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Books for babies should be interactive, colorful, and durable. I like the popular Baby Einstein series. A cozy, warm fuzzy book is "Kisses, Kisses, Baby-O" by Sherry Fitch. Touch and feel books with different textures and flaps, cloth books, and bath books are all great right from the start.

Preschoolers will like Robert Munsch, author of funny titles and sappy ones like Love You Forever (a real tear jerker for parents- watch out :). I am also a big fan of Stellaluna by Janell Cannon, a sweet story about a baby fruit bat. I like the Berenstain bears, Dr. Seuss books (remember Hop on Pop; Horton Hears a Who, How the Grinch Stole Christmas), Franklin the Turtle books by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark, the Sesame Street Library and other books from PBS, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Curious George, Richard Scarry Busy Day books (cute humanlike animals teach kids about everyday life in a funny, cute way), Little Golden Books (do NOT miss out on Four Puppies by Anne Heathers!) and the Dora the Explorer series. Some of the Dora books teach Spanish words too. Get the interactive Dora books with pull tabs and lift flaps, such as Big Sister Dora- especially if junior is about to become a big brother or sister (you may need to explain if It is not twins like in the story lol). These books are for 6-8 yrs: Madeleine books, some of the Clifford books, Thornton W. Burgess books ( ex. The True Story of Buster Bear).

The following should be appropriate for 10 yrs and up, or earlier if your child is a precocious reader. These are all very clean choices, and you can read them aloud if your child is old enough to like the story but not ready to pronounce the bigger words. The Clown of God by Tommi DePaulo is a gorgeous and touching book with a great message about humility and using our talents to glorify God. 1. Peanuts Gang series- ex. Its the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown! 2. Garfield. 3. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing; Superfudge (both by Judy Blume) 4. Charlottes Web; The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White 5. The Borrowers by Mary Norton 6. Ramona series; Henry Huggins; The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverley Cleary 7. The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford 8. Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder 9. The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis 10. The Hobbit; The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien 11. The Light Princess; At the Back of the North Wind; The Princess and the Goblin; The Princess and Curdie by George MacDonald 12. The Tower of Geburah series by John White 13. Owls in the Family by Farley Mowatt 14. Watership Down by Richard Adams 15. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell 16. Heidi by Johanna Spyri 15. My Robot Buddy by Alfred Slate 16. Skunks for Breakfast by Lesley Choyce

I guess that should be enough to get you started. Check out your local library as soon as possible for books suited to your own personal tastes! If your child LOVES a title, keep it in mind as a possible birthday or Christmas gift- owning it might be cheaper than always paying late fees because your child refuses to return it when it is due back at the library after borrowing it for the 10th time!

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