5 Favorite Board Books

Tomorrow my "baby" turns 4.  She is now the oldest youngest child I've ever had.  My first was only 15 months when she was promoted to big sister, the second was 3.5 and the third was 22 months.  With no more children on the way, my heart breaks a little to think that we are definitely out of baby mode.

Although I don't miss dirty diapers, midnight feedings, and lugging a stroller everywhere I go, I do miss reading chunky little board books to them!  There is nothing sweeter than cuddling a sleepy, sweet-smelling, full-belly, just-out-of-the-bath-and-in-jammies baby right before bed.  Here are my 5 favorites, as evidenced by the tattered corners and baby bite marks all over the covers.

#1 - Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
This book is funny, exciting and charming all at the same time!  Because of the very simple, repeating text ("Good Night, Gorilla!  Good Night, Elephant! etc.) it was always one of the first ones that they pretended to read to themselves.  I also love it because I had the pleasure of meeting Peggy Rathmann at an independent book store in Alexandria, VA about 12 years ago and she was absolutely delightful-- just as you'd expect her to be.  She signed my copy of Good Night, Gorilla (my "good" copy - not the chewed up board book!).

#2 - Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Reading and memorizing this book seems like a right of passage into parenthood.  How many of us can recite the entire thing?!  "In the great green room there was a telephone, and a red balloon, and a picture of..."

#3 - Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
I love Little Nutbrown Hare.  What a sweetie!  And the tagline, "I love you to the moon and back" is an integral part of our bedtime ritual, even today.

#4 - Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boyton
I think there were 20 Sandra Boynton board books on our book shelf at one time.  I love lots of them-- Blue Hat, Green Hat; Doggies; The Going to Bed Book; Pajama Time-- but Snuggle Puppy is my favorite.

#5 Time for Bed by Mem Fox
The best bedtime books are the ones that are so melodic they read like a soft lullaby.  This is the perfect example of such a book.  "It's time for bed little deer, little deer.  The very last kiss is almost here."

I wonder if my big, not so sweet-smelling or cuddly kids would curl up on my lap tonight so I could relive some of these tender moments?!  Which books are/were your favorites to read to your babies before bed?