For the month of January I'm featuring a stack of board books instead of each board book individually. Here's the list!
Chicken Soup for the Soul Babies: Keep Trying (Don't Give Up!) by Andrea J. Loney & illustrated by Hazel Quintanilla. Coming in February, Chicken Soup for the Soul Babies: Keep Trying (Don't Give Up!) is a board book that encourages little ones to work through and overcome struggles such as putting rain boots on or being daunted by a big puddle. In the end, Lamb and Chick persevere through their struggles and have a wonderful time outside.
Sing a Song of Kindness: A Tender Take on Classic Nursery Rhymes illustrated by Ciara Ni Dhuinn. This board book has actually been sitting on my shelf for over a year now (yikes) but better late than never so here it is! I wasn't sure how I'd feel about remixing classic nursery rhymes since classic nursery rhymes are, well, timeless but some of them are quite fun! I think one of my favorites is "Star Light Star Bright". It goes like this:
"Star light, star bright,
watch over my friends tonight.
I wish they may, I wish they might
know that they are loved tonight."
For children who love nursery rhymes you can never have too many. The more versions the merrier! I also really enjoyed the illustrations by Ciara Ni Dhuinn.
There's a Mouse in My House by Ross Collins. Another board book that's been sitting on my shelf for a number of months, There's a Mouse in My House is a charmingly funny board book about an unknown mouse who comes to visit...and no matter how hard Bear tries to get Mouse to leave he just won't! With engaging illustrations and text that will make little ones (and adults) giggle, I'd call this board book a go-to for endless reading fun.
Maud Lewis Colours. Published by Nimbus Publishing, Maud Lewis Colours introduces little ones to the beautiful work of artist Maud Lewis. With simple text such as "cat, red wagon, yellow birds" and so forth, children will have a chance to take in Lewis's rich color palette and style while identifying some familiar (or perhaps unfamiliar) objects and animals.
My Hair Is Like the Sun by St. Clair Detrick-Jules & illustrated by Tabitha Brown. A rhyming board book that celebrates Black hair, My Hair Is Like the Sun compares natural features of Black hair to beauty that's found in nature. "My hair is like the stars, twinkling at night. My hair is like a mountain, reaching up high." With photographs and illustrations, My Hair Is Like the Sun is a lovely board book for children.
Mermaid Lullaby by Briana Corr Scott. Also published by Nimbus Publishing, this board book has such beautifully detailed illustrations that remind me of Emily Winfield Martin's work. A board book full of mer-moms and their mer-babies, author and illustrator Briana Corr Scott brings a sprinkle of magic to bedtime stories as she brings to life a world that will spark the imaginations of little ones.
What a Pest! A Creepy Crawly Counting Book by Elliot Kreloff. For little ones who aren't sure about creepy crawlies, especially the eight-legged kind, then you've come to the right place! These creepy crawlies have never looked cuter! With illustrations that have an added sheen to them to mimic the wings of bugs, or perhaps the clear web of a spider, What a Pest! A Creepy Crawly Counting Book is a fun way to get to know these bugs (and which ones to stay away from!)
Are You Wiggly? by Tim Button & illustrated by Ana Martin Larranaga. A very fitting board book for the 0-3 age range, Are You Wiggly? asks a number of animals if they're wiggly. A lot of them aren't! Some are flappy, fluttery, happy, slithery, and jumpy...but a wiggly worm is wiggly and that worm knows who's even wigglier!
Eye Guess: A Forest Animal Guessing Game by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes. Coming to bookstores (and online) on January 24th, Eye Guess has charming full-page spreads that make the close-up illustrations seem even bigger! A board book that's both creative and captivating, children will love guessing which animal goes with the mystifying eyes.
Mix A Pancake by Christina Rossetti & illustrated by Monique Felix. Mix A Pancake was written by Christina Rossetti in 1893 and has been given new life by the very talented Monique Felix. With fourteen pages of enthusiastic-looking kittens, Mix A Pancake humorously illustrates all of the potential outcomes when it comes to letting little ones become Chef de Cuisine without any supervision. Like all board books published by The Creative Company, I could read this one over and over again. Thankfully, the kitten chaos and pancake mess stays in the book, which for parents, is the best part.
Here Babies, There Babies in Summer by Nancy Cohen & illustrated by Carmen Mok. A board book that reminds me of some of Dr. Seuss's classic rhymes, Here Babies, There Babies in Summer highlights the many ways in which babies spend the summer months with their families. A fun read!
Here Babies, There Babies on the Farm by Nancy Cohen & illustrated by Lori Joy Smith. While Here Babies, There Babies in Summer illustrates human babies, Here Babies, There Babies on the Farm mostly illustrates the many different animal babies you'll find on a farm! Here's an excerpt: "Babies in the duck pond can you hear them quack? Babies in the pasture having a quick snack."
Nature's Architects by Amber Hendricks & illustrated by Gavin Scott. What a title! I love the idea of introducing the word architects to little ones. A board book for every curious mind, Nature's Architects illustrates how birds, squirrels, beavers, and ants design their homes to keep their young ones safe, warm, and dry.
Sparrow Takes Flight by Amber Hendricks & illustrated by Gavin Scott. Coming in March, Sparrow Takes Flight celebrates the trials and errors of a young sparrow as she discovers how to fly. Written in rhyme, I absolutely love the simplicity and vibrance of this board book.
Global Baby Grandparents. A belated happy book birthday to Global Baby Grandparents! With photographs of families from around the world, grandparents and little ones will undoubtably be able to relate to the loving themes throughout this book.
Enjoy!!