llama llama and mama...

llama llama holiday drama 

and

llama llama easter egg

by Anna Dewdney

To say I am a sucker for children's books is...well...honestly...to speak the truth!!

I call myself the "book Grandma" since that is 

virtually all I gift to my grandchildren. 

For me, there is no greater gift to give!

Perhaps we all tend to want to 'pass on' to those we love what is most meaningful to us. At least I think most of us do... I have looked at these Llama Llama books for years and finally bought the holiday book while on sale at Barnes & Noble for half price...after the end of the year, of course! However, I never overly stress giving "holiday" books at various times, assuming parents can save them back and/or put them into a reading rotation, if they desire. I decided last night I wanted to read these before I delivered them. This is something I always try to do, though sometimes I run out of time! 

For me, Dewdney's anthropomorphization of the llamas is the most fun part of these books. To see human clothes on these furry four-footed camelids as they walk upright is in itself fascinating! The vocabulary is very simple. There are many things I really like. The fact that llama's schoolmates are of varied species, the fact that mama is including llama in ALL the holiday preparations, and especially that, as many of us human mamas don't remember to do often enough, she sits and snuggles with her child:

Gifts are nice,

but there's another--

the true gift is 

we have each other.

What parent would argue with that? :)

And to be a bit more timely and in line with current holidays:

I love the Easter board book just as much! Board books are so very practical--they last much longer and can take more abuse!

Llama learns about some naturally colored eggs that are never meant 

to be cooked, hunted, or eaten!

Checkout the website: sing-along, app, video. 

In closing, these books are A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!!
I assume Ms. Dewdney does all the artwork herself since she mentions painting on her website. I particularly admire the facial expressions depicted. 
Artwork is a large part of the picture book experience. 

Whether you're looking for gifts for your own children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, or a friend's child, or a baby shower gift, or as an anonymous charitable donation--

I guarantee you can't go wrong with any of the Llama Llama books!

I intend to gift more of them to my own kidlets!!

Have you read any of these? Or better yet, have you read any of these to children? If not, give 'em a try!