With a seven-week-old who seems to always be nursing and a two-year-old who (thankfully) loves to read, I spend much of my time these days parked on the couch, a baby in one hand, a book in the other, and a toddler tucked in close. Reciting the same lines over and over (and over and over) again grows old. My mind has a tendency to wander. And yet, I know there’s goodness to be found here, that memories are being built in these quiet times together. I want to be fully present with my girls, to choose to be here in this moment with them, and to appreciate this season for what it is, even in the midst of seemingly endless repetition.

With this in mind, I’ll be spending October 2016 finding the beauty in the board books (and other books, too) as a part of the Write 31 Days Challenge. Each day, I’ll post a reflection sparked or a lesson learned by something I’ve read with my daughters.

This isn’t a parenting series, and you need not have an appreciation for children’s literature to enjoy these posts: I’ll be painting vignettes of our lives, drawing broader themes and ideas into what I write (much as I try to do throughout the rest of this blog). Come along for the ride! You never know what beauty you’ll find within the pages of a board book.

Note: I’m going to try to avoid writing straight reviews of each book, instead focusing on the way they fit into our lives or the conversations and ideas they provoke. That said, I’m always happy to share my opinion – just leave a comment on any post asking what I think, and I’ll respond with my thoughts.

1. Silly Sally
2. The Jesus Storybook Bible
3. Prayer for a Child
4. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
5. The Velveteen Rabbit
6. Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real – Library Book Edition
7. Duck, Duck, Moose!
8. Guess How Much I Love You
9. Good Night, Gorilla
10. Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
11. Blue Hat, Green Hat
12. Friends
13. Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real – Eloise Wilkin Edition
14. Little Blue Truck
15. Everywhere Babies
16. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
17. Happy Birthday, Little Pookie
18. Llama Llama Red Pajama
19. Mary Engelbreit’s Mother Goose
20. Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real – Audrey Wood Edition
21. Barnyard Dance
22. Sweet Baby Feet
23. One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
24. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
25. If You Give a Moose a Muffin
26. All of Baby, Nose to Toes
27. Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real – The Jesus Storybook Bible Edition
28. Stretch
29. Corduroy
30. Hop on Pop
31. But Not the Hippopotamus