Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Austin, TX

Still searching for the perfect book to round out your gift giving?  I've combed the recommendations on the SavvySource Books, Toys, & More section, and come up with reviews for five of our favorites.  Feel free to browse the entire section for additional comments or for more ideas.

Sally Gets a Job by Stephen Huneck

If your child is like mine, at least once a week we engage in a pretend play session about "going to work". So why shouldn't the family pet also fantasize about what would be a fitting vocation? Added bonus if you have a black lab like Sally (as we do) and get to imagine your lab applying her talents to the "real world". The woodcut illustrations in the book make the story even more compelling.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Despite the fact it feels like summer most of the year here, snow and stories about snow are quite popular with my 2 year old son. The story and the illustrations were a winning combination that keeps us reading this timeless classic.

George and Martha:  The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends by James Marshall

George and Martha's antics are just about as funny to preschoolers as to their parents. These hippopotami - with their quirks, weaknesses, and affection for each other - teach us what true friendship is all about. You'll be glad to have the entire collection, since their adventures never get old.

Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert

For a child who loves food, and especially fruits and veggies, this book was perfect for our family. We keep it in the car and my son will say "P is for.." and we discuss all the fruits and veggies that start with P (and use this as a springboard to talk about other words that start with each letter). My son is not a big fan of car rides still, so it's been a lifesaver to have such a great book like this to keep him occupied.

Cars Trucks and Things That Go by Richard Scarry

If you have ever read a Richard Scarry book, you know you can read them again and again and still find something new. Long after we first read the book, my son remembers all the characters and we pretend to be Dingo the speeding dog, and Officer Flossy, who chases Dingo throughout the book. Playing Legos, we even re-enact the accident in the book and decide who's going to be Mistress Mouse to fix all the cars. This is certainly a classic and will be a favorite for our 2 year old for a while to come, I imagine!