Artful Board Books with Literary Flair

While shopping at The Spotty Dog Books & Ale* last week, I came across the following board book:

exhibit A

In the evenings, either pre or post bathtime depending on the degree of Poppy’s uncleanness, I summon an air of caring authority and announce to Poppy that we are going to read a book together.  Until recently, this has been the only book in the house that's truly at her level:

exhibit B

the apple and....

boat tour gets old.  it's just that these nouns aren't very inspiring-  

In these less dynamic board books, we see a picture of an apple next to the word ‘apple’.  And hey, I get it; apple is a useful and necessary word.  It’s just that...it’s not that exciting for me.  Enter BabyLit.

There're still only 1 or 2 words per page, but the pictures don’t look as if they hailed from Microsoft Word '95’s clip art gallery.  

Sherlock Holmes in his carriage that has wheels- 

that's Sherlock Holmes descending the stairs!

We all know that we should be doing it ALL THE TIME, and we want to; we really do.  It's just...the apple and boat tour get rather dull night after night.  It’s just more likely that I’ll read to my toddler if it's from an artful baby book with some literary flavor.  And who knows; maybe this early exposure will translate into an interest in Shakespeare that will resurface in her 5th grade english class**. 

if given a choice, I’m gonna read this to my 19 month old-

The goal with the BabyLit board books is the same as it is with the more traditional board books: to upload a few more words into Poppy's little noggin.  So thank you, BabyLit, for decreasing the likelihood that I’ll skip the reading and just plop Poppy in front of TV (a last resort that both common sense and The American Society of Pediatrics discourage).








*a charming little bookstore in Upstate New York.  
http://www.thespottydog.com/blog/
Cute huh?


**In answer to your question, yes.  Yes, I know that there's little chance of that actually  happening.



BabyLit's series of 12 literature-inspired board books were illustrated by Alison Oliver.
http://pure-sugar.com/illustration/books/

http://www.babylit.com/shop-books/