One of baby’s little friends turned 1 recently, which I find absolutely mind-boggling. How can our babies be growing up so quickly? We were invited A.’s birthday party this weekend, and when it was time to pick out some presents for the birthday girl, I knew we had to include some beautiful books.
I picked out three absolutely stunning picture books to share with little A. I chose each book because it reflected some aspect of the baby and her family. These might not be books you’d immediately think of when shopping for a one year old, but I like to be forward-thinking when it comes to buying for babies – she’ll likely already have amassed quite the collection of board books, so I thought I’d invest in a few more advanced books that can hopefully be enjoyed for years to come.
BLOOM: A Story of Fashion Designer Elsa Schiaparelli
A’s Mama is a very stylish lady with an appreciation for fashion, so hopefully she will enjoy this elegantly beautiful picture book biography of visionary designer Elsa Schiaparelli. I particularly enjoy sharing Canadian picture books whenever possible – we have so much incredible talent in this country, so why not share and celebrate it?
“Only Lila can see that she’s really wrestling an octopus, racing along in a winged chariot, and flying with birds over a noisy jungle.” I really enjoy Yasmeen Ismail’s vibrant, colourful illustrations, and she creates imaginative, unabashedly wild little girl characters who just leap off the page. A. is already on the move, and hopefully will have many years of wild, creative, imaginative play ahead of her.
Mama’s first word was “kitty”, and baby A.’s first word was “cat”, so of course I had to include a cat-themed picture book in this birthday set! I particularly love the soft, whimsical illustrations in this one. – Kenard Pak is such a talented illustrator. I mean, just look at that cat’s side-eye!
Hopefully A. loves her new picture books!
What are some of your favourite picture books to give as gifts?
Thanks for sharing this beautiful book selection – what a fabulous birthday gift!