What: Picture Book, Baby Knows Best, by Kathy Henderson (illustrated by Brit Granström)
Website: Baby Knows Best at Amazon.com
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

You know the common saying that when you buy a kid a new toy, all she wants to play with is the box it came in? In Baby Knows Best, Henderson explores this oh-so-true observation with warmhearted humor and a parent's knowing insight. No matter how many toys, clothes, and baby "necessities" this family provides for their little girl, all she wants is whatever the rest of the family has. The language is rhythmic and rhyming, and Granström's soft watercolor illustrations are full of pictures of familiar objects in baby's world.

At the moment, this is 16-month-old Ethan's favorite book. My toddler loves scouring the pictures to find things he recognizes from his own life: a high chair, books, bathtub, pasta....He points at them and announces their names with glee. He says "Eewww" at the picture of the baby eating the newspaper, and "Awww" when she curls up to sleep in her Mom's arms. Our whole family enjoys reading this book that truly depicts daily life with a young toddler and emphasizes what babies really care about.