Book Suggestions

[GeorginaA]

Ds and I went to the library this morning for his usual dose of books, but I noticed that I was really struggling to pick some out this week.

He's getting a bit too big for the simple board books now, he's really starting to enjoy more complex rhymes/stories and more detailed pictures so many of the board books just don't cut it. However, the picture books are a bit too long and complex - he just won't sit still long enough, gets impatient to turn the page, and the language isn't lyrical enough to hold his attention even if he doesn't follow every word.

We've got the Peepo book at home and Dinosaur Rumpus - both seem to match his "reading" level well but can I find anything else similar in our library? No chance.

Ended up getting a couple he'd previously read which are a bit simple now, and a couple of the books aimed at children starting to read themselves (as they're simple words, not too long, but god the stories look dull).

Anyone got any recommendations for this stage of interest? Ds is 21 months but is already a voracious "reader". Money is a bit tight, so books I'm likely to find in the library are best, but not averse to buying one or two "jems" if they're going to be favourites for years.

Do you know the Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler(sp?) They also wrote another lovely "rhyme" book called Monkey Puzzle, which we enjoyed. I also liked the Mr Bear books by Debbi Gliori for this age. I think ds was around 2 when I started collecting the ladybird First Fairytales (square, hardbacks with lovely, colourful illustrations); Little Red Hen, 3 Little Pigs, etc.
Last time I was in our local bookshop, I noticed there was a new Rough Guide to Children's books out ? might be worth a leaf through.

Thinking back - the favourites in our house were The Hungry Caterpillar, Guess How Much I Love You - a nice Easter present as it is about a rabbit, Ladybird do a good range about various animals, Big Bad Wolf, Cheeky Chimps etc. (not sure if they are the exact titles), the Osborne Farmyard tales are good (have to find a duck on each page - so something to delay the turn of the page).
I have bought many books for mine at car boot sales, NCT sales and table top sales also Oxfam and other charity shops often have a good selection far cheaper than they sell in the shops.
Where abouts are you - I have loads on our shelves that dd is on the verge of rehoming - she is 6 and now reads alot of her favourite bedtime stories herself. I could also do with some suggestions of first chapter books - there seems to be a gap in the market when books jump from first readers to competent readers. She has just read one called Naughty Lessons which she enjoyed and it was pitched at exactly the right level - need to search out some more.....

Have you tried any Sandra Boynton books?

My two boys have loved them for years. I got them when the eldest was 1 and he's 5 now and still gets a kick out of 'Blue Hat, Green Hat' and 'But not the hippopotamus'.

They're fun to read too.

Try The Gruffalo (Donaldson/Scheffler) - rhyming text, a good simple story, and nice illustrations.
Ds also liked Peepo (Janet and Allan Ahlberg) and The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Eric Carle).
This excellent book Rough Guide to Children's Books 0-5 Years is very modestly priced and has given us heaps of ideas for presents/library browsing etc. I would think you will find almost all of the titles mentioned in your local library, they are all "classics".

Have you tried any Sandra Boynton books?

My two boys have loved them for years. I got them when the eldest was 1 and he's 5 now and still gets a kick out of 'Blue Hat, Green Hat' and 'But not the hippopotamus'.

They're fun to read too.

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We found the Bartholomew Bear books good for DS1 at that age, another vote for the Hungry Caterpillar and Bear Hunt too! The Gruffalo is great although you may find that it is a bit too long for your DS at his age (this is based on my own DS1 who isn't the biggest book fan mind you). Also the Large Family series, books about a family of elephants, but these may be too much just now also.

Have you tried the Book People? Their books are always highly discounted and sometimes they do a selection of books aimed at one age group for a very reasonable price.

GeorginaA - if you ask your librarian to order some of the ones mentioned here they will get them for you, either new (I know some libraians have terrible trouble deciding what to buy for kids so they'll appreciate it) if it's a good time of year or on loan from neighbouring libraries. It usually takes about a week.

I'm a classics girl myself (so dd is too!) - Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, Dr Seuss I think The Foot Book is the best for younger kids, The Hums of Pooh...

We love Jez Alborough (sp?), esp the 'Bear' books. Great fun to read.

Funnily enough, Jez Alborough just occurred to me ? Where's my Teddy, and the other Bear books, plus Duck in a Truck ? great, funny rhymes.

Jez Alborough's Duck books (Duck in a Truck and Fix-it Duck) and all the Hairy McLairy/Slinky Malinky books by Lynley Dodd I love them, DH loves them DS1 (4) loves them, DS2 (2) loves them... They have quite long words in them but the rhythm of the words is wonderful...

It was drowsily warm, with dozens of bees
Lazily buzzing thgough flowers and trees
Hairy McLairy decided to choose
A place in the shade for his afternoon snooze
Dozily dreaming he lay on his back when
Pittery pattery skittery scattery ZIP round the corner
Came Zachary Quack...

Ah yes, I know this one off by heart and I still don't tire of reading it out at bedtime. (reading it to DS2 obviously!!)

Loads of our favourites here - also poetry books Giles Andreae: Rumble in the jungle and Commotion in the ocean, and other storybooks Ahlberg: Monkey Do, Waddell: Owl Babies, Camp: The Biggest bed in the world. Also Nick Sharratt books - particularly great range of pop-up fairy stories.

Re: We're going on a bearhunt - DS1 was traumatised by this - quite scary story. But DS2 came across it at nursery and explained to me that it has a sad ending because the bear just wanted to play with them. He loves the book now. I would advise taking this line with young children reading the book ..

It's a very long time since I was looking for books for this age group but I seem to remember we enjoyed the Spot lift-the-flap books - are they still around?

Agree with demented about The Book People (they have a website - think it's www.thebookpeople.co.uk - you can get ideas from there and they are very cheap.)

We also had the Helen Oxenbury small books (4"-5" square?)about going to the doctor's etc, they were fun.

And then there is lovely Thomas the Tank - does your DS like him? The proper books are a bit wordy but there are (or were) Ladybird short versions. (Try your Oxfam shop?)

All judith Kerr books- all Mog books (even goodbye mog) also tiger who came to tea (our all time favorite) and "how mrs monkey missed the ark". Leo lionni (SP?) esp "an extraordinary egg". "farmer duck" by helen oxenbury (but I am always moved to tears by picture of crying duck being comforted by hens!). "the elelephant and the bad baby" (cant remember author-sorry) Percy the park keeper. sorry could go on all night

Children's book are my passion! Sad cow that I am

Another vote for the Book People, and also Red House are good.

My DD is 22 months, but not really interested in books at all (except for ripping bits out of...). Ds at the same age was a book worm and really careful with books.

I would recommend just about anything by Ruth Brown. Even dd loved Ten Seeds, which is a counting book, but still lovely. Peepo by Alan Ahlberg is nice, the Shirley Hughes books are lovely. Uh, so many!

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Apple Tree Farm books by Usborne is what you couldn't rememember Robinw. These are very long lasting actually, as there is an 'easy-read sentence' at the top, then sentences for adults below. They are great stories for 2-3 yr olds, but also great for children starting to read for themselves/join in reading.

georginaA - someting else other than washable nappies to discuss on mumsnet!!!???? lol

i would heartily recommend anything by janet and allen ahlberg, dd adores them not only for the rhymes, but the ilustrations are just so much fun to look at and talk about and point at... dd (18 months) best party trick of recent is pointing out Winston Churchill in the Peepo Book... she goes straight to the page and starts shouting Churchill Churchill!!! v. funny and makes her look dead clever!!! (it's better than having a trained monkey!!!! ) but also must admit i love the ahlbergs ever since i read the jolly postman at university!!!???!!!!

Beautiful illustrations, gentle humour, appealing to adults and children!!! ( do i sound like the blurb on the back of the book???)

Thank you all for your excellent suggestions. Have ordered Gruffalo and Monkey Puzzle because I've heard good things from several different sources now! Will check out the book people for future reference, and note down the rest and see if I can reserve them from the library. It's actually quite hard finding a specific book in the very young children's section - I suppose half the problem is that the kids put them back in the wrong places anyway

Jaybee I'm in Croydon at the moment - always happy to receive rehomed kiddies books if they're the right level for ds (although we don't have a lot of storage space!).

Bea

Georgina - I guarantee within a week you will know the words and can read it blindfolded - my dds all love it to bITS!!!

GeorginaA, I wouldn't worry too much about the 'correct' age for books - dd (2y 8 mths) has been into much older books for ages and returns to them time & again, getting more out of them each time she "reads" them - she now chooses half a dozen or so at bedtime. I agree with Marina that something like the Rough Guide is invaluable in helping you through the shelves of colourful books if you do decide to splash out. At the moment we love the Tony Ross books (I Want my Potty etc etc) and my personal favourites are ones where everyone goes to sleep at the end (!)

lol Bundle! Yes I like the ones they go to sleep at the end too. Ds has a Wibbly Pig book where he wriggles into bed and then it says "is it your bedtime yet?" - unfortunately ds takes this as a cue to yell "NO!" at the top of his lungs regardless of the time of day

The Gruffalo and Monkey Puzzle arrived today. Big hit already!! Ds' clear favourite is Monkey Puzzle though - he's already reciting the "no, no, no" and telling me which animal is on the page, and we haven't read it that many times yet, honest!

I like "How does a dinosaur say goodnight?" as a bedtime book. The dinosaur plays up for daddy but not mummy!

I must dig it out for tonight in fact...

Some of my ds' favourites (aged just 2) are:

What shall we do with the boo-hoo baby - Cressida Cowell & Ingrid Godon
Slinky Malinki - Lynley Dodd
The Tiger who came to tea - Judith Kerr (lovely story although not very pc re gender roles!)
Again! - John Prater
The Owl & the Pussycat - Edward Lear & Louise Voce
Night night, Cuddly Bear - Martin Waddell (great bedtime book)
Harry the Dirty Dog - Gene Zion
Not now, Bernard - David McKee (quite scary, but he loves to squirm through it)
Tatty Ratty - Helen Cooper

He also loves the Thomas books, but I hate them! Never met such an unpleasant vindictive bunch as those engines and trucks, and I find the later/shorter ones really badly written.

Humphrey's Corner, sorry don't know the author is a lovely gentle story about a little hippo (I think) who is looking for the best place in the house to play. Another vote for Slinky Malinki and Hairy McLairy.