The Blanch Herd: 10 Books

A few months ago everyone on Facebook land seemed to be posting lists of their "10 Books That Have Stayed With Me". Gregg and I even joined the party, creating lists of our own (if you haven't seen them on social media outlets, I'll post them again below). But we never made one for Callie, book-lover that she is. I decided she needed a list of her own, if for no other reason than to be a guide for any other babies less than 18 months old (or older, too, there really is no age limit here!) who are looking for something to read. (I know I've discovered many gems on the lists of my friends and family, so maybe you baby readers out there will find your new favorite book!)

So without further ado, here it is (not really in any particular order), Cal's 10 Books list:

1. Trucks Go by Steve Light

This is the first of Light's books that we found at the library in our board book section. He's got others (Trains Go, Planes Go, Diggers Go) that we love to read aloud, but Trucks Go is by far the favorite - and the one that has definitely stayed with Callie. After all, it's where she learned that the firetruck goes Wee-ooo wee-ooo wee-ooo!

2. Go, Dog. Go! by P.D. Eastman

One of the first non-board books we ever made it all the way through with tiny baby Callie. She's a lover of dogs, so this one was a no-brainer. Our favorite page? "The dogs go around and around and around." [Long pause from Dad, the reader, 'til Cal and Mom say together, from wherever Mom happens to be in the house] "Go around again!"

3. The Tooth Book by Theo. LeSieg

I admit this was not my favorite book when I first read it. But it has grown on me. Must have something to do with the way Cal excitedly shouts "TEETH!" at just the right moment. She also says the cutest "So . . . " right on cue, ready to warn you about what not to do with your teeth.

4. Good Night, Little Bear by Richard Scarry

This one was a Valentine's Day gift from Grandma and Grandpa Elwood. It's best when read as Good Night, Little Callie, replacing every instance of "Little Bear" with "Callie Bear" or "Kimberly Bear" or whatever the name of the little you're reading it to happens to be (and of course the corresponding hes and hims with shes and hers). That's how my mom read it to me, after all.

5. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Not a book that I had grown up with, though it is considered a classic, we got this one in board book form as a gift from my friend Christine when Callie was born. She said it was her baby's favorite and little did I know that it would soon become one of Cal's most requested, as well. She loves to point out all the things in the room (clocks and balloon and fire especially) and is an excellent hush-er, when it comes time for the little old lady to whisper "hush".

6. Dr. Seuss's ABC

I know many a parent who has this one memorized, us included. It comes in handy, actually, when it's time for Cal to take a nap in the car, but neither of us is in the back seat to read her a story and she's not settling down. Just start reciting, "Big A little a What begins with A?" and before you know it, she's calm and sleeping like a . . . well, a baby.

7. The Blanchard Family ABC Book by Heather Wihongi

You won't find this one at the library or any bookstore, but let me tell you, what a wonderful gift this has been for our family! Gregg's sister Heather wrote the text and compiled all the pictures of our family and gave a copy to everyone for Christmas in 2012. Even though Callie isn't in this edition of the book, she loves to look through it and point out the names of all her aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents (and mom and dad). With us living so far from family, it's been an amazing way for her to figure out who is who and feel like she knows them. It's a treasure!

8. Moo, Baa, La La La by Sandra Boynton

As with Dr. Seuss's ABC book, we've also whipped this one out of our heads in times when a rhyme or a song or a story is most needed. This was one of the first books that Callie started filling in the blanks when we paused our reading. It's a fun and clever way to learn a few animal sounds, too.

9. 101 First Words by Jane Horne

Callie got this one from Grandma and Grandpa Blanchard for her first Christmas. It has been read and loved and studied for hours! Reading it with Cal has been an evolution - first we started by pointing out the pictures and saying the words, which grew into asking her where a particular thing was and having her point it out, and eventually pointing at something and asking her what it was. Now she'll point at nearly everything and say its name. It seems the tables have turned and she's "reading" to us now!

10. Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? by Nancy White Carlstrom

I had never heard of Jesse Bear before I stumbled across this book at the library one day. I'm so glad I did because it's simply delightful! The pictures are charming and the rhyming story is catchy. Callie will ask for this one over and over and over. There are many others in the series (we also really love Where is Christmas, Jesse Bear?) but I think, as with Trucks Go, the first one we discovered will always hold a special place in our hearts. (Bonus - you can get this one in a board book version, too. But the only downside is you lose the clever play on words when Jesse Bear is getting ready for a bath and his mother asks, "Jesse Bare, what will you wear? What will you wear at night?" Don't know why that didn't make into the board book, but I love it.)

Honorable Mention: My Pet Polar Bear by Mark Iacolina, Ten Apples Up on Top! by Theo. LeSieg, Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Jane Cabrera

Obviously ten books is just too few to choose from, even for a baby (and her mother and father). These three are also often read, sometimes over and over in a row. (Though we don't own the Row, Row one, we have checked it (and many others by Jane Cabrera which are also fun, but this one is the best) out from the library. It's especially fun to sing that one.)

And, in case you missed them before, here is Gregg's 10 Books list: