Children's Book Monday {and a winner!}

First he dug around a little bit...

...and then he picked a winner, see? (He's so excited for you!)

Umm, could you hold still, please, sweetie?

Hmmm, that's a little better...

There you go! Does that say Megan? It does!! (Goodness. Now let's go wash your hands.}

Hooray, Megan! I'll be sending you an email shortly to verify the book you would like. Thank you, everyone, who entered! I really, really wish I could give each of you a lovely children's book. So let's do this again soon, shall we?

But in the meantime, here's another treasure to add to your repertoire...

Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?
by Nancy White Carlstrom
illustrated by Bruce Degen

I must confess, this book wouldn't normally have found it's way into our book bins, but the recommendation from Before Five in a Row was enough for me to try. And I'm so glad we did! In the off chance that some of you haven't heard of this sweet book before, I'll share it with you today, since it's my two-year-old's current favorite, and we must read it before every nap and bedtime!

With simple rhyme and precious pictures of a little bear and his mama throughout the day (happily added to by a daddy towards the end, home from work!), this book is perfect for little ones whose days are predictable and safe.

Jesse Bear, Jesse Bear,
What will you wear?
What will you wear in the morning?

My shirt of red
Pulled over my head,
Over my head in the morning!

I promise you, we chant this every day as I'm pulling shirts over my baby's head, except, of course, it's "Gideon Bear" and it's whatever color the shirt is. What I love about children's books with simple rhyme is that it's such a great way to introduce the concept to young children. I pause at the end of each line, and he fills in the blank- wonderful!

Jesse Bear plays, eats (quite a healthy) lunch, swings, plays with his Daddy, bathes... all in whimsical, repetitive rhyme that stays with me throughout the day, and we find ourselves rhyming and chanting at lunchtime, bath time, clean up time...

And at the end of the story, when Jesse Bear lies in his his warm bed, even my baby knows we whisper the final lines...

Sleep in my eyes
And stars in the skies
Moon on my bed
And dreams in my head
That's what I'll wear tonight.

Oh, do go find this story for your little one(s)- it's good, simple fun!

Happy Reading!