My kiddos have recently entered into a new phase of absolutely loving reading time! We have shelves upon shelves of books, but we often find ourselves drawn back to the same few books that provide a slightly more meaningful experience than the average story. These treasures have earned a special place on our shelves, and I hope they bring as much joy and inspiration to your family as they have to ours.
Three Little Engines By Bob McKinnon
This one is my all time favourite. My sister gifted it to my kiddos a little over a year ago, and I still tear up every. single. time. The story follows 3 trains on ‘Engine School Graduation Day’. One little train finishes her track test easily, but becomes confused when the other two trains who hit storms, trees, and hills did not finish. The instructor explains, “Some engines make it here, and others have things that get in their way- no matter how hard they try.” *Cue the tears.* It is such a powerful book on the importance of understanding advantage, lending a helping hand, and kindness. (As someone who deeply struggled with postpartum depression, this book HITS HARD. I warned you!)
The World Needs Who You Were Made To Be By Joanna Gaines
This one was read daily for a few months.. Not only is it an absolutely gorgeous book, but it is a celebration of diversity, creativity, and uniqueness that encourages children to be exactly who they are. The story follows a group of children creating their own hot air balloons, and just how differently they all approach the task. How boring would the sky be if it was all the same colour!
Have You Filled A Bucket Today? By Carol McCloud
This book is adorable. It talks in super easy terms about how each person has a bucket, and we can either add to, or take away from someone else’s bucket. It gives practical examples of what could be a bucket filler action vs a bucket emptier action. My kids have loved taking this into practice! Some mornings my oldest reminds me of our challenge ‘let’s see who can fill a bucket today!’ and then we tell each other our stories around the dinner table.
Our Skin: A first Conversation About Race By Megan Madison & Jessica Ralli
Being a mixed race family, this book was recommended to me by a friend. It is such a beautiful and honest book. Some pages may need to be reworded by you on the fly depending on what age/level your kiddo is at as some of the examples go quite deep, but there are a lot of easy to understand examples and will hopefully open the door for conversation in your family!
Madi’s Mom Goes To Work By Dr. Stephanie Liu
This book is very special to me. I really struggled with mom guilt when I went back to work, and this super adorable book (geared towards younger kids) teaches children that mommies can and do work in every job you can imagine. It promotes a healthy understanding of why some mommies choose to work and that you too can be anything you want to be when you grow up!
It Will Be Okay By Lysa TerKeurst
This one is for my fellow Christians.. This beautiful book assures young (and old) readers that they are never alone when facing touch challenges or new & scary scenarios. It follows the story of a little seed and a kind farmer. When the little seed is planted in the messy dirt, it is confusing and scary, but one day the little seed blossoms into a beautiful tree and realizes it was never meant to stay as just a seed. ♥
Do you have any books that your family reaches for over and over? I would love to hear from you!
Suzi ♥
Check out some of Suzi’s work! Edmonton Newborn Portraits, Edmonton Cake Smash Photo Shoot, Edmonton Kids Photos, Edmonton Mommy and Me Session
