I can relate. Even now when I have a nightmare, the easiest way for me to escape it is to snap on the light and start reading--it almost doesn't matter what, as long as it takes me away from the world of the bad dream.
I have always loved loved loved to read. And I'm so happy to see Elio finding a similar joy in books. When he wakes up in the morning, he pulls my hand, dragging me out of bed, and says, "Come, Mommy. Read books on couch!" It's not such a bad way to start the morning, snuggled together, turning the pages of "Cars and Trucks and Things that Go," even if it's the wrong side of 6 a.m.
I want to start keeping track of the books that Elio loves, because it has changed already just over these two short years. He's much more into plot books now (hooray!) than simple picture books, though he gets caught up in certain details (in Babar: "Why sad, Mommy?...Who's that bird?"; in "Madeline's Rescue," the story doesn't start for him until Genevieve the dog hits the scene around page 6).
One of his current faves is "Little Bear's Visit." He likes the story of Mother Bear and the robin, though he gets very sad when she lets the bird fly away, but he loves the Goblin Story, which by kid's book standards has a Stephen King level of suspense (synopsis: a goblin gets startled by a BUMP in a cave and jumps out his shoes and starts running, only to realize he's being followed...by his shoes). And it's fun to read very dramatically.
Richard Scarry is another current giant. You can spend an hour on each page, looking for all kinds of fun details. I especially love reading the strange international stories--"Pierre the Paris Policeman," "Pip Pip Goes to London," "Couscous the Algerian Detective." But Scarry's wonderful illustrations have also introduced Elio to all kinds of vehicles, animals, instruments, foods, manners--all kinds of useful, everyday things.
Our copy of this book is unfortunately really fragile, and getting more precarious every day. This was my book as a child and it must have been my father's or mother's before that. I remember adoring the illustrations, and they seem to have captivated Elio as well. And it's also super fun to read because you get to make all kinds of sounds. It was written by Margaret Wise Brown, and it's an interesting change from "Goodnight Moon," "The Runaway Bunny," etc.
In addition to the many great books that Elio loves and Guy and I enjoy reading, there's a subset of total groaners. The books that make you die a little inside when Elio pulls them out and settles into your lap. The worst of this lot is the Fire Department of New York coloring book. It's not even a book! It's just a souvenir that he got after a visit to the Fire Department Museum with Guy. It's the worst, full of dumb pictures of steaming irons and hot coffee pots and candles. But somehow it ended up in the book pile and there it must stay. 
Another rough one is a painting book from 1966 that came, I think, from my Gramadot's house. What's worse, is there are two of them. They make no sense, but show different painting techniques kids can do--like spatter painting, string painting, and wax resist. We have to get really creative with reading this one. 
And finally, there's "Joey's Horse," Elio's frequent obsession, and the instigation for his very favorite game "Miss Horsey." "Joey's Horse" is another 60s-era book, also from my Grama's house, I think. It is part of the Encyclopaedia Brittanica "true to life" series, and as much as I would sometimes like to shoot Lady Jane and put us all out of our misery, I have to admit stalking some of the other books in the series on Amazon and eBay (especially "Pablo, Boy of Mexico," "Children on a Farm," and "Eskimo Family"--if anyone's looking for a unique gift for Elio!). "Miss Horsey" the game involves one of us hiding, and the other acting very sad and saying, "I miss my horsey." After about 20 seconds of that, the other one comes galloping over and there's a big reunion scene. What can I say--he's a sucker for a happy ending. And then repeat about 300 times. There have been a few brutal bedtimes when the evening lineup has been "Joey's Horse," both painting books, and then a little bonus of the FDNY coloring book and, if we're really lucky, a Mr. Rogers book about taking your first airplane ride. But they are books, and he loves them, and we love him and we love that he loves books. so we'll read "Joey's Horse" as many damn times as he wants.
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