On raising a bookworm

The hubby and I both read obsessively so when baby kafkatokindergarten was born, we could barely wait until his eyes had started to focus before we bought cartloads of baby books and started to accost the poor dear with it. I’m happy to report that our plan of action seems successful. At the age of 2, our little bookworm ADORES books. He can be enticed to eat green mush and even submit to face wiping if we dangle a book before him. I never leave home without board books with me in the diaper bag and they have saved my sanity more than once. It makes me giddy with pride and joy to see the boy quoting from his books and lugging them everywhere. Now if we could just keep the TV switched off for another 18 years or so…

          I thought I’d share with you some of our favorite books:

1.       Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr Seuss

A rhyming rollicking book about creatures real and imagined. In here you’ll meet a Gox who likes to box, a Yink who drinks pink ink and a Wump with seven humps.

2.       I Can Read With My Eyes Shut  By Dr Seuss

What a brilliant way to convey the pleasures and benefits of reading to the little ones without lecturing them about it.

3.       Guess How Much I Love You By Sam Mcbratney

A fun and playful book about a Big and a Small Nutbrown Hare and a game they play with each other. So while Big Nutbrown Hare stretches out his big hands wide to show how much he loves the little one, Small Nutbrown Hare claims to love his dad as far as the moon.

4.       Ferdinand The Bull By Munro Leaf

An amusing and sweet tale about a bull that would rather smell flowers than fight a matador. Although I doubt any bull would actually prefer to be poked at in a ring, the book underlines the thought that it’s ok to have dreams that are different from anyone else’s. Besides Ferdinand’s mama cow is awful cute.

5.       The Runaway Peppercorn by Suchitra Ramadurai

This one is set in Kerala and recounts the many adventures of a sprightly little peppercorn who resists all attempts to grind him into chutney. A colorful supporting cast, who are all intent on catching the super-pepper and delightful illustrations make this book a thrilling ride for the young and the not so young alike.

In looking for books for my son to read, I prefer books with more pictures than text and not too complex a story. Too many characters get confusing. Too many descriptions will bore a 2 year old. Dialogues are more fun to read out, especially if you use different voices for each of the characters.

This post is inspired by The Brooding Hen who has a HUGE list of children’s books listed here.

Any other must-have children’s books you would recommend?