My daughter Aurelie Wren is eight months old today and she LOVES books. During my pregnancy I set out to build a library for her. and have slowly added to it since she has been born. Early on I noticed she was a quick study and the majority of the regular babyish board books didn't hold her interest for long, so we ended up branching out to a variety of books (many of which were for older kids) and she seems to really enjoy them. She does like Disney a lot (Minnie Mouse, Doc McStuffins, and Elsa being the banes of my existence right now--"Let it Go," right?) so those books are definitely part of the mix, but here is a list of Aurelie's favorite books outside of the Disney universe. Several of these are best read TO your kids if they are very young, but as they get older they will be able to read them all by themselves which is a plus. Click on the images for more info!
This book is absolutely beautiful in a distinct style that is very midcentury meets Marimekko. Part of a series, Kiely's images are simple with lovely colors and shapes that are easy for infants to process but also aesthetically pleasing for us adults. I have always loved Kiely's designs and this book is no exception!
This is probably her favorite book (and almost mine, for that matter.) Hiroe Nakata's watercolour illustrations are very cute and inviting and the whimsical writing is a crowdpleaser for the littles. Aurelie talks to the baby and we have a blast reading it. Out of all of her books, this one has probably been read the most!
I could say 1000 amazing things about this book, but to be more succinct I will say the following-- Adorable and simple drawings, great colors, highly informative, and a whole lot of fun to read.
I don't know how familiar you guys are with Carson Ellis, but if you haven't been exposed to her beautiful work, please do yourself a favor and pick up this book. The wife of Decemberists frontman Colin Meloy, she is an accomplished artist, designer, illustrator and storyteller. Her art has a very distinct style and she has illustrations in several children's books at this point, including the Wildwood series that she and her husband have produced (which is a must for young adults, imho.)
Aurelie loves to eat, so this books definitely up her alley. This series is probably one of the better touch-and-feel types of books and as an added bonus it is in three languages! The illustrations are super cute also.
This book is AMAZING and the colors/illustrations are phenomenal. The story is fun and educational, but hip in a way only MOUK can be. If you haven't watched Mouk on Netflix, add it to your list and set a night aside with the kids because you will probably end up binging it with some popcorn and juice boxes. The theme song alone had me hooked. This book also includes colorform-like stickers! Woohoo!
This was Aurelie's first book and even at eight months old she is still pretty hooked on it. The illustrations and reading are simple and an exercise in comparison, with a lot of focus on B+W solids and voids with red accents. A very good book for bedtime!
Speaking of bedtime, how cool is this book? You can project constellations on the wall or ceiling and teach the kiddos all about the universe. It is part of a series of books like this with different subjects but definitely a super fun, interactive book for the kids at night.
This book is really neat and goes through a variety of locations. Aurelie loves the colors and illustrations. There are tons of flaps that have objects behind them. At her age I have to help her with them (since it is for older kids,) but she really gets excited to see what is behind them!
Olivia is spirited and wild and reminds me a lot of Aurelie, so I can see why she gravitates towards this book. Witty and delightful, this book is a keeper.
This is a super sweet book with darling illustrations. The colors are very vibrant and the story is a beautiful affirmation of the love between a mother and child.
This book is so cool! It has the best animal sounds and neat illustrations. It's touch-and-feel and sound rolled into one and very affordable! We read this one a lot and mimic the sounds.
If you're looking for a cute story with midcentury styling, this book is perfect. Kids will love the witty narrative and simple design.
Aurelie really loves this book and it goes in our rotation fairly often. The pages fold out and it is very interactive and informative about typical places in a city. Dwellstudio can do no wrong in my eyes, anyway, but they definitely hit the mark with this one.
Because who does love le petit prince? Featuring Antoine de Saint-Exupery's whimsical illustrations and in two languages, this book is simple but sweet.
An older book but Aurelie is all about it. It's very funny and a delight to read and see.
Aurelie Guillerey is a wonderful illustrator (and Aurelie Wren's namesake) and this is just one of many books she has illustrated I love. Her style is playful and the book is very nicely produced and colorful. This and "Worms" are pretty great but there are several out there that she has worked on that you need in your life.
As an adult, this is probably my favorite children's book ever. Aurelie loves it, too, although it is a bit long so it may be best to read a quarter or so at a time. The illustrations are breathtaking and the ideas within it are very inventive and help the imagination soar while educating on cause and effect.
These Jane Foster books are simple, playful, and elegant. Aurelie really responds well to them and talks to the animals!
This book is very dynamic and well-illustrated. It is a great tool for teaching the alphabet and makes learning very fun!
We love, love, love, love this book. The story is adorable and the illustrations are very beautiful.
Midcentury style-- hip enough for the hippest parent but also fun for your littles!
Two words: Saul Bass. This book is clever, colorful, and great for children and adults alike.
I love Marc Martin. Aurelie loves Max. The illustrations are top notch and the story is grand.
This might be one of the most beautiful books ever. The illustrations are lovely and it is highly educational with beautiful prose. Aurelie loves the pictures right now but I know she will love the words when she is a bit older. It describes all four seasons and is a great introduction to the natural world,
Charley Harper had the coolest style and this is evidence of it. I love being able to introduce his work to Aurelie so early on and she loves the bright colors and abstract shapes. It's a win-win for everybody!
A great introduction to M. Sasek, this book is a compilation of several of his books about different places and the illustrations are unreal. It is an amazing book about the world and cultures around us and kids could spend hours looking at the beautiful artwork.
Roger Priddy is a baby-book-making genius. This book is lovely with flaps that fold out to reveal sweet animals. We read this book a lot and it is very cute.
Speaking of cute, this story and its illustrations are simple but great. It's definitely a "make voices" kind of book!
I love this series of books. Aurelie loves to touch all of the different shapes/numbers and it is very well-constructed yet simple in design.
We own a lot of the Babylit Primers and Aurelie "oos" and "ahhs" at the bright colors and fun illustrations. This one is probably our favorite, with Emma coming in at a close second. I highly recommend this series for younger folks-- the graphic design is simple but perfect.
Another Priddy book but this one is super cute and functions as a rattle and teether as well. Bonus!
This book is very fun and re-tells several fairy tales in a completely quirky fashion. The illustrations have an eye-catching playful style and it is fairly easy to read for a beginning reader.
Not to shamelessly plug my book, but Aurelie really loves it and we read it pretty often. It is part of a series and features bright and vibrant watercolor/gouache illustrations of cityscapes with a simple narrative.
Apparently Aurelie is Priddy fan (maybe he is the "baby whisperer"...) but she loves this book. It is a great touch-and-feel book and very affordable.
What are some of your kid's top picks for 2017?