Baby's First Library (rpkg) (Board book)

by Margaret Wise Brown (Author), Clement Hurd (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
This tremendous trio of Margaret Wise Brown's tried-and-true board books is virtually guaranteed to delight babies and toddlers. The Runaway Bunny, illustrated by Clement Hurd, is a comforting testimony to a parent's unconditional love and protection: "'If you run away,' said his mother, 'I will run after you. For you are my little bunny.'" Goodnight Moon walks a child through a hypnotically soothing bedtime ritual of naming familiar objects in a room (and finding the little mouse that keeps popping up); and the melodic Big Red Barn, with illustrations by Felicia Bond, is a colorful foray into farm life: "By the big red barn / In the great green field, / There was a pink pig / Who was learning to squeal." In the end, the barnyard animals are all asleep, and if you're lucky, your favorite toddlers will be, too. A wonderful first-book collection.

Product Description
Margaret Wise Brown's beloved bedtime classics have lulled generations of children to sleep with their soothing sounds. Now, for the first time, these three classics are shrinkwrapped together in a beautifully designed gift package. The gift set includes Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny, with pictures by Clement Hurd, along with Big Red Barn, illustrated by Felicia Bond.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Baby-Preschool
  
• Board book
• Publisher: HarperFestival (April 11, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0694011053
• ISBN-13: 978-0694011056
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 5.1 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #168,766 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Three wonderful toddler books you'll enjoy reading too, November 22, 2001

By	Anthony and Nicole Spence (MOUNT NELSON, TASMANIA Australia) - See all my reviews

I bought this set when my baby was 3 months old. We started reading him Goodnight Moon every night as part of his settling routine - we thought it was just a nice, short, repetitive little bedtime book that could be read in about 4 minutes. Well, it's turned out to be so much more than that. Our son is now almost 2 and he still has Goodnight Moon as the last story of the night, every night. He loves hearing the little bunny saying Goodnight to everything in his room, a routine we also perform as part of our bedtime wind down. He still laughs at "Goodnight Nobody" and we still enjoy reading it. Thats a tough call for a book we've read about 1500 times. He has a second copy for his bookcase because he loves this story so much that he pulls it out to read most days (and we are more than a little afraid of the precious bedtime book being lost!) It is such an integral part of his sleep routine that it is the first thing we pack to take on holidays. This book has given us a lot of pleasure, and has played a big part in a wonderful sleep routine.

He began a love affair with Big Red Barn at about 14 months and it remains a strong favourite - often on his bedtime reading choices. The wonderful poetry is a joy to read aloud and we all know it by heart. He loves the animal noises (espescially the rooster), counting the eggs under the hen and whispering so as not to wake the animals who are sound asleep in the bed red barn. I love reading him this book. My favourite.

The Runaway Bunny was a hit for a short while when he was about 12 months old - probably because I did a funny voice for the little bunny. It fell out of favour as the text was too long for a younger baby. For the last few weeks though, this has re-emerged as THE book. The one he hunts for in his bookcase. The one he runs up the hall and thrusts into my hands before plopping into my lap, bright eyed and waiting. He loves to point out the baby bunny hiding in the crocus, help the mother blow her sailboat bunny across the water and to swing his arms like he's flying on a flying trapeze. He waits gleefully for the mother (and me) to catch her little bunny in her arms and give him a big hug - surely a big cuddle must be the best ending for any toddler reading session?

This set has been a real trasure. I read Goodnight Moon as a child but has not encountered the other 2. Discovering them has given us all a lot of pleasure. Each has become a real and lasting favourite - these books never inspire the "PLEASE not again. I'll go quite MAD" response. A wonderful new baby gift, or present for grandparents who love to share the joy of reading with their grandchildren.

54 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have in every child's library, June 2, 1999

By	Nikki ([e-mail]) (Copenhagen, Denmark) - See all my reviews

When I first bought this set and began to read them to my two year old, I just didn't get it! The rhymes weren't quite right, the pictures were kind of old fashioned and the stories weren't really proper stories. In fact I didn't really enjoy reading them the first couple of times. But I soon realised what a mistake I'd made.

Why should poetry for children rhyme and scan perfectly? The pictures have delightful details which become more and more obvious with each reading. The stories are wonderful, loving and gentle. Just what bedtime needs.

Now after over a year of reading these three books many, many times, I find myself being disappointed when my daughter choses another book at bedtime.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous reading for infants through toddlers, August 2, 2000

By A Customer

I purchased this set for my son when he was 3 months old. He is now 21/2 years old and can recite along with me all of "Good Night Moon". These books are classics and an easy read. In addition, the vibrant pictures and stories will hold the babies attention. It's a must have for any child's library.