I want another book!

We're having some bed time issues in our house.  In my opinion, it all started when we got rid of Dashiell's pacifier.  Prior to that, Dashiell was a champion sleeper--loved sleeping, wouldn't fuss, fell asleep relatively quickly...now it's a totally different story.  It now takes him at minimum an hour to fall asleep at night (usually a little less at nap time, WHEN he naps--that's a whole other issue).  Granted, it could just be that he's two.  Two-year-olds are not always the most reasonable human beings. 

Here's the story:  For a long time we've left books in his crib at bedtime and nap time for him to read until he falls asleep or before we get him out of bed.  Rick and I are both fairly avid readers, and always read before we sleep so it only seemed natural to let Dashiell do the same.  Lately, though, we put him in his bed with a few books, and before we can say goodnight and close the door, he tells us he wants another book.  Okay, fair enough.  But he won't tell us what book he wants, and if we give him a book he doesn't want he says no, he doesn't want that one.  So we play this guessing game, trying to pick out a book he might like and get out the door before he can ask for something else.  It sometimes works for a little while, but most every night he'll look at the books in his crib for a bit, then cry for something else.  The guessing game begins again!  Usually that will happen at least one more time before he falls asleep.  I'd like to point out the above photo of him sleeping the other night.  If you look closely, you'll notice that there are 9 books visible in his crib!  He barely has any room to sleep!

I personally am getting really frustrated by this game.  Rick thinks we're getting played.  Dashiell knows we're suckers for books, and we'll come back into his room when he cries for another one.  But honestly, I'm not really sure what to do!  We took away his comfort item (the pacifier), and now he finds comfort in his books.  And they're BOOKS.  We can't take them away!  And if we don't go to him when he cries, he just cries louder and more frantically.  Rick thinks we should let him tough it out, but how's he supposed to sleep when he gets himself so worked up?  I've tried encouraging him to pick out his own books to put in his crib before we begin our bedtime ritual (or right before he gets into his crib), but that doesn't help.  He still asks for more books.  Sigh.  So, yeah, if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.  I'll keep you posted if things change.