Little Queen B's Top 10 Favorite Picture Books

George R.R. Martin said “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one”.

In this lifetime, I have been a princess during the Byzantine Period, a Pinkerton agent, a London detective during the Victorian Era, a student in Hogwarts, a waitress in Southern Louisiana, a tribute in Panem, an elf in Middle-Earth, a Stark in Westeros, and much more. When I dive into the lives of these characters in a book, I have experienced their happiness, pains, struggles, and victories. Reading continually enriches my life.

Nowadays, though, the books that I read are not my usual genres. I (also J) have discovered the colorful, magical, and wonderful world of Picture Books. According to Wikipedia, a picture book is a combination of visual and verbal narratives. It is generally aimed at young children. A picture book has two functions in the lives of children: first, these books are read to young children by adults, and then children read them themselves once they begin learning to read. As a young child, we only have a few books in our house and they are mostly fairy tales so it is such a delight to discover this world albeit a few decades late.

I am intentional in raising a reader in my little Queen B. J and I have read to her while she was still inside my womb. When we started our Totschool, I have become more diligent in reading aloud to her. Since then also, I have become more active in acquiring books of various topics for her. Some friends have also given us books.

Today, I would like to share my Little Queen B’s Top 10 Favorite Picture Books. 

These picture books were the ones I have observed she continuously asked me to read for her. She just never gets tired of hearing these stories. Once in a while, I even catch her browsing these books on her own. 

1. Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrations by Clement Hurd

The first book on this list is one J and I memorized long before we have a copy of it. Good Night Moon, first published in 1947, is a perfect bedtime story for young children as it features saying good night to various objects and characters found inside a great green room. Our little Queen B can now say goodnight while pointing out most objects mentioned in the book. I love that I can end the book with saying good night to my own baby whose complete name happens to rhyme with the last word of the book.

2. Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox, illustrations by Helen Oxenbury

This is the book that taught our little Queen B what toes and fingers are. It can also be used to teach counting. I believe that what made this special for me and my little Queen B is when we imitate the kisses shared by the mommy and baby at the end of the book.

3. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen, illustrations by Helen Oxenbury

Some time ago to pass the time away while stuck in a traffic jam, I recited this book (We have read it a lot of times that I have memorized it. It also helps that it is mostly repetitive so it was quite easy to commit to memory.). It has been weeks, though, since we last read it so J and I were completely surprised when our little Queen B was able to recite the “Uh-oh” and “Oh no!” lines in its correct sequence in the book. It was a proud moment for us.

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt is a multi-awarded book that can inspire our children to explore and have an adventure! Watch how to read it as Michael Rosen designed it in here.

4. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, words, and illustrations by Eric Carle

It took a while before our little Queen B learned to like this book but now she absolutely loves it. She likes pretending to be the caterpillar that gets to eat an apple on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, four strawberries on Thursday, five oranges on Friday, and a chocolate cake, ice cream cone, pickle, Swiss cheese, salami, lollipop, cherry pie, sausage, cupcake, and a watermelon on Saturday! How I wish she really ate all those food.

5. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss

It is a perfect book for children who are learning how to read. It uses common and easy to pronounce words to depict a funny story about a cat that suddenly arrives in the house of Sally and her brother, while their mother is away, to show them a few his tricks to entertain them. No wonder it is critically acclaimed and is in the number 9 spot of the Top 20 Best-Selling Children’s Books of All Time list done by Publishers Weekly in 2001. It was first published in 1957.

6. Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

Another story that is best told in a song. Dear Zoo is a classic life-the-flap book first published in 1982. Similar to the narrator of the story, our little Queen B says no if asked if she wants to keep the animal, even the puppy! I guess it will be a long while before she’ll ask for a pet.

Update:

J just read Dear Zoo to our little Queen B earlier today. If asked if she wants to keep the animals, she now says yes to each one of them except the snake and the puppy. Actually, she even thought hard about the snake but with the puppy, it is a resounding “NO!”. #lifewithatoddler

7. The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton

Getting ready to sleep can be fun as depicted by the different animals in this best-selling book, first published in 1982. Since this book is quite short, my little Queen B often asks me to read it quite a few times in a night.

8. Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae, illustrations by David Wojtowycz

It is a nice and fun book to introduce jungle animals to young children. At first, our little Queen B was afraid of the snake, leopard, and tiger, but with continuous reading and making them a little lovable (I kiss the images of those animals) she began liking those animals too. I just hope she doesn’t kiss them if ever we meet them in person.

9. Jack and the Flumflum Tree by Julia Donaldson, illustrations by David Roberts

I admit I like Julia Donaldson’s The Gruffalo more but we are talking about our little Queen B’s favorites, not mine. This is the story of a little boy named Jack, who with his friends Stu and Rose, brave the high seas in search of the flumflum fruit that can only be found in the faraway Isle of Blowyernose which can cure his granny’s bad case of the moozles. It is a great book for little adventurers.

10. Yaya Niya, Nanay Ko by Ma. Corazon Remigio, illustrations by Nicole Lim

My little Queen B doesn’t have a yaya or nanny so I was puzzled why she loves this book so much. Then I realized that she doesn’t know what a yaya is, all she can see in this picture book is a woman taking care of a child. The book shows a yaya who is singing with a child, feeding the child, playing with the child, sleeping with the child and many more actions that I do with my little Queen B. My little Queen B loves this book because she can relate to the story. I knew then that this book will always have a special place in my heart. 

How about your child? What are his or her favorite books? We are continuously on a look out for great titles and your suggestions will be of great help in building our mini-library. Please share them in the comment section below.

Reading to a child has so many benefits. It develops their imagination. It improves their vocabulary and language skills. It exercises their brain and much more. So when is the right time to start? Well, now! So go ahead, get a book, call your children, lie in a comfortable spot, and read aloud to them. Happy Reading!

#xoxo