

What If...
1- What If... by Samantha Berger. This is such a special book that would make a wonderful gift for any child with a creative spark or vivid imagination (hopefully, every child! : ) The verse progresses through different ways the main character could express her imaginings and tell her stories, even in the absence of dedicated resources. ("Without any floor / I could still use the land / and sketch out a tale / in the dirt with my hand.") It has a wonderful universal message


Little Miss, Big Sis
1) Little Miss, Big Sis - This book might just choke you up a little ; ) It's a sort of companion book to another of my favorites, Plant A Kiss, and one of the most moving books about becoming a sibling I've come across. Just like Plant A Kiss, it's sweet (but not saccharine), spare, and just...great. 2) Baby Stella - This is my favorite first doll for toddlers, but my daughter (who is almost 5) still faithfully plays with the Baby Stella she got for her second birthday. I


Mouse Mess
1 - Mouse Mess is such a fun book- it's an older one that my mom (elementary school teacher) sent to me with a large shipment of retired classroom books, but it's been in heavy rotation over here since we got it. I love paper collage art in children's books, and these illustrations make you feel so included in the delightful midnight mess making! 2- Melissa & Doug Let's Play House! - If only toddlers and preschoolers were actually capable of doing the kind of cleaning they l