Our Top 5 Favorite Children's Books

I know I haven't posted in quite awhile. Life, again, has been crazy. You know how it is. But during this time, we have started picking up a fun assortment of books for the boys and I wanted to share a list of our favorites.

I'm not associated with Amazon.com in any way, but I shop there frequently and added links to each book for convenience.

1. The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak

This book is our all-time favorite! As the title suggests, this book contains no pictures, but instead forces the reader (usually an unsuspecting grown-up) to say some pretty silly words. The boys love it because Daddy and I have to make total goofballs of ourselves because "that's how books work...those are the rules". I highly recommend this one for some great read-out-loud/bonding/laughing time.

2. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

I love the creativity of this book. A little boy just wants to color, but instead he finds a stack of letters from his beloved crayons. Many of them are voicing their complaints, but one is perfectly content with his job. It's really fun to read aloud and the illustrations are adorable.

3. The Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller

We just recently bought this one, but it was an immediate hit. It all starts with a disgruntled Kansas, who just wants a change of scenery. He and his neighbors decide to throw a party to get to know the other states. By the end of the night, the states decide they want to switch places, which they quickly find to be a huge mistake. This book is so funny and a great way to learn US geography. And, evidently, Idaho is the "politest state", which I find amusing and not very accurate. =)

4. I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll

This is one of Drew's favorites. A little boy has a monster under his bed, but they're on a first name basis. All is well and fine until his monster decides to take a day off. Now the boy can't sleep. So, the monster agency sends replacements, but none of them are HIS monster. I love this book because it addresses a common childhood fear of something under the bed and puts a funny spin on it. Now we joke about the monster under the boys' bed and imagine what he might look like. The illustrations are extraordinary.

5. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson

We watched the short movie on Netflix before we bought the book, but the story is basically the same. To avoid being eaten by various woodland predators, a little mouse makes up a fake, fearsome creature that he claims is afraid of him...until that creature turns out to be real. This is a fun rhyming book with an unexpected ending. Another Drew favorite.