Library Finds!

Christina's got a new library linkup going on, and we're taking advantage of the library a ton lately so I figured while I'm sitting down not washing the dishes (not because I'm lazy, because I'm pregnant! Hmm... same thing? I blame the contractions - it's my duty to sit down!), I'd blog our favorite finds!

Affiliate links included, but I'm sure you can find these all at your library! If you do purchase anything through my links, I get a tiny cut, which will very likely go towards post-partum snacks... Thanks!

Freight Train

This is such a classic - I don't know how we don't own it already! It's on Peter's wish list now and he's getting it for his birthday. It combines two of his major loves: trains and colors. I love the illustrations, and it's nice and calming to read. This is one that belongs on every family's bookshelf!

Dada

I'm normally anti-board book when it comes to library checkouts, but this one made me chuckle so I let the kids check it out. Obviously it required a lot of effort of Jimmy Fallon's part to write it (every page is a father animal and the baby animal saying, "Dada!" "Moo!" or whatever corresponding noise that animal makes). But it's quick for the kids to memorize and be able to "read" to themselves, and it's kind of adorable. I think it would make a great gift, particularly for new dads!

Mouse Paint

This is another one worth buying. I've had it on kids' wish lists for ages but always forget to buy it come birthday season - Peter's getting this one for his birthday, too! Kid loves colors. I love the illustrations. And it comes as a board book, which you just can't beat!

Clementine

This series was recommended by several people when Cecilia started tearing through chapter books like nobody's business. Surprisingly, she doesn't particularly care for it (Clementine is too uncouth for her, I think!) but John Paul and my mom think the series is hilarious! Very Ramona-ish/Junie B. Jones-ish without being obnoxious (Oh goodness I hate Junie...).

The Dollhouse Fairy

I generally really like Jane Ray's illustrations (particularly The Apple Pip Princess) but I wasn't a huge fan of this one. The twins, however, adore it! Elizabeth (who is very sensitive) is a little bit upset by the fact that the dad gets sick and goes to the hospital, so on rereading I cheerily sped through that part, but otherwise it's a fairly harmless book about a messy fairy who takes up residence in a little girl's dollhouse. It makes Cecilia incredibly angry because she doesn't like that the fairy makes messes, and she wouldn't like a fairy like that in her dollhouse!

Now you know why she always wants to be Mary when they play Little House...

Julia's House for Lost Creatures

The kids all adore Ben Hatke's books, and the twins in particular are huge fans of this one. They love finding the characters that appear in his other books, and the whole thing just makes them giggle ridiculously! I think it's only a matter of time before we end up owning everything he's done.

Don't Know Much About the Pilgrims

His whole series of books like this looks super-promising, and John Paul has already asked me to add several to his wish list - I hope our library has more! Our history book doesn't get super-detailed and the kids are such history nerds that they beg for more books on whatever time period we're studying every time we go to the library - this one is definitely a winner!

If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620

We already had a couple books by this author (one about the Sioux Indians and one about Abraham Lincoln), so I knew the kids would love this one and of course they do! Lots of repeated information from the other book we got on the Pilgrims, but at least this way John Paul and Cecilia each have one to read at the same time ;)

Abraham Lincoln

I never understood why everybody went nuts over D'Aulaire books until we actually snagged one from the library - Cecilia loves the illustrations so, so, so much and they're really enjoyable to read! Even though we haven't hit this point in our history studies yet, I figured I'd try it out to see what the fuss was about - now I'll definitely be searching for these every time we go to the used book store!

Got any suggestions for us? I'm all ears! Check out other linkers here.