It’s funny how often I pick up books for Little Miss at the library or used book sales thinking, “This will be a favorite” and I get a very “meh” response from her. On the flip side, I pick out a book not thinking she’ll be all that interested, but for some reason it draws my attention anyway, and she absolutely loves it. Here are three books that have been a pleasant surprise in how much she adores reading them again and again.
I can’t tell you just how cute we find The Big Snuggle Up. The only reason I originally got it was because it was on sale when I had an Usborne books show, and I figured at a fraction of the cost, I might as well get it even though I wasn’t drawn in from just looking at the cover. Little Miss asks for this book at least once a week. The pictures are incredible – so soft and gentle, yet vivid and intriguing at the same time. I think my little pre-preschooler loves the repetition of the book where you list all the animals that come to visit in the warm house during a cold winter day. It’s fun and educational to point out the various animals and what sounds they make, in addition to the cute and simple story. I really thought she would be at least four years old before appreciating The Big Snuggle Up, but at two years old, she’s already a fan.
Blueberries for Sal is one of the books listed in Before Five in a Row
. Published in 1948, just the illustrations of the kitchen alone are something to pay attention to. I love sitting with Little Miss and talking about the differences between our kitchen and the kitchen in the illustration (an activity suggested by Before Five in a Row). The pictures are not in full color, so I wasn’t expecting my litte preschooler to be all that interested, but I think what ends up happening is she looks closer at the whole picture and not just what stands out as the brightest part. Blueberries for Sal has become one of my favorites, too! The book is just adorable.
I picked up Perfect Square at the library for two reasons: it is red (the color I’ve been pointing out in hopes Little Miss will start to show she recognizes it), and it has a simple shape as its main “character”. Both points are at the heart of this toddler preschool plan at home. Again, I questioned whether Little Miss would be all that interested in this book since it doesn’t present any fun characters or engaging plot. I think what ended up drawing her into Perfect Square was the simplicity of the book overall, yet with bold colors and easy to follow actions (the square is ripped into pieces, or crumpled, or torn), she’s able to follow along with full attention.
Like many parents, I traditionally read a story to Little Miss at bed time and I let her choose the book we’ll read. These three books have been at the top of her list for the last few weeks, or even months, and I think they will end up being favorites for years to come also.
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