Each month, the Kidlitosphere hosts a Carnival of Children’s Literature. In this way, the community comes together to share great posts from the past month all in the same place. Reading these posts allows you to learn about new books, new perspectives and new blogs. Submitting to the Carnival is a way to be a part of this amazing community.

If you were to ask me why I haven’t posted in the Carnival before, I would have no idea. Let’s just leave it at that and move on to this month’s Carnival.

Click here to read a ton of great posts about early literacy, picture books, interviews and more.

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“Mommy. I want to read that book where they all eat the same thing.”

Ok… I began to think and by the time I formed a thought, Katherine shouted out, “The Seven Silly Eaters. I want to read The Seven Silly Eaters tonight!”

We had finished the next to last Ramona book the night before and I was having a hard time finding the last of the series in our overflowing bookcase.

Katherine hugged The Seven Silly Eaters to her chest saying, “This book makes me laugh so hard every single time I read it.”

There are old favorites that I have had enough of but this book is one that I could read night after night after night. The rhythm and rhyme are perfect for reading aloud. The story is relatable and ridiculous at the same time. The pictures give you something new to appreciate each time you read; even if you do read it every night.

After I finished reading, tucked Katherine in and gave her a big kiss, I searched this blog to see if I had ever written about The Seven Silly Eaters. Expecting to read a post from years past, I was surprised when my search turned up this post from August.

In it, I wrote:

What happened to the baby I snuggled as we read Time for Bed again and again? Where is the toddler who nibbled on the board book version of Brown Bear Brown Bear as I pointed out the words and pictures? When did the pre-schooler who begged for Seven Silly Eaters night after night go away?

I know that the baby, toddler and pre-schooler are all wrapped up in the big girl who only loves chapter books right now. I know that but I am still reminded of how fast these days fly.

I love a reminder like this. A reminder that, as a dear friend from Richmond once said, “All phases end. The good and the bad. They end.”

And as the girls grow, I understand that they grow in a circle not a straight line. A phase I worried had ended has returned. And while I know that it too will end yet again, for now, I am going to settle into the silliness of it all…

 

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The other night, I was reading to Katherine and she wouldn’t stop talking. She asked questions. She commented on how she was like Ramona. She talked about characters from other books that reminded her of Ramona. In effect, she did everything we should do to encourage our children to do to become independent readers with great comprehension skills.

But I was tired and I was watching the clock and I actually said, “Katherine, stop talking.”

Stop talking. Really? Right as she was in the middle of the tough business of meaning making. Stop talking.

“But Mommy,” she said.  “I have lots of questions.”

And so there. I stopped watching the clock and let her go.

We went to bed later than we (and by we, I mean I) wanted to but as I fell asleep, I was reminded again that parenting is all about figuring out when to be flexible and when to enforce rules. When to take the lead and when to be led. I was reminded that sometimes, the little ones in the family really do know what is best.

Questions and all…

 

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The other day, I wrote about the crazy amount of sibling rivalry going on in our house right now. Such craziness that I took Katherine in to the city for an afternoon at the American Girl store to try to even the score.

As a book blogger, I feel a need to follow up that post with this one.

Books, as always, have been a part of our conversations regarding birth order, fairness and love. We have old favorites, old books read with a new appreciation and some books to add to our to be read pile.

Two of my favorite books of all time are Mem Fox’s Koala Lou and Kevin Henkes’ Julius Baby of the World. While both of these protagonists are older siblings (as tend to happens with this genre), the koala and mouse’s fear of ‘not enough love to go around’ are so universal that they work for talks with the youngest as well.

The Pain and the Great One is a great read no matter which sister is having a hard time. With alternating chapters, we get to read and talk about the emotions of big and little siblings alike.

Then there’s Ramona. I am now reading all the Ramona books for the third time. I read them all once when I was young. Read through the eyes of an only child, these were just great books. I read them once to Caroline, listening to her sympathizing with Beezus every time she called Ramona a pest. And now I am reading them to Katherine, a youngest who loves Ramona with all her heart. Each night when we read, she says, “Oh, like me!” as she learns of yet another way that she and Ramona are walking down the same tough little sister path.

And finally, a list of books I am hoping to read soon on the topic of big and little siblings, the fair and the unfair.

I Told You I Can Play

Silly Chicken

It’s Not Fairy

and The Best Kid in the World

Happy reading and here’s to sibling love…

 

 

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As an only child, I am baffled by the whole sibling rivalry thing. My girls really do seem to love and hate each other in equal measure. Often, it’s Caroline bemoaning my love of Katherine as if I only have enough for one child. Lately, though, Katherine has really been feeling the pain of sharing our attention. This week, she wandered around the house calling herself, “The last and the least.”

One of Katherine’s greatest complaints regarding her birth order is the disparity in the number of trips the girls have taken to the American Girl store. She can recite an exact description of the times Caroline has been without her. Never mind that trips were taken before Katherine was old enough to even know American Girls existed or that some trips were taken to Caroline’s friends birthday parties. She doesn’t care. She only knows the score.

Over the weekend, Caroline attended a day long birthday party so I decided that desperate measures were needed to restore the balance in our house.

I took Katherine to the American Girl store all by herself. I was reminded yet again how important it is to give the girls their own time to enjoy the things that are special to them. Katherine adores the city as much as Caroline hates it. I truly believe Katherine loved the time we were stuck in traffic as much as she loved the time we were in the store. She looked from side to side as if at a tennis match. Admiring the wares the vendors sold from their sidewalk carts. Laughing at the Sesame Street characters walking the streets. Ticking off the Broadway shows she wants to see.

And while the craziness of the store always gives me a headache and the city leaves me feeling a little anxious, watching the smile on Katherine’s face made it, as cliche as it is, worth it.

The smile and the book corner of the store, of course…

 

 

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A Sick Day for Amos McGee is one of my all time favorite picture books.

Imagine my joy when I learned that Amos’ creators, husband and wife team, Phillip and Erin Stead, were releasing a new book.

Bear Has a Story to Tell.

I was just about as excited as Bear is when he finally finds an audience for his story.

If I were forced to choose what I like best about this book, the story or the pictures, I might just have to refuse to answer. There is nothing but goodness in this wonderful tale…

 

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When the girls were young, I used to read aloud to them during meals. Perhaps because we were alone and they weren’t yet the greatest conversationalist? Perhaps to keep them in their chairs for long enough to get a few calories into their growing bodies? I’m not sure exactly why I did it or why I stopped.

The other day, I opened a box holding a great new book, The Quiet Place, right as I was putting breakfast on the table for the girls. I was so excited to read it that I sat right down and began. As I read, Katherine managed to eat about four times as many pancakes as she usually eats before heading out the door to school.

I’m so glad that I have brought back this practice. And with just the perfect book I was reminded of the power of a quiet place for a picky eater.

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Remember The Paper Bag Princess? That great story about a spunky princess?

Well, if you are Paper Bag Princess lover than I have a new one for you.

The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas.

I love going to the library and browsing and picking up books that you know nothing at all about. And then having that book turn out to be great. This is what happened to us with the Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas.

In this story, you will find a prince who does not want to marry your typical princess. He wants a hockey playing girl who is happy to sleep on an old camping mattress. On top of a bag of frozen peas. As you can imagine, finding her is not easy but he does it. And it’s worth the wait.

A princess story based in reality (sort of). How lovely…

 

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It’s my favorite time of the year!

Cybils time is here!

This will be my third year participating in the Cybils process and my second year as a second round judge for the Easy Reader/Early Chapter book category.

I will be following the nominations closely, on the look out for many new favorites.

I will also be busy following lots of new blogs. I always love reading the writing of the men and women who will be picking the finalists as first round panelists. I also enjoy getting to know the bloggers who will be second round judges with me.

Please click here to get to know all these fabulous people with me and be on the look out for Cybils reviews over the next few months.

 

 

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I always love Back to School Night.

And last night’s was no exception.

We met Katherine’s first grade teacher who is a man, who shares my literacy beliefs, who plays tags with the kids during recess and who believes young children need to move around a lot in the classroom.

We met Caroline’s fourth grade teacher whose enthusiasm for learning, school and our children was like nothing I have ever seen. She actually cried when she talked about how much she loves her job and it didn’t seem hokey.

Now really, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Except when I read Katherine’s writing posted below:

 

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