first came across The Heart and the Bottle - an incredible book for older children that I'll discuss another time. There are some authors that you just love everything they do, and Oliver Jeffers is definitely in this category for me.

Stuck begins with Floyd getting his kite stuck in a tree. But the trouble begins when Floyd throws his favourite shoe at the kite and it gets stuck in the tree too. Floyd then tries, among other things, the milkman,  the family car and an orang utan - and they all get stuck too!

Stuck is definitely one that older children would enjoy, due to the ridiculous and hilarious approach that Floyd takes to getting his kite down. I particularly love the bit where he fetches a saw, lines it up, and then chucks it into the tree!

Like all of Jeffers' work, the illustrations are simply magnificent. I adore how expressive the illustrations are - I love the little storm cloud that appears above Floyd's face as his frustration builds when everything keeps getting stuck.

Parents will love this book. Although Maximilian definitely doesn't understand the humour yet, he does still enjoy the story - the repetitive use of the word "stuck" is particularly enjoyable for him and he loves to parrot me by repeating "stuck" as we read this book aloud.

Recommended for readers aged 3 and up, although Maximilian is proof that the book can be enjoyed from 18 months!

Maisy's Fire Engine by Lucy Cousins

Fire engines are big in our house right now!

Maximilian has several toy fire trucks and he learned to make a siren sound around a month ago and it is now one of his favourite sounds.So, when he found this board book in his book box recently, it was immediately a big hit.

Like all Maisy stories, this is simple and short - Maisy and Cyril are firefighters and when testing the fire hose Cyril wets little black cat. The cat then climbs onto the roof of the shed and Maisy climbs the ladder to rescue it.

Lucy Cousins' illustrations are bright, colourful and engaging and the short story and simple text make this a great book for the very young - there isn't enough content to interest older toddlers. The version we have is also the "shaped board book", which is nice for little hands to hold and easy to turn the pages.

As parents, we generally avoid branded character stories and shows, as we aren't fans of the way that everything is branded these days. I only bought this book as it was at a discount bookstore for $3.95 and I was looking for hardy board books to add to our collection.

Having said that, this is a great little book that Maximilian is really enjoying right now - as of yesterday his new word is "again" - so I read this story 4 times in a row this morning - "again", "again", "again"!! 

Ben & Duck by Sara Acton

Ben goes to the park to feed the ducks. One day, there is just one duck - one very large duck, that eats all of Ben's bread before following him up the path, through the gate, into a tree and home. The way the friendship develops between Ben and Duck throughout this book is delightful.


The illustrations throughout Ben & Duck are simply marvellous - gorgeous watercolours with an almost unfinished feel in muted colours that give the characters true warmth and life. It amazes me that such minimal illustrations can still give the characters such expressive faces - Sara Acton is truly talented. Because the illustrations are so muted in colour, they will be especially appreciated by older children and the adult reader - but the images are instantly recognisable for a 15-month old as well.

Ben & Duck was one of Maximilian's first favourite books. "Duck" was one of his first words, so he immediately loved to point to the pictures of duck throughout the story while saying "duck, duck, duck". When Duck comes to Ben's house, there is a picture of the front door with "tap, tap" written on it, and Maximilian also loves to knock on the page of the book while saying "tap, tap". It is really wonderful to see him engage with the story and language in this way, and our favourite picture books are the ones with opportunity for him to become part of the story - not surprising I guess when my favourite books are often ones that I can engage in some way with the story.

This would be a great addition to any storytime session with a duck or friendship theme and there are lots of duck themed crafts freely available. You could also use it as a "food" theme and discuss whether ducks would really eat spaghetti and bread and butter pudding - it would make a great story alongside The Very Hungry Caterpillar!

Recommended for readers aged 1-5.

Squish Rabbit by Katherine Battersby

This is the simple and sweet tale of Squish Rabbit. Squish is just a little rabbit and being little can lead to big problems.

Squish often feels ignored and overlooked. He is lonely and makes a friend, but knows it isn't as good as the real thing. One day, when having a tantrum, Squish meets Squirrel and they become friends.

Although the story is very simple, young children would probably relate to Squish, particularly if they are feeling ignored or misunderstood by the grown ups in their world. Parents could also use Squish's tantrum as a starting point for a great discussion about dealing with big feelings - something that toddlers often struggle with.

The book itself is very well produced - the puffy cover and satin finish give the cover a wonderfully tactile feeling. The illustrations are simple, colourful and effective. The combination of collage and ink drawing is really attractive and the stylised Squish and Squirrel characters are very sweet.

We got Squish Rabbit when Maximilian was around 15 months old and he was just the right age to begin enjoying it straight away. I'd recommend this story for 12 months plus as there isn't enough to engage younger babies effectively, and it isn't available as a board book so younger babies can't engage with the physical book really either.

Katherine Battersby is a local Brisbane author and Squish Rabbit is her first book. Maximilian received Squish Rabbit as a gift from a dear friend and our copy is signed and inscribed by the author. I hope this will just be the first of many autographed books in Maximilian's book collection!

Whose Baby Am I? by John Butler

Whose Baby Am I? is a simple and engaging picture book for very young children.

The words are very basic - each baby animal picture is captioned "whose baby am I?" and the following page has an image of the parent animal with the caption "I am x's baby".

The charm of this book lies in the absolutely delightful illustrations of baby animals and their parents. The pictures really are gorgeous and Maximilian loves to touch and stroke them because they look so good!!

Although the words are extremely simple, they can be used as a jumping off point for further discussion with older toddlers. For example, "that's Owl's baby. What noise does owl make?" The back of the book also includes a double page "Can you guess whose baby is whose?" for the child to match up the baby and parent animals and a page which names the baby animals, ie owlet, calf, etc.

We enjoy this book regularly but it probably doesn't have enough content for long lasting value - but is often Maximilian's choice at the moment (at 19 months of age). However, if you enjoy gorgeous illustrations it is definitely worth a look.

Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek

This is a terrific book by veteran children's author Mem Fox with colourful, cute, quirky illustrations by Judy Horacek.

The simple, repetitive text makes this a great read aloud book to be enjoyed by children of all ages. The short story makes this book a good choice for sharing with very young children - Maximilian has been enjoying this book since around six months age and now, at 19 months, enjoys it just as much, as does my 3 year old nephew.

It would also be a great book for learning to read. When looking into it, I was fascinated to discover that this book has 190 words - 188 have one syllable, 1 word has two syllables and 1 word has 3 syllables - perfect for teaching words and reading skills to young children. This simplicity can be the secret of success in a picture book and certainly is in this case.


The illustrations are just fabulous and reward multiple reads, which is always a joy since reading the same book hundreds of times on request can get tiresome :-) We've been reading this book for more than a year now and it is still a rewarding pleasure to read each time. We still find new things to talk about and the book continues to teach Maximilian new words and concepts - for example, he loves to say "Wheeee!" for the slide sheep! I also love that he now knows what's coming, so when we get to "Turn the page quietly, let's take a peep", Maximilian already puts his finger to his lips and says "Shhh".

We have the small board book version but it is also available as a traditional sized soft page or board book (and the fabulous illustrations would reward the larger format).


Mem Fox has written an amazing number of children's books, including classics like Possum Magic and Koala Lou, won multiple book awards and is also a passionate advocate of reading to children - her book Reading Magic has wonderful tips on how and why to read aloud and how to choose books. Also check out her website for heaps of great information, including the fascinating and hilarious story of writing Where is the Green Sheep? !

The Very Hungry Bear by Nick Bland

The Very Hungry Bear by Nick Bland definitely qualifies for Day 3 of the Book-a-Day challenge: A book you love to read aloud.

This is a terrific new instalment in Bland's books about Bear. He's been cranky, itchy and now he's hungry! I will look at the other titles later, but I think The Very Hungry Bear is my favourite so far.

Bear is not impressed when he reels in a polar bear while fishing for his breakfast - especially when the polar bear is eating all his fish! The polar bear's iceberg is shrinking and he cleverly persuades (bribes!) Bear to help find the polar bear a new home.

The reason I love to read this book aloud is the wonderful rhyming throughout it. There is a real rhythm to Bland's storytelling, and it really does make this book a pleasure to read aloud - Maximilian is always totally transfixed by it.

"Now a fish to a bear 

is like a chocolate eclair, 

it's INCREDIBLY hard to resist

So the thought of a pile

that would last for a while

was an offer too good to be missed!"

Lines like these simply roll off the tongue. The illustrations throughout the book are also extremely engaging: bright and colourful with expressively drawn characters. Bland uses decorative font and bold text to great advantage, and I found this really helpful with reading the text out loud - the bold text helps the reader to emphasise the syllables well for great effect when reading out loud (I'm not sure if Bland intended this, but is very clever and effective!) I think this would be really helpful for parents not used to reading books out loud.

Another wonderful book by an Australian picture book author - Nick Bland will definitely feature in other posts as we have many of his other titles too. He is a favourite in our house and definitely a name to remember.

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

This wonderful classic story is probably my all time favourite picture book. 

This is the tale of mischievous little boy Max and his trip to where the wild things are. After getting into all kinds of mischief, Max is sent to bed without his supper, and then things really take off! The illustrations, including the iconic cover image, are just fabulous; the story is told in simple language that resonates so well with children; it has adventure, danger, wonder, and a happy ending; and I've always found Max to be a character that kids really relate to.

Everything about the illustrations in this book amaze me - the incredible detail, the simple and effective use of colour, and the amazing imagination in the illustrations of the wild things - I just love Love LOVE them! Maurice Sendak really was a genius.

Maximilian and I have only recently started enjoying this book together - mostly because, unable to find my original copy, I have only recently repurchased a new edition for us to read. It's good timing though, as the story is just the right length for his 18-month attention span. He loves the wild rumpus pages and also loves to say "No" to the wild things, point out the moon throughout the story, and say "hot" at the very end when Max returns home to find his supper waiting for him. It is wonderful to see the development of Maximilian's language skills through sharing stories and this book has been a great example.

I've always found the wild rumpus pages are a great opportunity for children to interact with the story - particularly in a group setting such as library storytime, the kids love getting up and romping about like wild things!

I am sure this will be a book we will continue to enjoy for years to come. At the moment it is definitely a favourite and I often have to read it several times in a row!!

Kisses for Daddy by Frances Watts and David Legge

Baby Bear doesn't want to go to bed and he doesn't want to give Daddy a good night kiss. The way that Daddy Bear takes this in stride and gets Baby Bear to complete his bedtime routine is an inspiration for all parents and makes for a wonderful story :-) The book has lots of fun animals in it and great use of repetition to build language skills in little ones.

Kisses for Daddy is one of those books that is an absolute pleasure to share with your child. It is a real romp of a story, with lots of opportunities to share hugs, tickles, kisses and laughs with your child. The rhythm of the story is also excellent, so it is a nice story to read aloud. Maximilian just loves it and there are pages in this book that always get a laugh, no matter how tired or overwrought he is. We've been enjoying it now for at least six months, so it's definitely good for babies 12 months and up.

The illustrations are just amazing, and the more time you spend reading this book and looking at the fabulous illustrations, the more you are rewarded. As the story follows the different animal kisses that Daddy and Baby Bear enjoy, each of the animals can be found in the corresponding illustrations - so as your child gets older, you can play find the animal games and all sorts of other fun things.

I am sure this is going to remain a favourite story in our house for years to come! Definitely a five star picture book - I will definitely be looking for more books by Frances Watts and David Legge (and while writing this I've just found out they've got another one - hooray!)

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Day 1 of the Book-a-Day in May challenge called for "A Classic" and is there a book more classic than this one?

The Very Hungry Caterpillar has a special significance for our family. While pregnant with Maximilian, I was always hungry and so "the very hungry caterpillar" became his in utero name. When looking for a first book to buy before he was born, there really was no choice - it had to be this one!

We chose the big BIG board book version, because we knew we wanted to read it with him at a very early age and board books are so hardy. As it turns out, it was an excellent decision - it is a nice large size so the illustrations are very engaging and the holes where the caterpillar eats through the food are just the right size for little fingers!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a simple and engaging story of a caterpillar's metamorphosis into a butterfly. The language is clear and repetitive, excellent for early learning, and the illustrations are simple, colourful and interesting. We started to enjoy this book together when Maximilian was around six months old. As he has grown older and his concentration has improved, it has remained a firm favourite. Now, at almost eighteen months, he can point to the little egg on the leaf, the moon, the sun and the many kinds of food, so it is still a really interactive reading experience.

Very Hungry Caterpillar birthday party

The other day I was totally blown away when I asked Maximilian to get me the very hungry caterpillar book from his bookshelf and he toddled over and chose the correct book from the dozens there and brought it back to me to read. (I'm often surprised at the moment by just how much he understands - it really is fascinating to watch the evolution of language and comprehension unfold!)

First published in 1969, I am sure this book needs no further introduction as it has remained in print and popular ever since. Quite the franchise now, there is a huge array of Hungry Caterpillar merchandise available and it is a popular theme for children's birthday parties too - we went to a first birthday party with this theme and it was very cleverly executed and lots of fun. There are also heaps of free online resources to use based around this book - great for parents, teachers and librarians looking for book themed activities.



This really is a book that every child will enjoy for many years. Like I said, a classic!

May Book-a-Day Challenge

I came across this fun "Book-a-Day" Challenge via Facebook, and decided to take part with Maximilian. Since he is really into reading at the moment, I figured this would be a great way to introducing new books!

Here is the full Challenge list:

Although the challenge is for any children's books, I decided to limit my selections to picture books - simply because they are the most age appropriate for Maximilian at the moment. It would be interesting to do the challenge again with junior fiction some time down the track.

I've been taking part every day and posting the results on Facebook. I missed a few days, mostly because Maximilian was just too tired to participate by the end of the day and there were a couple of days where I was just plain stuck for a selection. Here is our full list of selections:

1. A classic: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
2. A gook that makes your child(ren)laugh: Kisses for Daddy by Frances Watts and David Legge
3. A book you love to read aloud: The Very Hungry Bear by Nick Bland
4. A favourite cover: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
5. A green message: Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek
6. A favourite author: Dr Seuss (Green Eggs and Ham)
7. Onomatopeia: Along Came a Bedtime by Ian Whybrow
8. A book about animals: Whose Baby Am I? by John Butler
9. A character's name of significance: -
10. A fairytale: -
11. A wordless book: Window by Jeannie Baker
12. A book from your own childhood: Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allen Ahlberg
13. A sweet illustration: Ben and Duck by Sara Acton
14. Set in a city: Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld
15. A book that makes you cry: Charlotte's Web by E. B. White (I cheated, this is not a picture book!)
16. A favourite character: Mr McGee by Pamela Allen
17. Set in another country: Five Little Fingers and Five Little Toes by Mem Fox and Helen Oxbury
18. Unusual or unique: I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
19. Cool typography: A Bit Lost by Chris Haughton
20. Tonight's bedtime story: Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
21. Borrowed from the library: Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
22. An Australian book: Christmas Wombat by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley
23. An international author: Hug by Jez Alborough
24. Controversial: The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
25. Your child's choice: 101 First Words Things that Go by Hinkler Books
26. Interesting title: -
27. Cloth book: Peek a boo Forest by Lamaze
28. Board book: Cookie See, Cookie Do (Sesame Beginnings) by Anna Jane Hays
29. Given as a gift: Some Dads by Nick Bland
30. Beautiful endpapers: Warambi by Aleesah Darlinson and Andrew Plant
31. Award winner: -


I will post more details about individual selections as I get the chance!

I really enjoyed using this challenge as a way to find new books and some of the ones we tried as part of the challenge have become firm favourites for Maximilian. If you are having difficulty finding time to read to your child, a challenge like this can help to make reading a part of every day - once the habit is formed, it's really easy to keep it up!

Why this blog?

What do you mean books aren't for eating??

My 16-month old son Maximilian and I have really started to get in to books in the last couple of months. We have been reading books together since he was only a few months old, but the joy is really starting now that he can choose his favourites, remember what is going to happen next and even read the story to me, in some cases.

Books for Zero and Up is a place where I can record and share my memories of reading together and sharing stories with my sons (I now have a week-old baby boy Walther in addition to Maximilian). Reading at the end of the day has become a special routine in our house and it is also an activity for Maximilian and I to enjoy while I breastfeed the new baby.

This blog is also a place where I can keep track of the awesome books that I find for babies and children along this reading journey with my sons - as a librarian, I'm always looking for inspiring reads to share with littlies at storytime and rhyme time sessions!

I also hope that Books for Zero and Up will be useful for you, dear reader. Whether a parent, grandparent, teacher, librarian, or lover of children's books, I hope that the content gathered here will provide you with inspiration and ideas for new and exciting books to share and enjoy with the children in your life!