Although Helen Oxenbury's Tom and Pippo series is for a young audience, Ivy just discovered them and loves them.  These simple stories are about a toddler named Tom and his stuffed monkey companion, Pippo.  Pippo does everything Tom does - goes to the beach, gets muddy, reads stories, and plays outside.  Half of the pictures are black and white and the other half are color.  They are very pretty!  Try Tom and Pippo and the Washing Machine.

Ivy loves Owl Babies by Martin Waddell, so I thought I would try Mimi's Christmas by Waddell as well.  Mimi is a little mouse who helps her siblings prepare for Christmas.  The pictures of the mice ice skating, sitting by the fire, and snuggling in their mouse beds are priceless.  Ivy really liked this one.

Claire Freedman's A Magical Christmas is not the most exciting of books, but the pictures are filled with adorable mice AND have sparkles.  Who doesn't love sparkles?  We only read this a few times, but it would make for a beautiful gift!

I wish I had known about Helen Oxenbury's Tom and Pippo series when Ivy was younger, although she loves them now. Tom is an adorable toddler who takes Pippo, his stuffed monkey, everywhere, There are only 1-2 sentences per page and only a few pages in each book.  However, the illustrations are beautiful, and the plots are gripping to a two-year old.

O.K. This is not a Christmas book, but Ivy just loves Kevin Henkes's My Garden.  A young girl tells the reader the magical things that will happen/appear in her dream garden.  The pictures and subdued colors are fun.  It is simple and easy to read - good for a younger audience as well!

Another day, another Toot and Puddle adventure.  Holly Hobbie's I'll Be Home For Christmas has been a big hit for Ivy.  Will Puddle make it back from his adventures abroad home to Toot by Christmas?  Maybe, with a little help from a stranger with a white beard and red suit.  Great pictures!

Ivy has found a new Christmas song!  John Rox originally wrote I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas, but it was made famous when a 10-year-old sang it to raise money for a hippo in a zoo.  Bruce Whatley has some beautiful illustrations to go along.  The joy of the little girl is reflected in the hippo's rather large eyes.  She wants me to sing it over and over. 

Another fabulous Christmas book I have been reading over and over to Ms. Ivy is Karma Wilson's Bear Stays Up For Christmas.  Bear's forest friends wake him from his hibernation the day before Christmas so he will not miss the festivities.  The pictures are adorable and the simple rhyme appeals to Ivy.  This would be a nice gift. 

Ivy is really fascinated by characters now.  Biscuit is a great favorite despite the simple story lines and constant repetition of "Woof Woof".  In this book Biscuit celebrates Christmas Eve with his owner, a little girl, and her family.   He too wants to be involved in the festivities.   Try Alyssa Satin Capucilli's Biscuit's Christmas Eve!

Anna Dewnedy did it again.  Another adorable Llama Llama book.  Ivy does not like Llama Llama Holiday Drama as much as Llama Llama Misses Mama, but it is a close second.  Poor little llama is overwhelmed by Christmas shopping, baking, and decorating.  He wants presents so much he forgets the true meaning of Christmas.  It takes a breakdown and a talk from mama to remind him.  Great rhymes!

"I like Nancy Tafuri!" exclaimed Ivy as we were at the library yesterday.  We were reading through Tafuri's The Donkey's Christmas Song for the 4th time.  Ivy also enjoys many of the author's works including The Busy Squirrel.  The Donkey's Christmas Song is the story of a young donkey afraid to bray in front of the baby Jesus.  Despite his worries, he eventually lets down his guard due to Jesus's infectious (and miraculous - he was only a day old) laugh.  

This First Thanksgiving Day: A Counting Book by Laura Krauss Melmed is a perfect Thanksgiving book.  The illustrations are beautiful and the portrayal of the peoples is accurate (trust an ex-Plimoth Plantation worker!).  Also, there are hidden bunnies on almost every page.  Ivy loves looking for the bunnies.  Looking for a Thanksgiving gift?  Look no more!

Who knew there were so many books with suilline heroines?  Lucille is not just another pig - she has spunk!  When left behind on a camping trip because she is "too little",  Lucille makes the best of the situation and camps in with her mom.  It ended up being so much fun, she was glad she stayed home.  Ivy recommends Lucille Camps In by Kathryn Lasky!

I am not sure what all the hype is about The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg, but Ivy sure seems to like it.  The plot and pictures are great, but the text itself could be better.  Ivy is really interested in the page with wolves as well as the scene when all the children get hot chocolate.  At any rate, it is one of her first holiday books.  The countdown til Christmas begins! 

Llama Llama

Last night Ivy and I were at Tatnucks, and Ivy had me read every Llama, Llama book by Anna Dewdney in the store.  She just adores them.  The llama behaves in a toddler typical fashion, something she relates to easily.  One of her favorites is Llama, Llama Misses Mama.  She makes her daddy read it when I am away.

An oldie but goodie...Ivy has enjoyed Jane Yolen's and Mark Teague's How Do Dinosaurs? for quite some time, but this week we have read How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? a lot.  She loves the names of the dinosaurs and laughs at them eating their food.  The rhymes are adorable.

Ivy just loves Holly Hobbie's Toot and Puddle series.  In Toot and Puddle Top of The World, Puddle goes off to France on a whim looking for his missing friend, Toot.  The pictures are adorable, and Ivy loves piggies.  What more could she ask for?

Tomorrow night is pumpkin carving night in the Glenn household.  We have been reading Tad Hill's Duck and Goose Find A Pumpkin quite a bit.  Ivy loves shouting out, "No!" when duck or goose look in the wrong place to find a pumpkin.   A fall favorite. 

As the days get closer to Halloween, Ivy's literary tastes turn towards witches, bats, and pumpkins.  One book that is not as scary as it looks is Mouse's First Halloween by Lauren Thompson.  A little mouse finds the sights and sounds of Halloween scary at first, but is soon comforted when he sees what each sight/sound is. 

Jane Cabrera has a whimsical painting style that really appeals to Ivy.  She also writes about barn animals, another bonus for Ivy.  Ivy can't decide which she likes best - Kitty's Cuddles or Old MacDonald. 

 

Ivy has been waking up at night scared of the dark.  This new favorite of hers is about a baby owl alone in the woods - I'm Not Scared by Jonathan Allen.   The little owl keeps jumping when his friends approach.  However, he insists that he is not scared; it is owlie, his stuffed baby owl, who is scared.  It is very cute.  So cute I am ordering the next in this series about an owl - I'm Not Cute. 

I was shocked when Ivy not only allowed me to finish Ella The Elegant Elephant  by Carmella and Steven D'amico, but wanted to read it again!  It is slightly longer than her usual books, but is filled with adorable elephants cavorting in Little Village.  It is about a young elephant named Ella trying to find her place in a new school and a new town. 

Even though this is a bit of a "baby" book, Ivy loves Usbourne's Baby's Very First Series.  On every trip to the library she pulls any book from this series off the shelves.  She loves them because she can "read" them to me.  There is only one word per page with a picture.  An excellent choice for any baby/toddler.  Below is one of her favorites.                        

Ivy's piggy party is getting close.  She will be two in a little over a week.  She is interested in party books.  She has been enjoying Nancy Tafuri's The Barn Party.  It combines parties and farm animals.  What more could a young girl ask for?

Another Victoria Kann book has surfaced as a favorite.  Ivy is quite interested in the plight of young Pinkalicious.  All of her friends now like black.  What is she to do?  Fortunately, she finds a new friend  who appreciates the power of pink.  Check out Purplicious by Victoria Kann. 

How could I forget Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi?  Ivy loves Taro Gomi's books so much she can say his name.  However, pooping sends her into paroxysms of mirth.  This has been a favorite for a few months.  Her only unanswered question is "What does whale poop look like?"  Taro never does tell you. 

We took out When Coco Was A Kitten by Deborah Nyland from the library for the 2nd time.  Ivy liked it the first time and loved it the second.  I think I read it seven times in a row last weekend.  It has bright, bold pictures.  

Although this was not a favorite of Ivy's at first, it now is!! For all of you Austen fans... A BabyLit board book....Little Miss Austen Pride and Prejudice by Jennifer Adams.  It is really cute and a great counting book!  I am anxiously awaiting Little Miss Miss Bronte Jane Eyre.

As fall approaches, Ivy's book tastes turn from beach reads to sleeping animals!  Her latest obsession is How Do You Sleep? by Louise Bonnett-Rampersaud.  She has memorized most of the last words due to the melodic rhymes. 

Ivy's POW: Pick of the Week

Edit Posts

Ivy has been asking for "Silly Sally" by Audrey Wood and yelling, "Buy that!" In an attempt to discourage greed, mommy ordered it from the library.  We have read it four times tonight! 

Mommy, Ivy, and her friend Blayke reading one of Ivy's favorites, Clip-Clop by Nicola Smee.

Ivy's POW: Pick of the Week

A little reading during the hurricane....Ivy just loves Pinkalicious by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann.  She is going through a 100% pink phase.  This book fits her stage perfectly.  She can even say, "Pinkalicious"!

The Children's Hour

Ivy's POW: Pick of the Week

There is something about Lucy Cousins's drawings that attracts toddlers.  I have done some research on this.  Ivy is no different.  She adores it.  One of her best friends, Blayke, came over yesterday.  "Maisy Big, Maisy Small" was one of the first books she picked up!  This is a bit long, but Ivy has almost memorized all of the opposites! 

The Joy of Mommy's Cooking

Ivy's POW: Pick of the Week

Despite all the new books we got out of the library yesterday, "Everywhere Babies" by Susan Meyers is one of Ivy's favorites.  She knows a lot of the words now - it is amazing!  She just adores the rhymes and illustrations.  We need a new copy - it is worn down and covered with the remains of something sticky!

Marlee Frazee also illustrated another of Ivy's favorite books - "All The World" by Liz Garton Scanlon.  This book contains beautiful poetry about the world around us - beaches, farmers markets, family gatherings, yummy suppers, etc.  We discovered Ivy knows a lot of this by heart too!

Ivy's POW: Pick of the Week

I have to add another POW.  Ivy is currently obsessed with the singer, Raffi.  I think my husband and I sing Baby Beluga twenty times a day each with our little bookworm.  We sing while reading along to the book. 

Ivy's POW: Pick of the Week

This week Ivy is excited to have her dad home from a trip to China.  She is content to sit with him and read her new library books, especially How Do You Make A Baby Smile by Philemon Sturges.  It has amazing artwork - bold and fun.  It has different animals making their offspring laugh. 

Ivy's POW: Pick of the Week

Ivy is still loving the beach.  She checked out a new book from the library, which has caused excitement.  It is a fun rhyming book with Spanish words thrown in!  Try:  Bebé Goes To The Beach by Susan Middleton Elya

Puddleduck Girl Goes To The Beach

Ivy's POW: Pick of the Week

Ivy, age 21 months, has been vacationing in Maine and LOVES anything related to the beach.

The bookworm recommends:  Ladybug Girl at the Beach by David Soman and Jacky Davis