Children's Books discussion

I'm looking to find some less-well-known picture books as gifts for a 3rd and 5th birthday . They already have lots of Dr. Suess and years worth of Imagination Library books. So far I'm considering:

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World
The Wonky Donkey
One Cool Friend
If I Built a Car

How about Goodnight Moon, but also in conjunction with the following parodies (which are of course not as well known)

Goodnight Goon: a Petrifying Parody

Goodnight Lab: A Scientific Parody Bedtime Book for Toddlers (Funny Gift Book for Science Lovers, Teachers, and Nerds)

My mom taught that age group for 30 years. I'll find out if they had any favorites and I can consult my nieces and nephews too. Oldest niece was into fairies, princesses and ballerinas but moving into graphic novels and early chapter books.

If I Built a Car is a lot of fun! I gifted it to my nephew when he turned 6 I think?

Here is a list of favourite picture books

The Highway Rat (really a fun parody of The Highwayman)

She's Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head! (wonderful story based on actual events)

A Day with Yayah (Canadian First Nations author)

Melted Star Journey (Canadian and feels like Vancouver)

The Hockey Sweater (A Quebec classic)

Du Iz Tak? (loved the created language and the illustrations)

Mother Earth and Her Children: A Quilted Fairy Tale (the absolute best translation of Etwas von den Wurzelkindern)

A Prairie Boy's Summer
A Prairie Boy's Winter
Lumberjack (interesting pictures, biographic)

The Noisy Paint Box (lovely introduction to Wasily Kandinsky)

Apples and Butterflies: A Poem for Prince Edward Island (wonderful)

Polka Dot Penguin Pottery (how to get over writer's block)

Island in the Salish Sea (British Columbia and First Nations)

Grandpa's Girls (delightful)

Linnea in Monet's Garden (art and a lovely intergenerational friendship)

The Queen's Progress: An Elizabethan Alphabet (fun, poetic and neat for fans of Elizabeth I)

My Donkey Benjamin (German original, a true story, was a favourite when I was a toddler)

Roy Makes a Car (fun folktale adaptation)

The Faithful Friend (Caribbean version of a Grimm tale)

The Secret Footprints (Dominican folk tale)

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale (really fun)

The Baker by the Sea (British fishing village story, really lovely)

The Queen on Our Corner (about homelessness and helping one another)

Catherine Rayner, for example Augustus and His Smile, mostly for great big fun and terrific illustrations.

Anthony Browne, for example Willy the Dreamer and Little Beauty, to show inner lives of people and other animals.

Jon J. Muth, for example Hi, Koo!, to inspire deep & beautiful contemplations.

Antoinette Portis, for example Not a Box, to inspire creativity.

Bob Graham, for example Oscar's Half Birthday, just too heartwarming for words.

Kabir Sehgal for Mother Goose Goes to India for the pre-literacy skills of nursery rhymes but in a non-European setting.

Some of Mac Barnett, especially Guess Again!, to get them thinking about the fact that expectations are a trap, but with lol humor. (*Don't let them read it on their own the first time! Pause at each page turn so everyone can guess what's coming up next!)

These are just the first picture-books I found as I began to scroll down my list. I can look for more another time if you still aren't sure what to get. If I knew more about the children, I could suggest more specific ideas. For example, Scaredy Squirrel is great for the right audience, but not so much universal appeal.

You might want to consider looking at Caldecott lists from the last few decades, too. And there are some wonderful leveled readers out there if the older child is starting to learn to read.

Btw, I did give One Cool Friend four stars. And I hadn't heard of Wonky Donkey so I'm requesting it now.

It's difficult to buy for children you don't know well enough. You want to give them books they'll enjoy now, but ones they won't outgrow immediately, too. Good luck!

Well, my picture books are less well known . . . . I don't know whether it would break any rules for me to identify them. If interested in more details, let me know!

AllieM wrote: "I'm looking to find some less-well-known picture books as gifts for a 3rd and 5th birthday . They already have lots of Dr. Suess and years worth of Imagination Library books. So far I'm considering..."

Once Upon an Hour
Knight Owl
Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress
Facts vs. Opinions vs. Robots (5 YO)
Rescue & Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship (5 YO)
A Big Mooncake for Little Star (3 YO)
Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival
Good Boy, Fergus!
No, David!
This Book Just Ate My Dog! (3 YO)
Can't Scare Me!: with audio recording
Zombies Don't Eat Veggies
Miss Moon: Wise Words from a Dog Governess
Sir Charlie Stinky Socks: The Pirate's Curse
Jasper Rabbit's Creepy Tales! (Boxed Set): Creepy Carrots!; Creepy Pair of Underwear!; Creepy Crayon!
Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog
Bravo, Chico Canta! Bravo!

Thanks, Karen, yes, just let people click on your picture to find the titles.

Will do! There are three picture books in a two-page list of books -- just look for picture-book-type covers.

Cheryl wrote: "Thanks, Karen, yes, just let people click on your picture to find the titles."

AllieM wrote: "I'm looking to find some less-well-known picture books as gifts for a 3rd and 5th birthday . They already have lots of Dr. Suess and years worth of Imagination Library books. So far I'm considering..."

You chose some good ones already. Here are some that I have loved for their quirky humor:
McToad Mows Tiny Island
That Is Not a Good Idea!
Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude
Snail Crossing
Mel Fell
Battle Bunny

Thanks so much for your suggestions, everyone! I love these so much that they'll probably be getting random surprise books for other occasions, too. ;)

The trickiest part about the situation is that they're both autistic and quite prone to imitating behavior they see in books, so I have to be careful.

AllieM wrote: "
The trickiest part about the situation is that they're both autistic and quite prone to imitating behavior they see in books, so I have to be careful.."

My older nephew had autism like tendencies. I tried to give him books where he SHOULD emulate the behavior like Creepy Carrots! and Zombies Don't Eat Veggies. It unfortunately for my sister did not work that way but I tried! Maybe it will work for your boys LOL! He did like Zombies but didn't want to try the recipe. He would probably like it though. He loves ketchup. I don't see how he wouldn't like gazpacho (blood bile soup) but it might be a texture thing.

One other one he liked a lot was Peanut Butter & Brains: A Zombie Culinary Tale. (He is obsessed with zombies).

Hi AllieM - I'm not sure if this is allowed, but I just self-published a children's picture board book for this age group last fall. It's about a deaf Dalmatian - teaching kids to overcome anything they feel holds them back. You can find it in my profile. Best of luck - I love that you're searching out lesser known books :)