Still Reading to the Baby

One of our all time favorite reads is I Love You Stinky Face. From the very beginning, our daughter's nicknames have ranged from "baby doll" to "howler monkey" to "princess" and most recently "demon spawn" (after a nasty bout of teething when two new teeth came in simultaneously). I saw this title while I was shopping with my mother-in-law when my daughter was about four weeks old and I pounced on it. Since then I have purchased copies for many of my mommy friends.

As you can tell by my book selections so far, I love reading books to my daughter that demonstrate unconditional love between parents and children. In Stinky Face, a mother is trying to put her "wonderful child" to bed, while the child asks the mother questions testing the limits of her love: What if I were a a swamp creature with slimy, smelly seaweed hanging from my body? What if I were an alligator with big sharp teeth? What if I were a one-eyed monster? The mother's responses are creative as she explains how she would continue to love her child in each extraordinary situation.

The art is simply beautiful. In each new physical form the child is still wearing the same striped pyjamas. Many of the scenes show that the child still has favorite toys and pets with him in each transformation. The art cleverly shows how small imaginations stretch the boundaries of their "worlds" and how small children start expressing their independence.

I was surprised that my MIL, who teaches pre-K in Pennsylvania, had not hear of this series. She loved it after reading our copy and decided to add it to her booklist for school.

Lisa McCourt and Cyd Moore have collaborated on several children's books, including a series of Stinky Face books. I think it's a fun read for parents and children.