always judge a book by its cover

To me, there is no better gift than a book (other then wine or food, perhaps). So I was delighted when my book club threw a 'baby book' shower for me last year. I have always been drawn to the clean, crisp illustrations of many children's books, and even purchased quite a few way before the thought of having a child entered my mind. 

While a mom-to-be will always appreciate a classic (Goodnight Moon, The Giving Tree, The Hungry Caterpillar), a more unusual selection can be a great gift as well. A book with a charming cover doesn't even need gift wrap...just a ribbon and a sweet note. A couple of my recent favorites are shown above. Whatever and Tikki, Tikki, Tembo have slightly 'dark' endings for children's books, but nonetheless, are beautifully illustrated. All of Maira Kalman's (What Pete Ate from A-Z) books are amazing, not just because of the quirky illustrations and bright colors, but because they entertain the adult just as much (or more then!) the child. I just found Leonardo the Terrible Monster during my last trip to the book store, and thought it was delightful. You can't go wrong these days, with so many great books to choose from.