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 113: Mouse Soup

Today, in what was probably just the first of many times this will happen, my son sat down to read a story and informed me that he wanted to read it all by himself.  I asked if I could just sit and listen to him while he read, and he said, "No… I just want to read it myself this time."  He proceeded to read the book carefully and slowly under his breath, while I pretended not to be paying attention from the other side of the room.  I loved it.  What made it even better was the fact that when he finally finished the book, he proudly came running over to me and said, "I read the whole book all by myself!  Now you read it to me, Mum Mum," and we snuggled up on the couch to do just that.  It was really the best of both worlds:  I got to hear my (fiercely independent) little guy read a book to himself, and then cozy up next to him to read it with him again.  The book was Mouse Soup, one of our other Arnold Lobel favorites.  We borrowed it from the library once a while back, and my son loved it so much that I was thrilled to find a copy at our last library book sale (and for only 50 cents!)  It's an early reader chapter book, but unlike the Frog and Toad series, is really one longer story broken up into separate chapters.  In this fun tale, an unsuspecting mouse is caught by a weasel, who threatens to make him into mouse soup.  The clever little mouse convinces his captor that the soup will not taste good without several stories added to it, and proceeds to tell four silly stories -- Bees and the Mud, Two Large Stones, The Crickets, and The Thorn Bush -- all of which are as delightfully entertaining as the end of the story itself.  Our favorite ingredient in the soup has to be "The Crickets," for neither my son nor I can make it through this chapter without giggling.  I love the creativity of the whole book and the silly events within, but I think what I love most about Mouse Soup is how it highlights and encourages the art of storytelling.   I also should add that this book lends itself quite well to reading in fun, different voices, and is far more enjoyable when read aloud this way.  (I just love hearing my son try to imitate my voices for the weasel, the crickets, and the old woman in "The Thorn Bush.")   While I don't love this book as much as Frog and Toad, it is still a great read that never fails to make us laugh.

Day 44: Little Bear's Visit

Along with the Frog and Toad, the Little Bear books are those which I remember most vividly and fondly from my childhood.  There are several in the Little Bear series by Else Holmelund Minarik, but Little Bear's Visit has to be my favorite.  I was thrilled to get this book for my son a while back and read it with him as my mother read it to me.  Like the other Little Bear "I Can Read" stories, this one has several "chapters" that flow nicely into one another:  Grandmother and Grandfather Bear, Mother Bear's Robin, Goblin Story, and Not Tired.  The stories are sweet and entertaining, and Maurice Sendak's illustrations are wonderful.  My son's favorite chapter is the Goblin Story and he loves to recite it aloud to me in between giggles.  "He got so scared that he jumped right out of his shoes!"  I love Mother Bear's Robin, too, and every parent will be able to relate to Not Tired, especially when reading it right before bed.  There is something about the combination of Sendak's soft, expressive illustrations and Minarik's endearing, charming stories that make the Little Bear books timeless classics.  As my son and I snuggled up to read Little Bear's Visit before bed last night, I knew it would be the perfect book to feature today.  My dad and stepmother had just come to visit for the day yesterday, so my little cubs were thrilled to have had a visit from their Grandma and Grandpa Bears.  We've been spending lots of time outside during these beautiful spring days and enjoying the company of our own families of robins in the yard.  And, we read the Goblin Story four times in a row last night, since my son, of course, is "never tired."  If you have rainy days ahead of you like we do this week, look for these next time you are at the library.  We're sure you and your little bear will love them!

Day 31: Are You My Mother?

This book came to us as a well-loved hand-me-down, and it didn't take long for me to see why it had endured so much wear and tear.  Are You My Mother? is an adorable story about a baby bird who sets out to find his mother, who left the nest shortly before he hatched in search of food for her baby-to-be.  Having never seen his mother, the little bird has no idea what she looks like, so he mistakes all kinds of creatures for his mother along the way:  a kitten, a hen, a dog, a cow, even a plane and boat.   Determined to find her, he carries on until he sees what must be his mother.   He runs up to the big thing exclaiming, "Mother, Mother!  Here I am, Mother!"  But the big thing just says, "Snort!"  (The thing is really a steam shovel.  Silly bird!)   In the end, the Snort ends up saving the day and baby and mother are happily reunited.  While this storyline might not sound like anything exceptional, this book is great for a few reasons.  First, it uses simple, repetitive language throughout, which makes it a wonderful story for budding readers.  My son loves being able to recognize words on a page and anticipate what is coming next, and I love seeing him engage with the text of a book so enthusiastically.  Of course, he is most excited about arriving at the Snort at the end, but he easily recites parts of this story each time we read it with a big smile on his face.  The illustrations are simple, use only a few colors, and are not overly busy -- another reason why I think this book appeals to young readers.  I also love this book because the little bird reminds me of my son -- independent, curious, and determined.  This is another great story that is bound to be a classic in our house for years to come.