Baby books ~ and a birthday party

Hickory, Dickory, Dock ~ illustrated by Sanja Rescek, 2006, children's, 8/10

My great-granddaughter Raegan is two and had a birthday party this afternoon.  Of course, I had to read the books first (and was almost late for church this morning because I got so into the sing-song rhymes of this one).  Sometimes, words for nursery rhymes are changed slightly, but I'm happy to report that these are still exactly the same as when I was a little girl, back in the 1940s.  (Yes, I can, too, remember that far back!)

Ring Around the Rosie
Humpty Dumpty
Little Bo Peep
Hickory, Dickory, Dock
Sing a Song of Sixpence
Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary
Three Blind Mice
See-saw, Margery Daw
Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep
Old King Cole (Oops!  It used to be "ole," not "old.")
Jack and Jill
Little Miss Muffet
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Pat-a-Cake
It's Raining, It's Pouring
I Had a Little Nut Tree
Rub-a-dub-dub
Little Boy Blue

Because the words stayed the same and because "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" is multicultural, picturing ethnically diverse boys and girls, I rate this book 8 of 10, a very good book.

Butterfly in the Garden ~ illustrated by Ana Martin-Larranag, 2006, children's board book, 8/10

I also got Raegan a book to wear on her wrist.  The book is in the shape of a cloth butterfly's wings, held in place with a band to go around a child's wrist.  Here's the entire text of the book, with one appropriate illustration per page:

Flower
Bee
Frog
Fish
Cat (By lip-reading, I deduce it's what Mommy's reading here.)
Bird
Dog
Butterfly

Raegan didn't want to open any more gifts once she found Butterfly in the Garden.  Mommy is saying, "Cat," and under Daddy's hand is Raegan's other new book, Hickory-Dickory-Dock. Because the butterfly book stopped the party, I rate it 8 of 10, a very good book.

Wings: A Book to Touch and Feel ~ by Salina Yoon, 2010, children's board book, 8/10

My five-month-old great-grandson Jaxon was also at the party.  He didn't need a bib designating him a ladies' man — all the females in the family, right down to 11-year-old Cady, wanted to hold him.  I took Jaxon a book about Wings (see him looking at it in the final photo).  Maybe my idea of the perfect gift explains why I could be called the Book Grandma.

Jaxon's mommy says red is his favorite color, so the cover is perfect.  Inside are sparkling silver bumble bee wings, glistening green hummingbird wings, shiny red ladybug wings, fuzzy yellow duckling wings, and shimmery pink butterfly wings.  The wings on the cover spread apart and clap shut when the tab is released.

And one last photo, taken near the end of the party.  That wrinkled nose is how Raegan smiles when she poses for pictures.

Raegan (on the right) and a friend ride off around the pavilion, pulled by Cady, in Raegan's really-really-really favorite gift. When she was taken from her new, blue wagon to go home before the rain started, Raegan sobbed. She didn't want the ride to end. (Click on photos to enlarge them.)