The Mitten

Wow!  I can't believe that I'm just now encouraging you to read The Mitten.  This is another one in that building list of "must reads"!  Which edition should you check out?  Hmmmmm, well, I leave that for you to decide.  Around here we have two favorites:

The Mitten, A Ukrainian Folktale adapted and illustrated by Jan Brett (c. 1989), is arguably Brett's best work.  There's something for everyone is this edition.  The younger set will enjoy the simplicity and humor of the tale while the older set will pick up on the additional narratives "told" in Brett's right and left sidebar illustrations.

Note: The youngest's preK class enjoyed it all last week -- first through reading and then through a hands-on coloring / sequencing activity, which you can download and print too.  Have your children color, cut, then reinact the story by stuffing their own mitten full of forest animals from these pages on Jan Brett's website: http://janbrett.com/put_the_animals_in_the_mitten.htm 

You also can't go wrong with The Mitten An Old Ukrainian Folktale retold by Alvin Tresselt and illustrated by Yaroslava (c. 1964).  Yaroslava's simple yet vibrant illustrations feel "old world" and lend a sort of different sort of credibility to the tale.

Either way, readers, I'd love to hear your preference!  Which story do your kids like best?

The Twelve Days of Christmas

This is such a FUN book!  The kids and I are consistently mesmerized by Hilary Knight's illustrations, and his version of The Twelve Days of Christmas (c. 1981, 2001) proves no exception!  In fact, this copy has proven quite a friend to the bed-ridden, flu-stricken children this week.

Talk about green living, look at the use of space and  furnishings in this cottage!

Each time the kids pick it up, they find another hidden delight.  Knight's detailed illustrations do not cease to entertain while revealing yet another surprise.

Knight gives us a page by page tour of this darling house; if only it were a REAL dollhouse!

Needless to say, Hilary Knight weaves several tales in his ingenius, watercolor and colored penciled pictures.  Unearth them for yourself and be newly delighted by a familiar carol.

One Monday Morning

I can't tell you how thankful I am for all this rain!  Our lawn was beginning to look like we didn't care about it.  It's been so long since our last day of rain that the kids have delighted in this seemingly unusual occasion.  And you know how I feel about rainy days . . . they're the perfect excuse to enjoy pots of tea and snuggle down with some good books . . . oh, and the kids.

Today we're reading One Monday Morning by Uri Shulevitz.  If you haven't checked out a Uri Shulevitz book yet, here's your chance with the perfect rainy day read.  Shulevitz presents an enchanting, imaginative book that also teaches the days of the week and sequencing skills.  And, as in most of Shulevitz's books, his illustrations depict a broader, detailed story than his actual text.  So, really, why would you want to miss out on this enriching book?

We're Going on a Bear Hunt

So you've just discovered the addition of a new nephew, niece, grandchild to the family, and you would love to give a book.  But you find yourself standing in Barnes & Noble feeling completely overwhelmed.  It's been ages, decades perhaps, since you last visited the childrens' section, and you just don't know where to begin.

You can't go wrong with We're Going on a Bear Hunt (c. 1989) retold by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury.  This is the ultimate read-aloud!  And I don't make that statement lightly.  Do be forewarned that this particular book will become quite worn with love.  And the child you plan to bequeath it to will be able to repeat it scores of years later.  A terrific bonus since this same repetition encourages pre-literacy skills.  Said child will recall Oxenbury's gorgeous illustrations whenever he hears the word bear due to early childhood imprinting.  And if I haven't convinced you, take another look at Oxenbury's illustrations and/or listen to Michael Rosen's brilliantly animated YouTube performance:

The kids enjoyed this performance so much that we've played it several times over.  Michael Rosen's YouTube performance of We're Going on a Bear Hunt:

Mr. Gumpy's Outing

I don't know if you've noticed, but I've been raiding my mother's bookshelves again.  I just love the stories I grew up hearing read.  What's even better is passing them down to my children.

Today I'm going to keep it short and sweet.  Read Mr. Gumpy's Outing (c. 1970) written and illustrated by John Burningham.

Mr. Gumpy is not to be confused with Mr. Grumpy!

It's a rollicking good time!
It's endearing.
The kids love it!!!
It's a great way to teach sequencing skills.
It's available in our local library.
So check it out, and read it again and again!
Need I point out how wonderful the pictures are?!

Interesting fact: John Burningham is married to the award-winning children's books illustrator Helen Oxenbury (stay tuned for more to come by her).

Mr. Gumpy's Motor Car (c. 1973) is a fun follow-up to Mr. Gumpy's Outing.

Audrey Wood & Don Wood

Audrey and Don Wood totally get it!  This author / illustrator duo understand what kids want when they open up a book.  Not only that, they both cater to a child's quirky sense of humor.  One of the greatest pleasures in reading to children is that they so readily suspend their disbelief.  And a willing suspension of disbelief comes in quite handy with Don and Audrey Wood's books, making their absurd story line down-right riotous!

The Napping House (c. 1991) plays on the rhyme, rhythm, and repetition similar to This is the House that Jack Built while describing the sleeping arrangement of those in the household as they take their cozy, afternoon nap -- that's to say: how they're cuddled up upon "the snoring granny."  The illustrations first depict the circumstances under the shadow of a dark, rainy day.  Gradually each page becomes a touch more illuminated as the images brighten with the sun's arrival.  Additionally, The Napping House remains one of our Nana's favorite stories.  She uses it in her kindergarten classroom as a fun teaching tool for sequencing skills, vocabulary words (i.e. slumbering, snoozing, and dozing), and language arts activities (i.e. building the story with illustrated activity blocks, building words with the movable alphabet, and creating words by substituting the letters with another letter sound).

In King Bidgood's in the Bathtub (c. 1985), Audrey Wood presents the problem in the opening line:
                "Help! Help!" cried the Page when the sun came up.  
                "King Bidgood's in the bathtub, and he won't get out!  
                 Oh, who knows what to do?"
Several in the Elizabethan kingdom try to coax the king out of the bathtub . . . to no avail.  What's a page to do?  Find out in this delightfully comical story.  The kids feed off the hilarity of the storyline and have self-memorized the lines to recite whenever then need a good laugh.  It comes as no surprise that Don Wood received a Caldecott honor for King Bidgood's in the Bathtub in 1986 since the kids enjoy pouring over his brilliant oil paintings as much as they enjoy repeating the story.  Once again, Wood illuminates his illustrations in relation to the sun and moon's course. 

Don't let your kid's childhood slip away without introducing them to King Bidgood's in the Bathtub and The Napping House.  We've heard from Solomon that laughter is the best medicine; give your family their fill with these two titles.  So before the weekend begins, pick up at least one of these titles from your local library to take home and share with your family.  I guarantee you, you'll be glad you did (even those older ones will sneak in the room to hear King Bidgood's antics)!


If you'd like to discover more about Don and Audrey Wood, check out their website here.