Every child can relate to the anticipation of eating a delicious looking treat. Most children enjoy being frightened just enough to put them on edge without leaving their comfort zone.
The narrator in this story has an ongoing conversation with a mouse about eating the red, ripe strawberry pictured on the cover. The only character pictured is the mouse and the reader never discovers who the narrator is, or if the scary bear is real.
The illustrations capture the emotions of the mouse and delight readers young and old. The words lend themselves to reading in many different voices. Adults may soon memorize the whole story as children will love for it to read to them over and over.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
A Classic Paired With a Newcomer
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeliene L'Engle is one of those coming of age books that I find referred to again and again in contemporary literature. It seems that many of today's novelists (at least the ones I read) love this novel and read it again and again throughout their childhoods.
I've heard many moms refer to it too, and they simply can't wait for their daughters to read it and love it too. Unfortunately, I fell into the common trap of giving it to my daughter to read when she was too young to really appreciate it. She thought it was OK, but she wasn't really crazy about it.
Recently, I had the privilege of reading the 2010 Newberry Award winning novel When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. Stead brilliantly manages to intricately weave the story from A Wrinkle in Time into her novel without ruining either book. Needless to say, I loved it!
My daughter is now 12, and was looking for a good book to read. I encouraged her to reread A Wrinkle in Time before reading When You Reach Me, and for once she took my advice. This time, she LOVED the L'Engle book and consequently also loved Stead's. I am currently reading A Wrinkle in Time aloud to my 8 and 10 year olds, and hopefully they too will choose to reread it when they are slightly older, before they read When You Reach Me.
Time travel, boy/girl friendships, relationships with parents and siblings and other themes run through both books in ways that we can all relate to. Why not reread one and introduce yourself to the other today?
I've heard many moms refer to it too, and they simply can't wait for their daughters to read it and love it too. Unfortunately, I fell into the common trap of giving it to my daughter to read when she was too young to really appreciate it. She thought it was OK, but she wasn't really crazy about it.
Recently, I had the privilege of reading the 2010 Newberry Award winning novel When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. Stead brilliantly manages to intricately weave the story from A Wrinkle in Time into her novel without ruining either book. Needless to say, I loved it!
My daughter is now 12, and was looking for a good book to read. I encouraged her to reread A Wrinkle in Time before reading When You Reach Me, and for once she took my advice. This time, she LOVED the L'Engle book and consequently also loved Stead's. I am currently reading A Wrinkle in Time aloud to my 8 and 10 year olds, and hopefully they too will choose to reread it when they are slightly older, before they read When You Reach Me.
Time travel, boy/girl friendships, relationships with parents and siblings and other themes run through both books in ways that we can all relate to. Why not reread one and introduce yourself to the other today?
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Family
During summer time many of us spend time traveling to visit family and enjoy visits with extended family. It has become an annual tradition for us to stay with my sister and her children, and all year long my children look forward to the special time with their cousins.
Cynthia Rylant understands. In her book The Relatives Came extended family descends upon a house and there are plenty of hugs and laughter and people sleep on any space available. Sure it's crowded and chaotic, and the families may not be similar in every way, but they have great fun until it's time to go home. Then suddenly the house seems oh so empty and quiet.
This book can be read and enjoyed at any age, keeping the memories alive of poignant time spent with family.
Saturday, July 09, 2011
I didn't know it, but the town I'm visiting for a few weeks this summer has a picturesque library that was featured in a fun picture book which has won many awards. Bats at the Library is a about some bats who, much to their delight, discover that the window to the library has been left open. They make their way in and enjoy a night filled with adventure and stories. Children love the illustrations and rhymes as well as trying to identify the different classic stories alluded to in the illustrations. "Goodnight Sun", "Peter Bat-bit", "Little Red Bat-inghood" to name a few. Apparently, there are other bat books by the same author and I'm anxious to check them out!
Thursday, July 07, 2011
Shades of Gray
At times, we adults have a habit of thinking of childhood as being simple. Rules are meant to be followed, needs are mostly met by others and issues faced can often be classified in terms of opposites. We even teach young children opposites as though they are unshakable truths. Up/down, in/out, big/little, wrong/right, black/white.
At some point, savvy children will begin to notice that life does not always fit into neatly labeled boxes of opposites, and that there are shades of gray. Parents and teachers might find it difficult to discuss ideas and issues that have no clear cut answers with young children.
The book The Honest to Goodness Truth by Patricia C. McKissack tackles the issue of truth telling vs. lying head on. Yes, we all know we should tell the truth at all times. But are there times that we hide the truth, or try to cover it up under the guise of politeness? Have you ever heard a child exclaim loudly, "Look at that fat man!" or a similarly embarrassing comment? We expect people in our culture to filter such comments (however accurate they may be) and refrain from saying them aloud.
Not all young children will immediately understand the message of this story, but it does provide for good conversation. I would encourage you to read it aloud to your child and talk about it in simple terms, and then read it again, and again, and again over a span of months, or years. Older children will also enjoy reading this advanced picture book and they will understand the message better. Be ready to discuss it with them as well.
At some point, savvy children will begin to notice that life does not always fit into neatly labeled boxes of opposites, and that there are shades of gray. Parents and teachers might find it difficult to discuss ideas and issues that have no clear cut answers with young children.
The book The Honest to Goodness Truth by Patricia C. McKissack tackles the issue of truth telling vs. lying head on. Yes, we all know we should tell the truth at all times. But are there times that we hide the truth, or try to cover it up under the guise of politeness? Have you ever heard a child exclaim loudly, "Look at that fat man!" or a similarly embarrassing comment? We expect people in our culture to filter such comments (however accurate they may be) and refrain from saying them aloud.
Not all young children will immediately understand the message of this story, but it does provide for good conversation. I would encourage you to read it aloud to your child and talk about it in simple terms, and then read it again, and again, and again over a span of months, or years. Older children will also enjoy reading this advanced picture book and they will understand the message better. Be ready to discuss it with them as well.
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