Day 170: Wheels on the Bus

I just love listening to my daughter sing.  I wish there was a way to bottle up her sweet little voice and save it forever and ever.  Sure, I bust out the camcorder now and again in my best attempt to do so, but I know watching it years from now, I'll still miss her sitting in my lap, singing and clapping and dancing to the music.  She has really gotten into sing-alongs lately, and the Wheels on the Bus is one of her favorites.  As she requested to read and sing this book for the umpteenth time this week, I realized that I hadn't yet written about it here on the blog... So here it is!  I'm sure you know the tune to "The Wheels on the Bus," but if you don't, I promise it will be stuck in your head after just one listen.  Sometimes, with classic songs such as this one, I think it's a little silly to put it in book form -- I mean, can't you just sing the song on its own and have just as much fun? -- but there is something really engaging to little ones about reading along while you sing.  There are several book versions of the Wheels on the Bus, but this is the one that we have:  a sturdy little Raffi board book that I got at our local library book sale for $.25.  I've heard good things about some of the more interactive versions of the book where the wheels actually turn and the doors open and shut, but to be honest, I don't think those fun features would last more than a week in my house.  For now, the board book version is just perfect.  The illustrations are simple and colorful with a quaint European flair, and the music to the song appears at the back of the book.  Baby Beluga is another of our favorite "Raffi Songs to Read,"and both books get my two year old's ultimate seal of approval.

Day 149: Driving My Tractor

We have thoroughly been enjoying the spring weather we've been having lately, and one of our favorite new places to visit is a community organic farm that is just a few towns away.  They have all sorts of adorable animals to see (including, at the moment, 2 week old piglets!), trails to explore, log bridges to cross, and even a child's nature center hidden away in the woods.  Both of my kids love visiting there, and I am always so thankful for places like this farm who open their doors so graciously and offer such fabulous learning opportunities for children.

Our visit to the farm got us thinking of (and singing) one of our favorite sing-along books, so I thought it only appropriate to feature it today.  I'm also excited because after borrowing it from the library on several occasions, watching its animated video on youtube repeatedly, and singing the song more times than I can count, I'm finally giving my son his own copy of Driving My Tractor as an Easter gift.  I can't tell you how many times I've had this song stuck in my head, and yet, I'm still happily willing to add this sing-along to our home library.  That's got to say something about how great it is, right?


Driving My Tractor is an upbeat, fun, toe-tapping sing-along that is a favorite of both my son and daughter.  Watch the video clip mentioned above and you'll immediately see what I mean. The colorful, bold illustrations are wonderfully appealing to toddlers and preschoolers, and the fact that is a counting book about animals makes it perfect for that age group, as well.  The end of the book also features some fabulous information about other types of farm machines (such as combine harvesters and balers) and a beautiful two-page spread about various types of crops that farmers grow (including at what times of the year they can be planted and harvested.)  I love books that include informational "extras" like this, and love watching my son soak up all of that knowledge even more.  The other thing that is so great about this book, as with so many others from this publisher, is that it truly grows with your child.  My daughter (20 months) loves the bold pictures and the silly sing-along song, just as my son (age 4) has for quite some time.  Now that he is a little older, though, he appreciates other things about the book, such as the information about the types of crops at the end.  Plus, the book comes with a cd featuring the vocal talents of Steve Songs, so you'll know just how the tune goes and be able to add the song to your child's music collection.  In fact, the tune is so catchy and easy to sing, I don't think I could read the book without singing it now even if I tried.  Driving My Tractor is a perfect book to have in the car for road trips, afternoon story time, or any time you simply want to stop what you're doing and sing and dance with your kids.


** One last little thing... Driving My Tractor was one of the first Barefoot Books we read and came to love, and was part of the reason why I became a Barefoot Ambassador last summer.  I am continually impressed by the quality of Barefoot Books and their passion for art and literacy, and I always find it refreshing to know that there is a publisher out there whose books I am pretty much guaranteed to love.  I felt I needed to add this disclaimer here because I don't want anyone reading this to think that I am only featuring this (or other Barefoot Books) out of possible personal gain.  On the contrary, I just want you to know about them because they are truly great books that I think everyone with children should know about!  Find them in your local library and see what I mean.  After all, this is the whole mission of my blog:  to share fabulous children's books that are well worth reading so that no day goes without a great story.  No pressure, just great books!  That's what it's all about.

Day 147: Barnyard Dance!

"Stomp your feet!  Clap your hands! Everybody ready for a barnyard dance!"  It would be an understatement to say that my daughter (now 20 months -- I can't believe it!) is obsessed with Sandra Boynton books at the moment.  We have a dozen or so of Boynton's books, all of which have taken up a permanent residence next to our reading chair in little E's room.  If a book is not on the table there, it's inevitably in her crib, as she routinely insists on bringing one of them into bed with her.  My daughter insists on reading each one before her afternoon nap and bedtime each night.  And I mean every. single. one.  Fortunately, I don't mind, since I happen to like all of Boynton books that we own (and they're quick reads.)  When we finish a story, E will flip the book over to look at the pictures of the other books on the back, pointing to the one she wants to read next.  It's really quite cute!

Sandra Boynton has to be one of the most well-known authors of children's books, and with good reason.  She has written over forty board books for young children, and her cute rhymes and colorful, playful illustrations make them fast favorites of babies and toddlers everywhere.  We've already featured a few of our other favorites (Moo, Baa, La La La, Snuggle Puppy, and Blue Hat, Green Hat), but I couldn't resist writing about Barnyard Dance, too.  It's definitely one of our favorites.  My daughter loves the way the animals play and frolic about, and my son loves to act out the story as we read.  "Trot with the turkey.  Leap with the frog!  Take another spin with the barnyard dog."  It's fun and interactive, with rollicking rhymes that make it read more like a song than a story.  Both of my kids just love the window feature of the book's cover, too.  After four years and hundreds of readings, I still enjoy snuggling up to read this book with my kids.  If that isn't a sign of a great book, I don't know what is.

Day 106: Your Big Backyard

Okay, so I know this isn't technically a book, but I LOVE the National Wildlife Foundation's magazine Your Big Backyard.  Reading different types of media with your children is an invaluable way to improve their reading and literacy skills, and how fun is it for them to receive their very own magazine in the mail?!   My son always gets so excited when his new Big Backyard arrives!  Most of our old editions are taped together from having received so much love. Thanks to the NWF, there are three levels of nature publications you can read with your child:  Wild Animal Baby (for ages 2-4), Your Big Backyard (ages 4-7) and Ranger Rick  (ages 7 to 14.)  My son first received Wild Animal Baby as a birthday gift when he turned one, and we upgraded to the preschool publication earlier this year.  Subscriptions cost only $15 a year, but many local libraries get these great magazines, as well.  If you do subscribe, it's quick and easy to upgrade your status when you feel as though your child is ready for the next level, which is just one of many reasons to love this wonderful series.  These magazines are so  fabulous and provide a wealth of learning opportunities, from cool and interesting animal facts and amazing photography to art activities and singalongs.  Your Big Backyard, for example, features a family fun guide at the back of each edition with a new song, book of the month, "crafty creation," and "cooking together" activity based on the theme each month.  August's edition featured seahorses (did you know they are actually a species of of fish?), so we learned to sing "Pretty Little Seahorse" (to the tune of I've Been Working on the Railroad), how to make seahorse art out of rolled up paper strips, and how to make sand dollar pancakes with cream cheese.  So fun!  What's more, the book of the month was Over in the Ocean, one of our favorites from back on Day 82.  Need a great gift idea?  Consider a subscription!  This is truly a gift that keeps on giving all year long.  If you haven't checked out these fantastic publications, please do.  We promise you won't be disappointed! 

Day 82: Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef

Over in the Ocean is fabulous in so many ways!  This is definitely one of our favorite books to read and sing -- perfect for a summery beach day!  There are so many things we love about this book that I hardly know where to begin.  First, the artwork by Jeanette Canyon is FANTASTIC!  All of the beautiful illustrations are crafted out of colorful polymer clay, which makes for a spectacular and unique style that is unlike any other I've seen.  Her work is truly amazing.  Second, it's a wonderful sing-along put to the classic tune of "Over in the Meadow," and I just love any book that gets us singing and moving! (Don't worry if you don't know the tune -- the words and music are featured at the back of the book.)  We read this story so many times when we first brought it home from the library that I very quickly had the whole thing memorized.  My son was only about 18 months old at the time, and even now, two years later, he still asks to read it all the time.  I find that we sing the song quite often, as well, when driving in the car, playing in the bath, or even as a lullaby.  It's also a counting book that tells about some of the many wondrous species that make our ocean's coral reefs their home.  Count your way from one to ten, meeting angel fish, clown fish, stingrays, puffer fish, seahorses and others along the way.  "Over in the ocean far away from the sun, lived a mother octopus and her octopus one.  "Squirt," said the mother.  "I squirt," said the one.  So they squirted in the reef far away from the sun."  I also love that the animals' actions in the book are true to their actions in real life.  An octopus really does squirt ink, parrot fish grind on coral, and clown fish dart among anemones.  It's educational, engaging, fun, colorful, and fantastically creative!  Maryann Berkes also includes great supplemental information at the back of the story, including more detail about the featured species, how the illustrations were made, and suggestions for ways children can move about to the song.  There are others in Berkes' series, as well, such as another family favorite, Over in the Jungle (featured back on Day 5.)  We absolutely love this book, and find that it makes a wonderful birthday gift for young children.  If you're headed to the beach at all this summer, be sure to check this one out.  You just might find yourself singing the song the whole way there!

Day 71: From Head to Toe

From the time my son was an infant, he was fascinated by Eric Carle books.  We had received Brown Bear, Brown Bear as a baby shower gift, and given how much he loved it and others in that series, I set out to our local bookstore one day to buy a few more of Carle's wonderful stories.  One of the titles we brought home that day was From Head to Toe, and it has been a favorite ever since.  I especially love this book now because it is one that both of my children (ages 3 1/2 and 11 months) love to read together.   Babies love Carle's bold, simple illustrations, and the repetition of the verses is great for emerging readers, too.  "I am a penguin and I turn my head.  Can you do it?  I can do it!  I am a giraffe and I bend my neck.  Can you do it?  I can do it!"   Both my son and daughter particularly loved the seal page, and it was the first one each of them imitated.  "I am a seal and I clap my hands.  Can you do it?  I can do it!"  I just love watching my little girl happily smiling in delight as she claps her hands along with the story, just as her big brother used to.  Even better is when he reads it with us, waving his arms like a monkey and dancing around to the book while his little sister laughs and encourages him to be even sillier.  Fun, engaging, and interactive, From Head to Toe is another fabulous must-have for any child's library.

Day 50: Dinosaurumpus

A few weeks ago when we were at the library, the librarian overheard my son singing along to the Animal Boogie as we were reading it.  "If you like the Animal Boogie," she told him, "you'll like this one, too,"  and she handed us Dinosaurumpus.  I can't help but say the words to a funky little beat, and my son loves to dance around like the dinosaurs while we read it.  It's rhymes are great, the illustrations are colorful, and it's just an all-around fun book to read.  It features some of the classic dinosaurs that we all know and love -- stegosaurus, triceratops, tyrannosaurus -- but introduces some other good new species, as well (though I'm not always sure I'm pronouncing them correctly.  Deinosuchus?  Deinonychuses?  I make my best guess and sing on, trying not to interrupt the flow!)  It's actually a really cute story to read before bed, too, as all the dinosaurs eventually get tired from their rumpus and fall fast asleep at the end.  Just like my son, they seem to be able to go from all-out rumpus mode to sleep in a matter of minutes.  There's a fun chorus that is repeated on each page, making it easy for kids to sing along and feel the beat as you read.  "Shake, shake, shudder near the sludgy old swamp.  The dinosaurs are coming.  Get ready to romp!"  If your child loves dinosaurs, dancing, or sing-along stories, Dinosaurumpus is bound to be a hit.

Day 42: Snuggle Puppy

Time to feature my daughter's favorite book at the moment, Snuggle Puppy.  We have many of Boynton's classic board books, and both my son and daughter love her fun rhymes and silly illustrations.  I'll admit that Snuggle Puppy was not an instant favorite of mine, mostly because I couldn't quite figure out how the song was supposed to go and the rhyming meter seemed a bit off, but eventually I just made up my own tune and the story grew on me.  (I have since heard how the song is supposed to go -- it's on Boynton's Philadelphia Chickens cd and can also be found on youtube.  I think it's much more fun to sing the story than just read it aloud!)  My son likes it, but my daughter LOVES it.  Next to Brown Bear, Brown Bear, it is her favorite book to read at bedtime, and she even gives the puppies wet, slobbery kisses on just about every page.  The message is undoubtedly adorable:  "Oooh snuggle puppy of mine, everything about you is especially fine.  I love what you are, I love what you do.  Fuzzy little snuggle puppy, I love you!"  I also love how throughout the course of the song, the mother and her little puppy make chocolate chip cookies together.  Reading stories, singing, and baking cookies are three of our favorite things to do!  My daughter loves the delightful, colorful illustrations and I know it's one story she is always happy to read over and over.  We hope you and your snuggle puppies love it, too!

Day 35: Animal Boogie

After reading a status update from Barefoot Books about one of their stories, Animal Boogie, I decided we needed to check it out.  My son loves animals and loves to dance, so how could we go wrong?  We first found the video for it online and my son was instantly hooked.  He must have watched it five, maybe ten times in a row, dancing all around and leaping everywhere like the leopard.  Needless to say, finding at the library came next.  It's rhyming lyrics are fun to sing, and I can't imagine a toddler or preschooler anywhere who wouldn't love boogie-ing down to this book!  Elephants stomp, snakes slither, birds flap... and your little monkey is bound to be swinging along to the beat as you read.  "Down in the jungle where the leaves lie deep, What can you see learning how to leap?  With a leapy leap here and a leapy leap there, What's that creature learning how to leap?  It's a leopard!  It goes leap, leap, boogie woogie oogie!  Leap, leap, boogie woogie oogie!..."  You get the idea.  Fun, right?!  The illustrations are bright and colorful, and my son likes looking for the other animals hidden among the trees, as well.  The book is often sold with a cd, which makes it even better.  The score to the song does appear in the back of the book, but listening to it first (either on the cd or online video) is even easier.  There's nothing like a good book that gets kids singing and dancing!  Check out the video online (http://www.barefootbooks.com/story/childrens-crafts-activities/animal_boogie_video/) or look for this fun story the next time you're at the library.  Your child will love it!

Day 6: Cha Cha Chimps

Shortly before my son turned two, he became obsessed with monkeys.  I don't remember why, but he thought they were quite possibly the most hilarious things on the planet.  One day before picking him up at daycare, I stopped by one of our local libraries so that I could surprise him with a  few new books to read that night.  I was in a hurry since I couldn't wait to pick him up, so I quickly scanned the shelves and judgementally grabbed a few stories whose titles seemed appealing or whose covers looked nice.  Cha Cha Chimps was one of them.  "Perfect!" I thought to myself.  "A book about monkeys!  He'll love it."  Without even cracking the cover, I checked it out and was on my way.  As we snuggled up and read it for the first time that night, we both giggled our way through the entire story and it instantly became a classic in our house.   Ten silly chimps put on their boogie woogie pants and sneak out of their tree to dance the night away with their animal friends at Mambo Jamba's.  My son loves to dance around and sing the chorus in his best monkey holler:  "Eee eee, ooh ohh, ah ah ah!  Ten little chimps do the cha cha cha!"  This is one story that I love reading again and again, which is a good thing, since we've read it more times than I could count.  Your little monkey is bound to love it, too!

Day 5: Over In the Jungle - A Rainforest Rhyme

Okay, I'm sure I'll say this many times over the course of this blog, but I love, love, love this book!   LOVE!  This is another random library shelf find, and another book I have long had memorized.  I was shocked and disappointed to find that my local Barnes and Noble doesn't carry it, (a book this good?  Seriously?) but fortunately you can find it in both hardcover and paperback on amazon.  Phew.  Marianne Berkes has written a fabulous story about the creatures of the rainforest set to the tune of "Over in the Meadow," and has conveniently even included the music to the tune in the back of the book.  (One play through on the piano to figure out the melody and reading this story became even more fun!)  Count your way from one to ten, meeting different jungle animals and their young along the way.  There are so many things I love about this book, I hardly know where to begin.  For starters, I adore books that teach me something new.  There are so many fun and unique animals in this story, and even a little write-up about each one in the back of the book that provides even more information about their lifestyles and habits.  Did you know that honey bears and kinkajous are the same animal?  Or that marmosets are only 7-12 inches tall?  Or that leaf-cutter ants fertilize the leaves they bring back to their colony with saliva and then eat the fungus that grows on it for food?  Yeah, neither did I... until I read this book.  Now my son knows all about poison dart frogs and morpho butterflies ("They are a beautiful blue!"), ocelots and sloths.  He often asks me to sing him this song as he's falling asleep at night or when we're just driving around in the car.  What better endorsement could you ask for?  Believe it or not, though, my favorite part of this book actually might not even be any of the things I've already mentioned, but rather the illustrations.  They are AMAZING!  I'm talking seriously fabulous in every way.  Artist Jeanette Canyon created all of the imagery for this story out of relief sculptures of textured polymer clay.  There is a little write-up about her process in the back of the book -- another cool bonus!  The colors are vibrant and her attention to detail is incredible, making this one of the most creatively illustrated books I've ever seen.  Berkes has her own little featured page at the back of the book, as well, which offers ideas for other activities that you can do with your child while reading this story.  This is another book I love to give as a gift.  Check out your library to see if they have it, or better yet, get a copy of your own.   You won't be disappointed!