This month’s picture book favorites are meant to be shared with babies and toddlers. Created specifically for tiny hands and short attention spans, board books and pop-ups are a great way to introduce young children to a variety of topics. If you prefer e-books, there are plenty of those available as well. No matter which format you choose, little ones are sure to find their own favorites and ask you to read them again and again. Enjoy!

“Cars and Trucks” written and illustrated by Jill McDonald (Copyright 2021, Doubleday imprint of Penguin Random House) is one of many board books from the “Hello, World!” series. Each two-page spread in “Cars and Trucks” combines color-filled illustrations with bite-sized information about various kinds of cars and trucks that a child might encounter. “Hello, World!” books teach “simple concepts about science, nature, and culture” using stories that highlight some of the sights and sounds that fill today’s world. Other titles in the series include, “Birds,” “Moon Landing,” “Music,” and “Dinosaurs,” just to name a few.

“Are You My Mommy?” written and illustrated by Carla Dijs (Copyright 1990, Little Simon division of Simon & Schuster) is a vintage pop-up book from my own collection. The simple story begins with a pop-up illustration of a baby chick hatching. Each subsequent two-page pop-up scene follows the chick as she asks Mrs. Cat, Rabbit, Goose, and Sheep if they are her mommy. “No!” they each say, explaining why they are not by describing themselves. On the last set of pages, the baby chick finally asks Mrs. Hen, whose answer is “Yes!” Pop-up books are a fun, interactive way to keep the attention of a baby or toddler.

“Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See?” written by Bill Martin Jr. and illustrated by Eric Carle (Copyright 2007, Henry Holt and Company) is one of the “Bears” series, which began in 1967 with “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” This installment is the story of a young bear who encounters a variety of animals while searching for its mother. Told in rhyme with repetitive text, the book puts a spotlight on ten of the many wild animals that can be found in North America. Each illustration presents a different animal in colorful collage, with the last set of pages bringing them all together and reuniting the baby bear with its mother. This timeless book is a favorite of mine that I hope will continue to be shared for many generations to come.
If you have a favorite picture book for babies and/or toddlers to recommend, I’d love to hear about it.
I’ve decided to take a break from these monthly blog posts while I complete another writing project, but I hope to return with a focus on vintage picture books. Since they seem to be disappearing from libraries, sharing them online is one way to keep them from being forgotten.
Stay tuned 😊