Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
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SALT LAKE CITY — It’s time for 10 more favorite board books. In our family, all of these books have been read over and over, hauled all around the house, chewed on, played with, thrown, sat on and taken in the car — all the things board books are designed to do.
Be sure to pick up a few or all of these for the babies and little kids, ages 0-5, in your house. Then read them until they fall apart, which is the greatest compliment to any children’s book.
- “It’s a Little Book” by Lane Smith A companion board book to the popular picture book “It’s a Book,” by favorite author/illustrator Lane Smith, "It's a Little Book" is a perfect little book. It was an instant hit in our house. One small animal asks a friend what a book is for: “Is it for flying? Is it for emailing? Is it for building?” And so on. My kids act out what the animal asks and have all the words memorized.
- “Alice in Wonderland: A Colors Primer” by Jennifer Adams and illustrated by Alison OliverThis is one of the greatest board book series out there. Designed to introduce the literary classics to the youngest readers, these books are delightfully fabulous. The two most recent, “Alice in Wonderland” and “Jane Eyre,” are marvelous, but also check out the first two, “Romeo and Juliet” and “Pride and Prejudice.” They are written by Utah’s Jennifer Adams and beautifully illustrated by the talented Alison Oliver.
- “Bubble Trouble” by Margaret Mahy and illustrated by Polly DunbarWhat happens when a baby gets stuck in a bubble and floats away? A whole town gets involved, and there are some tongue-twisting words to tell the tale. With fun illustrations and an entertaining story, this book is a kid classic. Parents be warned: Reading this clever book will make your tongue and mouth tired but get your kids laughing.
- “Mary Engelbriet’s Happy Mother Goose” by Mary EngelbrietLittle ears love the rhythmic sound of nursery rhymes. This short collection of six classic Mother Goose rhymes can be read all at once or one rhyme here and there. Engelbriet’s festive, colorful illustrations bring to life the words in a feast for little eyes as well.
- “Ten Little Babies” by Gyo FujikawaThere is nothing that babies love more than other babies. This fun counting book is full of cute, rosy-cheeked babies doing all the things babies love to do. The rhyming text is short and easy to remember so kids can follow along.
- “Marvel Super Hero Squad: Catch That Crook” by Chris Strathearn and illustrated by Dario BrizuelaLittle boy superhero fans will devour this fun lift-the-flap board book. When the crooks start to terrorize the city, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Hawk Eye and Captain America band together to stop the mayhem. This is one of my 4-year-old son’s favorite books, and he can now sit and read it to himself.
- “DK Touch and Feel Tractor” by Anne MillardDK books are a great choice for curious little minds. This one is perfect for the active little boy who wants to touch and explore. Hand this short book with touch-and-feel pictures of different farm machines to your boy and you can explore it together or he can entertain himself for a few minutes.
- “Hush Little Baby” by Sylvia LongAn adaptation of the classic lullaby, “Hush Little Baby,” this lovely book makes an ideal bedtime story. The illustrations are warm and beautiful, and the fresh, new words to the song are comforting. Snuggle up together and read it a few times.
- “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” by Iza TrapaniIza Trapani’s gorgeous illustrations expertly capture childhood favorites. This retelling of the classic bedtime song is enchanting and will help foster a little one’s imagination. Follow along as a young girl takes a ride on a star through space and around the world. It's another great bedtime read.
- “The Going to Bed Book” by Sandra BoyntonNo board book list would be complete without at least one Boynton book. The queen of quirky kid fun, Boynton’s books are a must-have. For an entertaining, short bedtime read, keep this one handy and send your child to bed with a smile on her face.
For more board books, check out the first Book Matters 10 Favorite Board Books List.
Come share your favorite board book choices on the Book Matters Facebook page.
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*>Teri Harman, author and book enthusiast, writes a bi-weekly column, Book Matters, for ksl.com and also contributes a monthly book segment to Studio 5. Her debut novel, "Blood Moon," comes out June 2013. For more book fun, visit book- matters.com**
