what we're reading now

Those of you who actually tune in to my blog every once in a while might have wondered what has happened to my beloved installments about our favorite books-of-the-time.  It is actually not due to my apathetic and sporadic blogging history that has prevented me from a new post.  Rather, it is that we are in a "new stage" of reading, wherein my little guy eschews any new titles and only gravitates towards what he knows.  Just today, when I tried to begin one of the adorable books that is part of, ironically, a book-buying spree on my part that does not at all match up with A's interests, he took it gently from my hands, walked a few feet away, and set it on the floor.  "No Sophie's Squash," he said firmly.
P.S. Go immediately and check out Sophie's Squash.  It is about an adorable little girl named Sophie and her pet squash Bernice.  How can you not be charmed?! 

Anyway, for the most part, as I've said, we've been in a reading "rut" (in my mind), going through the same fifteen books or so, over and over.  It's not the most fun stage, but the important thing is that we're reading.  Here are a few in the current reading list.

Otis.  There are a few books in this series about an adventurous and kind red tractor, who befriends everyone on his farm and manages to save them from precarious situations.  Despite his brave nature, Otis is secretly just as afraid or lonely as his fellow farm dwellers, which makes the stories all the more appealing.

Max's Chocolate Chicken.  So far, there are only two Max and Ruby books that captivate A, and thankfully, this is one of them (the other favorite is Max Counts His Chickens, an Easter-themed number book and not part of the more traditional series).  It happens to be one of my favorite Max books, so I don't mind reading it over and over again.  I don't think that A quite understands Max's sneakiness yet, but I certainly enjoy it.

Banter.  If you've read about what books we enjoy, you have probably guessed that we (or I) have quite an affection for books with a farm setting.  It doesn't really have anything to do with the fact that I grew up on a ranch, which is not a farm but obviously shares some qualities, but more that I like the simple familiarity that comes with learning to recognize the most beloved domestic animals.  This title is written by Denise Fleming, who composes beautiful watercolor illustrations and tends to focus on conceptual writing.  My little guy really responds to concept books, as I've written about before, and this one is no exception.  It's about a search for goose, and each page reveals a different animal accompanied with its matching sound: "Hens in the henhouse, cluck, cluck, cluck...".

Hippopposites. I wanted A to have a few books that would focus on the concept of opposites, and this title stood out to me immediately.  At first, I thought it was one of those purchases that appealed to parents more, because it's a stylish book with a clean, modern design.  No messy splashes of color or busy illustrations.  For whatever reason, A took to it right away, and now lugs it around calling it "heavy", which he learned from the book, I might add.

Guys, this last one is something I'd like to refer to as "The Book that Shall Not Be Named" (though obviously you can see the title).    I fully confess that I'm a snob when it comes to books, the ones I read and even more so when it comes to children's books.  If it's got a TV character in it or was mass produced for a bin at Target I'm probably going to avoid it.  I'm not proud of my prejudice, but to be fair, there is a reason why classics remain classics and some children's authors stand out far above others (I'm looking at you, Kevin Henkes and Helen Lester!) .  I figure that I might as well be reading the best books available to my child.  As tends to happen with kids, we can't always choose what they love.  Thus, while this little book might not be the caliber of Blueberries for Sal, I must muster up enthusiasm about it for A's sake.

what we're reading now

Just thought I'd share a few of our summer favorites!  Happy reading!

Eating the Alphabet and Planting a Rainbow, by Lois Ehlert.  Never in a million years would I have expected these books to be such a massive hit in our house.  They are classic concept books, featuring Ehlert's bright, simplistic illustrations, and while the idea of an alphabet book parading fruits and vegetables and a book about planting seeds seems straightforward enough, the actual subject matter is a bit obscure.  Purple bearded iris rhizome?  Rutabaga? Kohlrabi? Delphinium? Yet somehow, A has become completely infatuated with both books, has memorized Eating the Alphabet, and asks for them all. the. time.

Ten Black Dots, by Donald Crews. Along with Freight Train, this Donald Crews title is much beloved these days.  Another counting book, which involves large, solid black dots as they form different pictures to match numbers, it's been really useful for the incredibly un-fun current state of diaper changing.  All I have to do is begin repeating the lines of the book-A completes the sentences and stops thrashing like a madman.

I Know a Rhino. Not the most compelling little book in the world, I Know a Rhino has its own little charm.  It's about a little girl's collection of stuffed animals, and how she imagines them to come to life. The pages featuring the giraffe and brown bear are particularly adorable.  Even though I brought along a mountain of books on our recent vacation, it was this one, and only this one, that A wanted to hear.

Moo Hoo.  This particular book is probably my least favorite of all the ones that have become obsessions of A's. Illustrated by Mike Lowery, who also illustrated another favorite, What Can A Crane Pick Up, it's about the friendship between a cow and an owl, disrupted by the arrival of kangaroo.  The phrase "Moo hoo" is repeated on every page, which is, to be honest, grating for me but incredibly humorous for A. I think he also recognizes Lowery's illustrations,  because of his love for:

What Can a Crane Pick Up.  Since we're talking about Moo Hoo, I figured I would also share this book, which we have had for quite some time but is still frequently requested by A. Considering that A loves anything construction/vehicle-related, it's a perfect fit for him.  The book is about cranes and the myriad of things they can pick up, including library books, kites, and planes, all topics of interest for A.

Potato Joe. I picked this up on our last library trip, and it's a winner.  We've been reading quite a few concept books, so any time I see one that might give me a break from endless readings of Chicka Chicka 1-2-3, I grab it.  I love the pictures of fat, brown, potatoes on each page, accompanied by a sing-songy rhyme that isn't the least bit annoying.

Laura Numeroff's collection: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie + If You Give a Cat a Cupcake and If You Give a Dog a Doughnut.  To be honest, these books have never been my favorite.  They are ubiquitous at school book fairs and usually very popular in elementary school classrooms, so I really shouldn't be surprised that A is completely into them.  I originally owned the collection pictured here, but picked up the other two used when I saw how much he loved them.  I think I might have grossly underestimated the usefulness  of Numeroff's books.  She has tapped into something interesting with the "if-then" scenarios-none of the items are complex (in fact, they range from things as familiar to kids as apple juice to bubbles) but the kids are still asked to remember them from page to page.  That's why I don't feel the least bit bad when I pick up If You Give a Cat a Cupcake for the hundredth time-these books might not be what will be remembered in children's literature fifty years from now, but A is undoubtedly learning something from them.

what I'm reading now

Lest you all think I've abandoned my own reading habits, I've decided to post a few of the great books I've devoured this year.  My list should come with a disclaimer: with one exception, all of these books were read for what I like to call "pure entertainment value."  There is no East of Eden here, in other words.  In the midst of working on my thesis, I've taken to reading lighter fare-I'll often sit with my book or Kindle (which I have taught A to call "mommy's book") while my little guy plays, a pastime that wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable or successful if I were reading something that required a bit more attention.

In the Woods, Tana French. A totally riveting Irish detective thriller that I could not put down.  It's like a better version of The Lovely Bones, and much more complex than most average titles in the genre.  Tana French has several other titles to her name, but I've heard from a very reputable source (sister-in-law H) that it's the best.

The End of Your Life Book Club, Will Schwalbe. The subject is certainly sad, but I found the reading of this memoir therapeutic, given my own life experiences.  Will Schwalbe writes of the informal "book club" formed between himself and his mother Mary Ann as she goes through treatment for stage iv pancreatic cancer.  They read everything from Herman Wouk's Marjorie Morningstar to Mohsin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist to Stieg Larson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  Every chapter is based on one central book, neatly interwoven with the conversation between mother and son.  Usually, the subject matter of one book leads to discussion about others, and in the midst of it all, Will Schwalbe is the recipient of a wonderful gift-the opportunity to spend time with his mother, unobstructed by the inevitable stresses and hustle and bustle of daily life.  There are several books that I became intrigued about reading after finishing the book, and I took it upon myself to find an appropriately old copy of Daily Strength for Daily Needs, the devotional that Mary Ann clings to throughout her treatment. In the preface to Mary Ann's 1934 edition, bishop William Lawrence wrote "Since this little book was published empires have fallen, theologies have been rewritten, wars have been fought and standards of life have changed, but men are still men, their yearning in times of disaster for comfort is still keen and the call for courage strong..." Gems like this one from the selected novels in  the book club are scattered throughout the memoir.

The Stand, Stephen King.  I've figured out that I am a sucker for end-of-the-world, dystopian futures, plague-infested type novels.  See The Passage, The Twelve, Divergent trilogy, World War Z, etc.  The Stand is probably the grandfather of all these other works.  A massive tome, particularly when you choose the uncut version, which includes some hundreds of pages not part of its original publication, I was in a funk for days when I finished it.  There is definitely some meandering, which is not unusual given the sheer volume of the work, but for the most part, I was completely intrigued from start to finish.  I've only read a few of Stephen King's books (Misery and The Shining), but they pale in comparison.  Even though I know it won't be the same, I'm going to start Under the Dome soon, if only to recover from finishing The Stand.

Life after Life, Kate Atkinson. My gossip guru, Lainey Gossip, is not only the source of infinite knowledge regarding celebrities but is also quite well-versed in compelling fiction. She wrote about Life After Life and described how she read through it in one busy traveling weekend, taking it with her everywhere, from elevators to press conferences.  It is the never-ending story of Ursula Todd, who seems fated for death throughout her life.  My beloved sister-in-law H likened it to A.S. Byatt's The Children's Book-naturally I immediately purchased that one too.

The Twelve, Justin Cronin.  I waited with baited breath for The Twelve, the second book in Justin Cronin's trilogy.  I've written about the first title, The Passage, in passing, and while it would be useless to provide a decent plot summary that would not make me sound crazy (search for the cure for cancer/eternal life leads to disastrous consequences, turning vast majority of the population into zombie/vampire hybrids), I can say that yet again, I am in a state of anxious anticipation for the eventual release of the third and final book.

what we're reading now

Not a lot has changed around here on the reading front-books continue to serve as a great source of entertainment in our household.  Here are the ones that have been in heavy circulation lately.

Lemons are Not Red. We are big fans of Laura Vaccaro Seeger's newer book, Green, so I was thrilled to see that the library had multiple copies of this book on hand.  Another clever concept book, featuring cut-outs on each page that open to the next, revealing matching colors, it is incredibly appealing for the young and the old.  Even though we first discovered it months ago, A is still known to frequently shout out, "Moon is not black, moon silver!" or "Grass not blue, grass green!"  Of all the books on our current list, this is the one I would recommend most highly.

The Very Busy Spider.  To be honest, we've been familiar with this book for almost as long as I've been keeping track of our favorites.  Before I had a baby, I wasn't incredibly enamored with Eric Carle's classics, a fact I think I might have even written about before.  The fact is, they're exactly the kind of books young children need and relish: repetitive and predictable patterns, bright and basic colors, familiar themes...  It's no surprise that most of Carle's books have been wildly popular for decades.  The Very Busy Spider is probably the title that I have enjoyed reading the most.  I'm a sucker for farm themes, and this book has the added benefit of a tactile feature-the web is embossed onto each page.

The Bear in the Book. Another generous gift from our librarian friend, this book sat forlornly on the shelf for quite a while before we picked it up one day.  I had initially written it off as being a bit too long, but quickly became enamored. It's a story-within-a-story, told from the viewpoint of a little boy reading a story about a bear with his mother.  There is a lilting, sonorous quality to the book that I haven't come across in a long time.  SH and I have even found ourselves talking about it after A is in bed.  And obviously, he loves it too.  It's not just a favorite for mom and dad.

Steam Train Dream Train.  I have written before about our local bookstore, one of the best things about our neighborhood.  We have been lucky to attend two book signings there, one for Caldecott-winning author Jon Klassen and the other for illustrator Tom Lichtenheld.  Lichtenheld is the artist behind Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, another book that A loves, so it was especially exciting to meet him and pick up a copy of his newest book.  At first, I wasn't impressed-the concept seemed a little abstract for my little guy.  I couldn't have been more wrong-he asks for it on almost a daily basis.

Little Tug. Some trips to the library are fruitful, and some of them result in a bag full of old favorites, like Paul Galdone's fairy tales.  I found this book on our most recent trip, and it was such a pleasant surprise.  It's a super simple story, with old-fashioned, vintage-style illustrations.  Possibly my favorite thing about it is hearing A ask me to read it-his rendering of the word "tug" is one of the cutest things I've ever heard.

Horton Hatches the Egg.  Oh, how I fondly recall the days when A would scoff at this beloved classic, throwing it aside after I'd only read a page or two!  Don't get me wrong-I am thrilled that he loves books so much, and also happy that he is building up a tolerance for longer books.  It's just that reading one of the longest children's books in the HISTORY of children's books on repeat at the ridiculously early hour of 6 am has begun to be a bit too much.  Even if hearing "Horton! Egg!" is extremely adorable.

what we're reading now: cold and flu season edition

Thus far, the W household has been extremely fortunate to have completely avoided the flu (knocking on wood + quick prayers commencing).  This has been managed by a combination of flu shots, copious amounts of soap and sanitizers, and relentless avoidance of any individuals bearing the slightest hint of illness.  No such preparations, however, can totally eradicate that nasty demon, the common cold.  We know him intimately, and for a while there, it felt like he might take up residence permanently in our house.  Baby A suffered through a cold on an almost weekly basis pretty much from Thanksgiving to mid-January.  I had one of the worst colds I've had in years right after New Year's, and only two weeks after that, my SH and I were simultaneously blasted with yet another obnoxious cold.  Needless to say, there has been lots of tissue, nasal aspirating, and cuddles during the winter season around here.

Without further adieu, our favorite "home sick" books:

The Sniffles for Bear.  The series by Bonnie Becker is truly delightful.  I'll admit that I snatched up our first title, A Visitor for Bear, because I adored it.  I can now honestly tell you that Baby A does too.  Bear is rather melodramatic about his illness, reminding me of a certain dad that I know.  Of mine.  

Don't You Feel Well, Sam?  Easily one of the most popular books in our house, whether anyone is sick or not.  My little A even learned to cough on command because of poor stricken Sam.  We love all of Amy Hest's books, but I have a soft spot for this one because of its ending, when Mama Bear snuggles with Sam on her lap all night long, until the snow starts falling.  I always thought that sounded so cozy and wonderful.  I am lucky enough that A still spends a lot of time curled up in my lap, but I know those days won't last forever.  

Llama Llama Home with Mama.  Of course.  If I could count the number of times the word "llama" has been uttered by my little A, I would be a millionaire.  Several times over.  This particular book isn't my favorite of the series, but I like pulling it out when one of us isn't feeling well.

There are lots of other great "home sick" books, a short list of which I've included.  I just opted to write about the titles that we actually do read all the time, even when we're not sick.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee
How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon?
Old Bear and His Cub
Patrick and the Get Well Day

Happy reading!  

what we're reading now...

I am still planning to put together a list of my favorite children's holiday books, but for now, here is a glimpse of what has been shoved into my lap with the highest frequency in the past month or so.

Silly Sally.  I picked this up on a whim at the library, thinking that A might like the "silly" theme. The pictures are bright and bold, and it is funny to see Sally's upside-down march to town.  Once again, however, it's the rhyming that captures his interest.  I read it no less than six times, yesterday, several of them in consecutive order.  Thank goodness it's short!

Llama Llama Time to Share.  I tried to avoid buying this book, the latest little Llama adventure.  My spending on books has been, ahem, out of control, and I thought it might be good to leave this particular title for the library.  We could check it out as much we wanted.  However, my plan was foiled when A discovered it at a bookstore we visited on our weekend in Bodega Bay.  He enthusiastically yelled, "Share!  Share!" which sounds (adorably) something like "Sa-ow!  Sa-ow!"and yanked it off the shelf, tearing one of the pages in his excitement.  Even if he hadn't torn a page, I might have had to give in.  I love that he loves books so much.

Ten Apples Up on Top.  This lesser-known Seuss title is not exactly a favorite of mine.  I bought it for a unit on apples several years ago, and I'll admit the kids loved it.  I should have realized that once he discovered it, A would too.

Little Blue Truck.  I overheard a few people chatting about this book and its sequel, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way, at our bookstore.  I have something of a competitive nature, and I was horrified that I wasn't aware of its charm.  "I must have the best of all the best books!"is probably the thought that crossed my mind (I'm not proud of this flaw).  Anyway, I snuck over to Little Blue Truck, and attempted to thumb through it quickly as though I was completely familiar with it.  I humbly confess that it IS just as delightful as you might imagine, and that I took extra time admiring the friendly illustrations before purchasing both books.  A loves them.

This is Not My Hat.  I was ecstatic when I found out that Jon Klassen, author of one of my favorite new books, I Want My Hat Back, would be coming to our local bookstore for a signing/reading. I decided that A and I would have to go, and it couldn't have been better.  He was charming and funny (not to mention young!) and A had just really gotten into I Want My Hat Back about a month before the signing, which was perfect.  I wasn't aware that Klassen had a new book coming out, so was happily surprised to pick it up and have it signed as well.  It's just as funny (perhaps even more so) as its predecessor, though I know it will be some time before A grasps the humor of the story.  Because the illustrations are so simple, however, he really enjoys reading it.  I am beginning to think he might grasp the fate of the thieving fish at the story's conclusion, which could be rattling to his newly sensitive, anxious toddler state.  Even if he does, I'm fairly certain he'll still want to hear it a few times a week.

Three by the Sea. For some strange reason, this book made a real impression on me as a child.  James Marshall's writing and distinctive illustrations are comically charming (see George and Martha, Miss Nelson is Missing) of course, but there isn't exactly anything earth-shattering about three friends telling stories by the sea.  Their names are Lolly, Spider, and Sam, which is, I suppose, memorable enough in itself.  Needless to say, I broke the book out on one of our recent flights and A was captivated.  He especially loves the monster story.  Note: Three by the Sea is written under the name Edward Marshall, one of James' pseudonyms.  I discovered this tidbit while researching Marshall, and I'll include a fascinating bit straight from the ever-reliable Wikipedia, which I love because of what Sendak had to say about Marshall.

It is said that he discovered his vocation on a 1971 summer afternoon, lying on a hammock and drawing. His mother was watching Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and the main characters, George and Martha, ultimately became characters in one of his children's books (as two hippopotami). Marshall continued as a children's author until his untimely death in 1992 of a brain tumor. In 1998, George and Martha became the basis for an eponymous animated children's television show.
Marshall was a friend of Maurice Sendak, who mentions him as the "last in the line" of children's writers for whom children's books were a cottage industry. Sendak said that Marshall was "uncommercial to a fault" and, as a consequence, was little recognized by the awards committees. (Marshall won a University of Mississippi Silver Medallion in 1992, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1989.) Sendak said that in Marshall you got "the whole man", who "scolded, gossiped, bitterly reproached, but always loved and forgave" and "made me laugh until I cried." In 2007, the American Library Association posthumously honored Marshall with the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal for his "substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children."

(source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Marshall_(author) 

You Can Do It, Sam.  One of our favorite bedtime books is Kiss Good Night, featuring Sam and Mrs. Bear and their sweet bedtime routine.  I wasn't aware there were other Sam titles until we came across this one and another, Don't You Feel Well, Sam, in the library.  There is something really unique about the way Amy Hest writes, a repetitive prose that at first seems disarming but eventually becomes incredibly appealing.  Example: "Mrs. Bear and Sam walked towards the little white house, and the sun was just sunning up the little white house."  (Not an exact paraphrase, the book is snugly packed into the bookshelf in the room where dear A is snoozing).  We read all three books frequently.  It's not unusual at all to hear a loud "Sam!" demand.  

Duck on a Bike.  I am not a huge fan of the David books.  Am I really the only one to find the illustrations extremely creepy?  I look at David and I shudder.  Seriously.  Thankfully, Duck on a Bike is devoid of strange children, and is instead another farm animals tale.  A gets to practice all his sounds while looking at hilarious pictures of a duck riding a bike, quite proficiently I might add.

I should note that A is also really into Extra Yarn, Blue Chameleon, Boy + Bot,  and The Lorax right now, all of which I've written about before.  He'll even sit down for an entire reading of The Lorax.  He really is a bookworm.

Of course I've purchased a pile of books for him for Christmas.  The holidays aren't helping my book buying problems.

what we're reading now...september (rather, what we read...september)

September was a lovely month for us, full of birthday celebrating, trips to the beach and aquarium, and even an early visit to a local pumpkin patch.  Clearly, not a lot of blogging was happening.  We were reading all the while, of course.

Extra Yarn.  Is it wrong that I coerced by little baby into loving this book?  I took one look and decided that he HAD to like it.  Illustrated by Jon Klassen, the clever genius behind I Want My Hat Back, it is a great little story about a magically voluminous box of yarn that transforms a little town, all at the hands of a young knitter named Annabelle.  Didn't that one brief descriptive sentence make you want to read it immediately?  I thought so.  For the record,  A does actually love it.

It Looked Like Spilt Milk.  I was surprised that A developed such a strong connection to this book at first.  It was a selection on a whim from the library, a classic that wasn't part of our own collection.  We are already on our first book renewal, and I don't know if he'll be able to part with it.  Even though I know that the simple, deep blue pages with single stark white illustrations are exactly the kind of thing a young mind like his can comprehend, I somehow thought he would lose patience with it.  After all, he doesn't grasp rather abstract concepts like a cloud yet.  I know I harp on this all the time with my reading lists, but conceptual books that focus on a repeating pattern like this one are truly great for emerging readers.  Yes, I did just refer to my ONE-YEAR OLD toddler as an emerging reader, but I think it's an apt description.  For those years until a child begins to read, every reading behavior that they practice, from exploring books to choosing them based on pictures is a part of the reading process.

Who Took the Farmer's Hat?  We have a farm obsession going on in our house.  Farm animal puzzles, farm animal magnets, fancy farm animal noise-making toys.  All of this has resulted in baby A's incredible proficiency at imitating the sounds of the biggies (cow, horse, sheep, pig, etc.)  Another farm animal book, especially one as old-fashioned and adorable as this one, can't hurt!

A Visitor for Bear.  I adore this lovely book, which lends itself to reading in a British accent.  The tale of a persnickety bear who doesn't quite realize just how lonely he is until he is worn down by the repeated friendly efforts of a "small, grey, bright-eyed" mouse, I consider A Visitor for Bear to be one of my best new finds of the year.  I was thrilled to discover that there are several other Mouse and Bear titles, and can't wait to get my hands on them.

The Three Little Pigs. Yet again, a Paul Galdone classic haunted our little house for the ENTIRE month of September.  I cannot tell you how completely attached A becomes to virtually all of these extremely traditional fairy tales.  I checked out a cute James Marshall riff on The Three Bears this week and we barely made it through four pages before he shoved it off my lap.

Diary of a Worm.  Another book that I really thought might be beyond A's interest, Diary of a Worm has become a fast favorite.  Doreen Cronin's books are always funny, but these Diary editions (Worm, Spider, and Fly) are especially enjoyable because of the detailed, yet not too busy illustrations.  So far, I haven't won A over to the other books, but I'll happily continue reading this one.  My favorite page, by far, is when the worm tells his vain sister that no matter how much she looks in the mirror, her face will always look like her rear end.  Ha!  We moms and dads need a bit of humor to get through nine million readings of the same book!

Knuffle Bunny.  It took me a while to warm up to this book, and all of Mo Willems' work.  I am all about children's books that subtly showcase adult humor, but I felt like I needed a bit more substance than what these have to offer (Ok, I did totally love the book about Pigeon finding a hot dog, and Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, a recent find at the library, is hilarious).  A pulled this book off the shelf one day, and as I opened it (with a sigh, I might add), I found a faded yellow Post-it stuck to the first page.  In my mom's handwriting were the words, "Cute book."  She'd picked up a copy at the elementary school book fair years ago and saved it for my classroom library (not the first or last time she generously assisted me).  It was like finding a little treasure, a little bit of my mom, however small and seemingly insignificant.  A fresh perspective immediately came over me as I started on the first page.  "She thought it was cute," I told myself.  That's good enough for me.
P.S. A has now taken to grabbing the stuffed Knuffle Bunny at our local bookstore and hugging it.  Too bad the $25.00 price tag will prevent him from adding it too his collection.

Coming up in October: holiday books edition!

what we're reading now...august

August passed us by like a whirlwind.  Our precious few days at home were spent visiting cousin L at her apartment in San Francisco, exploring new (to us) treasures like the local Children's Museum, and of course lots of gallivanting around in the backyard, chasing after balls and climbing up and down the slide.  The rest of the month found us in Texas, first for our annual pilgrimage to Campmeeting and then for the most exciting adventure of shopping for a WEDDING DRESS for my sister!  Baby A has become quite the seasoned traveler.  He cheerfully toddled around various airports, leaving a trail of Cheerios in his wake and charming every soul he passed, and due to my meticulous flight planning, took decent naps on every single flight.  I will say that it is absolutely NO JOKE to travel solo with a toddler, but all in all, we managed fine.  

As is my way, I am just now composing a list of what we read during the month.  It continues to bring such happiness to my heart to see how much A genuinely loves books, and our time spent together reading is truly precious.  

Cowboy Small. We started reading this treasure just in time for our trip to West Texas.  I remember reading Lois Lenski's Strawberry Girl when I was young, but I wasn't aware she composed picture books.  The storyline is very simple, which is perfectly appropriate for A.  It was fun to be able to point out things to him that we would be seeing at home.

Owl Babies. I am sure it is unsurprising that this book is incredibly adorable and sweet.  I love that the eldest owl baby is a girl.  That they are huddled together on one branch when the mama owl swoops home.  That one of the owls is named Percy!

It's Time to Sleep My Love.  I ordered this book for our trip to Texas, thinking I could add it to the collection that will live permanently at my dad's house.  I like to have a few goodnight/bedtime books when we're away because I think it helps with the transition to sleeping in a new place.  Granted, A had never laid eyes on the book-I thought that perhaps his exposure to the illustrations of the so-sweet-I-can't-take-it On the Night You Were Born might attract his attention.  As it turned out, I couldn't bear to part with the book once I read it.  It's a beautiful, rhythmic poem, that seems to get better each time we read.

Ferdinand.  Be still my heart!  Baby A has grown to adore this MOST beloved childhood book!  Even now, I can still hear my mom's voice, telling me about the bull who wanted nothing more than to "sit and smell the flowers."

Frog and Toad are Friends. I will confess that we've been diving into Frog and Toad mostly because of me.  A seemed to really enjoy A Kiss for Little Bear, so I thought he might like the equally simple and straightforward Frog and Toad tales.  There is something to be said for stories that contain such basic plots, particularly for young readers.  A tends to respond to them best when he's feeling a bit sleepy.  Is this a sign?

The Best Nest.  In the last week or so, Baby A has developed the most adorable habit-picking out a specific book and toddling over to us, shoving it towards our faces and then promptly settling down into (or attempting to climb up towards) our laps.  At first there were only one or two books he gravitated towards in this manner, and this was one of them.  His obsession has grown considerably, to the point that I might not ever want to see Leo Lionni's Swimmy ever again in my life, but I think I'll always manage to dredge up some happiness while reading The Best Nest.  A mere glance at the familiar pink cover plunges me straight back into childhood days spent at my beloved grandmother's house.  Always notorious for her frugality, Memaw only kept a few books and toys at the house for the grandchildren, and this was one of them.  It looked exactly the same back then, bright pink cover and all.  We must have read it thousands of times, considering the poor shape it was in the last time I saw it. I'm so glad that A loves it too.

Hattie and the Fox.  We've been reading a LOT of farm animal books, and while I am not enamored of all of them, it's actually been a great thing for A.  The constant exposure to the familiar cast of characters (cow, horse, pig, sheep, goat, chicken, etc.) has definitely made an impression.  He imitates sounds and is probably not far from being able to point out an animal when prompted.  Mem Fox is a literary specialist, and can be counted on for excellent reading options for young children.  Other favorites of mine include Koala Lou and Time for Bed.

The Gingerbread Boy.  When I taught kindergarten in the Bronx (oh, such warm and wonderful memories!), I decided that my unit on fairy tales would be focused on The Gingerbread Boy.  The fact that there is a veritable plethora of adaptations is largely what convinced me.  I thought my little learners might be able to pick up on fairy tale qualities better if wrapped in the comforting familiarity of a common plot.  It is fascinating to glimpse the same understanding (even if only a flicker) with Baby A.  When we embarked on our second trip to Texas, I had a copy of Richard Eglieski's The Gingerbread Boy sent to my sister's house.  I thought it would give me a great opportunity to test my theory that he would gravitate towards it, having read the Paul Galdone version at least 100 times in the week before we left.  It's exactly what happened-he loved it, and it was easily the book he asked to be read the most while we were gone.  For the record, the adaptations pictured are my favorites.  There are many others, including Gingerbread Girl, The Library Gingerbread Man, The Gingerbread Man Loose in School, and Jan Brett's Gingerbread Baby and Gingerbread Friends.  Most of these are a bit too complicated given A's age, and while I like Jan Brett, her illustrations are extremely busy.  

Green Eggs and Ham. Ah!  I have been sucked into the vortex of Sam-I-am!  I knew this day would come!  Interesting tidbit: Dr. Seuss reportedly wrote this book in response to a challenge from his editor that he could not compose a book with fifty words or less.  Clearly, he was victorious.

Tikki Tikki Tembo.  Once again, I have to re-list a book, because I must honestly include what we have read during the month.  Like The Best Nest, Tikki Tikki Tembo has become one of A's obsessions.  Let me tell you, it is looooooong.  Despite its charm, and despite our incredibly adorable child, both SH and I probably inwardly groan when we see it clutched in his chubby little hands.  I have already determined that I will not give in to the temptation to skip words, however.  I'll read every single word of that old man's opium-induced haze, darn it!

I can tell that A's reading habits are changing, which means I'll probably move to a monthly post like this one.  No need to write at length when our rotation includes the same favorites from week to week.