Liam's Library

Reading has always been a huge part of my life. When I was younger, I always had a book in tow and read whenever I could. I don't read nearly as much as I used to or would like to for me, but Liam and I spend lots of time reading together everyday. Reading introduces us to new worlds and characters, teaches us, makes us laugh and cry, and for me and Liam, is a great way to wind down before a nap or bedtime.

Before he was born, my family gave us a shelf-full of books at a baby shower and we have continued adding to them since. In addition to adding to our own collection, we visit the library on a regular basis to enjoy baby story time and borrow new books. 

I decided to start documenting our book reading, both our personal library and the books we check out from the public library. I hope it will be a good resource for others looking for a good book for their little ones and I would love for you to share your favorites as well! I'd also love to update posts in the future after Liam is older and has his own opinions and favorite books.

To kick things off, I thought I would start with two new books Liam received for Valentine's Day from his grandparents. 

"Toes, Ears, & Nose!" by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by Karen Katz. 

This book is a cute pop-up style with flaps that reveal different body parts. The text is pretty straight forward: "Inside my mittens I've got fingers. Inside my boots I've got toes." etc. There is a little bit of a rhyme throughout the book, but I think the purpose is more about identifying body parts than cutesy wordplay. The illustrations are colorful and full of cute prints and patterns. The kids are boys and girls of different races, which I appreciate.
The book itself is a nice size and weight. Although it is a board book, the pages have a little bend to them. The flaps are made of a thick paper glued on to the pages; they will definitely rip if Liam gets ahold of them, so I think this will be a "long-distance" read (aka at an arm's length and out of Liam's reach) until Liam understands what 'gentle' means.
Overall "Toes, Ears, & Nose!" is a cute book and will be even more fun once Liam starts to identify body parts.


"I Love You Because You're You" by Liza Baker, illustrated by David McPhail



This is a really cute book all about when a Mommy fox loves her son. The story goes through all different feelings and situations in a nice verse style that rhymes: "I love you when you're happy and grinning ear to ear. I love you when you're sleepy and want to snuggle near." I think it will be a nice introduction to feelings and behaviors, as well as the fact that no matter what moods Liam is in, he is always loved. The pictures are cute little vignettes that go with each emotion.
The cover of the book is a thick, squishy material that Liam would love to get his teeth on. The pages are very bendable, so this may be another one Liam will have to wait to get his hands on.
In the meantime, we will add this to our daily reading and practice showing our emotions by making silly faces as we read.

Both these books are cute and fun to read, and we will learn a lot in the process!

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