Flotsam by David Weisner

What is flotsam? Apparently, it is floating refuse or debris. I never knew about this word until I read this book to Ricky. The book is about a camera found at sea. I don't want to ruin the book for anyone so I won't divulge any more about the plot. But basically, this book has all pictures and no words, so it is up to the storyteller to tell the story. I have read this book to Ricky a few times and every time it is different - the plot is the same, but he notices different details each and every time. The illustrations are great and leave much to the imagination. No surprise that this is a Caldecott winner. A huge recommend!

My World by Margaret Wise Brown

Don't even bother with this book. The illustrations are cute, but there is no story at all. There is some vocabulary to be learned, but "my brush, daddy's brush" is not what I would consider strong vocabulary lessons. This is my least favorite of all Brown's books and one that my son actually does not like. I would even venture to use the phrase "stupid book" for this one.

The Best Pet of All by David LaRochelle

This is one of little Ricky's favorites. This is the story of a little boy who really wants to have a dog but his mother is against the idea. He enlists the help of a dragon to change his mother's mind. It's a really funny story and the illustrations by Hanako Wakiyama are amazing - right down to the detail of the boy's mother's capri pants. You will love reading this book to your kid because of the flow of the story, the pictures, and the fact that it's not so long that you'll lose your voice. A strong recommend!