I recently moved from Florida to South Carolina, and while I did not enjoy the ice storm at the beginning of January, I am loving the changing of the seasons. The sights of the seasons, to be specific.
In the past week, these trees in our neighborhood and around our little town have erupted into the most beautiful white blossoms. So gorgeous! I was so struck by the trees' beauty, I had to ask our local nursery what they were. Turns out they are Cleveland pear trees. The trees don't actually produce pears, but who cares, those blossoms at the end of February are divine. Alas, the nursery was sold out. So I bought a lovely little pink blossomed peach tree for now.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Book 66
Book 66: Bear Snores On, by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman, 2002.
I LOVE Jane Chapman's illustrations. I'd probably buy anything she illustrates. Her animals are adorable without being twee, and personable without being human. Her work is what I would aspire to.
Bear Snores On is my favorite "Bear" book. It is the most poetic of all the "Bear", not just because of the rhyming couplets, but because of rhythm within the lines. And the big scene where the setting changes is the most dramatic of all "Bear" books. There is actually a bit of suspense in a toddler's book, which, of course, resolves happily.
My husband and toddler like to help out with the telling of this story: My husband snores for the bear, and my little boy works the bear puppet. By the time the story is finished, we are all laughing.
*For other reviews, please see Books I Buy and Why
I LOVE Jane Chapman's illustrations. I'd probably buy anything she illustrates. Her animals are adorable without being twee, and personable without being human. Her work is what I would aspire to.
Bear Snores On is my favorite "Bear" book. It is the most poetic of all the "Bear", not just because of the rhyming couplets, but because of rhythm within the lines. And the big scene where the setting changes is the most dramatic of all "Bear" books. There is actually a bit of suspense in a toddler's book, which, of course, resolves happily.
My husband and toddler like to help out with the telling of this story: My husband snores for the bear, and my little boy works the bear puppet. By the time the story is finished, we are all laughing.
*For other reviews, please see Books I Buy and Why
Monday, February 14, 2011
Book 65
The Color Book, Laura Kelly Designs, Ollie Bollie Book 2009.
Back in July, I was getting ready to move from Florida to South Carolina. My husband was already in South Carolina. Our household furnishings were boxed up on a Thursday and not loaded onto a truck until the following Tuesday. Did I mention this was July? In Florida? With my husband not around?
On Friday, I did what any reasonable person would do -- I left the house and went shopping. Although not for any household belongings. More like for lemonade and ice cream. However, I did stop by the Beall's Outlet next door to the Publix, because it was cool, and although a bit chaotic, positively serene compared to my boxed-up house. While I was there, I let my 20-month-old son pick out a book. He picked out The Color Book.
I wasn't expecting to like this book as anything more than a pleasant diversion at a pretty stressful time (for my toddler and for me). My little boy, though, did take to it right away. It is a board book. The text is limited to just the name of the color in a font of that color, and the illustrations are bold and simple.
Anyway, the little boy liked this book in the summer during our move, and now that we've been settled into our new house and he has ALL of his books around him, he still pulls this book off his quite frequently. He didn't even want me to take it downstairs so I could write about it. So, to me, this book is a winner.
*For other reviews, please see Books I Buy and Why
Back in July, I was getting ready to move from Florida to South Carolina. My husband was already in South Carolina. Our household furnishings were boxed up on a Thursday and not loaded onto a truck until the following Tuesday. Did I mention this was July? In Florida? With my husband not around?
On Friday, I did what any reasonable person would do -- I left the house and went shopping. Although not for any household belongings. More like for lemonade and ice cream. However, I did stop by the Beall's Outlet next door to the Publix, because it was cool, and although a bit chaotic, positively serene compared to my boxed-up house. While I was there, I let my 20-month-old son pick out a book. He picked out The Color Book.
I wasn't expecting to like this book as anything more than a pleasant diversion at a pretty stressful time (for my toddler and for me). My little boy, though, did take to it right away. It is a board book. The text is limited to just the name of the color in a font of that color, and the illustrations are bold and simple.
Anyway, the little boy liked this book in the summer during our move, and now that we've been settled into our new house and he has ALL of his books around him, he still pulls this book off his quite frequently. He didn't even want me to take it downstairs so I could write about it. So, to me, this book is a winner.
*For other reviews, please see Books I Buy and Why
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Book 64:
Book 64: My Potty Book for Boys, by DK Publishing 2001.
As I learned when I worked in the children's department of the library, DK publishes really great real-life, photo books. This one is no exception.
I bought this book for my son when he was one and I was very optimistic. He is now two, and I am more realistic, but he does still like this book. He recognized his potty from the pictures in the book. He saw he was supposed to sit on his potty like the boys in the book. He even knows to wash his hands because that what the boys in the book do. So, he never was really afraid of the potty and he has no problem sitting on it, and he can't wait to wash his hands, it's just that middle part that is giving him trouble.
This book, as all books that are given to toddlers to handle to should be, is a board book. It is colorful and simple and using photographs of real children to convey the message. And it works, if I can just get him to sit longer and more often.
*For other reviews, please see Books I Buy and Why
As I learned when I worked in the children's department of the library, DK publishes really great real-life, photo books. This one is no exception.
I bought this book for my son when he was one and I was very optimistic. He is now two, and I am more realistic, but he does still like this book. He recognized his potty from the pictures in the book. He saw he was supposed to sit on his potty like the boys in the book. He even knows to wash his hands because that what the boys in the book do. So, he never was really afraid of the potty and he has no problem sitting on it, and he can't wait to wash his hands, it's just that middle part that is giving him trouble.
This book, as all books that are given to toddlers to handle to should be, is a board book. It is colorful and simple and using photographs of real children to convey the message. And it works, if I can just get him to sit longer and more often.
*For other reviews, please see Books I Buy and Why
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
More bad poetry on the way...
The other day, my son pulled from the shelf the binders that contained some of the poetry I wrote during a 13-month-long challenge (April '09 to April '10). I decided not to take up the challenge again after April '10 because we were in the middle of a long, drawn-out move.
When I flipped through those binders, I kind of wished I had followed through. Not because the poems were good. Many were far from that. But the line drawings and other sketches that accompanied them were charming, especially the ones that featured my then-baby boy. So, this April, I think I will at least write one poem a day for a month, and see what happens after that.
I discovered toward the end of the challenge a style of poetry called "reverso", which I love because it truly is a challenge. I actually had written one in the last line of my second book, which came out in 2008. I had no idea this was actually a form of poetry, I just thought it was a clever word play:
...before the beast
I was,
I was
before the Beast
When I flipped through those binders, I kind of wished I had followed through. Not because the poems were good. Many were far from that. But the line drawings and other sketches that accompanied them were charming, especially the ones that featured my then-baby boy. So, this April, I think I will at least write one poem a day for a month, and see what happens after that.
I discovered toward the end of the challenge a style of poetry called "reverso", which I love because it truly is a challenge. I actually had written one in the last line of my second book, which came out in 2008. I had no idea this was actually a form of poetry, I just thought it was a clever word play:
...before the beast
I was,
I was
before the Beast
Monday, January 31, 2011
Book 63
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, Philomel 2010.
Every so often, Kohl's runs their "Kohl's Cares" program and offers really great books at a really great price, and the net proceeds of which benefits children's health and educational issues. Right now, four of Eric Carle's books are featured in this campaign: The Mixed-Up Chameleon, The Grouchy Ladybug, The Foolish Tortoise, and, of course, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Of these four, The Very Hungry Caterpillar is my favorite, and not just because the matching toy at Kohl's was a caterpillar, although that did play a role in my purchasing decision.
For the most people, I probably don't have to explain why The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a wonderful book for any child's library -- it is a counting book, a progressive story, a food story, a color story and a true metamorphosis story. Instead, I will explain why this edition is so wonderful. First of all, the price for a hardback book is outstanding. And it comes with a matching toy (a really large and colorful caterpillar, just like the cover). And it benefits children. And finally, and most exciting to me, there is a foreward by Eric Carle describing how The Very Hungry Caterpillar came into existence.
So, run to Kohl's before this present campaign ends and buy a copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar (or any of the other three). Not only will you be getting a great book, you'll be helping a very worthwhile cause.
*For other reviews, please see Books I Buy and Why
Every so often, Kohl's runs their "Kohl's Cares" program and offers really great books at a really great price, and the net proceeds of which benefits children's health and educational issues. Right now, four of Eric Carle's books are featured in this campaign: The Mixed-Up Chameleon, The Grouchy Ladybug, The Foolish Tortoise, and, of course, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Of these four, The Very Hungry Caterpillar is my favorite, and not just because the matching toy at Kohl's was a caterpillar, although that did play a role in my purchasing decision.
For the most people, I probably don't have to explain why The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a wonderful book for any child's library -- it is a counting book, a progressive story, a food story, a color story and a true metamorphosis story. Instead, I will explain why this edition is so wonderful. First of all, the price for a hardback book is outstanding. And it comes with a matching toy (a really large and colorful caterpillar, just like the cover). And it benefits children. And finally, and most exciting to me, there is a foreward by Eric Carle describing how The Very Hungry Caterpillar came into existence.
So, run to Kohl's before this present campaign ends and buy a copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar (or any of the other three). Not only will you be getting a great book, you'll be helping a very worthwhile cause.
*For other reviews, please see Books I Buy and Why
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Book 62: The Adventures of Harold and the Purple Crayon
Book 62: The Adventures of Harold and the Purple Crayon, Four Magical Stories, by Crockett Johnson, first story published in 1955, collection reprint 1987, HarperCollins Publishers.
A while ago I reviewed "Not A Box" (Book 29) and commented on how it reminded me of "Harold and the Purple Crayon". I liked "Not A Box" because the genderless rabbit could be male or female and therefore could appeal to a boy or a girl. I love "Harold", though, because he reminds me of my fair-haired, toddling son.
Not only that, "Harold" is about a child's imagination, which I think is an excellent subject for a children's book, especially a clever child's imagination.
The illustrations are simple; the colors are few, although purple does play a prominent role; and the result is perfection in illustration.
As an addendum to this posting, I have to say that not only does my son rather look like Harold, but for the past month or so, he has been coloring on the walls with anything he can find, including a purple crayon. I set up one of those AquaDoodle sheets on the wall to try to limit him coloring with drawing instruments that leave marks that are very difficult to remove from the wall. It helps, but not entirely. Obviously, Crockett Johnson was a genius or he had a two-year-old.
*For other reviews, please see Books I Buy and Why
A while ago I reviewed "Not A Box" (Book 29) and commented on how it reminded me of "Harold and the Purple Crayon". I liked "Not A Box" because the genderless rabbit could be male or female and therefore could appeal to a boy or a girl. I love "Harold", though, because he reminds me of my fair-haired, toddling son.
Not only that, "Harold" is about a child's imagination, which I think is an excellent subject for a children's book, especially a clever child's imagination.
The illustrations are simple; the colors are few, although purple does play a prominent role; and the result is perfection in illustration.
As an addendum to this posting, I have to say that not only does my son rather look like Harold, but for the past month or so, he has been coloring on the walls with anything he can find, including a purple crayon. I set up one of those AquaDoodle sheets on the wall to try to limit him coloring with drawing instruments that leave marks that are very difficult to remove from the wall. It helps, but not entirely. Obviously, Crockett Johnson was a genius or he had a two-year-old.
*For other reviews, please see Books I Buy and Why
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