Children's Book Monday

I've been having a lovely time lately muddling up my tidy bookshelves and strewing papers and notebooks and lists around the school table. It's that time again, isn't it? Planning for next year! I love it. It's my favorite. (But I'm also being careful to try and finish well, first.}

For next year's preschool/kindergarten plan, which includes Gideon and Eliana, we've decided to incorporate more regularly Before Five in a Row and Five in a Row into our school days. I've got hanging files ready to be stuffed with lapbook material and two lovely file baskets in which to place them. (It really helps me if I like to look at our school shelves, too. I'm a visual girl.) Alongside Ambleside booklists strictly for delight-reading, I think we will thoroughly enjoy this schedule.

Part of my ordering process every year includes new reading books for each of the children, and this year I really enjoyed choosing some fun reading for Gideon- want a peek?

(Three) A Boy, A Dog, and a Frog books (G fell in love with a tattered, ex-library copy we've had around since Cor was a wee one, so I added three more to his repertoire.)

My Good Morning Book and My Good Night Book, both by Eloise Wilkin. (Gideon is my little creature of habit, patterned after our first version, Micah. (We call Gideon "Micah 2.0".) These two little books have become quite the regular occasion around here, one in the morning, of course, the other before bed.)

And the last new (used) book in G's box is:

Margaret Wise Brown's Wonderful Storybook
illustrated by J.P. Miller

This one, I'm holding back until our official school year starts in October, but of course I've already read through it and it is absolutely delightful! We just haven't been disappointed yet in any of Margaret Wise Brown's work (we've already pre-ordered The Friendly Book- Brown's words paired with Garth Williams' artwork? Winner!!).

This happy, oversize book is filled with the author's original poetry and stories, with such delightful titles as "The Tickly Spider" and "Said a Fish to a Fish". I know that even Eliana will enjoy hearing them read aloud, and the simple, colorful illustrations will inspire her, as simple, colorful illustrations often do, to draw some of her own. (And Micah was stung by a bee yesterday, is still anxious about those buzzy creatures today, and I think a reading of "The Fifteen Bathtubs" might be in order, where a little boy learned that the bees would leave him alone if he just kept himself clean. Hmmmm.)

Margaret Wise Brown, although she never had any of her own, wrote so well for other children. Her stories are often interactive, requiring of the reader to pause and wait for an answer to the story's question. In "They Could All Smell It, But What Was It?", a poem, we are required to add our own ideas into the poem, and every child can appreciate that responsibility, yes?

I'm looking forward to pulling this book from the shelf come October and feeling that lovely stomp and squish of children running to jump on my lap for a listen.

If I can wait that long.

Happy Reading!

(If you are looking to fill your child's shelves with excellent literature, but still have some reservations when it comes to some genres, this post from a favorite blog, Like Mother, Like Daughter, answers the "fairy tale question" quite beautifully. I am so thankful for her eloquence and willingness to share her wisdom in this area. Please go read- you will be blessed and encouraged!)