The Southern Eclectic: Children's Books for Every Topic + Big Squish's 1st Birthday Party!

I have been meaning to post this for quite some time and in all honesty completely forgot I had the information saved. This is straight from a Stroller Traffic email subscription so many of you may have already seen it, but for those parents, aunts, uncles, etc. who have not, here are some wonderful book suggestions:

Sometimes a children's story does a much better job of impressing a point on a toddler than anything we as parents can say or do. So we hit up the inspired child development experts at Seedlings Group for a list of great children's books to address everything from tantrums and sharing to sickness and feelings—for those days when our own parenting skills seem to be falling short.

TANTRUMS

When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry, by Molly Bang
Mouse was Mad, by Linda Urban and Henry Cole
Finn Throws a Fit, by David Elliott and Timothy Basil Ering
The Chocolate Covered Cookie Tantrum, by Deborah Blumenthal and Harvey Stevenson
Beatrice Doesn’t Want To, by Laura Numeroff and Lynn Munsinger

CHORES

How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Chores, by Stan Berenstain

PARENTAL LOVE

You Are My I Love You, by Maryann K. Cusimano
I Love You Through And Through, by Bernadette Rossetti Shustak
Guess How Much I Love You, by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram

SHARING/FRIENDS

The Rainbow Fish, by Marcus Pfister Herbert
How Do Dinosaurs Play with their Friends?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
A Visitor for Bear, by Bonny Becker and Kady MacDonald Denton
The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog, by Mo Williams
But Excuse Me, That is My Book, by Lauren Child
A Splendid Friend, Indeed, by Suzanne Bloom

PERSEVERENCE

The Little Engine That Could, by Loren Long

EATING

How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
Bread and Jam for Frances, by Russell Hoban and Lillian Hoban
Little Pea, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

NEW SIBLING

How to Be a Baby by Me, the Big Sister, by Sally Lloyd-Jones and Sue Heap
The New Baby, by Ruth Shane
Baby Come Out!, by Fran Manushkin

FEELINGS

My Many Colored Days, by Theodor Geisel - Dr. Seuss
Grumpy Gloria, by Anna Dewdney
Bear Feels Scared, by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
Llama Llama Mad, at Mama by Anna Dewdney
Today I Feel Silly, by Jamie Lee Curtis
Mrs. Biddlebox, by Linda smith
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst

MOVING

The Berenstain Bears' Moving Day, by Stan Berenstain
Big Ernie’s New Home, by Teresa Martin and Whitney Martin

VALUES

A Chair for My Mother, by Vera B. Williams

POTTY

Big Girls Use the Potty!, by Andrea Pinnington
Once Upon a Potty, by Alona Frankel
Everyone Poops, by Taro Gomi
No More Diapers for Ducky, by Bernette Ford and Sam Williams
A Potty for Me!, by Karen Katz

SICKNESS

Bear Feels Sick, by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
The Berenstain Bears Get A Checkup, by Stan Berenstain

SEPARATION

Don’t Go, by Jane Breskin Zalben
Llama Llama Misses Mama, by Anna Dewdney
The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn

GOING TO SLEEP

The Going to Bed Book, by Sandra Boynton
How do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
Bedtime for Frances, by Russell Hoban

ADOPTION

Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born, by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell
The Little Green Goose, by Adele Sansone
Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale, by Karen Katz

PACIFIERS

Pacifiers are not Forever, by Elizabeth Verdick and Marieka Heinlen
No More Pacifiers!, by Melanie O’Brien

MOVING TO A TODDLER BED

Sophie's Big Bed, by Tina Burke

DIVORCE

Two Homes, by Claire Masurel
It’s Not Your Fault, Koko Bear, by Vicki Lansky
Dinosaurs Divorce, by Marc Brown

PHYSICAL AGGRESSION

Teeth Are Not for Biting, by Elizabeth Verdick and Marieka Heinlen
Hands Are Not for Hitting, by Martine Agassi Ph.D. and Marieka Heinlen
No Biting!, by Karen Katz
No Hitting!, by Karen Katz

BULLIES

Let’s Be Enemies, by Janice May Udry

BEING UNIQUE

Freckleface Strawberry, by Julianne Moore
Big Dog…Little Dog, by P.D. Eastman
A Color of His Own, by Leo Lionni

NIGHTMARES

There’s A Nightmare In My Closet, by Mercer Mayer

DEATH

Remembering Grandpa, by Uma Krishnaswami

SCHOOL

WOW School, by Robert Neubecker
I Am Absolutely Too Small for School, by Lauren Child

CONCEPT OF TIME

A Second is a Hiccup: A Child’s Book of Time, by Hazel Hutchins

CURIOSITY

The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle.
What Do You Do With a Tale Like This?, by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
Where do Balloons Go? An Uplifting Mystery, by Jamie Lee Curtis

ALSO some pictures from Big Squish's birthday party! All the kids had fun which was the main thing, and I think the adults were well fed so they were happy too :)

I had balloons {one in the shape of a boot - v. cute} tied to the little gate entrance, then the guests walked up our stone path to the party. I painted signs for all of the activities as well...

Photo Saloon, Dig for Gold, Shoot Out, and Draw With Chalk {yeah couldn't really figure out a Western theme for that last one!}

This was the Photo Saloon I created for the kids {and adults!} to take their picture. They turned out pretty cute! I'm going to include each child's photo with their thank you note so the parents make sure and have a copy.

Talk about aaaaaaaamazing cupcakes! I had them done at Sugar Biscuit Cakery. Drop what you're doing and go check out her website stat. I don't think I have EVER met someone more talented or creative! I also made some Rice Krispie treats, but tied them with bright green raffia to turn them into Rice Krispie Hay Bales. YUM!