Fleet's Top Ten Books

The last time I wrote about Fleet’s favorite books was November 2020 (he was one and a half) and the entire list was comprised of board books. Well, our boy is growing up and can now handle books that come in a variety of shapes, formats, and sizes. Here are his current preferences (which of course can change at any moment):

Cars and Trucks and Things That Go?by Richard Scarry

Although the plot has something to do with a family of pigs on a road trip, there is way too much going on in this book for that to even matter. Every car and truck ever created in the history of the planet is in this book. It’s insane, it’s a lot, and Fleet loves looking at all of them.

Clifford the Big Red Dog?by Norman Bridwell (author and illustrator)

Originally published in 1963, this book is a classic for a reason. I remember reading?Clifford?books as a kid and loving them. There really is nothing like a kiddo’s friendship with a dog.

Construction Site?by Jonathan Lambert

Fleet can name every piece of construction equipment in the book – excavator, backhoe loader, dump truck, big-wheeled digger, etc. – and now I can too! The large flaps are also fun as we read how a construction site becomes a house.

Dragons Love Tacos?by Adam Rubin

Demonstrating Rubin’s creativity and wit, it’s no surprise that this book is a number one?New York Times?best-seller. At first the notion of pairing dragons and tacos may sound odd, but as the story continues it’s clear that they actually go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Elephants Cannot Dance?by Mo Willems

A number one?New York Times?best-selling author and illustrator, Willems has been awarded a Caldecott Honor on three occasions and I can see why. Clever and funny, the adventures of Elephant and Piggie make both kids and adults laugh. The duo’s antics are silly but there are important lessons to be learned from everything they do.

Everything I Need To Know I Learned From Led Zeppelin?by Benjamin Darling (author) and Danielle Marshall (illustrator)

I know what you’re thinking – of course this book is on the list because I love Led Zeppelin. I promise that’s not the case. Fleet loves this book. Even though he is too young to recognize that the wording comes from song lyrics, he enjoys pointing to all the people and creatures, as well as the integrated photos of Robert Plant and Jimmy Page.

Guitar Legends Alphabet Book?by Beck Feiner

It’s amazing how many A to Z books are out there – seriously they cover every topic you can think of – so I can imagine that coming up with something new isn’t easy. Published in 2020, this book creatively highlights many of the best guitarists in rock and roll history.

My Very Own Name?by Maia Haag (author) and Mark Mille (illustrator)

Personalized for each recipient,?My Very Own Name?features beautifully drawn animals that present letters that spell out the child’s name. For example, ours has a frog with the letter F, an elk with the letter E, and so on, until the animals spell Fleet Halen Fleming.

Otis?by Loren Long

Fleet loves reading about Otis the tractor and his friend the calf! With gorgeous drawings and a sweet message about friendship and determination, this is one of my favorites too.

Rhinos Who Skateboard?by Julie Mammano

Originally published in 1996, the same skateboarding slang (“Dude they are psyched!”) is still used today. The crew of rhinos skate all kinds of terrain and even run into a “posse of yahoos” aka alligators during their adventure. Anyone who participates in or spends time around the sport will appreciate the ride.