Weddingbee boards

Hello Hive!

So, after MUCH pondering, I've decided to treat my sweet little toddler to a super cute bookshelf and some awesome books for her 2nd birthday coming up in a few weeks.  We purchased a few classics (think: Goodnight Moon) for her when she was an infant but she never showed an interest in them.  Now that she's older, she's appreciating quiet, sit down time with us and she's eager to turn the pages.

I've got a few ideas tossing about in my head but I wanted to open this up to the Bees, too!  Let's share our favorite children's books from both the past and present -- let's face it, there are some true classics out there.  I'm sure I'm forgetting many of them!

Also, does anyone have any discount book stores they go to?  I've been to our local B&N and their books are pricey in the children's section.  I'm half tempted to join the Children's Book of the Month Club but their reviews are 50/50.  Ideas on where to scoop up the best new books would be great!  My mom and I packed my books from my childhood away and we'll be digging them out and cleaning them up to give to her, too. 

Thanks in advance!  If I don't respond right away it's simply because I'm cleaning house this fine afternoon.  I'll pop in as often as I can.  :)

@CaraMia10:  Fabulous suggestions -- every one of them will be going on my list!  If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is one of my all-time favorites...how could I forget about that one!? 

Thanks!

@earrings:  Oooh, The Velveteen Rabbit!  SO SWEET!  And I can just imagine the fun she'll have with Dr. Seuss.  I love, love, love One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. 

@JenniMichele:  And Corduroy!  Thanks for these suggestions.  I'm in book heaven right now.  Now I just need to find out the best way to score some good deals!  I'm hoping to buy her at least 5-10 books to start with.  Then, each pay check, I'll take her to the store and let her pick her own so she can build her collection, too. 

Thanks!

@LpCutiPie:  Eric Carle is one of my favorites...the books are simply beautiful.  Thanks for the other suggestions, I had not previously heard of those series.  I will be looking into them!  And good idea on the library sales; I will call around tomorrow if I can't find any info on their websites.

@crocodile rock:  Thanks for your suggestions, too!  I've already looking up In the Night Kitchen per your suggestion...next up, Blueberries for Sal.  This is quite fun -- I'm dreaming of our new bedtime routine where Madi picks out her books and we sit quietly and read together.  I'm super excited! 

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman

Knuffle Bunny and also Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity by Mo Willems (The author is great! You may also want to check out other books like the Elephant & Piggie series or the Pigeon books.)

What a fun idea!

Oh man! I could go on and on about kids' books (studied them in grad school). Here are some books from the last ten years or so that I think are great for your daughter's age. All of these authors have other wonderful titles to their name as well.

Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

Oliver Finds His Way by Phyllis Root

The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson (this year's Newbery winner)

All the World by Marla Frazee

One Pup's Up by Marsha Wilson Chall

Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett

A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker

@bluestuff:  Thanks a ton!  I plan on saving this thread so that as time goes on, I can slowly collect these wonderful books for her.  It took me a while to come up with an idea for her because she really has everything she's interested in at this time.  I almost splurged on a play kitchen since she loves to play pretend tea party, but I think I'm going to save that one for Christmas.  Books it is!  That, and super comfy PJs to go with the books at bed time.  :)

@Zinzerena:  How could I have forgotten about my beloved Berenstein Bears!?!  Thanks for this!  I used to love turning my book around to the back and pointing at the other Berenstein books that I had or did not have.  I adored them!  This is a bit embarassing to admit but I used to sit on the toilet for hours on end reading them aloud to no one but myself.  Haha!

@HannahT:  Thanks for the great list...I'm going to look each book up.  I appreciate your feedback, especially since you researched children's books for school.  :) 

@jduck84:  Your comment brought back floods of memories!  Caps for Sale is one of the books in my personal collection that I'm handing down to Madison.  I LOVED when my mom would make the noises from the monkeys.  LOL!  Oh that's a classic!  And one of my nicknames growing up was "Ramona".  Can you guess why?  Thanks for the other suggestions! 

@MightySapphire:  Thanks!  I'm pretty excited to share these moments with my LO.  She's so vibrant and full of life and very much ready to take on the wonderful world of books.  I'm trying to find a polite way to pass the word around the family that if they wish to bring a gift to Madison's party, books are our #1 choice right now.  We can buy her all the toys in the world another day but books will be cherished forever.  Everyone is making such fabulous suggestions...further proof of my thought.  :)  Now I want to sit on the toilet and read Berenstein Bears out loud to myself like I did when I was 6 and 7.  LOL! 

@CaraMia10:  Caps For Sale is one of my favs!  I used to laugh my hiney off when my mom would immitate the monkeys and the peddler getting angry with them.  Isn't it amazing how many books pop up that we ALL remember and loved so dearly?  As you can see, I'm not cleaning house as I said I would...I'm just refreshing this thread.  LOL! 

@professorbee:  Great ideas for finding used books.  I checked out Amazon and they do have great prices but each book has its own shipping cost.  I really wanted to find a legit and honest book subscription club but I'm not turning anything up really.  I'll check out Craigslist and my area libraries.  Thanks!

My sister and I both  loved this book called Buster love Buttons by Fran Manushkin. Some others I enjoyed were Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss, Are You My Mother by Dr. Seuss, Amelia Bedelia series, Clifford series, Little Bear series....

Some for when she is older... Shel Silverstein: The Missing Piece, Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic; Roald Dahl: The BFG, Witches, James and Giant Peach, The Twits; E.B. White: The Trumpet of the Swan, Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little; and Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch and Sheila McGraw makes me sob like a baby everytime I pick it up.

My all time favorite book is The Little Prince by Antione De Saint Exupery.  There is a new translation that came out recently (like within the last 5 years recently), but try to find the old version with the old illustrations.  The passage that I love between the fox and the little prince changed quite a bit with the new translation.

I loved Ramona growing up.  I also loved all the Mercer Mayer books.  Maurice Sendack has already been said, but I adored him (particularly Eating Chicken Soup with Rice).

@Bamboo:  I LOVE this suggestion!  In fact, I think I'm going to do just that!  If I don't find anything on Etsy as far as canvas bags go (I saw some super cute ones a few weeks ago) then I'm going to make it myself.  Thanks for this suggestion...it's perfect!  I'll buy her a few books and tuck them in the bag but the library idea is great! 

@gwynth:  Thanks!  I found an advertisement for a new used book store in town.  They said they sell most of their books for $1-$2!  Going to have to check it out...

@jduck84:  Ooh the Fudge books!  :)  And for the nickname, my mom felt the need to keep my hair in a bob when I was younger (I hated it and my brother teases me to this day!) and in turn, I was dubbed "Ramona Quimby".  :x  I wasn't a fan!  LOL!

@Treasure43:  Awesome list, thanks!  OMG -- memories of The Babysitter's Club!  My best friends and I always tried to start our own club but we were just too young.  Goooood memories though!

@Miss_Riley:  Great list!  Flooding memories from when my class would get to visit the library...Amelia Bedelia!  Ooooh, I loved Amelia!  And for some reason, I'm now remembering Bread and Jam for Frances.  Looove!

@Minutiae:  I've added all your book recs to my list.  All of the Bees hee have helped me tremendously!  I can't wait to read them all!  Thanks!  I think we're going to add The Going to Bed Book to our "purchase first" list.  We need a book like that.  :)

@jekomo:  I loved the book orders and book fairs.  I always lit up with joy when books would come in!  I'm going to have to see what school I can go through to use Scholastic.  That's a great idea!  The company I work for has a pre-school so I'm going to try there first.  Thanks for the suggestion!

@buttontoes:  OMG!  How could I forget Chicken Soup with Rice!?  I LOOOOVED that book!  Now I feel the need to camp out at the library all day and read these childhood favs of mine.  Thanks for this -- what a memory!  And Mercer Mayer Little Critter books...*sigh*.  :)

Does anyone remember Tikki Tikki Tembo?!