Day 207: Go, Dog, Go!

My inspiration for today's post came in the strangest of places.  This past weekend, we attended my brother's college graduation.  Like other people with small children, we happily situated ourselves at the back of audience so that we could get up and let the kids run around a bit outside if need be.  At one point towards the end of the 2 1/2 hour ceremony, my daughter was sitting in my lap, snuggling up against me and talking quietly to herself.  It didn't take me long to notice that she was reciting part of a story. "Stop, dog, stop!  The light is red.  Go, dog, go!  It's green ahead."  She repeated these phrases to herself for a while, unaware that I was listening, occasionally mentioning some of the story's other lines, as well:  "You're almost there.  Stop at that tree.  Climb that ladder to a dog party!" The story?  Go, Dog, Go!, a classic early reader book by P.D. Eastman.  We've actually been reading the abridged board book version (Go, Dog, Go! P.D. Eastman's Book of Things That Go, shown below), but both are wonderfully fun.  The simple, repetitive, rhyming text, and the silly, colorful pictures make this book a great one for emerging readers and toddlers, alike.  This book was also one of the first that my son ever read aloud by himself.  I'm surprised I haven't featured it on here yet!

Books like this one are classics for a reason.  Something about them magically connects and sticks with children across generations.  I can count on one hand the number of times we have read that story in the past month, and yet there was my daughter, not yet 3, reciting parts of it from memory over and over to herself.  Don't you just love the way those little minds work? They never cease to amaze me.

If you haven't yet checked out the works of P.D. Eastman, look for them the next time you are the library.  Go, Dog, Go! and Are You My Mother? are both delightfully fun.

Day 206: Oh No, George!

Teaching our kids to do the right thing -- even when no one is looking -- is a challenging and important job.  We've been stressing this a lot with our five year old lately ("How did you see that?"), and Oh No, George! is the perfect story to help deliver this message.

In this adorable story, George the dog is left alone at home while his owner, Harry, goes out.  George promises he'd be good while Harry is gone, but there are simply too many temptations for him resist!  A big plate full of cake, dirt to dig in, Cat to play with...  When Harry returns home to find his house a mess, George feels terrible.  "I said I'd be good, George thinks.  I hoped I'd be good, but I wasn't."  In what is perhaps my favorite moment of the book, George then brings Harry his favorite toy as an offer of forgiveness.  Harry takes George out for a nice walk, and along the way, George encounters more of his favorite things.  This time, though, George is able to restrain himself, proudly passing by a cake, Cat, and a lovely pile of dirt.  Well done, George!

At the story's end, George comes across his favorite thing of all.  A trash can!  "There's nothing more George likes more than digging in trash.  What will George do?  George?"  We love how we're left to decide for ourselves what we think George is going to do.  Will he be good and pass by the trash can, or dive right in?  My kids sometimes change their minds about what they think George is going to do, but mostly, they think he's going to be good and leave the trash alone.  We all get such a kick out of this cute story, and my kids just love chiming in on the early chorus of "Oh no, George!" each time he gives in to temptation.  They are just as happy towards the end, too, when George is able to do the right thing.  It's always cute to watch their reactions to this story.

George might be a dog, but he provides the perfect analogy for young children.  He's sweet and means well, but sometimes he just can't resist the temptation to do certain things, even when he knows he shouldn't.  As my son likes to say, "I just want to do what I want to do!"  I love the way this story gets children to think about the difference between knowing the right thing and doing the right thing, as well as see the way their actions can affect other people.  The illustrations are funky and unique, and the story line is one to which you and your kids can both easily relate (especially if you have a dog.) Next time you're at the library, look for Oh No, George!  It's fun, sweet, and an all-around great read.

Day 184: See Me Run

We looked for this book at our local library after seeing it was a Theodore Seuss Geisel honoree winner for 2012.  If you've never heard of the Geisel award, it is given annually to the author and illustrator of the "most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English" (according to the
ALA's website.)  It is no surprise that the best early reader books would be honored in the name of the great Dr. Seuss, and we have a few other previous winners on our bookshelves that we absolutely love:  Mo Willems' Are You Ready to Play Outside (2009) and There is a Bird on Your Head! (2008), and Cynthia Rylant's Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas (2006.)  Now, some people probably won't be impressed with this book because at a quick glance, it might not seem like anything special.  There are only a few words on each page with some silly pictures of dogs.  But let me assure you:  if you have a child who is just learning to read, this is the perfect book!

See Me Run is an "I Like to Read" book, published by Holiday House and written by Paul Meisel.  The award winning books I mentioned above are all considered "Early Readers," though I have learned that there is a great deal of variety when it comes to this genre.  For example, "I Like to Read" books are different from "I Can Read!" books, such as those in the Frog and Toad, Little Critter, and Amelia Bedelia series. I'll have to do a little research on this to find out more about specific reading levels within the broad category called "Early Readers," but from what I can tell about the "I Like to Read" books by Holiday House, they are a great starting point for beginning -- and I mean just beginning -- readers.  (To learn more about the "I Like to Read" series, visit the Holiday House brochure about them here.)

As soon as we got this book home, my son took it out and we sat down to read it together.  I started to read it to him, but he immediately stopped me and said, "No, no, I can read it myself!"  And he did.  Pretty effortlessly.  I watched his face as he read, and with each turn of the page, his smile got a little bigger. Part of this was due to the silly story itself, but a lot of it had to do with the fact that this was a story he could easily and comfortably read all by himself.  For a beginning reader, this is a powerful thing.  This is what I think makes this book so great.  We love the Frog and Toad and Henry and Mudge series, and those are considered "Early Readers," too, but they are several steps and reading levels above See Me Run.  I am extremely lucky in that reading appears to be something that has come quite easily to my son, but I would imagine that this book will provide many struggling or emerging readers with the boost of confidence they need to feel successful and good about reading.  The text is short, there are familiar sight words, and there is just the right amount of repetition to make kids' reading become more fluid as they go along.  I even caught my 2 year old daughter "reading" this book by herself this morning, which made her quite proud.  ("I can read it all by myselfs!")  Plus, the pictures of the dogs are cute and fun, and the ending is even sillier.  If your child is just starting to read or you are having trouble finding a good, true "Early Reader," we highly recommend this book.

Day 181: Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee

Chris Van Dusen is one of our favorite authors.  The first book of his that we read was The Circus Ship, and we soon fell in love with several of this other stories, as well.  (A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee and If I Built a Car have both been featured on here in the past.)  Sometimes I worry about posting too many books by the same author, but when we love a book and read it as often as we read this one, I figure it is well worth sharing.  Chris Van Dusen is a fantastic author and illustrator whose rhymes place him among the ranks of masters like Dr. Seuss and whose illustrations always have a colorful, unique, retro feel to them.  We just love the Mr. Magee books, and I'm not kidding when I say that we have probably read this book 100 times since getting it as a gift last Christmas.  Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee is Van Dusen's first book, and was inspired by his desire to write a story about a boat that gets stuck in a tree.  It's silly and fun and my kids always enjoy reading it.

"Mr. Magee and his little dog Dee loved spending time in their boat on the sea.  So early one morning at 6:32, they made a decision.  That's just what they'd do... With plans for the day and enough lunch for three, they hopped in the car and drove down to the sea."  But their little outing quickly becomes a big adventure when a curious whale decides to play... and soon they are sailing high over the bay to the top of an island spruce!  The whole story is endlessly entertaining and makes a fabulous read aloud.  I don't know how well-known Van Dusen is outside of New England, but a great book is a great book no matter where you are! If you haven't yet discovered his wonderful work, look for his books the next time you are at the library.  If they make your children laugh and smile even half as much as they do mine, you are bound to love them.

Day 179: Where's Spot?

As I looked at this story sitting next to the rocking chair in my daughter's room today, I thought, "What a great book.  It's amazing how much my kids continue to love this story.  I mean, really, do lift the flap books ever get old?  No signs of that here yet, anyway.  This should be on my holiday gift guide for sure.  I've written about Where's Spot? already, right?  Surely I have."  But lo and behold, when I checked the blog, I haven't yet featured this fabulous book.  I can't believe it!  So without further ado, let me just say that this is one children's classic that belongs on every baby's bookshelf.  If your children are anything like mine, they will enjoy Where's Spot? from their first few months through their first few years.  Spot has long been a favorite of both of my kids in plain old board book form, but add in the endless fun that is lifting the flaps and we've got a definite winner on our hands.  Its bright, simple illustrations and short text make it appealing to babies, while it's flaps call out to those little ones who are becoming more dextrous.  My little girl is two, and loves reading this book just as much now as she did over a year ago.  I probably couldn't even count the number of times we've read this story, but believe me when I say that opening the wardrobe doors and finding Steve the monkey hiding inside still brings a smile to her face every time.  My son is almost 5 and he still loves reading this book, too... only now it's because he can read it to his little sister all by himself.  So there you have it.  Where's Spot? is just an all-around great book.  I highly recommend the board book version if you can get it.  Ours is really quite sturdy, and even the flaps have held up well after much lifting.  This book makes a great baby or first birthday gift, or could even be a nice stocking stuffer for a little one's first Christmas.  I hope Spot brings as much joy and entertainment to your house as he has to ours!

Day 169: Hondo & Fabian

Hondo & Fabian was a gift from the ever-generous Uncle Jeff, whom we have to thank for many of the favorites that make up our home library.  He also got us the equally wonderful sequel, Fabian Escapes, at the same time, so I figured it made sense to recommend both in the same post.  I was immediately struck by the books' beautiful illustrations, and knew that both my son and daughter would love reading about these adorable, soft, portly pets.  The story in Hondo & Fabian is sweet and simple:  Hondo, the dog, goes on an adventure to the beach with his friend, while Fabian, the cat, stays home.  In Fabian Escapes, the roles are reversed and Fabian spends the day exploring his neighborhood while Hondo relaxes at home.  In both stories, we also meet the baby of the household, who loves to play dress up with the pets (much to their dismay) and feed crackers to Hondo from her high chair.

I've actually been having a hard time figuring out just how to describe these books and why we enjoy them so much, since the stories are so simple in and of themselves.  There is no fancy language or descriptive details; just a gently playful story with gorgeous illustrations.  The illustrations are really what make the book for me.  I have no idea how Peter McCarty manages to create such a soft, beautiful effect using only colored pencils on watercolor paper, but his artwork is amazing.  (Definitely Caldecott-honor-worthy, if you ask me.)

The other thing I love most about this story is the way it portrays the charming antics of those cute, carefree pets.  I had a cat and a dog growing up, and I can't help but think of them every time I read these stories.  My dog, also a retriever, loved playing in the waves and stealing butter off the counter like Hondo.  My cat loved exploring the outdoors and getting into mischief like Fabian.  I think my kids love these stories mostly because they love animals, especially dogs and cats, but also because they find the simple pleasures Hondo and Fabian enjoy throughout the book to be rather silly.  My son loves how Fabian lies on the windowsill, and how he stops to smell the flowers in the garden... and eats them.   Perhaps this is really why I love these books. Their plots are based around the little things in life -- playing in the waves, exploring the backyard, unrolling a roll of toilet paper -- in which children (and pets) find so much joy.

These books are probably best suited to toddlers and preschoolers, but emerging readers might enjoy reading them on their own, as well.  I also think these stories would be great in board book form for the littlest of readers.  We love curling up to read Hondo & Fabian and Fabian Escapes before bed, and hope that you will, too.

Day 114: The Pigeon Wants a Puppy

If you have a preschooler and have not yet discovered Mo Willems' Pigeon books (or any books by him, really), you must go to your local library immediately and find one!  Seriously, you are missing out and need to read one of his fabulous stories as soon as possible.  You won't be disappointed, I promise.  We LOVE Mo Willems here in our house, and he is one of the few authors for whom I feel the need to own every single one of his books.  We featured one of all time favorites Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus back on Day 64, but felt we just had to share one of the equally hilarious sequels, The Pigeon Wants a Puppy.  If you're familiar with the Pigeon, you know that he pretty much is a preschooler in bird form:  he is funny, independent, charming, cute, clever, and wants what he wants when he wants it (which is usually NOW!)  He can go from endearingly sweet to tantrum mode in about .5 seconds, and doesn't like taking "No" for an answer.  The story begins in Willems' classic conversational form, with the Pigeon greeting us with a friendly, "Oh, hello.  How are you?  I'm fine.  Thanks for asking."  And then, as would any three year old intent on getting something he wants, he gets right to his point.  "By the way, do you know what I want?  What I've wanted forever...? [and then, in more of a secret whisper] At least since last Tuesday...?  A PUPPY!!"   He promises to take care of it and water it once a month (insert fits of child giggles here), only to then get mopey and defensive that we don't seem to be buying it. "Oh... I get it.  You don't want me to be happy, do you?  You don't want me to take a piggyback ride on my puppy!  Or play tennis with it!"  Just as his fit reaches its peak, we hear a "Woof!" off in the distance... and the pigeon gets his wish!  The comedy ensues as the pigeon meets the puppy (who is much bigger and slobbery than expected) and ultimately decides that he has changed his mind:  what he really wants is a walrus!  I'm always amazed at how much emotion Willems can convey in such simple drawings, and love the way he uses the text to emphasize the Pigeon's mood.  The font gets smaller when the pigeon is feeling sad, and bigger as his intensity and volume increase.  Be sure to read the pigeon's list of "Things I Want" on the title page; it is positively hilarious!  I know the day will come when my children are begging and pleading for a puppy in their own pigeon-style, but until then, I can simply sit back and enjoy reading this delightfully silly and engaging story.  Enjoy! 

Day 107: Spot Loves His Mommy

No toddler's library is complete without at least one Spot book!  There is something universally loved about this cute yellow puppy and his day-in-the-life stories.  With bright, bold colors and simple illustrations, Spot has been delighting children since his very first publication, Where's Spot?, back in 1980.  We have several Spot books in our house, all of which have been well-loved by both of my children.  My daughter (13 months) particularly loves Spot Loves His Mommy and Spot Loves His Daddy (which were Mother's and Father's Day gifts, respectively.)  Just yesterday, I was reading stories with her in her room and couldn't figure out why she was fussing.  She kept squirming out of my arms and reaching for her bookshelf, even though I kept offering different books that I know she likes.  When I put her down and let her go, she pushed a few other books aside and reached for Spot Loves His Mommy.  Finally content, she returned to my lap with book in hand and a satisfied smile on her face.  What can I say, she makes her opinions known!  The language in Spot books is simple, making them great for emerging readers, as well.  My son just loves being able to read them to his little sister!  He also loves Spot's silly friends:  Steve the monkey, Helen the hippo, Tom the alligator, and others. Many of the Spot titles are lift-the-flap books, too, which are always a big hit.  Which Spot book is your favorite?

Day 80: Henry and Mudge in the Green Time

One of our earliests posts (Day 3) was about the beloved boy and dog duo of Henry and Mudge, who have long been regular favorites in our household.  We are fond of Cynthia Rylant's books, in general, but Henry and Mudge will forever hold a very special place in our hearts.  I just love these stories about the big drooly dog and his best friend, Henry.  Sucie Stevenson's illustrations are wonderfully charming, and I love the way Rylant describes the things Mudge does and the love Henry's family has for one another.  There are 28 books in the series, and I think we've read just about all of them at one time or another.  Henry and Mudge in the Green Time is definitely among my favorites.   It takes place in the summer, and the three chapter stories are "The Picnic," in which Henry gets stung by a bee, "The Bath," in which Mudge endures a much-hated bath, and "The Green Time," my favorite of the three.   I think I love the Green Time so much because it captures the wonderful imagination of Henry, an only child, and the bliss and innocence of childhood.  Henry and Mudge spend lots of time on the green hill near their house, Henry pretending to be a king and Mudge, his dragon.  "The met monsters.  Mudge ate them.  They marched and marched till they could march no more.  Then they found a magic tree on the green hill.  It was a tree for kings and dragons who were tired.  Henry and Mudge sat down under the tree.  Henry put his arms around Mudge.  They were glad for a magic tree.  They closed their eyes.  And a boy and his dog slept, together, on the green hill in their green time."   Just wonderful, isn't it?  Henry and Mudge can usually be found in the early reader section of your library.  No need to wait until your child can actually read, though, before checking out this fabulous series.  These books are wonderful additions to any preschoolers library.  Be warned, though:  this series is addictive!  Don't be surprised if your little one asks to bring home the library's entire collection all at once.

Day 68: How Rocket Learned to Read

Meet Rocket:  a cute, cuddly, black and white dog who loves chasing leaves and napping under his favorite tree.  As he settles in for a good nap one day, a little bird lands on a branch nearby and declares herself to be his teacher.  He tries to argue that he is only there to sleep, but the persistent bird continues, encouraging Rocket to be her student.  He ignores her at first, but he soon finds himself drawn in to the story she is reading aloud about a dog who has lost his favorite bone.  Soon enough, Rocket is returning to the bird's classroom by the tree every morning, hoping to learn to read for himself.  Together, Rocket and the little yellow bird sing out the sounds that letters make and piece them together, from the GRRRRRRRR of Mr. Barker's growl to the WHHOOSSHHHH of the wind.  Then, it's on to words that describe the world around them, such as the R-E-D leaves and the cool, crisp weather of F-A-L-L.  As the seasons turn, the little bird flies away for the winter, leaving her star student to keep spelling and reading on his own until she returns.  "Don't forget!" she reminds him.  "Words are built one letter at a time!"  Rocket practices all winter, anxiously waiting for the return of spring and his teacher so that they may read together once more.  How Rocket Learned to Read is a perfect book for any child who is venturing into the glorious world of reading independently.  I just love the way Tad Hills brings Rocket and the adventure of reading to life:  letter by letter, sound by sound, one word at a time.   I love the way he engages Rocket with a story for the first time, going from uninterested, to curious, to captivated.  I love how he realistically depicts learning to read as a journey that takes time, not something that one can learn to do overnight.  And I love little details about the book, like Rocket's expressive face and the fact that the alphabet is described as wondrous, mighty, and gorgeous.  My son just adores this book, too.  He loves the cute little dog, of course, and definitely shares Rocket's curiosity about letters and reading.  My son spells out words everywhere we go and asks what they spell -- in the store, in the car, with his foam letter in the bathtub -- and just loves spelling along with Rocket as we read.  (He was so excited to know the name E-M-M-A the first time we read this.)  He loves little things about this book, too, like the fact that a lilac bush is mentioned in the story.  Every time we smell lilacs outside, he smiles and exclaims, "Lilacs!  Just like in Rocket!"  We have a great, interactive version of this book on our ipad, as well.  How Rocket Learned to Read is a fabulous story that we are bound to read again and A-G-A-I-N.  

Day 20: Martha Speaks

My son loves to pretend that he is different animal characters on a regular basis.  Lately, I've been having a hard time keeping track of who he is at any given moment.  Oftentimes, he's Curious George.  (If we're all home, my husband is the man with the yellow hat, I am Professor Wiseman, and my daughter is the doorman's little dachsund, Hundley.)  Other times, he is Mudge (of Henry and Mudge fame), or a little dog from the Clifford television show named Hamburger.  For the past two days, though, he has been Martha from Martha Speaks, so he thought we should make that book today's featured story.  I also just learned that the author, Susan Meddaugh, lives two towns away from us in Sherborn, which I thought was pretty cool.  If you have a preschooler who watches PBS, you've probably seen or heard of the Martha Speaks TV show which is based on the book.  We don't really watch it (not because it isn't good,) but we do love the story.  If you aren't familiar with Martha, she is an outspoken dog who is able to talk after eating alphabet soup.  The story line of Martha Speaks is cute, silly, and fun to read, but I think I enjoy the commentary that Meddaugh adds into her illustrations more than the plot itself.  My son loves the silly things Martha says and does, and my husband and I are amused by her colloquialisms and witty comments.  It's a fun book for parents and kids (and talking dogs,) alike.

Day 3: Henry and Mudge and the Forever Sea

Cynthia Rylant's wonderful collection of stories about a little boy and his beloved, huggable, 180 pound dog, Mudge, are on heavy rotation at our house right now.  In fact, my son loves them so much, it was all I could do to convince him that we couldn't check out all 28 of them from the library this week.  (We settled on four.)  He also loves to pretend to be Mudge on a regular basis, which I find ridiculously cute.  We must read at least three different Henry and Mudge books a day, but we are particularly fond of the Forever Sea at the moment.  I think this is because, like me, my son can't wait to be able to go to the beach this summer.  (We've been dreaming about it all winter long.)  The Henry and Mudge books are part of the "Ready to Read" series so are presumably aimed at a slightly older age group, but I think they are just perfect for three year olds, too.  They have been around for a while -- The First Book was published in 1987 -- and I remember reading them with my brothers when they were little.  (And now, we are lucky to have all of their old books.  Thanks, Mom!)  If you've ever owned a dog, especially a big one that drools a lot and takes up too much room on the couch, you'll instantly love Mudge.  I often laugh and smile to myself as I read about the things he does, as they bring back so many happy memories of my childhood dog.  If you haven't discovered Henry and Mudge yet, I encourage you to go check them out.  There are many adventures to choose from, and no doubt other titles from the series will make our list further down the line.