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This is an age when beauty crowns, straight As and peer recognition are all too important to even the youngest of kids. ‘The Mightiest’ by Keiko Kasza tells a refreshing tale of simplicity, humility, deceptive appearances and human nature, packed in a lighthearted, entertaining picture book.
When three animals spot a golden crown on a rock in the middle of a forest, each one lays claim to it, declaring himself to be Mightiest and hence, the one most worthy of it. To put matters to rest, they agree to a scheme – the one who frightens the helpless old lady walking towards them wins. Little do they realize what’s in store.
The book races ahead with twists, turns and an unexpected ending. The Mightiest is a rare children’s book that has all the great elements of a good story – humor, mystery, action, dialogue, suspense all rolled into its pages, plus that which is almost impossible to get across in a picture book for kids – a moral! Maybe even a few. Trust Keiko Kasza to pull something like that off with each book!
This turned out to be one of the first books my daughter and I read this year, going by the number of times she’s read it already, I can tell it’s going to be a favorite for a while. Our family had so much fun acting this story out with each of us taking turns to be the old lady, the giant and one of the animals. Have you read The Mightiest with your tiniest ones? How did you enjoy it?
 Children's storybook Raise your hand if you agree: kids grow up fast and good times don’t last as long as they ought to.
Sooner or later we come around to the fact that time’s going to fly whether we like it or not, and life’s going to change and the years are going to whoosh by and there’s nothing we can do about it. But, what if we could do something about it? What if, instead of clinging on to our memories, looking back and feeling all forlorn, we passed them on and looked ahead? Like love, memories seem have a way of multiplying and lasting longer when shared, as this little bear discovers in Little Bear’s, Little Boat.
It is a sad day for Little Bear when he comes to the realization that it is his destiny to grow up and his boat’s destiny to stay little. But, a happy little big bear like him can’t stay sad for long, He just can’t. And he can’t bear to see his little boat not fulfill its other destiny of floating around on a beautiful, blue lake.
In this beautifully written picture book, Little Bear comes to terms with his own limitations and those of his beloved boat, but won’t let them stop him from doing what his heart tells him to. He may have outgrown his boat, but his longing to keep his favorite childhood memory alive and his boat afloat leads him to the opposite shore, where another little bear awaits his destiny.
I love this book for many reasons. It’s such a simple and powerful way to communicate the transient nature of life and everything in our world. Accepting that change as the only constant doesn’t come easy, but this beautiful tale shows us and our kids an easy and natural way to let go.
Recommendations:
I think this would make a great book for an older sibling, especially when the parents are expecting or have just had a new baby. Reading and talking about this book is a great way to teach the child to share or pass on his baby crib/toys/blankie to the new brother or sister. I also see it as a great book to read with your child if he has recently experienced the loss of a loved one or a pet or if one of his friends has moved away. Transitions are hard, but acknowledging that there are other, newer experiences in store makes them somewhat easier. I know some kids who get very emotionally attached to a certain house or a teacher and don’t take the move to a new home or a new grade very easily. This book would make a great parting gift in those situations too.
What did you take away from Little Bear’s, Little Boat?
…Who Choose To Follow Their Heart
I thought I hit Publish on this post weeks ago! Anyways, here it is now…
What we’re reading this week:
Picked up 4 little treasures last week from the library and here they are:
The Boy Who Wouldn’t Go To Bed:
Creator: Helen Cooper; Publisher: Puffin (December 1, 2000)
Does bedtime stretch on forever at your home? It sure does in this little boy’s case. He will go to any lengths to avoid the ‘b’ word and stay up all night – from racing with a train to roaring with a tiger. But alas, even his playmates are way too sleepy to keep him company. Only one person can manage to keep up with him, not out of choice, but because she can’t rest until he does. Enjoy this imaginative and beautifully presented book with your little ones, noting the little details in the illustrations and how they depict the child’s magnified view of the world. It takes you through castles, jungles and even to the moon and back as the little boy tries to find someone – anyone – to keep him company through the night.
I Don’t Want To Go:
Creators: Addie Sanders, Andrew Rowland; Publisher: Lobster Press; 1St Edition edition (April 22, 2008)
This book is so easy to relate to and takes no effort to enjoy with your little one. You know how kids are anxious about doing things or going somewhere and no amount of convincing or coaxing works? Until one day, they realize for themselves what they’re missing. ‘I don’t want to go’ has all the enjoyable elements of a children’s picture book and some more. Vivid illustrations, simple, repetitive text, an easy to follow plot and the story of a little boy who doesn’t think he’ll enjoy the visit to his grandparents’ house…until he does. Every page of this book reads like a mini story with a problem-resolution element and the more you read it, as many more details your child will probably uncover. When you’re going crazy trying to convince your anxious, stubborn tot to do something or go somewhere and he just won’t budge, give this book a go – it’s the next best thing to saying “I told you so.”
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Creator: Beatrix Potter; Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap (January 26, 2004)
Good little bunnies Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-tail may have had milk and currant buns for dinner but who has the better story to tell at the end of the day? You don’t need a reason to explore this children’s classic and every time you do, it seems to get more enjoyable. Read the tale of naughty little Peter with your little one and see if you can get him or her to see that’s it’s better to be good and nice instead of adventurous and naughty…chance are, your child will settle for the latter even if it means having to go to bed without dinner. Mine did. She has this impish grin and the sparkle in her eyes as she cheers Peter on at every point. Sure, it would be easier if our kids were good little bunnies, but I’ll take unpredictable, insane, hair-tearing parenting fun over ‘easy’ on most days – wouldn’t you?!
The Piano
Creators: William Miller, Susan Keeter; Publisher: Lee & Low Books (August 2004)
OK, the only reason we borrowed the book was because it had a picture of a young girl at the piano on the cover and since my daughter is currently taking lessons, we were drawn to it. It was only after I brought it home that I saw that it may have actually been intended for slightly older kids, with its many layers and undertones. That didn’t stop us from enjoying the story however. The Piano is a story of love, passion, dedication and sacrifice, among other things, yet all woven into a very simple tale set in the early 1900s. A free spirited, young black girl’s curiosity takes her to a white neighborhood she has never been to before. Her love of music leads her to a white lady’s mansion. The book takes us on a journey into the little girl’s mind, her love of music and how little everything else means to her in comparison. Chores, hard work, the color of her skin, physical pain and sacrifice seem insignificant compared to the joy she derives from experiencing music. And in her quest for this experience, she manages to take others along on the beautiful journey, touching their hearts and lives in ways unknown even to her. Her determination and passion to learn spill over as she manages to convince the elderly, white lady to overcome her reluctance and physical pain in order to experience music in a new light all over again. This warm tale of kindness, compassion and human nature is a pleasure to read and great for sharing with your child, even if she’s too young to grasp every subtle reference to race, class or human nature. The illustrations are magnificent and tell their own story – and take you back in time to when not everything was as easily accessible to everyone – but to those who had true passion, nothing was ever impossible.
I sometimes think it’s so much easier to read to teeny-weeny, newborn human beings who can’t wiggle or walk away even if they wanted to. On the other hand, I also think it’s way more fun when the person you’re reading to can actually respond, react to and comprehend what you’re reading. So reading to older kids, though tricky and challenging at times, can be far more rewarding simply because it’s a 2-way street. The flip side to this, of course, is that the said child can choose to wear a bored expression, simply walk away or tell you he hates reading in as many words. It’s a 2-way street after all, remember? Reading can seem like hard work and it does to many of us. There’s a certain threshold a child (and many adults) need to cross before they can truly experience the joy in reading and not look at it as homework or a necessary evil. It’s not clear if it’s a certain number of books or a certain number of hours put into reading or a certain level of reading speed and mastery over comprehension one has to reach to cross into this ‘reading is pleasure’ zone. One thing is for sure, however. Creating pleasant associations with the act of picking up a book and reading ain’t easy, but that’s the one thing that can make the difference between thinking of reading as a chore and reading as an enjoyable activity. That said, reading and books may just not be someone’s cup of tea – some of us just prefer to learn and absorb information using other channels and senses such as audio visual aids and hands-on experience. But for the rest of us who do mostly rely on the printed word to spark the cells between our ears, we have to figure out a way to cross into that zone smoothly and easily. More importantly, how do we help children continue to enjoy reading and books even if they’re struggling beginner readers or simply not as attracted to books as they used to be as babies and toddlers?
This post from Reach Out And Read, ‘ Take the Homework Out of Reading’ strikes a chord, reminding us of some handy tips.
I’d like add a couple of my own to this list.
- Change the setting: Works like a charm for just about anything. Yes, I’m all for a dedicated reading nook for little ones, but every once in a while, it helps to take the reading outdoors. Especially if it’s a beautiful day and you have a porch swing, a picnic table or a good old fashioned tree house in the vicinity.
- Play: A chapter book is a great place to play and have fun with words. Turn to any page and ask your child to find a certain word or phrase. Count the number of times a specific word is repeated on a page. Hide a part of a word or phrase with your fingers and take turns figuring out what it is. Read a sentence or even an entire paragraph backwards and see how far you get before the giggles get unstoppable.How do you help sustain the love of books in your older kids? Please share in the comments below.
This is a question for any parent or educator – should a teacher openly declare or discuss specific children and their high aptitudes in class? Does this really serve to motivate or encourage other kids? Could it lead to jealousy or lower self esteem in kids who aren’t recognized openly in this way? Is it acceptable for teachers to shine the spotlight on certain kids simply because they have an above average aptitude for certain things? Where does recognition end and favoritism begin?
A recent incident triggered these questions and I’d like to know how you feel.
One of my friends’ kids started kindergarten this year. I have known this child since she was born and she is one of the liveliest, most curious, fascinating individuals I know. She has a fantastic sense of humor too. She loves to be read to and although she hasn’t quite started reading herself very fluently( she’s 5), I can tell it’s only going to be a matter of months before she masters that skill. She and my M are great friends and although they go to different schools, they still always manage to connect easily and have a good time whenever they meet.
A few days ago I asked this little girl, we’ll call her S, how she liked school and what her favorite parts were. She told me she loved music and all the specials. I was surprised she didn’t mention learning to read or books since she had always loved them. So, I asked her if she was learning to read and whether story time or library hour was included in her class schedule. Her answer left me a little surprised, and to be honest, somewhat irked. She told me that yes, they did indeed have reading time and reading groups in her class. She went on to add in a matter of fact manner that there were a couple of kids ( she named them) who her teacher declared were reading at grade levels much higher than hers. “You know, Ms C. said X and Y read at 2nd grade level already.”
Now, I’m sure that in a class there are kids with various levels of aptitude and ability and we all know that some kids do some things more easily than others. This could be due to their age, home environment, inborn interest and talent, aptitude, genes or just the fact that they were having a better day. But what surprised me is that a kindergarten teacher would announce these differences in children’s abilities to the class. I would think that the teacher would merely make observations and evaluations and use them as guides to help each child so that he or she would improve in the areas where they needed to. I can’t for the life of me figure out why a teacher would tell the whole class that so and so was a better reader or that someone was better at math than the others.
Now, my friend’s child didn’t seem to be affected by the statement and mentioned it to me pretty casually – but I couldn’t help but detect a sense of disappointment in her voice as she said it. This wonderful child who was smart, talented, funny and compassionate beyond her age had had her sweet little heart broken albeit temporarily, as she understood her teacher’s words to imply that she was in some way lagging behind some of her peers. As she wasn’t yet reading at ‘their level.’
I wonder of the teacher said it to encourage the other kids to read, or if it was merely an observation she made, or if she in fact said it to nudge some of the ’slower’ readers using comparison and peer pressure as a tactic. Since I wasn’t there and don’t exactly know what tone she used or what her motives were, I can’t be sure. But I do know that little S feels that she is probably not as good (a reader) as some of her classmates and no child should ever be made to feel that way. And definitely not in the very first year of school when they’re just beginning to ‘learn’ formally anyway. I hope I am wrong but something tells me Ms. C’s words may have crushed at least one 5 year old’s heart that day. And who knows how long it will be before that child really wants to pick up a book to read again.
I say to the Ms.C’s of the world – please don’t compare our children and try to motivate them to be as good as their peers – please encourage each one of our children to be the best that they can possibly be at anything that captures their interest. If that means that witty and kind-hearted little S will read at her grade level while her friends read 2 levels higher – why that’s perfectly fine with me and her mother. As long as you don’t crush her spirit, she’ll be just fine.
Am I the only one who feels this way? How should a teacher handle her class when it’s full of kids with amazing, but different abilities?
Bear Feels Sick (Karma Wilson, Jane Chapman)
 Children's Book Teaches About Caring The very first book M brought home from her school’s library using her very own library card.
Love this book for the way it tells the story of caring for someone. An easy and quick read, and also a sweet and memorable one.
The Emperor’s New Clothes (Demi)
 Fascinating Children's Story From China I picked this out to share with M because this had been one of my favorite stories to listen to and tell as a child. And needless to say, M loved it to bits from the start. She loves enacting out the parts and splits her sides giggling each time we see the tailor and weaver ‘making’, ‘carrying’ or ‘displaying’ the magical clothes. She also loves the end where the little kid declares what everyone else is too embarrassed and foolish to admit. What’s not to enjoy in a story about a vain king, his foolish ministers and magical, invisible clothes?
Yes, We Can (Sam Mcbratney, Charles Fuge)
 Children's Book About Individuality
An old favorite of M’s, Yes We Can is all about friends bringing out the worst and the best in each other and how the latter turns out to be way more fun. ‘Yes, we can’ is a great choice for group story times and when you’re reading to siblings or cousins who seem to be having a tough time getting along – use the book and storyline to nudge each child to say what another is really good at.
Sometimes, I Just Like to Curl Up (Vicki Churchill, Charles Fuge)
Sometimes, we just like to snuggle up and read and this is the perfect book to do just that. No thought-provoking plot or theme involved – this blah blah creation makes a happy, snuggly bed time read.
The Moon, Earth’s Satellite
Inspired by out visit to the local Observatory, M picked out this book to learn more about moon. “It’s not just white, guys, it’s actually bumpy,” she declared after one peek into the gigantinormous telescope last week and this book with its detailed illustrations and photographs of the moon has proved to be the perfect complement to that experience.
Favorite aspect: Large text and the unintimidating book dimensions – easy to hold and only 10 pages thick. Perfect for little hands and big, curious minds. Also great for beginner readers.
The Very Lonely Firefly (Eric Carle)
It has been a while since an Eric Carle book made an appearance in our book shelf. Luckily the spell was broken when The Very Lonely Firefly paid us a visit this past month. Characteristic illustrations combined with a simple story of the firefly’s search for his group, of fitting in and belonging make this book a special read. This is a great book for classroom or rainy day activities and pondering. A few that come to mind:
Name different light sources in the book & then some more…
Guess the light source: open to any page of the book and guess where the light really is from.
Make up some of your own light sources – what else could the firefly mistake to be a firefly?
How is the light from a firefly different from all those other lights?
How do you think fireflies differentiate each other?
Make a candy wrapper firefly. Better yet, cover the inside of an empty cereal box or any cardboard with candy wrapper fireflies.
4 Great Summer Reads For Kids
It’s been a while since we read these books and I decided it’s about time I shared them with you without letting any more time slip by.
On to some of the books my almost 5-year old loved this past summer.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
By: Beatrix Potter
First published in 1902,
by Frederick Warne & Co.
They’re called classics for a reason. “Thoroughly enjoyed” wouldn’t begin to describe what M experienced every time we read this one. M needed no reason to re-read this book a few dozen times in a span of maybe a week. Whether it was Peter Rabbit’s mischievousness, resourcefulness or intermittent helplessness she could relate to and appreciate – I’ll never know. But what I do know is given a choice, M would choose a day like the one Peter had in a blink. Sure, Peter’s siblings were rewarded for their good behavior with a delicious meal while Peter went to bed with camomile tea. But Peter probably wouldn’t trade one heart-pounding moment, thrilling adventure or tight corner he had encountered and survived that day for any number of currant buns or milk. And something tells me, there’s a little bit of Peter in my little M who’d pick daring antics over dinner any day.
 Peter Rabbit I Don’t Want To Go
By: Addie Meyer Sanders, Illustrations: Andrew Rowland
Joey doesn’t want to take the train ride to his grandparents’ house…until he does. Joey doesn’t want to go to the supermarket with granny or fishing with grandpa or to his cousin’s birthday party…until he does. ‘I Don’t Want to Go’ is a sweet story of a little boy who fears change and especially an unknown one, but when he actually gets there, he is too busy having fun to notice that the very source of his anxiety has turned into enjoyment. Be sure to pick this book up to read to your little one before his first day of school, a big trip, a move to a new city or any other ‘I don’t want to go’ moment.
The Boy Who Wouldn’t Go To Bed
By: Helen Cooper
There’s only one place this other little boy doesn’t want to go to. And that is to bed. Even as his mother reminds him of bed time, he speeds away in his car to places as far away as the moon and as fascinating as castles, forests and train depots, meeting ferocious beasts, soldiers, musicians and even Mr.Moon himself. Not finding anyone to keep him company through his all night adventure, the boy finally comes around and decides that maybe going back to bed isn’t such a bad idea. After you’ve read this book with your little one, help her take a journey of her own to places you dream up together.
The Piano
The many layers in this book addressing race, human nature, compassion and unconditional love may be meant for your older kids. But that certainly shouldn’t stop you from enjoying this book with your 4 or 5 year old if she loves stories about people, music and love. I know for a fact that this was M’s favorite reads in many months. Partly because it’s about a little girl who loves music purely, wholly, unconditionally and would do anything to experience it. M has been taking basic lessons in piano and so far has been enjoying it. Practising every day is not her favorite thing to do, but thankfully, it doesn’t take too much coaxing to get her started. And once we’ve crossed the initial bridge, the practice session itself isn’t too painful considering her age and my utter lack of knowledge of the kind of music she’s learning. But I think it was good for her to read about how the girl in the story, Tia, felt about music. It reminded her of snowy mountains and faraway places, castles and other beautiful sights. And without planning it or expecting to find anything, she finds herself in a situation where she has access to rich music all day and even piano lessons from a kind, elderly woman. ‘The Piano’ is the journey of a little girl who loves music into a place she has only dreamed of but never experienced before. But what’s even more beautiful about the story is how her pure love of music reaches out and touches things, circumstances and people around her in unexpected, inspiring ways. I do hope you and your child get as much peace and pleasure out of reading this book as M and I did.
Does your little reader have a favorite nook? (As in a cozy spot to read in and not the e-reader – the latter I guess is more likely.)
 Baby Loves Books Having a special place for reading to your baby is a great way to establish the reading routine and also to get yourself in the reading zone, while getting your baby comfortable and familiar with the idea of being read to. All part of the ‘pleasant association’ technique that works so well in getting your baby to love books from an early age.
But, as your baby turns into an independent kindergärtner, it’s important to update your child’s reading nook and create a space she will continue to love to read in. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but it helps if it is inspiring and sparks your child’s imagination and kindles her love of reading.
Create Your Child’s Reading Corner Together
Why not enlist your child’s help in designing such a space for her over this summer? Getting her involved ensures that her tastes are incorporated while giving her a sense of pride and ownership over her brand new ‘big girl’ reading nook. It’s also more likely to motivate her to pick up a book and read since after all, she helped design and arrange it herself. A warm and cozy or cool and creative reading spot that’s all hers is a great reason to pick up a book and settle down to read whether your child is home for the summer or has a few minutes to spare before bedtime.
 Can you resist cuddling up with a book? Added Bonuses Of a Reading Corner
Setting up a reading corner for your child is the best way to pack up and donate old baby books and picture books, rearrange your child’s library and build her organizing skills.
Setting Up The Reading Nook
1. The Book Shelf:
Buy or reuse a child-sized, child-friendly shelf, rack or storage your child can use easily and independently. It could be a multi-shelf storage unit or a cardboard box of books stored under the bed – whatever you and your child decide is best for your reading space. Explore the many ways to arrange her book shelf. At home, we currently arrange books by topic and level of difficulty (’M can read by herself’ books and ‘M needs a grown up to read to her’ books). You could also arrange by author, title, size, or language depending on what works for you and your tyke. Spend a little time talking about what you’re doing, why you’re organizing, how to maintain a neat and organized shelf, where she should put back books once she’s read them etc.
2. The Reading Chair: (or mat/ bed/bench or laundry basket)
Once your child has picked out a book she wants to read from her brand new shelf, she will need a place to read it in. A comfortable, well lit corner with minimum interruptions and away from distractions such as the TV, Wii etc. Preferably, this reading spot is a little chair, bench, mat, bed or cushion near the book shelf, next to a window or where she gets enough light to read comfortably. It helps if she has a consistent place to sit in and read, but it’s perfectly ok if there isn’t one. Kids and resourceful and will turn laundry baskets, cardboard boxes, unused drawers and floors into perfect reading spots in no time. Do give your child the option to read in an assigned spot each time and also the flexibility to choose another spot if she prefers to. As perfect as M’s reading corner seems to me, with her cozy little Princess chair and book shelf next to it all situated in our wonderfully warm sun room, she often picks a place that’s farthest away from this spot to snuggle up with a book. Her old crib by the window overlooking the swimming pool. Not a bad choice, considering that it gets a lot of sunlight and is way more comfy than Reading corner # 1. She alternates between these 2 spots and it works out just fine. So, figure out our child’s favorite reading spot and make it as inviting as possible for her to read as often as she wants to.
 Baby Loves Books 3. Keep it fresh: As lovely as your child’s reading corner may be and as much time and effort you may put into designing it, she will likely outgrow it…before you can heave a satisfied sigh. Whether it’s by rotating her stock of books, or by rearranging the books by difficulty level or some other criteria, or simply by choosing a different reading mat or color and decor for the surrounding walls – update your child’s reading nook every few months to pique her interest in the space and as a result, the process of reading.
4. More than books: Speaking of decor, try various ways to enrich and complement your child’s reading habit, such as by incorporating pictures of children’s authors, her favorite storybook characters, illustrators, word and letter art and photos of her reading with some of her favorite people such as grandma, a cousin, an uncle or you. Paint a wall mural of an enchanting tree, a lakeside bench or a magical forest. Take cues from the children’s section at your local library or book store and make your child’s reading corner a place she just can’t stay away from.
If you enjoy reading to your child and she enjoys reading herself, a reading nook will only make your experience even more wonderful and special. On the other hand, it may be just what you need to draw even a reluctant young reader towards books.
Where do you and your baby read? I’d love to know.
M’s Pre-K session came to an end a few weeks ago, but not before we got to work on a final project that I couldn’t wait to get started on – The Caldecott Awards. I, for one was really thrilled to actually bring home Caldecott award winning books to share with M as part of a school project and her teacher had probably never met a weirder parent who was this excited about her kid’s pre-K project!
I am sure my inability to contain my excitement must have embarrassed M but the sweet thing didn’t complain and we brought home three of the award winning books - The Polar Express (by Chris Van Allsburg, Caldecott Winner 1986 ), Grandfather’s Journey (by Allen Say, 1994 Caldecott Medal Winner ) and …well, we never really got to reading the third for some reason and I forget the name.
 The Polar Express - Caldecott Medal Winner Needless to say, the first was an instant hit. We hadn’t read it together before although we’ve seen snippets of the movie a few times. She took an immediate liking to it and there are parts in the book’s pages that make you wonder if Mr. C in fact isn’t real in some sense, maybe in a parallel universe that we just don’t try hard enough to see! A truly lovely read with illustrations that make you smile, gasp, choke with emotion and shed a tear as you turn its beautiful pages. ‘For those who truly believe’ is a phrase that took some explaining for M and I’m not quite sure I did a very good job. How do you explain something like ‘Belief’ to a 4-year-old anyway?
The second book, Grandfather’s Journey is a poignant tale of a young immigrant man from Japan and the twists and turns in his life as he vacillates between the two lands, their cultures, the choices he makes at different turning points and how he goes about finding (and to some extent establishing) his own identity. This was the book M eventually picked for her school presentation and I could see that she could understand the turmoil in the protagonist’s mind even though she herself may not be able to relate to it. Maybe she was reminded of her own grandparents and cousins across the globe whom she gets to visit every alternate year or so and misses the minute she is back in the US. Or, maybe she just found the simple and straightforward story easy to tell in her own words. Whatever her reasons were, I was told that her presentation was well received and appreciated and that she had her audience’s rapt attention as she narrated the story to her class. A beautiful book I would recommend to all immigrants and their children – it gives a glimpse into the minds of people who on the surface belong to two countries and yet, are either at a loss to understand their true identity or are unable to decide which one to call home. This book with breathtaking illustrations takes us from the sun-kissed mountains and rivers of Japan to the gorgeous landscapes of California while giving us glimpses of early 1900 America along the way.
Spanning generations, timezones and a range of emotions, this book provides the opportunity to talk about and share so much with your child - from your childhood to your nationality to different cultures and globalization, to world travel, generation gap, world history and more.
We also revisited one of M’s earlier earlier favorites from Tulika – Water Stories: A collection of stories about this wonderful and valuable resource from around the world.
Who owns the water: A thought-provoking tale that M and I enjoyed thoroughly. It’s amazing how a simple children’s story can shine light on one of the world’s burning issues. This simple story set in rural India starts out with a Mother bird looking for a shady spot to lay her eggs. From this seemingly unremarkable beginning, the story expands to weave in a tale of greed, gratitude and basic human nature, questioning the prevalent tendency to lay claim on nature when in reality, it belongs to…now that’s the blank you and your child will have to fill in as you read the story.
After we had read the story, M’s answer touched me – but more about that in a later post.
Happy Summer Reading to you and your little ones!
 Tulika's Water Stories
Is there a book or two you enjoyed with your baby or toddler a while ago?
It’s all the more likely then that you’ll both love revisiting it.
Repetition and re-reading aren’t new to your baby. She has loved them ever since you first communicated with her. You’ve probably read the same set of ‘favorite’ books dozens of times over the years. However, have you tried exploring a book that was once your child’s favorite again a few months or years down the line? Try it to experience something magical.
It recently happened with M as we brought home, yet again, Eric Carle’s ‘Pancakes Pancakes’. After, maybe 7 months. She remembered the outline and had a reasonably vivid memory of what happens in the book. But, boy, was it sheer delight to explore entirely new layers and dimensions with her this time around!
She noticed Jack’s bare feet and the fact that modern trappings like light bulbs and a stove and even a refrigerator were missing! She wanted to know how a water wheel worked and why they didn’t just use a food processor( or the Indian version, anyway) to grind the wheat into flour. Eventually, her attention turned to the author as it always seems to these days – she seems to be fascinated by the fact that the author is the ‘Real’ person while what he writes about is ‘Just a story’. From wanting to know where Eric Carle lived to what he was up to these days, from wondering whether Jack was fictional or ‘real’ to how old Mr. Carle might be – more questions than I could possibly handle. So we paid a visit to Mr. Carle’s blog and set about finding M some answers.
The point of this post being…
You’ve GOT to experience the joy of re-reading an old favorite with your now older child. Oh! the amazing secrets of your child’s mind it will reveal.
As a parent or teacher you probably don’t miss most of the not so subtle and some of the subtle changes in the way your growing child thinks, reasons, communicates and acts. And going back to read something you’ve read together earlier is another great opportunity to observe this expansion of your child’s awareness in action.
Have you enjoyed revisiting a book recently with your child? Go ahead and share your experience below…
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Reading To Your Baby Tips Series Start Reading to Your Baby from Day 1 and Enjoy Surprising Lifelong Benefits
Learn:
* How and When to Start Reading to Your Baby
* What to Read
* How to Find the Time to Read to Your Child Everyday
* How to Make the Most of Your Reading Time and Raise a Happy Reader
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