reading to babies.

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i was reading a story to parker the other day.  i think it was an elmo book with a sort of zoo theme.  by that, i mean there was a monkey, a zebra, a hippo, a lion.  when i'm reading things like this to parker, i'm trying to, you know, interject some teaching moments here and there.  "the monkey!  it goes, ooh ooh aah ahh!"  the lion goes, "rooooar!"  the zebra goes... "i have stripes?"  the giraffe... well, he's got a long neck.  see parker?  here's his neck.  no sounds, just a neck.  
you know, it's darn confusing that not all animals have an accompanying sound.  here, little parker is thinking, "why you holding out on me, ma?  what sound does the zebra make!"  but some, oh a lucky some, have more than one!  a dog can pant or a dog can bark!  thanks be to the dogs!  we've got options!  take your pick, parker! 
are you like me?  with the whole teaching moments reading thing... take a book with shapes for instance.  so, we've got a red circle, a blue triangle, an orange oval, and a green square.  should i be teaching parker green or square?  blue or triangle??  ORANGE OR OVAL???  surely i shouldn't be, "now parker!  learn both the color AND the shape this very instant!  we shan't stop reading until you do!"  is there a right way?  and... perhaps the best question of all... is WHO CARES AND WHY HAS THIS EVEN CROSSED MY MIND?
now, narrating.  bear with me, this post is all over the place with the overarching theme of reading to babies.  back to narrating.  steve is hands down the greatest narrator in the history of narrators.  i'm really sorry that he's not your baby-daddy and no you can't have him.  the man is all that and more when it comes to narrations.  there's a specific voice for each character!  take berlioz the bear for instance.  the tabby who speaks up smugly, the prancing billy goat, the tired plough horse!  the voices are so spot on and, gosh, if these animals really had a voice i swear it'd come out the way steve's doing them.  have you ever read berlioz?  it's so good.  so, anyway, everyone prefers dad's reading over mom's and i don't blame them.  even parker.  he brings books to steve, plops them on his laps, and then communicates in a way that only parker can, "read this to me!"  and side note: i know i've mentioned it before, but bill peet is a reeeeal favorite in the hunt house too.  his books are amazing.  add some to your shelves if you don't have some already!
what are your favorite books for babies & kids?  how about ones with lots of narrating opportunities?  and what sound does a zebra make (especially for you, kate)?  and, seriously, orange or oval??