The absolute best version of Mother Goose (a MUST read for little ones)

Every child simply has to listen to Mother Goose. It's a requirement of childhood. There are hundreds of books out there to choose from, but I can tell you right now which is the best. Mary Engelbreit's Mother Goose cannot be topped. I dare you to try to find a book that beats this one. (Really, I do. Let me know if you find one.)

You probably know Mary Engelbreit from those calendars and postcards and such. At least that's what I always thought of when I heard her name. But when my daughter was a baby, we got this book for her, and now I will forever associate this woman with Mother Goose - and some of the best times I had with my daughter when she was little.

We read this book every single day, over and over again. I have just about all 100 of the rhymes in here memorized. My daughter loved this book, even before she could talk (or probably understand what the heck I was reading to her). What makes the book so appealing are the illustrations. Mary Engelbreit did a brilliant job of illustrating these rhymes with so many details that kids just can't get enough. One of my favorites is the illustration for "There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe", probably because the woman looks completely exasperated - and I'm pretty sure I looked like that quite a bit in those days. (Ok, I still look that way. Quite frequently.)

I now read this book to my son, and my daughter, who is now 4 1/2, still loves it. They will both sit and listen to me read the entire book. That takes a long time! But I don't mind at all. Even when I have a sink full of dishes waiting for me.

Even if you don't go out and get this book, please, please, please read your kids Mother Goose rhymes. And fairy tales. (I'll give some suggestions for those shortly.) There are far too many children out there who have never heard of these poems and stories. Not only are these a great way for children to learn and practice oral language, but they are referred to far too often for our kids to have never heard of them. And they're so much fun!