Wonderful Things For Little Ones
I have long wanted to share my love of children’s books with you, and what I consider classics that every child should know. I firmly believe that the best thing you can do with little ones is read to and with them, and encourage a home library.
This list of books could complete a child’s library. We read to Whitten every night until he was in first or second grade. And I always read with voices and songs! Such nice memories.
That wish to share has morphed to include my list of wonderful sources for children’s clothing and toys and gear. Many of you are grandmas, so I thought it would be interesting and helpful for you. The books you may not know of, or may have forgotten. And the shops are just filled with wonderful things.
I know we all want to support our local shops, but honestly, there isn’t that much adorable kids’ shopping in my area. Many of the tried and true shops have closed. There are a few left, but not much, here in my neck of the woods. Having said that, all/most of the these books, you can find at your local book store!
I find myself deep diving online to find the most amazing things for littles!
So here we are with my sources for the littles in your life, for the holidays and wintry visits to come! Enjoy this trip down memory lane and you might find something new/old to read with your sweet ones. Afterwards, you will love the amazing shops I’ve found for you too.
Classic books For Every Child…
ages infant - 3…written by Margaret Wise Brown in 1947…the classic bedtime book and one of the most beloved books of all time.
Mike Mulligan & His Steam Shovel…
ages infant - 4…written by Virginia Lee Burton in 1939…a story after the great depression about Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel, Mary Anne. Caldecott Medal.
ages infant - 3…written by Margaret Wise Brown in 1942…a tiny rabbit wants to run away and his mother tells him she will run after him…a game of hide and seek
ages 1 - 4…written by Margaret Wise Brown in 1946 about a little fur child’s play day in the woods. Adorable.
ages 1 - 5…written by Ezra Jack Keats in 1962…a little boy explores his neighborhood after a big snow. Caldecott Medal.
ages 1 - 5…written by Maurice Sendak in 1963…Max dresses in his wolf suit and is sent to bed without dinner - from there he sets sail to an island with wild things. Caldecott Medal
ages 2 - 4…written by Robert McClosky in 1948…a little girl and her mom pick blueberries for winter, while a mama bear and cub eat them for winter. Caldecott Medal.
ages 2 - 5…written by Ludwig Bemelmans in 1939…written in rhyme, it takes place in a girls’ boarding school in Paris. Caldecott Award, inspiring 17 more books.
ages 1 - 5…written by Jan Brett in 1989…a Ukrainian fairy tale - a boy’s lost mitten leads to a charming snowy adventure
ages 2 - 6…written by Robert McClosky in 1941…a pair of mallards raise their family in the Boston Public Garden. Caldecott Medal.
ages 2 - 5…written by Laura Melmed in 1992…a childless couple finds a dozen tiny moonbabies in a meadow on a moonlit night. (Especially meaningful for me when I was trying to conceive a sibling for Whitten.)
ages 2- 7…written by Virginia Lee Burton in 1942…a little house is built in the countryside, only to find the big city is built up around her - she is neglected, then rescued. Caldecott Medal.
ages 2 - 7…written by Janet & Allan Ahlberg in 1986…amusing correspondence between fairy tale and Mother Goose characters…this is a must have - it includes real letters and there is a Christmas sequel that’s equally wonderful.
ages 2 - 7…written by Chris Van Allsburg in 1985…a young boy lying awake on Christmas Eve is welcomed aboard a magical train to the North Pole. Caldecott Medal.
ages 2 - 8…written by Esphyr Slobodkina in 1940…a peddler, his monkeys and their monkey business
ages 2 - 8…written by Shel Silverstein in 1964…such a touching book about the gift of giving and another’s capacity to love in return. Beautiful.
ages 3 - 6…written by Marjorie Flack in 1933…the story about a little duck’s misadventures on the Yangtze River in China
ages 3 - 8…written by Barbara Cooney in 1982…the story of Miss Alice Rumphius who wanted to live by the sea and make the world more beautiful.
ages 3 - 8…written by Margery Williams in 1921…a stuffed rabbit desires to become real through the love of his owner.
The Year Of The Perfect Christmas Tree…
ages 3 - 8…written by Gloria Houston in 1988…how will Ruthie and mama get the perfect tree for the town, now that papa’s off at war?
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs…
ages 3 - 7…written by Judi Barrett in 1978…the tiny town of Chewandswallow had weather three times a day…at breakfast, lunch and dinner
ages 3 - 10…written by A. A. Milne in 1921…the complete stories of Winnie the Pooh and the House at Pooh Corner, with original illustrations.
The Tales of Peter Rabbit and His Friends…
ages 3 - 8…written by Beatrix Potter in the 1890’s and transcends age and time…13 tales about Peter Rabbit and his friends, and his mischievous ways.
ages 4 - 8…written by Alice McClaren in 1991…about an Arizona hill covered with rocks and boxes that becomes an imaginary town for Marian and her friends.
Dinosaur Bob & His Adventures With The Family Lazardo…
ages 4 - 8…written by William Joyce in 1988…a family becomes so attached to a dinosaur they find on safari, they bring him home
ages 4+…written by James Gurney in 1992…in 1860, a scientist and his young son discover a world where dinosaurs live with humans. Beautiful illustrations.
ages 5 - 7…written by Ruth Gannett in 1948…Elmer hears about a baby dragon held captive and goes to the rescue. A classic. Newbury Honor.
ages 5 - 8…written by William Joyce in 1993…Art Atchinson Aimesworth, all around whiz kid, travels with his sister Esther and friend Spaulding, by special invite from Santa…
ages 5 - 8…written by E. B. White in 1945…a fantastical story about a mouse-like human boy. Newberry Award.
ages 5 - 8…written by Allen Say in 1993…told by his grandson a chronicle of a man’s journey from Japan to California and his love for both countries. Caldecott Medal.
ages 5+…written by Kenneth Grahame in 1908…the adventures on the water of Mole, Ratty, Badger and Mr. Toad.
ages 5 - 9…written by E. B. White in 1952…tells the story of a livestock pig named Wilbur and his friend Charlotte the spider. Newberry Honor.
The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe…
ages 5+…written by C. S. Lewis in 1950…a fantasy about a magical wardrobe and the world beyond it. The best know of all the Chronicles of Narnia.
The Mysteries of Harris Burdock…
ages 5+…written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg in 1984…a book of pictures, one line story starters if you will, that invite story telling. The cover is an indication of how good this is…
ages 6 - 9…written by Roald Dahl in 1961…James Trotter goes to live with his horrible aunts after his parents are eaten by a rhinocerous, and life is no fun, until he drops some magic crystals by a peach tree…
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
ages 6 - 9…written by Roald Dahl in 1964…the adventures of young Charlie Bucket inside the chocolate factory of Willy Wonka.
ages 6 - 9…written by Chris Van Allsburg in 1981…about an enchanted board game that is played in real life with wild animals in a jungle. Caldecott Medal.
ages 7+…written in 1943 by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry…a pilot crashes on a desert and meets a boy called The Little Prince who has traveled from his lonely astroid
Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland
ages 9+…written in 1865 by Lewis Carroll…the classic mind-bending tale of Alice’s fall down a rabbit hole…with original illustrations
Wonderful Places To Find special Gifts for little ones…
A line from England with cute, more traditional clothing. Great for special gifts.
Adorable baby clothes.
Adorable handknit dolls made in Nepal and Peru, and for every doll sold, 5 - 10 meals are fed to hungry children.
You can probably find this brand locally. The cutest stuffed animals ever. From England.
We carried this line at Posh and you can find it locally. Adorable clothes, blankets, stuffed animals and the best lovies.
The end-all for wonderfully made and interesting children’s toys and dress-ups. You may find things here that give you ideas or that you can find similarly, locally!
Most adorable hand me down moccasins and diaper bags.
Great source for educational toys. Reminds me of when I sold Discovery Toys. Here’s a favorite baby gift of mine.
The look is more expensive than the price! Another really great site for clothes, shoes, bibs and toys.
Great personalized activities for kids. My favorite is this large pad with their name on it >>>>>
Thanks for tuning in to find these great sources for your favorite little people. Coming soon - holidays at my house, a beautiful mailbox “how to” and we’ll discuss aging parents with dementia, as well as grief during the holidays.
Love you ladies! ❤️