Happy second day of spring! Here are some current favorites.
Barn in Spring: Out to Explore on the Farm by Chambrae Griffith & Illustrated by Taia Morley
This beautiful board book will have little ones (and parents!) thinking about barns in a whole new way. While farm animals are often the main focus of farm-themed board books (unless of course we're talking about Otis or Little Blue Truck), Barn in Spring gives the barn a personality! "Barn feels the sun. Warmth floods her gables. As winter retreats, she opens her stables." With warm, dreamy illustrations, Barn in Spring is the type of timeless board book you'll enjoy reading over and over again.
How Big is Love? by Emma Dodd
The perfect board book for curious minds, How Big is Love? shows little ones that love is immeasurable! Love is wider than the ocean, taller than the mountains, farther than the farthest star, and brighter than the brightest star. Written in rhyme, little ones will be delighted to know that there's nothing bigger than the love a mother has for her children.
The Great Big Egg Hunt by Ekaterina Trukhan
An Easter-themed lift-the-flap board book that every flap-obsessed little one will enjoy! I particularly like how most of the egg hunt takes place inside since many Easter board books are set outside. Full of vibrant illustrations and memorable characters, The Great Big Egg Hunt is a fun one!
The Goodnight Train Easter by June Sobel & Illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith
A new addition to the Goodnight Train series by June Sobel, I absolutely love this one! Written in rhyme, little ones will love the sense of excitement that comes from every page as illustrations of comfy, Easter-themed train cars weave in and out of the pages accompanied by an abundance of fantastical Easter friends.
Coming Soon! Happy by Mies Van Hout
New to board book format, Happy gives children ten emotions followed by an illustration that embodies that particular feeling. With fish illustrations by Mies Van Hout that capture each emotion with an impeccable likeness (just look at how curious those eyes are!) Happy enables children to recognize and name their emotions. A must-have for every home with a toddler, Happy is an exceptionally simple, yet genius, board book.
A special thank you to Pajama Press for the review copy!
Coming Soon! Hello, Feet by Aya Khalil & Hello, Tummy!
Published by Barefoot Books, Hello Feet and Hello Tummy! are part of the Hello, Body! series which also includes Hello Face and Hello Hands. With adorable, crisp photographs, I love how energetic the text is and how the use of black and white is incorporated on every page. (Babies don't start to see color until around 4 months.)
A lovely series and one that I could see being readily used at day cares and at home!
Country Baby by Laurie Elmquist & Illustrated by Ellen Rooney
A day out on the farm never looked so fun! Illustrator Ellen Rooney beautifully captures the joy of time spent outside with mom as they splash in puddles, find speckled eggs, feel cozy wool, and dig up carrots until it's time to go back inside for cookies, a warm bath, and bedtime. A heartwarming board book for every bookshelf!
Enjoy!