Bedtime stories

N has about a billion books.  Okay, maybe not that many, but certainly a lot.  Enough that we don't have to read the same story every night, or even the same story in the same week...  Every night we read two different books to N, and it is very possible we could go an entire month without reading the same one twice.

That said, this is the conversation we have every night after his pjs are on and we're prepping for storytime:
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Me: Whatcha wanna read tonight buddy?

N: The dino book.

Me: What about this book?

N: shakes head furiously  No, the dino book.  Not that dino book.  The other dino book.  How do dinos eat their food.

Me: sigh  Okay.  What other book?  Ferdinad?  This book about the guy with all the spots?

N: looking at me like I'm crazy  No.  I want the animal book with the zoo.

Me: You're sure you don't want Ferdinand?  Holding up "The Story of Ferdinand".

N: Sheer panic  No no no no nononono.  Looks me straight in the eyes so he's sure I'm hearing and understanding him.  The ANIMAL BOOK.

Me: Okay okay, the animal book.  Proceed to read both books without looking at any pages because I've memorized every word at this point.

N: I love this book.
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This conversation happens nightly, but there are probably five books on the rotation:

• "How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food?" - good, teach him to try new foods.
• "Wild About Books" - good, everyone should love reading AND zoos
• "The Little Red Hen" - capitolism at it's best.  You don't help, so you don't eat.
• "The Pokey Little Puppy" - I hate this book.  What is the POINT?
• "What Do You Do With A Tail Like This" - educational, but not much of a story.

Replace "Me" with "E" above, and pick any two of the above books and you've got our nightly routine with N.  If anyone needs any toddler books besides those list above, we have a ton.  I'm partial to "I Love You Stinky Face", even if N isn't.