5) Books We Spend Hours Looking At

For the last few months we have spent a lot of time just looking at books. Particularly large books with very busy illustrations filled with lots to look at. I can remember loving these books as a kid, sitting up in bed long after I was supposed to be sleeping, studying Richard Scary books and discovering new details I hadn't noticed the first 100 times I looked at the book. I love looking at these books with the Bee too. Sometimes we play "I Spy" and sometimes we take turns describing what we see to each other. However, my favorite part of these books is that they never grow old, we keep coming back to them time and time again, discovering that we never run out of something new to look at.




1) Zoo-ology- By Joelle Jolivett
This over sized book is hard to fit into a book shelf but perfect for spreading out on the floor. Every page is over filled with incredible illustrations of every kind of animal you could every think of. A great resource for learning about new animals, at home or at school, for kids of all ages!
2) Almost Everything - By Joelle Jolivett
By the same author this book is also filled with beautiful illustrations. Each page has a different theme and is filled with tons of pictures about that theme. For example on the page about transportation there is illustration after illustration of different types of transportation from around the world and through out time. This book is also over sized and great for sitting together and looking at.
3) The Art Book for Children By The Editors of Phaidon Press
Both The Art Book One and Two are filled with images of works of art that you can't help looking at. From sculptures to painting from Cave Painting to Abstraction the works of art are accompanied by some information about the art or artist. I often find that the text answers the questions that the Bee asks or provide a great starting point for a conversation.
4) In the Town All Year Round By Rotraut Susanne Berner
While I love all the books in this post this one is most definitely my favorite. The book follows a small town through the four seasons of the year. Each season shows the same scenes from the town but with the people doing stuff specific to that season. One of our favorite things to do in this book is to select a character and see if we can find them on each page, you become amazingly connected to the characters in this town and I find myself talking with the Bee about them as if they are old friends of ours.
5) What do People Do All Day? By Richard Scarry
This classic has been a favorite for generations, and continues to be a hugely popular book in our house. We love looking at all the jobs that people do, seeing how plumbing works and how they make bread. Filled with words and pictures this is a good book for identifying and games like "I Spy."