The 'Where the Wild Things Are' post got me thinking on this.
What were your favorite books as a wee one? If you have kids, what were/are your favorite books to read to them?
When I was little (4-6) my favorite favorite book ever was Tacky the Penguin. It's the story of Tacky, who doesn't fit in with the prim and proper penguins. He has a little song he sings, and my dad used to sing it just right: "Hoooooow many toOOooes does a FISH HAAAAAAAAAAAVE? And HooWOoOow many wiiiiiiiiings on a cOOOOooOoOOw? I WONder YEP I WONder."
When I got a little older, as a horse-obsessed kid, I loved all of Marguerite Henry's books, and I loved the Wesley Dennis illustrations just as much. Misty of Chincoteague, Justin Morgan Had A Horse, King of the Wind, Born to Trot, the Album of Horses, Brighty of the Grand Canyon, Black Gold...
I figure I'm about ten years away from parenthood myself, but I'm already stockpiling books I like as I find them, for the future Mage-lets.