Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in San Francisco, CA

The Savvy Moms-in-Chief have asked us to take a look at some of our favorite books over in the Books section of the national site; here are my first five favorite books and what I had to say about them. Want more? Click on the "Books, Toys, and More" link above.

Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelsman

Madeline is a great role model -- a brave heroine who bends the rules just a little and then draws on great inner strength to triumph through adversity. I love kids' books that don't shy away from difficult emotional terrain, and Madeline is one of the greatest.

Make Way For Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey

Kids are the littlest on the totem pole -- always underfoot and getting the way of adults. Which is why, I think, my daughter loves this book so much -- the ducklings strut right through town pretty oblivious while all the adults hold up traffic for them. It's a goofy concept, and we dig the goof.

Miss Spider's Tea Party, by David Kirk

My daughter has been picking up bugs (gently) -- and scaring the big kids with 'em -- since before she could walk, so she identified especially with the plight of the misunderstood spider who just wants to be nice. The pictures are garish for my taste, but the toddler seems to love 'em -- we have the board book version. I like the underlying message of tolerance, but it's a good sort of moral, in that it's not made too blatant.

Here Come the ABCs, They Might Be Giants

My daughter loves word play, even though she doesn't really understand it. The songs on this album make her giggle -- especially when dad tries to sing along. Our special favorites are "Q-U," a tale of an epic partnership, and "Hot Dog!", a Mickey-Mouse song that mostly just repeats the title.

Olivia Saves the Circus, by Ian Falconer

Olivia is my daughter in pig form: imaginative, quirky, and not uncommonly misunderstood. The circus Olivia is a particular favorite because Olivia gets to narrate to her class about how she played every role at the town circus -- from tattooed lady to trapeze artist. Since those are two of my daughter's main career aspirations, this is one of her favorite books.