Bedtime Reading List

We offer to read to Lily every night before bed.  It's to the point where any reference to reading a book is associated with bedtime.  This is a negative association that we are going to have to break.

This is a list of books, past and present, that we read and my notes & review of each:

Pooh Loves You  *
This is her first 'favorite' book, even if it's rare we pick it up anymore.   It's a bunch of simple, non-sequitur descriptions of what the 'modern' version of Pooh 'loves'....flying a kite, spending sunny days with friends, etc.     It's the first book I memorized from cover to cover.

The Hungry Caterpillar   *
This is the first book with an actual story arc that became a regular hit.   It has some counting and it's fun to read the first 100 times or so.

Mr Brown Can Moo
The first Dr Seuss book to capture her attention.   Lots of fun sounds.   It's really a blast to read.

Green Eggs and Ham
This is a recent addition and she likes it.   It's more advanced than most other books on the list and she still loses her attention.

One Fish, Two Fish
I love this book and remember it from my childhood.  Lily tends to lose interest, but I think she's going to catch up to this book in a matter of months.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear
Simple, yet effective book that teaches color and animals.   Fun to read, even if it's repetitive.

Goodnight Moon *
I didn't understand the appeal of this one at first, but it's a classic for good reason.  It is simple for the child, but not painful for the adult.  It has simple but not cloying text, and just begs for visual interactivity (looking for the mouse on every page or the various items mentioned).  Finally, the book has an arc that leads to....bedtime, lights out.   It's almost perfect.   This is the longest running 'favorite' book and the one we still read last, every night, right before lights out.

Five Little Monkeys, Jumping on the Bed

Counting book, which is made fun by waving your finger and shouting the doctor's orders ("no more monkeys jumping on the bed!").   It's not the greatest bed time book for this reason, because it amps up rather than down (the opposite of Goodnight Moon).

Ten in the Bed

Another counting book which I find annoying to read.  

I'm a Mom! Now What?

This is a weird selection, but it has quickly become a nightly ritual.   Obviously, this was bought for mom, when we got into the business of having kids.   Lily took to the book because it's loaded with stock photography of babies. She has her favorite pictures and likes to thumb through to find them.    Each of her favorites has a name ("baby in a crib, baby in pool, etc").

*  I know these books from memory