I’ve told you before that even though Darah might have one of the greatest collections of children’s music of any kid I know, she still has a favorite artist (how did she choose?! So many great choices!). Her favorite is Caspar Babypants, otherwise known as  Chris Ballew from a band we grownups may recall, The Presidents of the United States. She knows MANY of his songs by heart and loves to giggle, sing and dance when we play his music.

And now she loves to read his books! Chris and his wife, Kate Endle (an EXTREMELY talented artist) have created two beautifully written and illustrated books for kids. The first one is a board book, called Bunny Rabbit in the Sunlight. Darah loves the cover artwork of the bunny, because he looks just like her beloved bunny. The book has a great tempo to it, and you can imagine it being sung like a song. It’s all about different creatures enjoying all the different types of light (morning light, candle light, twilight, etc.). The pictures are truly gorgeous and we read this frequently.

But the book we read every single day is My Woodland Wish. This is a larger picture book, and the art inside is very cool paper collage. It’s all about a kid who is aware of all the wonderful wildlife that exists right outside her back door, and how she longs to get to play with all those creatures. The book even comes with a free MP3 of the book being performed as a song by Casper Babypants. It is absolutely beautiful, and Darah quickly picked up on the fact that there’s a clever ladybug waiting to be found on every page of the book. That is a mission she takes VERY seriously when reading.

There’s no doubt that Chris Ballew can write beautiful music. And now I see without a doubt that Kate Endle can draw captivating images. What a magical thing occurs when the two put their talents together for children’s literature. I highly recommend both books to be added to your child’s library! We’re so glad they are part of ours!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win your choice of book from Kate and Chris! Woo hoo!

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