Hellobee

Finding new books is one of my favorite things to do. Books were my escape as a child from the lonely solitude of my house, and I love how my children enjoy reading as much as I do. As long as I can, I always hope to fill their lives with new words, adventures, and ideas through the magic of books. With their birthdays all coming in the next few months, it’s time to add to our library. Here are the ones I’m eyeing for each kid.

Drake (age 7 soon to be 8) – Drake is a voracious reader and has moved onto chapter books for the last year or two now. He loves a few series and we slowly add books to his collection throughout the year because he goes through them so fast. He really enjoys them and at times will even pick reading over screen time.  I love that he likes his series but when his birthday rolls around, I tend to pick out a few picture books to let him see the lovely illustrations and perhaps inspire his own artistic dreams.

Off and Away – We love Cale Atkinson’s books and have them all.  I gave Drake To the Sea a few years ago for his birthday and Explorers of the Wild for Christmas. Where Oliver Fits is one of my favorite books of all the time and Drake picked it to read to his class for his birthday. I can’t wait to see what this new one is going to be about.

The Big Book of Blue – Drake got The Big Book of Beasts last year for his birthday and it was a big hit. I could never stomach buying The Big Book of Bugs for him though because of my fear of them. So when I saw they had a new book in the same style about the ocean, it was perfect. These are great informative books with beautiful illustrations.

Atlas of Animal Adventures – This is another informational book about animals and where they live in the world, filled with illustrations to make it visually appealing to kids. I love that Drake can have the best of both worlds continuing to learn about animals while also appreciating different picture book elements.

Hello My Name is… – This is actually based on a true story of the discovery and naming of a new octopus species. I know Drake will get a kick out of a new animal to learn about and the illustrations make me think of Finding Nemo. The new octopus is also aptly adorable both in real life and drawings.

What Do You Do with a Chance – I love Kobi Yamada’s series of What Do You Do with An Idea and What Do You Do with a Problem.  I think they are great books that tackle big things that kids are not sure about, and help them see the potential and ability to change things and create new ones. The illustrations are simple but lovely with a very unique style. I always gift these to Drake’s teachers for their classroom at the end of the year. I think they are books that resonate at any age from pre-k to adulthood.

Juliet (age 4 soon to be 5)

Yellow Kayak – Juliet’s favorite book is If I Had a Little Dream, a sweet rhyming story about how children see the world. When I saw the author and illustrator teamed up again to make a new book, I knew I had to get it for her. If it’s anything like the other book with its charming illustrations and hopeful little message, I’m sure Juliet will be a fan.

Twelve Dancing Princesses – We are big into princess stories right now, Disney and non-Disney alike. I thought a classic like the 12 dancing princesses might be a nice one to add to the collection and of course these illustrations are gorgeous.

A Unicorn Named Sparkle – Like a lot of little girls her age, Juliet is very much into unicorns. We own quite a few already and this one looks different in that the unicorn might not be what you typically think of when you hear the word unicorn.

Firenze’s Light – A little firefly learning how special his light is and not to hide it away sounds like a great story. Juliet is often quite shy and retracting in many situations, and I think she might relate to little Firenze and hopefully find her own way to shine in her special way.

Doll- E 1.0 – In trying to find more empowering girl oriented stories for Juliet to help round out and complete her ideas of what little girls are capable of, I found this one. The reviews are great and it seems like a good addition to our shelves.

Fiona (age 2 soon to be 3)

The Perfect Potty Zoo – We start potty training Fiona this summer because it’s a requirement for preschool September. I hate potty training with a passion and this is going to start much earlier than I ever began with Drake or Juliet. Fiona is stubborn as can be so I’m not sure if this is going to be a pleasant experience but maybe this book would help us all along.

The Mouse Who Lost Her Squeak – I love Jedda Robaard’s books about animals losing and finding things from their roars, to stripes, to spots. My SIL got Juliet her first one and I have picked up a few more through the years. The flaps are fun for the kids and the illustrations are so sweet. Fiona is a big fan so I’m going to get her a new one for her shelves since the her favorite one (the giraffe) is getting beat up a bit from her constant attention.

Bears in a Band – How sweet are these bears! I have always liked David Walker’s illustrations and have bought many a book because of them.

I Spy Animals – Drake is really into I Spy Books and both Juliet and Fiona have developed a taste for them because of it. Fiona has a hard time following along with their books because some of them are quite complex, so I think she might enjoy one for her own age.  I like that it’s helping with letter recognition and sounds along with teaching her more about animals.

Gossie Plays Hide and Seek – Another perennial favorite of ours, the Gossie series by Olivier Dunrea. I have read all of these books to my kids and they have all loved them. I found one we actually don’t have so it will be nice to have something familiar but new to share with her.