Thanksgiving, by Alice Flanagan (review)

We have always used books to prepare Calvin for upcoming events. When his two year old check-up was right around the corner we borrowed a handful of books about visiting the doctor, and when we thought we were going to start potty training we brought home books about that (and triumphantly returned them when it became a moot point). But my favorite events are holidays, and those are some of my favorite books, too. The trick has been finding age appropriate books that are actually about the holidays, as opposed to just stories around the holidays. It was at Halloween last year that we first discovered Alice Flanagan's Holidays & Festivals series, and we really enjoyed it, so when we found the entire eight book collection used online this fall we bought it (Halloween is missing from the picture below because Calvin was reading it).

There are pros and cons with the series. Each book contains a lot of information, so when we read them to Calvin last year we read only portions at a time, and, while written with a fun voice, the books are strictly factual, so they may not be for all toddlers. But we love that she covers the history of the holidays, and the different celebrations as they are observed around the world. The Thanksgiving book, for instance, talks first about the first harvest celebrations all over, then she goes on to explain Pilgrims, the Mayflower, and "Indians," and from there the process by which the holiday became nationally recognized. I struggle with reading "Indian" each time, and with the lack of attention given to the Native Americans' situation (mention is given, in the current celebrations section, to the fact that many of the Wampanoag refuse to celebrate today and why), but the book is both factual and intriguing; it has certainly started us cogitating on what exactly Thanksgiving has us celebrating.

Calvin loves that this book is written in chapters, and he loves reading about the Native Americans (Flanagan also has a number of books on individual tribes, but we have yet to take a look at those). I love the history, and the book's factual basis. We only just got the books this fall, and of the two we've read so far Halloween is my favorite, and I think Calvin agrees, but Thanksgiving is fun, too. We'll let you know how Christmas is when we crack it open, but I won't let us do anything Christmas until after Thanksgiving has passed. It's a house rule.

Go Away Big Green Scary Monster!, by Ed Emberley (our review)

Another library book that I think is about to become a regular visitor at our house. This is a book that our fabulous children's librarian has read several times with the help of her not-so-big, green, not-so-scary monster puppet, and the kids love it every time. In our current felt craze I had the idea to make a monster with multiple face options (a play on the make your own monster puppet toy by Melissa and Doug). When, in the making, Calvin started requesting a number of specific decorations I started to recognize the little green guy, and Calvin requested that we check out the book the next time we visited the library.

Book Review, 11/5: Go Away Big Green Scary Monster!, by Ed Emberley

Cortney: So, what do you like about this book?

Calvin: (reading the book) ...has two yellow eyes...

Cortney: Or what's your favorite part?

Calvin: (still reading) ...and a long bluish greenish nose...

Cortney: I love that you can make a monster while you read it, how about you?

Calvin: (reading) ...goodbye big red mouth...

Cortney: Which page is your favorite?

Calvin: (coming to the last page) ...and don't come back until I say so! (now to me) I love the nose, don't you?

His rapt attention speaks for itself. As a book it's pretty sparse, but it sure it is cute, and it was just made to go with an activity like a puppet or a felt board. Calvin really loves it and I have no complaints at all.

The Hello, Goodbye Window, by Norton Juster (our review)

We discovered this one about a year ago when we were looking for more books by author/illustrator Chris Raschka, who did such a fabulous job with Charlie Parker Plays Bee Bop. Even better, we found this great pairing between Raschka and Juster, author of The Phantom Tollbooth. Instant winner. It is a story told by little girl about the time she spends with her grandparents. It is touching and warm, with great details to catch the child's heart and imagination and just enough witty humor and  to make it enjoyable for the parent who will have to read and reread it again and again (Tyrannosaurus Rex? He's extinct, so he doesn't come around very often). The illustrations are also warm and have a messy and colorful quality that suggest a child's artwork.

Book review, 10/23/09: The Hello, Goodbye Window, by Norton Juster

Cortney: what's your favorite part in the book?

Calvin: the pizza delivery guy!

Cortney: oh yes, I like the Queen of England, too.

Calvin: yeah. And O Susannah. And there's a tiger in the garden, but really... it isn't.

(we won't always have video to go with these, but since we had this clip we took along with Mrs. O'Leary last week, I thought we'd use it.)

Mrs. O'Leary's Cow, by MaryAnne Hoberman (our review)

We read this book for the first time after we checked it out from the Ypsi Township library, which means it was about two years ago. It was an instant hit. Calvin still asks to check this book out from the library every chance he gets. We could break down and buy it for him, but it's been such a great lesson in library etiquette ("we must return it so that other kids can enjoy it, and if it is still here in two weeks, we can check it out again") that we are reluctant to do so. He'll probably get it for Christmas.

Since it's clearly his favorite, I thought this was a great place to start with the book reviews.

Book Review, 10/6: Mrs. O'Leary's Cow, by MaryAnne Hoberman

Cortney: So, what do you like about this book?

Calvin: I love the pretty pages

Cortney: And what's your favorite part?

Calvin: The smoke happening, when the smoke comes out, and it's a song. Can we read it again?

Cortney: But that would be the tenth time this morning! (okay, I wouldn't really say that, but I might suggest something a llittle more inspiring, like maybe some Robert Frost...or if he's really after a book about cows, how about some Thomas Hardy?).
There's really nothing remarkable about this book, but at least it's a song, so reading it over and over again isn't as bad as some others. That being said, every time I read it I feel sorry for the O'Learys, who must have had a rough time of it after a newspaper reporter, eager for readers, blamed the great fire of 1871 on their poor old cow and didn't retract that statement or admit to the slander until over twenty years later. It is a fun song, though.