Favorite Children's Books

Now that I have a son of my own, I find myself collecting children's books for him. These are books that I used to read or have read to me when I was younger. I have made quit a collection for him so far, and am still at it. I have made a list of some of my favorites, as well as given short little plot reviews of each one. Please give these books a good read!

More Spaghetti, I Say! by Rita Golden Gelman. This was my most favorite book when I was in second grade. The story is about two monkeys, one named Minnie and one named Freddy. Freddy wants to play with Minnie, but Minnie only wants to eat Spaghetti! "I can't play with you Freddy, can't you see? I'm eating spaghetti!".

Chicken Soup with Rice: A Book of Months, by Maurice Sendak. This was before the days of Chicken Soup For The Soul. The popular phrase to use was "Chicken Soup...with rice!". Each month that goes by the main character discusses the ways they enjoy eating chicken soup with rice.

Little Bear, by Elsa Holmelund Minarik, Illustrated by Maurice Sendak. Little Bear was the first I can read book to ever be written. There are a few different stories all combined into one book. My favorite was always the story of Little Bear's "Birthday Soup". He thinks his mother has forgotten his birthday, and that means no birthday cake. He is afraid that when his friends arrive for his party he will have nothing to feed them, so he makes birthday soup.

Go Dog Go by Dr Seuss. This book was the usual rhyming Dr Suess book that described various dogs moving in various ways, whether it be in cars or on bikes. I always like to say that this book taught me to draw, because I always used to doodle pictures of dogs that looked just like the dogs in the pictures.

The Best Little Monkey's In The World by Natalie Standiford. I always LOVED this book as a child. The two little monkey siblings would get into big mischief while their babysitter talks on the phone the entire time to her friends. They manage to always get out of trouble by the time she gets off the phone and their parents get home.

The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room by Stan and Jan Berenstain. I love all of the Berenstain Bear books, but this one was one of my favorites. Mama Bear gets very angry at the cubs for the way they have kept their room. Papa helps Mama cool off and they all figure out a way to keep the room looking tidy and organized.

A Bargain For Frances by Russell Hoban. I always loved the Frances books when I was little. This one was my favorite. France's friend Themla tricks her into buying a teaset and will not take it back, no matter what Frances does. Will Frances figure out a way to trick Themla into taking it back?

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary. In third grade, this was my most favorite book besides The Babysitters Club books. Ramona was always a bit of a show off, sometimes a Dennis The Menace type trouble maker, but all in all a good girl at heart. Ramona's family is having money problems, and Ramona throws up at school to her horror and embarassment. Read this book and jump into the life of a spunky eight year old girl.

The Polk Street School books by Patricia Reilly Giff are great third and fourth grade aged books.The books revolve around a few interestin charactors like Emily Arrow, a spunky show off of a girl, Matthew, a kid that smells like he still wets the bed, and Richard "Beast".