Day 242: Found

Salina Yoon is another recent favorite of ours, thanks to her sweet, charming stories and simple yet wonderfully expressive illustrations. We first discovered her work when we read Penguin on Vacation, and have loved the Penguin series ever since.  Found is another of my daughter's new library favorites, and has been on heavy rotation at bedtime for the past few weeks.

In Found, Bear comes across a toy bunny in the forest. Right away, he thinks it is the most special thing he has ever seen, but he knows that a toy this special must belong to someone else. He sets out to help the bunny find its owner, posting flyers on every tree in the forest.

Try as he might, Bear cannot find the owner. All the while, of course, Bear is loving the bunny more and more and wishing it could be his forever. He takes care of it, plays with it, and even makes the bunny a comfy bed next to his. One day, as Bear and the bunny are out riding on Bear's bike, bunny's owner appears. In his heart, Bear knows what he must do. He tearfully returns the bunny and sets off on his way. In a sweet, touching ending, however, Bear and his beloved bunny are reunited and able to return home together, safe and found! (Warning: if the ending of Toy Story 3 made you tear up, this book might, too.) 

I love so many things about this adorable book: the touching story line, Yoon's fabulous illustrations, and the message about the importance of doing the right thing even when it is hard. I especially love the collection of "Lost" posters on the inside covers -- they are clever and fabulous and not to be missed! Most importantly, though, this is a sweet story about love, kindness, and the bonds of friendship. What's not to love about that?

Day 234: Owl Babies

My cousin passed this book along to us a few years back, but for some reason, we didn't read it much until recently.  My daughter pulled if off her shelf a few weeks ago, and it's been one of her most requested bedtime stories ever since.

Three owl siblings, Sarah, Percy, and Bill, awake one night to discover that their mother is gone. Sarah thinks their mother must have gone off hunting ("To get us food!" Percy adds), while Bill, the youngest, simply cries, "I want my mommy!"  Together, the three owlets watch and wait, hoping and wishing that their mother will return.  Sarah remains the reassuring optimist (at one point suggesting that they all sit on her branch), Percy seems to follow Sarah's lead (I love when he reaches out to hold Bill's wing!), and poor, worried Bill continues to cry, "I want my mommy!" In the end, of course, the mother owl does return to the sheer delight of her little ones, comforting them with the knowledge that she will always come back. I love the way the owls' personalities show through in Martin Waddell's charming story, and Patrick Benson's illustrations are remarkably expressive.  I adore listening to my daughter chime in as Bill each time we read, too.  It's natural for children to feel a little separation anxiety from time to time, so they will likely find both comfort and humor in this sweet, lovely bedtime story.  

Day 230: Hug

My son found this book when we were at the library last week and both of my children fell in love with it instantly.  It reminds me of another one of my childrens' favorite board books, Goodnight Gorilla, in that it contains only a few words (hug, Bobo, and Mommy) but still tells a sweet, charming story that even the youngest readers are bound to love.

Young Bobo the chimp is wandering through the jungle, admiring the various ways that his animal friends and their parents give each other hugs.  At first, he happily calls out, "Hug!," but it doesn't take long for Bobo to long for a hug of his own.  A pair of elephants set out to help him find his mommy, and along the way, we see even more cute creature parents and their young embracing each other.  Just when Bobo thinks all hope is lost, his Mommy calls out, "Bobo!", and all is right with his world.  Alborough's illustrations are wonderfully expressive, and I love the way the changing emotions of the story can be expressed with the same word.  We have yet to read this book fewer than three times in a sitting, and my 3 year old daughter loves that she can read it herself. (She even changes her voice accordingly to reflect the joy or sadness of little Bobo's refrain. It's adorable.)  It's also a story to which all children can easily relate, for sometimes we all just need a hug.

We found this story in a large board book format, though I think it comes in a smaller board book format, too.  Published by Candlewick Press (one of my favorite publishers), Hug has won an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Book Award, as well as a Parenting Reading Magic Award.  I wish we had discovered this book when my kids were babies, since I know it would have been one of their favorites all along.  I'd recommend this story for newborns on up, especially when accompanied by a big, loving hug.

Day 225: Whoever You Are

The last time we went to the library, I thought it would be fun to find a book that would tie in nicely to the Olympics.  I didn't have anything particular in mind and I certainly wasn't expecting to find an Olympic type book when I went to see what Mem Fox books were on the shelf, but as soon as I saw this story, I knew this would be just the thing.  The Olympics are inspiring in so many ways, but the thing I love most about them is the way they unite people from all over the world.  It's awesome, isn't it?  As a geography teacher, I was always hoping to instill in my students an appreciation and respect for other cultures and people. As a parent, I do the same, hoping that my children will always know that we have far more in common as humankind than we might always be able to see.  Although we might seem very different from other people around the world, deep down, we are the same. 

In this sweet, simple story, beloved Australian author Mem Fox celebrates the diversity of our beautiful planet, reminding young readers that every day, all over the world, children are smiling, playing, laughing, crying, and learning, just like them.  "Their schools may be different from yours, and their lands may be different from yours.  Their lives may be different than yours, and their words may be very different from yours.  But inside, their hearts are just like yours, whoever they are, wherever they are, all over the world." Leslie Staub's colorful illustrations and Fox's gentle, repetitive verse make this story perfect for even the youngest readers, though its message is an important one for readers of all ages.  No matter how different we might seem on the outside, the things that unite us will always be far greater than those that divide us.  

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.  

Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Day 224: Pictures From Our Vacation

It's February:  that ironic month in New England that seems oh-so-long, despite being the year's shortest.  Naturally, given the weeks of sub-freezing temperatures and sicknesses that always grace our household at this time of year, I'm dreaming of summer.  Sweet, sweet summer, with days spent playing on the beach and swimming in the lake and hiking in the mountains of New Hampshire.  Ahhh….. Alas, warm weather is still a few months away, so I'll have to settle for looking at pictures of sunny places, dreaming about vacation, and drinking coconut coffee.

When we went to the library last week and my children happily picked random books from the shelves, I turned to my trusty list of books to find, hoping to bring home a few new titles I've been wanting to read for a while.  Pictures From Our Vacation was one such title on that list, having been recommended by my fabulous friend Melinda, children's librarian extraordinaire, who hailed it as one of her kids' favorite books last summer.  I was thrilled to find that our library had it available and added it to our pile, eager to bring it home.  Thanks, as always, Melinda, for the fabulous recommendation!

I absolutely love this story! I've never read anything by Lynne Rae Perkins before, but there are many Cynthia-Ryland-esque qualities about this book that I just love.  It's a wonderfully sweet story about a family's vacation to visit relatives and the memories they make along the way.  At the start of the trip, the mother gives each of the children a Polaroid camera and a scrapbook in which to place their pictures so that they can have a nice souvenirs from their vacation.  The kids snap pictures along the way -- of hillsides, the sky, the back of their dad's head as he drives -- but as they are returning home, they realize that the photographs hardly remind them of their vacation at all.  Rather, it's the time spent with family, the laughter, the stories, the cool feel of the water in the lake -- all of the things that they couldn't capture on film -- that were the most memorable. The snapshots, images, and maps with which Perkins illustrates the book are perfect, and I couldn't love the message of this story any more.  This will definitely be a book that we add to our summer vacation collection.

I'll end this post with my favorite excerpt from the book. While I will always take pictures to capture the moments that we spend together as a family, I hope that my children will believe, as I do, that it is the time we spend doing those things together that is the most wonderful of all.

"I looked out the window.  There were big electrical towers alongside the highway.  I took a picture of them.  In my mind they looked like giant robots marching across the earth, carrying the electricity along in their hands.  It's probably hard to take a picture that shows that, even with a really good camera. And it's hard to take a picture of a story someone tells, or what it feels like when you're rolling down a hill or falling asleep in a house full of cousins and uncles and aunts.  There are a lot of things like that.  But those kinds of pictures I can keep in my mind."

Day 202: Grandpa Green

We've gotten this gorgeous story out of the library several times now, and each time, I've vowed that I'm going to go home and blog about it.  Grandpa Green is an absolutely beautiful book, brought to life by some of the loveliest, most creative illustrations I've ever seen. 

In this heartfelt, poignant story, a young boy recounts the life of his great-grandfather, a remarkable man whose experiences and memories have been magically preserved in his garden.  As we wander among Grandpa Green's topiary trees, we learn of his childhood on a farm, time as a soldier in a world war, how he met his wife in a French cafe, and of the family they went on to create together.  Along the way, the great-grandson is seen admiring the memories so beautifully sculpted for him.  If you look closely, you'll also notice that he is gradually collecting gardening tools that have been left behind, as if to reassure us that his great-grandfather's memories and talents will live on long after he is gone.   

Grandpa Green is definitely the type of book that kids and adults of all ages will love for different reasons.  My children love studying the illustrations and quietly observing new details each time we read it, especially given their love of nature.  In many ways, though, I think this book is one that I love and appreciate far more than they do.  There are so many clever little things within the story that might be missed by kids but exhibit exactly why this book is so brilliant, such as the topiary sculpture of an elephant on the page that tells us how the great-grandpa sometimes "forgets things like his favorite floppy straw hat," or the way that the leaves on the tree gradually fade from green to brown when we learn that now Grandpa Green is pretty old.  I feel like we could read this story 100 times and discover something new each time.  

Grandpa Green was a Caldecott Honor Book in 2012, and deservedly so.  The text is brief, but the illustrations add volumes to this touching, whimsical story.  The description on the jacket cover describes this lovely book as exploring "aging, memory, and the bonds of family history and love."  The New York Times Book Review calls it "an unassuming little masterpiece" whose "power lies in its rich, allusive artistry."  I couldn't agree more.  

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

Say "I Love You" with a book!

If you've been following this blog for a while, you know how much I love to give books as gifts.  I've mentioned some of the many reasons why in the past, but each time a holiday comes around -- especially one like Valentine's Day or Easter that otherwise tends to be celebrated with excessive amounts of candy -- I find myself getting excited to pick out a new book to give my kids in honor of the occasion.  (And don't worry. Chocolate is still involved.)  Fortunately, I can happily report that my kids get more excited about new books than any kind of candy or edible treat.  And by "new," I simply mean "new to them."  I pick up most of our books at the used book sales at our local library for about $.25 a piece, then hang on to them for future gifting.  I did splurge this year and buy brand new ones for my kids for Valentine's Day, but Barefoot Books was having such a fabulous sale recently that I couldn't resist.  (My daughter will be getting the singalong Up, Up, Up!, and my son will be getting Up and Down the Andes.)  While their new books have nothing at all to do with Valentine's Day, here are a few of our favorites that would make perfect gifts for your little Valentine:

 Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton

 Guess How Much I Love You? by Sam McBratney

 On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman

 Someday by Alison McGhee

For Daddy:

 I Love My Daddy Because... by Laurel Porter-Gaylord 

For Mommy:  

 I Love My Mommy Because... by Laurel Porter-Gaylord

From a younger sibling to an older one:

I Can't Talk Yet, But When I Do... by Julie Markes

 

Day 135: I Can't Talk Yet, but When I Do...

We brought this adorable book home from the library last week and it is so sweet that I just had to write about it.  Told from the perspective of a baby brother to his older sister, it tells of all the things he would say to her if he could.  "I can't talk yet, but when I do, I'll say thank you for helping to take care of me... for sharing your toys and making me laugh, and for helping me when I was learning to walk."  The little brother can't wait to be able to tell his big sister how much he loves it when she sings him songs, or that he is sorry about the time he tore the painting she brought home from school.  He'll let her know that when he grows up, he wants to be just like her, and he'll finally be able to say the one thing he wants to tell her most of all: "I love you."  The illustrations are darling, and I just love the different scenes and interactions between the two siblings throughout the book.  My favorite is the one of the brother and sister snuggling together in her bed while she reads him a story by flashlight.  The whole book seems to capture the relationship between my two little ones perfectly, which is why I think I love it so much.  My daughter is starting to be able to say some words, and my son loves asking her to repeat them as often as possible:  "Can you say Ma Ma?  Can you say Da Da?  Can you say Ba Ba?" (which is what he tries to get her to call him.)  I always feel so incredibly fortunate that my children absolutely adore each other, and I know that my daughter idolizes my son in every way.  There is no doubt in my mind that she wants to be just like him, but I know it can still sometimes be hard for my son to understand why my daughter does some of the things she does.  If you have or know a child who has recently become a big brother or sister,  read him or her this book, especially if they are having trouble adjusting to their new role as an older sibling.  It is a charming, sweet, and funny story about the love siblings have for one another, and is a wonderful reminder to all of the big brothers and sisters out there just how much they are looked-up-to, appreciated and loved.

Day 126: Winter's Gift

I absolutely love this time of year.  The twinkling lights, the smell of gingerbread baking, the decked halls, the coziness of our house, spending time with family and friends, the spirit of giving… All of these things make me feel warm and happy and festive all over.  There is a special place on my son's book shelf for our winter and holiday books, and I have been eager to share some of these here on the blog for months.  One of my favorites is Winter's Gift by Jane Monroe Donovan, a beautifully touching story of love, companionship, and hope.  My mom gave this to my son for his first Christmas little more than a week after he was born with the inscription, "For W, a Christmas gift to our family.  We love you."  I didn't read the book right away, but as soon as I did, I knew it would be a story we will cherish for years to come.   It also instantly earned itself a spot on my list of books that make me cry.  The story of the recently widowed old man and the lost, exhausted mare he rescues from a blizzard is heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once.  When my son picks up this book, he says, "I should read this book with Daddy.  This book always makes you cry, Mum Mum."  While the beginning of the story is sad  -- it is the old man's first Christmas alone since losing his wife a few months earlier -- the ending is uplifting and lovely.  The illustrations throughout the story are gorgeous, as well; I can feel the cold wind of the storm and the glowing warmth of the man's barn.  I'm always impressed when books are illustrated and written by the same person, too.  I was first struck by the cover illustration of a mare walking alone through the woods in a snow storm, but now I am continually moved by the emotion of the story.  I loved horses as a girl, so I think that makes the natural beauty of this book resonate with me even more.  Winter's Gift takes place on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, but I don't necessarily consider it to be a Christmas story.  To me, its message of enduring hope transcends the holiday, though I can see why it might be categorized as such.   I have yet to see this story in book stores or the library, but I'm sure it's out there if you look for it.  Winter's Gift is one of those timeless books that is appropriate for children of all ages, and would make a perfect gift for kids from one to ninety-two. 

Day 123: Magnus Maximus, A Marvelous Measurer

I'll admit it.  I sometimes judge a book by its cover.  Or at least, I decide to pick it up based on its cover.  Such was the case the other day when I saw Magnus Maximus, A Marvelous Measurer, standing along the top of the library bookshelves in the new titles section.  There was something wonderfully intriguing about the cover illustration, and I added it to our pile of books to check out without even opening it or reading a few pages.  Another reason I picked up this book is that my son loves to measure things around our house with a tape measure -- his trucks, the couch, his arm, his sister -- so I naturally thought of my own little marvelous measurer when I saw it.  I read this book for the first time by myself later that evening after my son had gone to sleep, since he had chosen other titles to read at bedtime that night.  As soon as I finished the story, I loved it.  I couldn't wait to read it with my son the next day.  (He now loves it, too.)  I secretly hoped there would be more.  It's not that the book is incomplete or ends abruptly, but because I wanted more lovely images in my mind of Magnus Maximus appreciating the beauty of the world around him.  Magnus Maximus is indeed a marvelous measurer.  He particularly loves to measure extraordinary things: "wetness and dryness, nearness and farness, and everything else in between." He loves to count things, too, from the clouds in the sky to the petals on a geranium.  When the town makes Magnus its official measurer, he finds himself measuring even more things.  The wobbliness of a jellyfish.  The itchiness of an itch.  The stinkiest socks.  In fact, Magnus is so consumed by his daily (and nightly) measurements, that he misses much of what is going on around him.  "Whenever his friends invited him over to dinner, he was so busy counting the number of peas in the stew or cherries in the pie, that he never noticed the smiles in their eyes, or the tears in their voices."  When Magnus accidentally breaks his glasses and is unable to measure anything, he doesn't know what to do... until a young boy takes his hand and shows him there is far more to life than that which can be measured.  There are so many things I love about this story.  Most of all, I love its message that no matter how busy life can get, we must never forget to slow down and take time to appreciate the simple things in life that make the world so beautiful.   Feel the icy cold of the ocean on our feet.  Build a sandcastle.  Watch the sun set.  Gaze at the stars.  I love that it is the innocent, joyful nature of a child that first changes Magnus' perspective on the world, and that this all begins by the sea, a place which, to me, is inherently rejuvenating and peaceful.  There are some gorgeous descriptions throughout this book, such as "the butterfly that danced by on apricot wings," and "the snugness of a hand in a hand," which only add to the overall beauty of this story.   And of course, there are the amazing illustrations, which led me to pick up this book in the first place.  S.D. Schindler's artwork is masterfully detailed, and I am reminded of Erin Stead's illustrations that I love so much in A Sick Day for Amos McGee.  (This book is Caldecott-nominee-worthy, too, in my opinion.)  If you are looking for a fabulous new story to read with your child, this is one you will not want to miss.   

Day 104: The Old Woman Who Named Things

Given our love of the Henry and Mudge series, we have taken to reading some of Cynthia Rylant's other fabulous children's books.  She is such a talented author and is a master of telling stories that are loved and appreciated by children and parents on different levels for different reasons.  The Old Woman Who Named Things is a beautiful story about love, friendship, aging, and the fear of loss.  Once there was an old woman who loved to name things.  She had outlived all of her friends and worried about this, for she didn't want to become lonely without any friends she could call by name.  So, she named things around her; but only those things she knew should she could never outlive. "She named the old car she drove "Betsy."  She names the old chair she sat in "Fred."  She names the old bed she slept on "Roxanne."  And she named her old house "Franklin."... The old woman never worried about outliving any of them, and her days were happy."  One day, the old woman finds a shy brown puppy at her gate.  He looks hungry, so the old woman feeds him some ham and sends him on his way.  Every day, the puppy returns to her gate, happily wagging his tail, and every day, the old woman feeds him and tells him to go home.  It is not long, of course, before the woman starts thinking of letting the puppy stay, but he can't.  She doesn't want to risk outliving any more friends.  When the dog fails to show up at her gate one day, the woman sets off to find him, and in the process finds herself facing the classic challenge of risking loss in order to love and be happy.  It should come as no surprise that this is another wonderful story that makes me tear up every time I read it.  My son, being only 3, loves this story at face value.  He thinks it is so silly that the woman names everything from her bed to her car, and he loves the adorable puppy.  On some level, I think children can appreciate this as a book about friendship, but for adults, of course, the meaning and message of the story is far deeper, making this one of those rare books that is perfect for people of all ages.  This would also be a great book for anyone looking to address those tricky topics of aging and dying with children.  Oh, and did I mention that the illustrations are just as wonderful as the story itself?  The Old Woman Who Named Things is a lovely read that reminds us of the universal importance of taking chances on love, loss and friendship in order to find true happiness. 

Day 69: I Love My Daddy Because...

I hope all of your fabulous dads out there had a wonderful Father's Day!  In honor of you and your special day, I thought it only appropriate to feature our favorite Daddy book, I Love My Daddy Because... I featured its sister story, I Love My Mommy Because..., around Mother's Day, and we adore this one for the same reasons.  The illustrations of the different species and their babies are beautifully done, and I just love how the story shows animal fathers caring for their young.   "I love my daddy because he plays with me.  He keeps me safe and warm (emporer penguin and chick)... He is big and strong (bald eagle and chick)...  He takes naps with me (lion and cub)...  He makes me laugh (chimpanzee and baby)... He helps me reach things (giraffe and calf.)"  I also like that the proper names of the animals and their babies are featured on each page.  This is another great book for babies and preschoolers, alike, and both of my little ones just love reading it.  We gave this book to my husband for his first Father's Day, but it is a favorite in our house all year round. 

Day 48: The Kissing Hand

I hope all you moms out there had a wonderful day yesterday!  It's been fun reading about people's favorite "mothering" books; I'm sure there will be many featured throughout the year ahead.  Even though Mother's Day is over, I wanted to feature one last mother and child themed book this week.  I considered waiting to write about The Kissing Hand until my son heads off to preschool for the first time, but I thought this book's message of motherly love made it a perfect post for today. 

Oh how we love The Kissing Hand!  Little Chester raccoon is getting ready to head off to school for the first time, but he doesn't want to go.  He's nervous and scared, and would rather stay home and read his books, swing on his swing, and be with his mother.  "Sometimes we all have to do things that we don't want to do," his mommy tells him gently.  "Even if they seem strange and scary at first."  Fortunately for sweet little Chester, Mother Raccoon has a very special secret -- one that was passed down to her from her mother and grandmother -- that will make his nights away at school feel as cozy as his days at home:  the Kissing Hand.  She takes his paw in hers, spreads his tiny fingers, and plants a kiss right in the middle of his palm.  "Whenever you feel lonely and need a little loving from home, just press your hand to your cheek and think, 'Mommy loves you. Mommy loves you.' And that very kiss will jump to your face and fill you with toasty warm thoughts." 

The Kissing Hand is a perfect reminder to children that a parent's love will always be with them, even if they are apart, and is a perfect book for any little one about to head off to school or daycare for the first time.  It is sweet and heartwarming, and, of course, makes me cry at the the end.  It also reminds me of a cross-stitched saying that my grandmother has hanging in her house:  "A mother holds her children's hands for awhile, their hearts forever."  When we read this before bed, my son and I give each other kissing hands of our own, and I love seeing the little smile on his face as he holds his palm to his cheek.  I smile, too, for I know that someday, I will be the one needing his kissing hand as he ventures off on his own.

Day 47: A Mother for Choco

This adorable story of motherly love was recommended by Jenny Remley Whittaker.  (I just love getting great new suggestions from facebook friends or followers of the blog.  Thanks, Jenny!)  We brought this book home after our recent library visit, and my son just loves reading it.  I can tell he loves a story when he becomes one of the characters, and before we even finished reading it for the first time, he was flapping his wings and pretending to be Choco.  Choco is a lonely little bird in search of a mother.  He seeks out several animals who he thinks look like him, but each time, is sent on his way to continue his search.  In the end, it is a very unlikely mother -- Mrs. Bear -- who brings him into her family and shows him that the only common trait parents and children need to have in common is love.   A charming story of adoption, diversity, acceptance, and unconditional love, I think this is a wonderful story for children of all backgrounds.  While it might resonate most with adopted or foster children, all kids can learn from the book's message that parents, children, brothers, sisters, and relatives needn't look alike to be a family.

Day 45: I Love My Mommy Because...

With Mother's Day coming up this Sunday, I thought it only appropriate to feature some of our favorite books about beautiful, amazing moms and the joy of motherhood.  (Don't worry, dads.  You'll get your own featured stories come June.)  If I had been thinking ahead, I would have saved On the Night You Were Born for this week, but fortunately there are plenty of other wonderful books to share!  I Love My Mommy Because... is a beautiful little story about the many ways in which mothers of all species care for their babies.  It starts off with a mother and her child snuggling in a chair doing our favorite thing, reading.  "I love my mommy because... she reads me stories."   Next come the animal mothers and their young, complete with the appropriate names for each above each picture.  I love my mommy because... "she listens when I talk (cat and kitten)... She swims with me (gray whale and calf)... She gives me great big hugs (panda and cub.)"   My son's favorite page features the mother hen taking her chicks for a walk and the pig letting her piglets play in the mud.  The text is sweet and simple, and the illustrations of the various animals and their young are wonderful.  My son, daughter and I all love reading this one, and I especially love how it shows the way animal mommies love and care for their babies, too.  We have the board book version, which is great for sharing with even the youngest readers.  This is one of many stories that would make a perfect Mother's Day gift!

Day 43: The Giving Tree

I'm not usually aware of when it's Arbor Day, but today was one of those magical springtime days when all of a sudden, I look around and realize that pop!  All the leaves are suddenly out on the trees.  I just love that.  Quite fitting for Arbor Day, I think.  When thinking about what book to feature today, the first one that came to mind was the Giving Tree.  I'll be honest, though.  I wasn't sure whether to write about this book or not.  I remember my mom reading this to me as a child, and also remember that it sometimes would make her cry.  At the time, I think I liked it, but I until I saw it on the library shelf the other week, I couldn't recall much about the story itself.  As soon as I picked it up and read it again, though, it all came rushing back.  The innocent boy, playing in the tree's shade, who grows older and more self-absorbed as the book goes on.  The magnificent tree, who gives and gives and gives until she can give no more to her beloved boy.  Of course, I get teary when I read it now, too.  It's touching and tragic and moving all at once; a story about unconditional love, selfishness, and acceptance.  On the jacket cover, the book is said to be a "story of unforgettable perception;" a perfect descriptor, in my opinion.  There are so many ways one could interpret this book, and the many lessons to be learned vary greatly, I think.  It could be about human relationships, a parent's love for his child, a metaphor for how we treat our planet and environment, or simply a story of give and take.  I read this to my son the other day, and while he seemed to like it okay, I'm sure the overarching message of the story went right over his head.  I think he really was more amused by the simple illustrations than anything else.  In a way, though, I think I'm glad he didn't get what the story was really about.  I wouldn't want my three year old feeling the extreme sadness I feel when I read it.  It's a beautiful sadness, in many ways, but sadness, nonetheless.  Then again, maybe that is the beauty of Silverstein's work in this classic story.  Children and adults will read this book differently, and it will no doubt have a different meaning to people of different ages and experiences.  I do think this is truly a great children's book -- and a great book for adults, too -- but I don't necessarily think it is the perfect book for young children. I'll read it again to my kids someday down the road, for sure.  In the meantime, I'll keep doing my best to ensure that they always feel my unconditional love.

Day 38: Guess How Much I Love You

I suppose this classic book falls into the category of one that everyone already knows about, but I think it is still worth sharing, nonetheless.  I knew this book would make our list from the beginning, but thought of it again today when looking at all the cute, plush Easter bunnies in the store.  (I know hares and bunnies are different and it's not an Easter book at all, but there you go.)  Sam McBratney's adorable story about Little Nutbrown Hare and his father has been a favorite of parents and children since it was first published in 1994. I remember reading this to my brothers when they were little, and was so happy to receive it as a baby gift when my son was about to be born.  There are many books dedicated to the boundless love between parent and child, but this story is one of my favorites.  Little Nutbrown Hare is trying to think of a way to show Big Nutbrown Hare just how much he loves him:  as high as he can reach, as wide as his arms can stretch, as high as he can hop.  Of course, Big Nutbrown Hare can always reach farther and wider and hop higher, but Little Nutbrown Hare is determined to find the perfect expression of his love.  I always make it a point to tell my little ones every day that I love them more than anything in the whole wide world, or as my son likes to say, "in the whole wide car," since to him, that is really the ultimate in love.  If you haven't discovered this delightful story yet, definitely check it out.  Seeing your little one stretch his arms out so far that he almost falls over while saying, "I love you THIS much" is bound to bring a smile to your face.

Day 12: On the Night You Were Born

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a huge sap.   I cry easily.  Not in a wimpy kind of way, but in a sentimental/emotional kind of way.  When I was a little girl, I always thought it was really weird that my mom cried at the end of E.T.  Now I know why, of course, and I cry when he takes Gertie's flower and boards his ship, too.  I'm convinced that something about becoming a mom makes one cry more easily.  And every time I read On the Night You Were Born, I cry.  Every time.  I can't even get past the first page without getting choked up.  Whenever I pick up this beautiful story, I psyche myself up and am convinced I can make it through without crying this time.  I get through the first four lines just fine, but as soon as I get to the fifth line utter the words, "Life will never be the same," my eyes get teary and it's all over.  Consequently, I find that I don't actually read this story to my little ones all that often, even though I think it is one of the most beautiful children's books I've ever read.  It is touching, sentimental, poetic, and lovely in every way.  Kids like the soft, gentle rhymes and the gorgeous illustrations -- especially the dancing polar bears -- and the message that "you are the one and only ever you" is a wonderful one.  But to me, this is really more of a book for parents.  I love the way Tillman describes the magic and wonder of having a child, and every time I read it, it brings back the wave of love and amazement I felt the first time I held my little ones in my arms.  (Hence, the tears.)  I especially love the symbols and imagery she uses to show how the universe celebrated their arrival, from the moon that stays up until morning one day to the ladybug who lands and decides to stay.  "Or notice the bears asleep at the zoo.  It's because they've been dancing all night for you!"  No doubt, my kids will think it is weird that this book always makes me cry, but someday, I hope they will understand why.

Day 4: Llama Llama Red Pajama

"Please stop all this llama drama and be patient for your mama!"  Oh, how many times I have thought that to myself (and even said that outloud in the appropriate exasperated way) since reading this delightful story!  Both my little llamas were overtired yesterday, so we had a rather llama-drama-rific day of our own.  Naturally, then, I was inspired to make this story by Anna Dewdney today's featured post.  We got this book as a gift from my cousin Heather when my son was one, and we immediately loved its silly rhymes, charming story line, and fun illustrations.  Little llama gets tucked in and says goodnight to his mama, but as soon as she is gone he starts to worry.  His quiet little whimpers soon turn into a full-fledged llama drama, until mama finally rushes up to reassure her little one that she is "always near, even if she's not right here."  Kids of all ages can relate to being scared to fall asleep alone, and parents can't help but smile when reading about those ever-intensifying post-bedtime calls.  ("mom...  Moommm... MOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!")  Dewdey now has several LLama books, but this first one is definitely a classic in our house.