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I gave the girls Good Night Maine by Adam Gamble for their first Christmas (they all had the first Christmas together). It was important to me to give it to Rue Rue, since she lives in Michigan but her mommy's heart is still in Maine, where we grew up the rest of us still live. It's still a favorite book of all three toddlers and, I might be imagining it, but they must say bye bye and night night to just about everything they see!

When my great-niece and great-nephew were small I was a manager for Borders, so I gave them tons of great books and it's impossible to remember which were the first. One that I recently gave for a two year old's birthday present is Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! I was introduced to it at storytime with my youngest niece and kids love it. The dad of the two year said he wants it read to him every night now!

I think the first was Pat the Bunny when my niece was a baby, cause that's a classic that I loved. :) And last x-mas, I found a beautifully drawn book called Picturescape, a wordless story of a little boy who tours Canada through works by famous artists that depict the landscape. I thought it would be a neat way for her to better understand where her Canadian auntie lives.

When my sister was pregnant with My Liege (aka my nephew CZ), I bought her a present every month on her due date to count down. A lot of them were anthology books: Pooh, Paddington, Beatrix Potter; things daddy could read aloud and 'talk' to the baby without simply talking too the belly. Now that he's 5, he is enjoying reading them himself... and reading to his sister (age 3).


The most special book I bought (and have bought for several other little ones in my life) is The Princess Who Grew Down... which was my favorite book from childhood. Thank goodness for Albris.com, which allows me to find copies whenever I need one... even though it is out of print.

Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox was the first picture book and is absolutely perfect for toddlers. With 3 nephews under 4 our favourites now include Where the Wild Things Are, We're going on a Bear Hunt, Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy and all Mem Fox books.