What to read if your kids like...

"Madeline," "Guess How Much I Love You" and "The Mitten."

Oct 11, 2023

Rather than follow a specific theme this week, I’m trying something a little different.

There are few things better than personalized book recommendations, and while I wish I could give each of you a custom list of recommendations, the next best thing I can do is offer some suggestions based off a few classics.

If your littles like “Madeline,” “Guess How Much I Love You” or “The Mitten,” here’s what to read next:

If you like “Madeline,” consider:

“Miss Lina’s Ballerinas” by Grace Maccarone

My two-year-old daughter loves this one, and I hope yours does, too! Eight little girls study dance with Miss Lina in a cozy white house in the town of Messina. They dance all day long in four lines of two, but when a ninth girl joins the class, everything goes awry.

The simple illustrations, rhyming pattern and girls going on adventures in straight lines are reminiscent of “Madeline,” and I love how this book introduces some spectacular synonyms (flummoxed, perplexed, befuddled), math concepts (four lines of two, three lines of three) and French (plié, relevé, pirouette and jeté).

If you liked “Guess How Much I Love You,” consider:

“Love” by Emma Dodd

This is a sweet book for children who are newborn to about two years old. The story follows a little bunny through the day as he learns what a parent’s love looks like.

It’s reminiscent of “Guess How Much I Love You” thanks to the bunnies and love theme, and the big illustrations are perfect for little eyes. (The board book version of “Guess How Much I Love You” is quite small.)

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If you liked “The Mitten,” consider:

“Bear Snores On” by Karma Wilson

We borrowed this book from the library, and my four year old didn’t want to give it back! “Bear Snores On” echoes “The Mitten” in that a little parade of animals try to keep warm in the snow, all to be joined in the end by a bear.

I love this book for so many reasons, including the beautiful writing (“an itty-bitty mouse, pitter-pat, tip-toe, creep-crawls in the cave from the fluff-cold snow”), the design of the words on the page and the charming illustrations. If you’re looking for a cozy read come November and December, this is it!