We Belong Together celebrates those perfect matches we find in the world around us, from peanut butter and jelly to hot chocolate and marshmallows and chocolate cookies and milk, from pencil and paper to a fork and a spoon. “Because some things are just better together,” says the back.

You Are My Cupcakeis an adorable homage to all the sweet silly names moms call their little ones; sweet pea, gumdrop, cutie pie, pumpkin. The last page reads, “I could just eat you up!” Super cute and sweet.

Both books are high-quality, and will stand up to multiple rereadings. The drawings are oversized and enticing, with happy faces that will entice your baby to smile back. Smooth and shiny textures will draw chubby toddler fingers to the page. Perfect for toddlers, their mommies, and more, these sweet, happy books are a great addition to any library.

Elizabeth has 3 teens so she rarely reads board books anymore. She read these two to her 14-year-old daughter who said, “That was weird,” but agreed the books are super cute. Learn more at her blog Planet Nomad.

A new picture book by Phillis Gershator and Mim Green, with illustrations by David Walker, Time for a Hug introduces the concept of time passing as a mom and child bunny go through their day together, starting at eight o’clock in the morning when the child wakes up, all the way until the clock reads eight again in the evening and it’s time to get ready for bed. During their day together, interspersed among the block building, the reading, and dining, it is time for a hug again and again.

The flow of the day for mom and child will be recognizable to young children, and the warmth and love shown in the pages just as comforting and soothing. My five year old daughter enjoys the simple text of this picture book because she can read much of it independently. I can also see this as just the right kind of book to read to a baby or toddler, for the pictures are bright and engaging, and the words repetitive and predictable. As Valentine’s Day approaches, perhaps Time for a Hug is just the right book to read to your own child, for a hug from a loving parent is always welcome!

Dawn gets hugs from her own kids, as well as her preschool class on a daily basis! When she has a spare moment from being Teacher or Mommy, she can be found blogging away at my thoughts exactly.

To find out what my son thinks of his personalized book and to enter to win your own, click over to my full review on 5 Minutes for Mom. Leave a comment by February 6 for your chance to win.

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Nancy is happy her son loves his name as much as she does. She writes about her 2 boys, books and life in Colorado at Life With My Boys and Books.

How have I been unaware of the cool cat that is Pete until now? Eric Litwin’s Pete the Cat: Rocking in my School Shoes is the second picture book about this character, and a third title is scheduled to release in the spring. Music is an integral part of these books, and each book includes a link to listen to and download the story and the song. (Check out the site first before getting the book, and I’m willing to bet you’ll be searching for it on your next trip to the library or bookstore!) I love that this book is simply pure fun, and children will be singing the song again and again. My daughter’s kindergarten teacher is a huge fan of Pete’s, and now I am, too!

It’s not easy being the littlest one in the family, and many children will relate to the main character’s feelings on the matter in Little Pig Joins the Band by David Hyde Costello. When the whole family tries out a variety of instruments from Grandpa’s old marching band days, Little Pig (who really would prefer to be called Jacob, as that is his name after all!), is disappointed that he is simply too small to play any of them. Unfortunately, everyone is playing to their own beat, you could say, and Little Pig finds the perfect way to join in, since every good marching band needs a leader!

As I grew up in New England, my childhood was filled with snowy experiences, but my own Maryland-born-and-raised kids have had only a few significant snowfalls in their lives so far. Happily, we can always find snowy fun in Caralyn Beuhner’s picture books, and the latest one, Snowmen All Year, does just what the title promises– it imagines the fun snowmen could have if they were around for spring’s kite flying, summer fireworks and autumn’s trick-or-treating. With Mark Buehner’s familiar joyful illustrations, children will surely giggle at the sight of a smiling snowman in all the very un-snowy situations depicted.

Though I am a Round I panelist in this Fiction Picture Book category for the Cybils, my opinions are solely my own and are not meant to reflect the final outcome.

Don’t miss a thing: Check out our current giveaways. Subscribe to our feed or video reviews on YouTube. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter or on Facebook.

Dawn juggles teaching, parenting, and reading on a daily basis, sometimes hopping back over to give her blog, my thoughts exactly, a bit of attention, too.

The classic story that begins with a large item of clothing that transforms into smaller pieces as it wears down over the years has been told in various forms. Boni Ashburn’s I Had a Favorite Dress takes a new angle on the story, starting with a young girl who adores her pink dress, until she finds one day that she has outgrown it. Well, a mom who is handy with a sewing machine turns that dress into a shirt, and the girl is delighted. But, of course, that young girl doesn’t stop growing, and soon the sleeves are too tight and short, so more snipping and sewing take place, and soon, a cute tank top becomes the girl’s new favorite. On and on it goes in the same fashion, and along the way, the mother helps the daughter learn to cope with the inevitable changes that come along in life. Several lessons are inherent in this story, about reusing and repurposing items rather than simply throwing them away, learning to be resourceful, and thinking creatively. It doesn’t hurt that the young girl’s character is cute and sassy (in a good way), and she appears quite authentic and relatable to young kids. Another fabulous extension activity for children would be to compare it to other picture books that tell similar stories, such as the beloved Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback.

One classic children’s story can be conjured up with two simple words: “Not I!” In Rebecca and Ed Emberley’s new insanely-colorful version of The Red Hen, those familiar words are uttered time and again by the hen’s lazy trio of pals, this time depicted as a cat, a rat, and a frog. (Okay, not by the frog who funnily enough only knows how to ribbit!) The telling of the well-known plot is traditional, but told in short and simple text, making it fun and accessible for the very young readers/listeners in your life. Really what the Emberleys have become known best for are their wild illustrations, and this one doesn’t disappoint. Big blocks of bright colors grace every page, and kids are drawn to them like moths to a flame. If by the book’s end you and your little ones are feeling hungry for cake of your own, you’re in luck, because the “Red Hen’s Simply Splendid Cake” recipe is included in the final pages. Yum!

I love that Jerry Pinkney’s name will forever be preceded by the words “Caldecott Medal winner,” for that recognition needs to be regularly reiterated. Pinkney is a genius illustrator of today, and his books will undoubtedly be revered by young children and their families for many, many years to come. This year, Pinkney published his illustrated version of one of the most well-known childhood songs out there, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. It’s clear as day that Pinkney studies the real-life animals that he features in his books, and the chipmunk in these pages is adorable and so life-like. Several page spreads have no words at all, and these pages invite readers to slow down and take a moment to quietly look at the illustrations, for there is much being told here! Truly this is a beautiful picture book that can be given to a new baby to be enjoyed for many years of his childhood.

Though I am a Round I panelist in this Fiction Picture Book category for the Cybils, my opinions are solely my own and are not meant to reflect the final outcome.

Don’t miss a thing: Check out our current giveaways. Subscribe to our feed or video reviews on YouTube. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter or on Facebook.

Dawn juggles teaching, parenting, and reading on a daily basis, sometimes hopping back over to give her blog, my thoughts exactly, a bit of attention, too.

If you’re looking for a gift for a special family, The Family Storybook Treasury is sure to please.

For more on The Family Storybook Treasury, including a fantastic prize package giveaway, click on over to my full review at 5 Minutes for Mom.

This post has been closed to comments, please visit the full review to enter the giveaway.

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Nancy loves reading storybook collections to her kids. She writes about her 2 boys, books and life in Colorado at Life With My Boys and Books.

Little Chicken’s Big Day by Katie Davis and Jerry Davis depicts a mother/child relationship that I can relate to. The back and forth between these two cuties involves a lot of parental directions as the day goes on, which is familiar, and a wee bit of child sassiness, which is even more familiar. It’s nothing too strongly worded, don’t worry. In fact, I think both kids and parents will giggle at Little Chicken’s repeated quiet declarations of, “I hear you cluckin’, Big Chicken.” With only a small amount of text, the love shared between Big and Little Chicken is apparent.

Another little bird, but this time the adventures are being had during the nighttime, of course. Divya Srinivasan’s Little Owl’s Night brought a smile to my face from my first glance at the cover. The night forest is an active place, and Little Owl’s friends are all going about their usual business while he watches on. Several animals cross paths with Little Owl, from a hedgehog to a raccoon to a couple of beavers by the pond. When the “moonflowers close and morning glories open,” this quiet story comes to a close, and Little Owl’s captivating big eyes finally close.

The third little animal was purposefully saved for last, because I’m still enamored with Kevin Henkes’ Little White Rabbit, and I have been since it first came out earlier this year. Henkes’ illustrative style in recent years has bowled me over, and this one was no exception. The imaginative nature of this book made it an instant favorite of my children’s, for the rabbit is a curious and inquisitive character whose wondering makes for a delightful little story, in which the text and images are perfectly enmeshed.

All three of these picture books go to show you that a little something can go a long way toward big reading fun.

Though I am a Round I panelist in this Fiction Picture Book category for the Cybils, my opinions are solely my own and are not meant to reflect the final outcome.

Don’t miss a thing: Check out our current giveaways. Subscribe to our feed or video reviews on YouTube. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter or on Facebook.

Dawn juggles teaching, parenting, and reading on a daily basis, sometimes hopping back over to give her blog, my thoughts exactly, a bit of attention, too.

Playful collage images grace the pages of Michael Hall’s Perfect Square, a deceptively simple story that is full of happy spirit. One square can transform into lots of different shapes, and the pictures that are created are just delightful. This is the type of picture book that inspires young children to create their own art, and I think pairing this book with a mess of collage art supplies would make a lovely gift for a young child in your life!

One look at the cover of this laugh-packed picture book will let you in on its humor. That’s How! by Christoph Niemann reveals the silliest answers to questions about how common things work, showing outrageous illustrations of creatures powering vehicles of all sorts. My personal favorite has to be the wound up whale tail that propels the freighter across the sea. Oh yes, silly-loving children will certainly get a kick out of this book, and I’m fairly certain that parents and children alike will have fun making up their own versions of how things work!

Encourage your child to trace his finger across the pages of Frank Viva’s Along a Long Road as you read this picture book/ travel story. Though there are only a few words on each page, be sure to linger and check out the scenery on each spread. Curved and elongated figures in a palette of cornflower blue and black with red and white accents illustrate the people going about their business along that long road, giving the book a truly uncommon feel. Oh, and don’t forget the yellow line that rises and dips through the book. My daughter quickly figured out that the road is made differently than the rest of the page, and she loves the smooth feel under her finger as she “drives” behind the bicyclist.

Though I am a Round I panelist in this Fiction Picture Book category for the Cybils, my opinions are solely my own and are not meant to reflect the final outcome.

Don’t miss a thing: Check out our current giveaways. Subscribe to our feed or video reviews on YouTube. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter or on Facebook.

Dawn juggles teaching, parenting, and reading on a daily basis, sometimes hopping back over to give her blog, my thoughts exactly, a bit of attention, too.