Day 116: Ten Little Ladybugs

For some unknown reason, my son was obsessed with ladybugs when he was around two years old.  His grandmother gave him this book after seeing it in a bookshop in North Carolina, and it was an instant hit!  Now, almost two years later, he still enjoys reading it, and it has lived in his bedside bin of books all this time... until his sister (14 months) recently found it, that is.  As soon as she laid eyes on the colorful cover and saw the three dimensional ladybugs on the vine, she claimed that book as her own, dragging it with her into her room and sitting herself down on the floor to read it.  Fortunately, my son didn't seem to mind, and this is another one of those books that he can read to her, which is always incredibly cute.  Ten Little Ladybugs is a fabulous story for babies and toddlers, alike.  It's colorful, engaging, has fun, rollicking rhymes, and the little ladybugs sticking up off each page just begged to be touched by little hands.  It also teaches children to count down from ten to one, with a clever design that captivates little readers from beginning to end.  What child can resist the ladybugs sticking up off the right-hand page or the opposing holes that await them after the page turn?  I know mine certainly can't.  As far as my daughter is concerned, this book doesn't even need words.  Just give her the ladybugs to play with and the holes to stick her fingers through and she would be perfectly content.  The simple, rhythmic verse makes this story even more appealing to her, though, and the accompanying illustrations are captivating without being too busy.  "Ten little ladybugs sitting on a vine, along came a butterfly -- then there were... (turn the page) NINE little ladybugs skipping on a gate, along came a caterpillar -- then there were... EIGHT..."  You get the idea.  My daughter is quite picky about her books these days, but this is one that she wants to read over and over every time we pick it up.  I've been impressed, too, at how well this book has held up.  After many, many reads, the ladybugs are still holding on strong and showing no signs of falling off.  If you're looking for a fun, interactive story that will grow with your child from infancy and beyond, my little ladybug highly recommends this book.