children's books you won't mind reading again and again…

You know the drill. Your little one comes over with her Barbie I Can Be...a Baby Doctor early reader book & begs you to read it for the hundredth time. The first couple times were terrible enough as it was. I mean, who knew Barbie would confuse being a candy striper with a pediatrician so easily? Then after that, you contemplate skipping pages just to get to the end. Unfortunately, your little one knows each page by heart, so there's no way out of that one. Finally, you come up with a plan to "misplace" the book after reading it this last time but you're going to need some material to fill that void. Well, look no further. These books are not only crowd pleasers for my kiddos, but parent pleasers beyond measure making reading what it should be - quality time well spent.

Our picks? Nineteen solid books that will inspire impromtu storytimes around the clock.

• Chowder by Peter Brown - Every dog I ever own I will secretly hope grows up to be like Chowder, who proves being different is a wonderful thing.

• The Curious Garden by Peter Brown - This book about a boy with a green thumb who inspires a city to grow doesn't even need words. One page of this book alone is worth buying.

• Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton - My youngest loves this book for the diagrams alone - detailed maps of Katy's adventure in the Big Snow from start to finish. I find him reading it alone all the time and talking about where Katy needs to go.

• Vampirina Ballerina by Anne Marie Pace - Our family has a bit of an inkling for all things macabre, and this book is wonderously spooky and sweet teaching us about the importance of supporting our loved one's dreams.

• I Can See Just Fine by Eric Barclay - A super depiction of what it's like to have your world transformed by a good pair of glasses. As a result, my oldest goes around insisting her sunglasses are perscriptive and needs them to function. #glassesarecool

• The Going-to-Bed Book by Sandra Boynton - Help the kids wind down with this rhythmic tale of the bedtime routines of a motley crew of animals.

• Toot & Puddle: Charming Opal by Hollie Hobby - Toot? Puddle? Adorable Opal? The Tooth Fairy? Do I need to say anything else?

• Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems - Read the book but don't - I repeat DON'T - let the pigeon drive the bus.

• Benjamin McFadden and the Robot Babysitter by Timothy Bush - A perfect preparation for that night out on the town and leaving your little ones with the sitter. Being good for your sitter is a good idea now...and lightyears into the future.

• The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Ted Dewan - Every sorcerer needs an apprentice. And this book even comes with complete schematics for a robotic one if you need one, too.

• The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson - This tale of a tiny mouse who evades his predators with a beast of epic proportions has inspired all our monster games to have a Gruffalo in tow.

• Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann - This sweet story about a Zookeeper and his animal family is adorably sweet. The hidden gems in the illustrations make it absolutely divine. (Hint: Follow the balloon & don't forget to look at the family portraits on the wall.)

• The Boy Who Cried Ninja by Alex Latimer - The next time your little one says it wasn't their fault, perhaps it was a ninja doing the wrong doing...

• Hip & Hop Don't Stop by Jeff Czekaj - By the second time we read this book, our oldest daughter had it memorized. It's like and old-school rap song that brings a lift to your heart.

Need a book for a holiday? These are perfect gifts.

• Love, Splat by Rob Scotton - Finally a Valentine's book that captures a crush, jealously, and the drama of love in visual & literal perfection.

• Happy Easter Little Critter by Mercer Myer - Oh, Little Critter. Having your sister wake you up way too early on Easter is something you're going to need to get used to. But it's worth it.

• Where is Baby's Pumpkin? by Karen Katz - A great way to count, learn colors and look for Baby's super sparkly pumpkin.

• Thanksgiving at the Tappletons by Eileen Spinelli - Few books have been able to convey the true meaning of Thanksgiving so effortlessly and the hilarity of problems that can arise when we all get together.

• Dinosaur vs. Santa by Bob Shea - We have a little dinosaur in our house, too, who leaves a destructive path of adorableness in his wake. Watching this one prepare for Santa's arrival is hilarious. And messy.

​​Well there you have it, Barbie books no more!

From our family to yours, happy reading.

- postmodmom