This is a cute, simple book about different animals and the way their skin, fur, etc may feel. The book says "Do you like" so and so kisses. Such as "do you like scratchy cat kisses"; then there is a picture of a cat with a scratchy fabric on the tongue. I chose this book because I love interactive touch and feel books, I think it is a type of book that gets young children of all ages involved in the reading. I think this book supports children's engagement in reading because it keeps children interested in the book. When reading to young children at work I often find that if you are not engaging with them, then they get bored. Books like this helps children to stay focused and engaged because they want to feel and think about what is being said in the book. Interactive touch and feel books such as this one make it fun to read with their classmates; they learn to share and take turns with the books. This in turn can also make it more fun and engaging because the class is doing this activity together. You can also connect books like this to their life by asking questions like "What else feels like this?". Children are very capable of relating things back to their own life if you give them the chance, and this helps to give them positive experiences with reading and books; there, making them want to read and be engaged even more.

The piece of children's literature I chose for the toy book category is Cookies! An Interactive Recipe Book. So far in our class and in my previous child development classes we discuss weekly how important it is for children to be engaged in their play, in their education, and in their learning. Some ways we can make learning and literacy more appealing to children is by providing reading materials that are engaging with pictures, colors, and themes and that represent the special interests of the children! Personally, I LOVE all things cooking and baking and have since I was a preschooler! When looking at what toy books the IMC offered I found this book and was immediately intrigued. It isn't just a book about making cookies, but it features a real recipe to follow including ingredients and measurements and interactive parts of the book. My favorite pages include the one where the reader is asked to "fold" the wet into the dry ingredients and the prompts you to do this by pushing paper around in a semi circle shape and the page where you can take the cookies out of the oven!

For children interested in helping cook / bake, this book immediately catches the eye, sparks the curiosity, and builds upon children's interests, tying it into literacy. Not only is it a book children can relate to and have fun reading, but learning to read and follow the directions for a recipe are important life skills and something children can easily participate in in the kitchen! What I love about this book and why sets it apart is that the book extends the learning beyond reading and literacy and connects it not only to something in reality (making cookies), but actually gives the reader the measurements, ingredients, and steps to make these cookies at home! This way children can take their learning from books and apply it to real life situations!

A frog with a large mouth that he simply enjoys using originates from the Okefenokee Swamp. From a fuzzy brown mouse to a blue-feathered bird, he is especially curious about what other animals in the big outside eat. Until he encounters a large, toothy green creature one day, who thinks wide-mouthed frogs are just plain tasty.

I chose this book as it is one that is very eye-catching with the illustrations, and the pop-up features make the animals and what they eat even more appealing to catch the children's attention. This book is an oldie that I was introduced to in school, and it's one that I recall reading in school. This simple, yet wonderfully illustrated book catches the children's attention with the different animals the frog meets along the way. It introduces the idea of what different animals eat and how nature works with the food chain (frog running into an alligator). It also shows the danger of curiosity and why we must be careful when speaking to new people.

I chose this book to share because it is always a student favorite in our classroom. It  consistently sparks so much creativity and imagination. The familiarity of the story helps to build confidence in children as they start recognizing letters or words while the interactive elements encourage children to participate in the storytelling process. 

The puppets play a big role in keeping the students engaged.  Children also have to listen closely to the story so that they can follow along with the narrative using the puppets. This helps boost both their listening and comprehension skills. The hands-on element of the book also can expand their vocabulary as they practice using new words that they encounter in the story. However, for me the best thing about this book is that it turns reading into a playful and immersive activity which makes literacy meaningful and fun. 

I think this book helps support children's engagement by allowing them to feel the animals to connect them with how they feel and how they sound. As it makes the sound, they can copy the sound themselves making it more fun and engaging. I would also ask them how they could describe how the animals feel according to the book. Such as " did the cow feel soft or rough?" "Did the pig and chicken feel the same or different?" "Can you moo like the cow did?"

This little book can also help grow their vocabulary, such as introducing new words such as wool or mane.

I chose this book because it looks playful and engaging for children, as well it looks like it would be the kind of book that could spark a child’s imagination. I think that this book supports children’s engagement in reading because of the rhyming graphemes within the text and rhythmic text itself helps foster a child’s phonological awareness. I also thought that this book supports children’s engagement in reading because the colorful and vibrant illustrations located on each page of this book help promote a young child’s print concept to further help them engage with the text itself. Lastly, I connect personally to this book because I remember growing up being drawn to books within this gerne that were colorful and full or illustrations. It really helped me understand as a kid what was happening in the book despite not being able to grasp the concept quite yet of what each printed word meant.

I chose this book because it’s a great book for introducing young children to books in a fun, interactive way. It has sturdy board pages, soft textures, and bright animal images which are perfect for babies and toddlers beginning to explore reading. This book helps support children's engagement in reading by encouraging

sensory interaction by having textures and encouraging children to touch, feel, and explore them. I also supports visual and language development by providing clear, colorful photos and simple words to help build vocabulary and animal recognition.This book makes reading fun, interactive, and developmentally meaningful for early learners.

I think this book supports children’s engagement in reading because it feels more like a game than a traditional story. Children are able to guess what might be hiding under the flap, say the rhyming words out loud, and physically interact with the book. This kind of hands-on interaction is especially helpful for children who may have shorter attention spans or who learn best through movement and exploration.

I chose this book because the children I work with love the textured flaps, tabs, and the way they can move some of the pieces. The book engages the children by inviting them to pull, touch, predict what kind of tails may appear, and compare the textures. The children are able to be involved in the story.

_{In My Nest is a simple and interactive board book that helps young children learn about animals and where they live. The book uses soft textures and bright pictures to show different animals in their nests or homes. Children can touch and feel the pages, which keeps them interested and involved while reading. The short text and repeated pattern make the book easy to follow and great for early readers.I chose this book because it is very hands on and fun for young children. Kids enjoy touching the textures and guessing which animal will come next. From my experience, books like this help children stay focused longer because they can use more than just their eyes they can touch and explore too. This book supports children’s engagement in reading by making storytime feel playful and interactive, which helps build a love for books at an early age.}