August 9, 2025 By Maria
This is a piece I wrote a couple of years ago regarding my middle child. He is now nine years old, not seven, but he still enjoyed these stories when we revisited them recently. I was actually about to return the books to the library, when my son asked me to keep them out because he wanted to read them together again once more.
Maybe I am getting a little sentimental. Cross that, I am getting sentimental. My middle child has a loose front tooth, his first loose tooth. I am having a moment, a moment to grieve the coming change in his smile, which also means he’s getting bigger and older. My younger son was born prematurely and spent months in the NICU, in doctor offices, and therapies, but he has grown and accomplished so much. He is resilient. I am so proud of this kid, his creativity, passion and accomplishments in his seven years.
My son has taught me a lot about patience, parenting, and acceptance. We’ve had good times, and tough times. Some of the tough times were due to medical issues, but it was also just the experience of learning how to raise this unique child. Since I started with talking about a loose tooth, you may be expecting this to be a post about teeth books, first loose tooth stories, etc, but it’s not. I want to share four picture books that my son enjoyed, but also made me laugh out loud and sigh in appreciation of how much they make me think of him.
The first book I’d like to introduce you to is No Fits, Nilson! written and illustrated by Zachariah OHora. (We also love OHora’s Not So Quiet Library). While being fun and relatable to kids, this book demonstrates self-regulation and kindness. Nilson has big emotions. Amelia responds to Nilson’s tantrums with kindness and redirection. This book shows kids that it’s okay to have big emotions and it also gives tantrum prone kids a chance to see tantrums from another perspective. We found this story useful to keep in our mental database. I could remind my son of Nilson and Amelia when he was approaching a tantrum. Sometimes a relatable story gives kids enough of a pause to breathe and think for a moment instead of just blowing the lid.
So, about pausing and thinking before acting. . . my son loves food, fruit, snacks, trying new things. I love it, but he hasn’t always had the best self-control about waiting for snacks or not holding back and just helping himself to a treat. (Having a self-sufficient kid is awesome, but there are some moments when it’s not. I’m sure fellow parents know what I mean). I Really Want The Cake by Simon Philip and illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti made me laugh out loud. It is a cute and funny story of a girl who tries with all her might not to eat the cake her mom left on the counter, but despite all her tactics of avoidance. . . the cake wins. We discussed things like self-control and trying to cook without assistance when reading this book. In amusing ways, the girl and her dog try to distract themselves from the cake with games and dress up. When she approaches the cake, she’s dressed like a cowboy with a fork and spoon in her holster (my kids found this super funny). Horrified, my kids watched and listened as the girl makes a huge mess trying to make a replacement cake after she and the dog devoured the original.
Sometimes you need to make a mess, sometimes you just have to go a little wild. Having a unique kid can often feel like breaking the norm and going wild. Being accompanied by a three-year-old clad in a Spiderman suit to the supermarket and library is always an adventure. Our next book, Mr. Tiger Goes Wild, written and illustrated by Peter Brown is just the story for those out of ordinary days. (Peter Brown also authored The Wild Robot novels). I like that this book doesn’t show wildness as the best and only route, nor does it demonize being formal or “proper.” It encourages a pleasant balance of both. There are times to be wild and there are times to sit quietly. You can have self-control and still get the chance to play loudly and run and be “wild.” This book encourages kids to be true to themselves and tells them that it’s okay to be different and not a cookie cutter of everyone else.
My son has moments of wildness, tantrums, play, but he’s also a sensitive and empathetic kid. I am really impressed by how well he can now identify his own emotions. He still has big feelings (don’t we all), but he can also, if given the opportunity, self-regulate and not always lose himself in the moment. The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerfeld highlights how sometimes you just need quiet support. Different animals tell Taylor, the child in the story, what to do after his block towers are knocked over, but the rabbit does not. The rabbit listens. The rabbit lets Taylor tell the story and be mad and sad and work his way through the emotions. The artwork in this book really tells a lot of the story. We see how Taylor is feeling and reacting to each different animal who comes by and gives unsolicited advice. This book really shows compassion and being heard in a way that kids understand. Sometimes they need us to fix things for them, sometimes they just need a silent hug. It was really nice to see how my son understood this story. The book communicated with him in a way that just words alone did not.
I love books that communicate authentic characters to their readers. I love Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, but Tiny Tim, though super sweet, lacks the realness of a child that Beverly Cleary’s Ramona Quimby demonstrates. I know Tiny Tim is an idealized child for the sake of that story, and I will not go into a tangent about him and Dickens. These four books show real characters, having real experiences that kids can relate to even if the characters are not children like Mr. Tiger, for example. These books helped me connect with my son in a fun and unique way. What books remind you of your kids or help you connect with them?
More Bookshelves Please 