9 storybooks for little ones who love their binkies and blankies

Pacifiers and security blankets offer soothing comfort for babies. But eventually, as those little ones grow up, binkies have to go and blankies become designated to bedtime duty.

The process can be an emotional adjustment for kids, but reading stories about others facing the same struggle can help.

These nine stories from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Here to Help Booklists deal with pacifiers, thumb sucking and security blankets. They are all available through the library system and can be requested if they’re not on the shelf when you visit.

“Binky,” by Leslie Patricelli. Oh no! What happened to the binky? This toddler looks all over the house for a missing pacifier. This board book, full of bright colors and humorous illustrations, offers a story that will relate and appeal to little ones.

“Bye-Bye Binky,” by Maria van Lieshout. Part of the author’s Big Kids Power series, a little girl explains that she does not need a pacifier anymore because she’s big now. And big kids say: “Bye-bye, binky!”

“Flora’s Blanket,” by Debi Gliori. Flora, a little rabbit, does not want to sleep without her missing blanket, so her family helps her look for it. This sweet story, with pastel watercolor drawing, is perfect for bedtime reading.

“Fly, Blanky Fly,” by Anne Margaret Lewis. Preparing for a grand adventure with his beloved blanket at bedtime, a little boy leaps into an imaginative world where he and his blanket zoom on jet planes, fly to the Moon and swim in the sea before settling down to sleep.

“My Thumb,” by Karen Hesse. This story follows the antics of a happy little girl who explains how sucking her thumb is comforting and that her parents do not need to worry about it.

“No More Blanket for Lambkin,” by Bernette G. Ford. Ducky wants to play laundry day and wash Lambkin’s blanket. But an unexpected event occurs when the blanket is washed.

“Owen,” by Kevin Henkes. Owen’s parents try to get him to give up his favorite blanket before he starts school, but when their efforts fail, they come up with a solution that makes everyone happy.

“Parachute,” by Danny Parker. Toby is afraid of heights, but he has a parachute he carries with him to help him down from his bed and off his chair. When his cat gets stuck in a tree, Toby must face his fears in order to rescue him.

“Thumb Love,” by Elisa Primavera. Unable to kick her thumb-sucking habit, Lulu develops a 12-step program to help.