LilSugar

10 Classic Books For Every Newborn

babysugar — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:50:47 PDT

Studies show that babies who are read to and sung to at an early age will demonstrate higher reading skills than other children. While many parents don't think a newborn is paying attention to the texts in their early days, getting them into a routine of reading will be worth the time spent in their infancy. These are 10 books every newborn nursery should have on the shelves.

Translate Pat the Bunny Into a Literary Baby Shower

Rebecca M Gruber — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:01:34 PDT

April showers may mean raincoats and wellies for some, but here at LilSugar, it means baby shower season has arrived! We're celebrating mamas-to-be all month with real-world baby shower coverage that takes the dread out of these festive rites of passage.

Expectant moms may recoil when someone wants to pat their belly, but they smile with delight when someone mentions the 70-year-old Pat the Bunny. The classic baby book, which invites tots to use their senses to touch, sniff, and lift their way through the book along with Judy and Paul, is a standard on many lil ones' bookshelves. Whitney Smith invoked all of the interactive portions of the book into an adorable baby shower for her friend and chronicled them on her blog. Check out the pictures and plan your own baby-book-inspired baby shower!

Source: Whitney Smith

Texts and Tunes: Classic Books That Never Get Old

LilSugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:01:00 PDT

Like them or not, classic books are staple gifts and bedtime reads because of their nostalgia inducing images and phrases for parents and their sweet tried and true story hooks that leave a smile on even the sleepiest kid's face.

I've always preferred reading my children contemporary tales, but I do have a soft spot in my heart for the classics like Pat the Bunny and Good Night Moon. I have put together a list of my favorite go-to traditional tales. What's the classic in your house?

Pat the Bunny ($10)	Where the Wild Things Are ($17)
The Tale of Peter Rabbit ($16)	Goodnight Moon ($8)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar ($18)	Curious George ($15)
The Little Engine That Could ($18)	Madeline ($18)	10 Little Rubber Ducks ($20)

Texts and Tunes: Children's Book Week Round Up

babysugar — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 07:00:48 PST

All week we have been telling you about some of our favorite children's books in honor of Children's Book Week. We hope the next time you need a book, you'll consider adding one of these to your kiddie library.

Goodnight Moon - Do you love the red balloon and the old lady whispering hush?
Pat the Bunny - Now YOU pat the bunny.
Freckleface Strawberry - Cherish those freckles and everything else about you!
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs - Have your kids rolling around in bed thinking about overcooked broccoli falling from the sky.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett ($7)	Freckleface Strawberry by Julianne Moore ($17)
Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt ($10)	Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown ($9)

Source

Texts and Tunes: Pat the Bunny

babysugar — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 07:30:00 PST

This week is Children's Book Week and to kick it off, we wanted to feature an old classic that makes us smile. You probably remember it from your childhood and will also enjoy reading it to your lil ones.

Pat the Bunny ($10) has been in print for 67 years and has sold over six million copies.

This modest book is simple, but remarkably entertaining for infant to preschool aged children. Patting a fuzzy white bunny and sniffing a bouquet of flowers, keeps tots stimulated from beginning to end. And, reading, "Paul and Judy play peek-a-boo. Can you play peek-a-boo with Paul?" never gets old.

Warning: All the patting, smelling, and tugging that goes on while enjoying, you might want to stock up on a couple copies. Babies like to eat the bunny, too.

Classic Literature Baby Books: Kid-Friendly or Are You Kidding?

Kate Stahl — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 04:25:18 PDT

If you're a bibliophile, chances are you're eager to move on from Goodnight Moon and Pat the Bunny to meatier fare. I love Eric Carle's books, but we recently added Have You Seen My Cat? to my daughter's collection, a book in which every single page says, "Have you seen my cat?" and "This is not my cat!" Absolute torture after three readings.

You can entertain your baby and be reminded of your days reading books with actual chapters if you pick up BabyLit's new collection of literary classics-turned-board books ($10 each). Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet have all been gorgeously reimagined for lil ones with clever, simple text by Jennifer Adams and stylish illustrations by Alison Oliver. Pride and Prejudice and Romeo and Juliet are also available as eBooks for your iPad ($4 each).

While I'm seriously digging these interpretations of some of my favorite classic books, I'm not sure the stories of star-crossed lovers and tortured orphans are quite baby-appropriate. What do you think? Are these BabyLit board books kid-friendly or will you stick to Karen Katz and Sandra Boynton?

8 Classic Kids' Books That Have Made the App Transition

Rebecca M Gruber — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:21:16 PDT

Modern times call for modern toys, and your lil one's books are making the jump into the tech age. From classic tales like Peter Rabbit and Pat the Bunny to more recent additions on the bookshelf, tots' favorite tales are transitioning from the traditional book to mama's phone and iPad. Check out which of our favorite stories have successfully moved into the digital age.

Texts and Tunes: Sock Monkey Boogie Woogie

babysugar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:00:00 PDT

While youngsters enjoy classics like Pat the Bunny, they also delight in silly books that leave them rolling on the ground laughing. Fire up the belly laughs with a copy of Cece Bell's Sock Monkey Boogie Woogie ($10).

As the Big Celebrity Dance quickly approaches, Sock Monkey realizes he has no date for the event. Desperate for a dancing partner, the simian fellow holds auditions that prove unproductive. The auditioning robot is "too clunky" while the plastic troll is "too funky." Using his creative juices, Sock Monkey stitches together his own partner - a mirror image of himself. Sock Monkey and Sock Buddy have loads of fun boogie wooging the night away.

Parents can use the felicitous tale to spur family activities - make your own sock monkeys and have your own dance party!

Texts and Tunes: Spring Into Reading

babysugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 05:00:00 PDT

Since today is the first day of Spring, I thought I'd suggest some cheery, floral laden books for your tot's library.

To see a few of our family faves,

Bunny Kisses ($10): A take on Pat the Bunny, this board book has a "kiss" button that your wee one will delight in pushing at every page.
Wake Up! It's Spring! ($16): As the sun warms the earth, lil creatures from all over are ready to shout, "Spring is here!" The sweet story truly is a blissful celebration of Spring.
It's Spring ($8): Linda Glaser wrote this delightful tale that beautifully illustrates welcoming Spring. The paper–cut images are inspiring for young artists. And at the end of the story, the author provides a list of outdoor activities for youngsters.
Caterpillar Spring, Butterfly Summer ($8): A smart way to introduce your tot to nature and the transition of seasons, this brightly crafted text shows a caterpillar's adventure as he starts as a tiny thing and turns into a beauteous winged creature.
Planting a Rainbow ($7): Help jump start your babe's color knowledge and green thumb by reading this vibrant tale to your sweetheart. Soon enough, the whole family will enjoy a jaunt in the garden.