Though I’ve always had a love for books, reading for fun lost its place in my life for quite a while. Spending countless hours reading for classes in college and reading books for my job as a book publicist (to clarify: I’m not complaining!), I didn’t have the extra time or desire to read for pleasure. Since having my son, however, reading has found its way back into my life in a fantastic way.
I’ve become OBSESSED with picture books.
As soon as the little man was born, my husband and I immediately began reading to him each day. I bought almost every book from “Best Picture Book” lists, discovered my own favorites, and became immersed in the joy that reading brings to kids and families. It brought me back to my childhood days, loving to read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and memorizing Are You My Mother? at a young age. Seeing my one-year-old reach for books on his own and bounce up and down when we read makes it one of the best experiences of my days, and will hopefully instill in him a lifetime love of reading.
Over the last year, I’ve read just about every book out there for babies and have made a special place in my heart for stories about motherhood and the love we mamas have for our kiddos. Give these warm and fuzzy books to a new or soon-to-be mom and she’ll quickly realize how special this amazing journey truly is.
- GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU by Sam McBratney
Little Nut Brown Hare, who was going to bed, held on tight to Big Nutbrown Hare’s very long ears.
He wanted to be sure that Big Nutbrown Hare was listening.
“Guess how much I love you,” he said.
“Oh, I don’t think I could guess that,” said Big Nutbrown Hare.
“This much,” said Little Nutbrown Hare, stretching out his arms as wide as they could go.
Big Nutbrown Hare had even longer arms. “But I love YOU this much,” he said.
- I’D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE, MY LOVE by Nancy Tillman
If one day we’re walking and talking, just us,
When you’re abracadabra, a rhinoceros…
I might be surprised, but just for a while…
I’d know it was you by your magical smile.
- I WISH YOU MORE by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
I wish you more ups than downs
I wish you more give than take.
- IF I COULD KEEP YOU LITTLE by Marianne Richmond
If I could keep you little
I’d kiss your cuts and scrapes
But then I’d miss you learning
From your own mistakes.
- TWO HANDS TO LOVE YOU by Diane Adams
My two hands will hug you, will rock you to sleep,
Will count all the toes on your tiny pink feet.
I’ll bathe you in bubbles and soak you in sun,
Then wrap you up tightly when bath time is done.
- I LOVE YOU THROUGH AND THROUGH by Bernadette Rossetti Shustak
I love your happy side, your sad side
Your silly side, your mad side.
- THE WONDERFUL THINGS YOU’LL BE by Emily Winfield Martin
When I look at you and you look at me
I wonder what wonderful things you will be
When you were too small to tell me hello
I knew you were someone I wanted to know.
- LOVE YOU FOREVER by Robert Munsch
I’ll love you forever
I’ll like you for always
As long as I’m living
My baby you’ll be.
- SWEET CHILD OF MINE by Caroline Jayne Church
I love you in the morning at the start of every day
I love you in the evening when the sunshine goes away.
- RUNAWAY BUNNY by Margaret Wise Brown
Once there was a little bunny who wanted to run away.
So he said to his mother, “I am running away.”
“If you run away,” said his mother, “I will run after you.
For you are my little bunny.”
