Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type (Caldecott Honor) By Doreen Cronin Pictures by Betsy Lewin

I have read this story with both of my children and enjoy it every time. I think you have to have a certain sense of humer to really appreciate this story. The thing I love most about the illustrations are the expressions of the animals, they are priceless! The cows seem so determined to ge those electric blankets! And, it is really amusing when the cows and hens go on strike and quit producing milk and eggs until they get what they want. We can all relate to this a little!The carefree way the illustrator uses color makes the humor really stand out. In the story, the author writes click, clack, moo to look like it is typed. That was really a clever idea. It allows the fact that cows are typing to come across.
Also, The way the farmer gets so frustrated and finally gives the cows and hens what they want, kinda reminds me of me with my own children (sad to say). But, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, to get something accomplished!

The Hello, Goodbye Window By Norton Juster Illustrated by Chris Raschka (Caldecott Medal)

As a parent, we all can relate to this story. It's about a little girl who goes to stay with her grandparents while mommy and daddy go to work. As a parent, we all look for those "little distractions" to help our children cope with a situation. The hello, goodbye window is found at the grandparent's house and the little girl looks in it every time she stays with them. You find all kinds of delightful surprises and can play all kinds of games while looking through this window. Needless to say, it helps the little girl be excited about going to her grandparent's house every time.
The illustrations in this book look like watercolors done by a child. This is a great way to inspire other children to paint and explore watercolor.
Children will like this story because they can easily relate to it. A lot of kids stay with their grandparents while mommy and daddy work, or for other reasons. It also helps children to realize that grandparents can be fun, and we can learn a lot of things from them!