Toddler Time

As the mother of a book-loving soon-to-be three-year-old, I can think of numerous books that I have discovered, written for the toddler set, that address and depict the joys of new discoveries and accomplishments frequently experienced by children this age. Conversely, I have encountered many books that deal with the challenges and frustrations of this age group. What I find so delightful about Ms. Simon's book is the way her poems flit between these opposing and powerful "forces" of toddlerhood-often within one poem itself-at such lighting speed. She "changes gears" so quickly-not unlike most two-year-olds I know! And she does this in such a way as to make toddlers laugh and to force their exhausted (and short-on-patience! ) parents to smile in spite of themselves!Ms. Winter's whimsical illustrations are a perfect companion to the text, humorously capturing the delight of newfound skills and recent milestones (bike-riding, choosing clothes and dressing, making the transition from a crib to a bed) as well as the seemingly endless frustrations within a toddler's day (sharing with friends and siblings, buttons and zippers, still needing a nap, eating noodles with a fork.) The fact that one can share a single poem (the book contains 17) in one sitting is a bonus, given the frequently short attention span of most toddlers.Truly a GEM--for toddlers AND their parents and caregivers!