I guess I could look at them again, from an adult perspective. Could be interesting what time can do.

Well... they're not that bad, they're just pretty boring seeming and kind of oddly stifling to an adult. But I think they will still find a place in my home--the idea of living in a tree was enchanting to me as a child and I expect it will be to my kids, too. I just may not be willing to read them aloud 80 million times. They will probably be given to the kid when he starts learning to read for himself. Know what I mean?

yeah, im not sure why my mom was so sensative about those books...

but thats interesting that you thought goodnight moon was dark and sort of creepy Sarah... ive always been drawn to dark and creepy things... i wonder if ive always been of that disposition? is that even possible at 4 years old or whatever? who knows...

myriam... you loved that book... are you drawn to dark and creepy things like good night moon? world accoriding to garp? xiu xiu? kid a?

Hmmm, I love Garp but dislike Goodnight Moon. But problem with Goodnight Moon isn't that it's dark, it's the assymmetry of the story.

Mike Mulligan is a beautiful one,Staghorn!

i'm not the one that mentioned liking good night moon, although i did. i was never obsessed with it, but i went through a period of wanting it read to me all the time. i did like (do like) dark things though--we even had edward gorey stuff when i was young and i loved it, and one of my favorite books when i was a kid was this random depressing adult cartoon thing called gleeb. at around age 10 i memorized the following poem out of that book because i loved it so much, and i sometimes still use it to privately, mentally test potential friends:

"To have a friend, be a friend."

I have a friend.






But I'm sorry to say, my friend hasn't.

I loved that, and the Matt Groening "Life is Hell" series that my mom collected and I secretly went through after she was done.

But I digress. Mike Mulligan and the Bill Peet books were faves of mine as well. This is such a great thread!

Oh, and on the subject of kid-things-that-are-disappointing-to-reread-as-adults, might I simply suggest:

The Phantom Tollbooth.

Ick. Had I ever realized what a flimsy morality tale that was, I would have relegated it to the library book donation box like Pilgrim's Progress was after page 1...

oh my bad, it was laurilan... same question to you laurlian



as for life is hell... myriam i too read those a lot as a young one... my older brother had them, along with the far side... i remember pretending to read both and laughing as if i had any idea what was going on... though i had no clue... just wanted to impress my brother! haha


i was also a huge mike mulligan fan...though it always made me really sad...the thought that mike and the steam shovel were doomed to live in a basement forever... that didnt feel like as happy an ending as it could have been

Hahaha, Phantom Tollbooth is one of my all-time favorites! I love all the puns, and the wordplay, and the Mathematician....

Plus Norten Juster, author of the Phantom Tollbooth, was an architect. (He's retired.)

And on a very related note, the Eric Carle Museum is in Amherst MA. Which was designed by Norten's firm. At which I currently work.

I never read it as a kid, and I think I started it once in high school and I can't remember if I ever finished it. Thankfully they didn't quiz me during the job interview.

Ahhhhh!
Mike Mulligan and the Steam shovel
Yes, Yes yes...
One of my favs.

Also good catch on the Richard Scary and Bernstein Bears everyone...

We had a bunch of Serendipity books when I was a kid. I don't think I liked them much then, but as an adult, I like the colours, and they are being brought to me on Thursday.

For those of you who already feel like getting your toddlers in touch with high end designers, Enzo Mari
and his wife have published a few books and toys for kids....

lb, I did love Phantom Tollbooth as a kid--thrilled to it--dreamed I had a clock-dog that talked to me. But rereading it as an adult... I definitely advice against it.

Yeah, the Enzo $600 puzzle are sweet, after that wealthy maiden aunt leaves me an inheritence I'll pick a couple of those up.

Iggy Peck Architect

I haven't seen this yet, but I think it's going under the tree.

which reminds me. for the adult readers: roberto the insect architect is a fun one. too early to tell if my kids will like it at all.

Thanks so much for all of the suggestions folks. I look forward to introducing Rowan to some of these books! Here's most of the recommendations thus far.

Book Name
Blueberries for Sal
Cyrus the Sea Serpent by Bill Peet
Runaway Marie Louis
Flat Stanley
Madeleine
Curious George
Olivia
If you give a Mouse a Cooke
Roberto the Insect Architect by Nina Laden
Mr. Lunch Books
It's Spring
The Carl Series
Duck in A Truck
Arthur/D.W.
If you give a pig a Pancake
Everybody Poops by Taro Gomi
Thank You Bear
Knuffle Bunny
Busy, Busy World by Richard Scarry
Mrs. Tittlemouse by Beatrix Potter
Where's Wallace by Hillary Knight
Winnie the Pooh
I am a Bunny by Richard Scarry
Magic School Bus
The Big Orange Splot by Daniel J. Pinkwater
In the night kitchen by Roald Dahl
Black and White by David Macaulay
Pat the Bunny
Where the Wilds Things Are
(The Afghan Hound) What A Mess
Architecture Counts
Architecture Colors
Architecture Animals
Architecture Shapes
This Little Pirate by Amy Walrod (Illustrator)
The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza by Amy Walrod (Illustrator)
Miffy by Dick Bruna
365 penguins
busytown book by richard scarry
Don't let the chicken drive the bus by Mo Willems
the hungry hungry caterpillar by Eri Carlson
The Pup Went Up
Butterfield Wars
"This is..." series by Miroslav Sasek
Cowboy Small
Dirty Berty
Dinotopia
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Stinky Cheeseman by Terry Pratchett
Where's My Cow by Terry Pratchett
Franklin the Turtle (Series)
The B Book by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Berenstain Bears
The Little Red Caboose

Author Name
Bill Peet
Tommie dePaola
J otto Seibold
Vivian Walsh
Richard Scarry
Milne
Eric Carle
Mary Blair
Dick Bruna and Miffy
Mike Mulligan
edward gorey
Norten Juster
Enzo Mari

Illustrator
Ezra Jack Keats
Leo Lionni
John Burningham
Alissa Imre Geis
Grace Lin
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Anna Alter
Meghan McCarthy
Linda S. Wingerter
Amy Walrod
Tibor Gergeley (The Little Golden Books)

Interesting website that has the entire book available to online. It's kinda nifty, I have mixed feelings on it since part of my families income relies on the sale of books, but perhaps it will result in increased sales.

damn foglite you beat me to it

http://www.lookybook.com/

I am very good at the internet

what about goodnight moon?? did no one else like the bowl of mush, the kittens and the mittens, and the little mouse hidden on every page??

Ok, I came across one author today, and I don't remember if she has been mentioned yet, but I think I just fell in love with Tana Hoban. We picked up "Black on White" and "White on Black" today at a used book store, and its by far the best board book Ive ever come across. No words, just graphics in silhuotte form. So I came home, looked up her other stuff, and its perfect for the Architect/designer parents out there. Great Stuff

Been reading this to Rowan lately. It's a wonderful little book.


Also, I haven't checked it out yet but this was recently suggested to me by a friend.

My significant other purchased this book for her 4-year old nephew who is being raised by her fundamentalist Christian Republican sister:

Why Mommy Is a Democrat

She scratched out Mommy on the title and replaced it with "Aunt M, Uncle Spencer, Grandma, Grandpa"

Green Knowe books
Freddy the Pig series
Alice (of course)
The Phoenix and the Carpet
Enid Blyton books
Hardy Boys
Tom Swift

just in.

Also I can't believe I forgot one of my favorites. Shel Silverstein has written some wonderful books. We own Where the Sidewalk Ends and love it.

Love the 365 Penguins and Macauley Black and White books. Rowan also lovesBrown Bear Brown Bear, What Do You See?.

i was obsessed with a book called "masquerade" about a hare that was on a mission and there was a answer to a riddle in the book, by analyzing the words around the pages and the images, the one who found it would win a golden hare, it was an amazing illustrated creation

also, scholastic "sweet pickles" books

there are so many, wish i had time to write a list

wow, just seeing the cover brought back some strange memories

I loved that book too. Way, way over my young head but the illustrations were engrossing.

although some of her stuff get's a big over the top, we're enjoying Sandra Boynton's work quite a bit right now, and re-reading this thread i'm surprised she hasn't come up yet.

Snugglepuppy?

my personal favorite right now: Hippos Go Berserk.

the hippos book is a great story, involves a big party, and lots of counting.

just about anything right now by eric carle is a hit too, and another favorite these days is Good Boy Fergus, by David Shannon. great, engaging artwork and absolutely stunning hand rendered type.

oh and liberty - we're also in love with Richard Scary's I Am a Bunny. it's so frigging cute!!

i love how, in typical ricahrd scary fashion, even the birds and plants are drawn accurately speaking from a botanical and zoological standpoint...there's eastern bluebirds, grosbeaks...great stuff!

Most Recent Customer Reviews:

1.0 out of 5 stars Completely Absurd
This book is the perfect example of using a children's book to push forward a political agenda. Tobacco too is "Just A Plant" that many people enjoy, many people grow to make...

5.0 out of 5 stars fair and open-minded
This book is like a breath of fresh air! As a parent and educator I found this book to be a great way to help my children understand the controversy surrounding marijuana.

1.0 out of 5 stars Ridiculous
Any self-respecting parent who takes their role in the lives of their children seriously couldn't possibly find this book helpful.

5.0 out of 5 stars Open your chute!
The mind is much like a parachute, it works better when it is open. One shouldnt base one's view with mere mainstream propaganda alone.

1.0 out of 5 stars Attempt at brainwashing them young..
this book is nothing more than an attempt to convince young children that there is simply nothing wrong with marijuana - when in fact the opposite is true.

5.0 out of 5 stars A fair presentation of a controversial topic
This book does a great job presenting just the facts to children about a subject that should be dealt with honestly.

Or the recent Kids book about why Mommy got a boob job...


link from Boing Boing

I just came across these delightful numbers today. Abe will love them!

Favorite as an adult. Hope to read them to my own kids (once we have them)

Calef Brown

I'm surprised no one mentioned Asterix or Tintin.

I suppose they're for an older audience ie. 5 to 10 yr olds, but then again I cracked open my first Asterix book when I was 3 and change and loved it.

The Hobbit is also a great children's book for the 6 to 8 yr old in my opinion, especially when you "drama" it up a bit.

The Dot - Peter Reynolds
Ish- Peter Reynolds
Someday- Peter Reynolds
Sheila Rae, the Brave by Kevin Henkes