It's a rubber boot day

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It's not all happily ever after. And when it is, there's usually a lot more tragedy, greed, and drama involved in getting there

The story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin (or Hameln) is older than the Weserbergland mountains that surround the town.

The original versions of the story don't have what you would call a traditional happy ending. The plot involves a pied piper (the term 'pied' apparently refers to coloured patches on clothing; the traditional garb of minstrels in the middle ages. Or so says Wikipedia :-)) who arrives in the town of Hamelin as it is suffering from a rat infestation. The townsfolk had tried everything to rid themselves of the rats to no avail. The pied piper promised he could fix their rat problem once and for all, and in exchange the townsfolk promised to pay him for his service. The Pied Piper played his pipes and lured the rats into the Weser River where they drowned. When the piper returned for his payment, the townsfolk reneged on their promise. The pied piper left with an angry warning. He later returned and exacted his revenge on the town by luring all but (one or two depending on the version) of the children away from the town and into a mountain cavern, none of whom were ever seen again. Of the two children that remained, one was deaf and thus immune to the magical charms of the pipe, and the other was lame and unable to keep up with the rest of the children on his crutches. Both were boys. In the version I know rather than being lured into a cavern in the mountain, the children were lured into the mountain itself, which magically opened up to let them in and then swallowed them whole, leaving no seam in the rock where it had opened.

I don't find this tale particularly frightening. I didn't as a child either. I was fascinated by the magic of the pipes. I thought that while it was a tad overboard, that the pied piper had every right to be angry. And I thought that it served the townsfolk right that they should not have any children in the town to grow up and live and marry and have children of their own. They shouldn't have been so greedy. And they should have kept their promise. All of the tragedy could have been avoided had they not been greedy and broken their promise. There are irreversable consequences to going back on your word. These are all valuable lessons to learn as a child. Be honest. Be fair. Don't be greedy. Do what you say you will. Keep your promises. Be aware of the consequences of your actions. And although the original version didn't specify what actually happened to the children after they disappeared (some later versions have them founding a new town; others have them just disappearing; I think there are a few that suggest the piper was a pedophile or psychotic and he molested, abused, and even killed and dismembered the children. But thankfully I didn't hear those versions. I do think that would have been a bit too much for my age at the time) I imagined that the children were living in some fantastic magical cavernous world filled with stalactites and stalagmites where they stayed young forever and played on the banks of the underground stream that ran through the mountain, and danced to the music of the pied piper. Such is a child's imagination if left with unanswered questions. It's a good thing.

I read Bobbin the story of the Pied Piper tonight for bedtime. The version I read her was from a book I purchased from a second hand store because it was cheap and I had fond memories of the story, and of my Dad taking me to Hamelin on our way to Sweden, and driving up to what was supposedly the top of the mysterious mountain where the children had disappeared. He told me at the top that if I was very very quiet I might still be able to hear them singing and playing inside the mountain. I think in all reality we were standing on top of some random hill but it didn't matter. It was magic.

I had not actually read the entire book that I had purchased end to end before reading it to Bobbin. I read the first few pages, which seemed to stay true to the version I knew. So I was infinitely disappointed to find in this tamed down version the children DIDN'T disappear into the mountain but were in fact returned to the townsfolk after the Mayor came to his senses and agreed to pay the pied piper the original amount he had promised. And so upon finishing the book, I retold the story in the version I knew. And Bobbin found that much more intriguing. As I knew she would :-)

I want to read her the Little Mermaid before she gets her eyes/hands on the Disnified version. That's another personal favourite from my childhood. On the same trip to Sweden my Dad took me to see the statue of the Littlest Mermaid in Denmark. I have a picture of me standing beside her. This was in the '70s, before she was beheaded (multiple times, I believe) by vandals. I loved the story. Which ends with the littlest Mermaid not getting to be with the Prince, who instead has fallen in love with and decides to marry someone who is charming, kind, beautiful, AND who has not lost her voice to an evil witch of the water underworld in exchange for legs. No, she doesn't get the prince, and nor can she return to the sea as a mermaid to be with her sisters. The deal that she made with the evil witch to trade her voice for a pair of legs was that she must win the prince's love or she would lose her human form and any chance at an immortal soul, and would die of a broken heart and turn into sea foam. In a twist at the end, the mermaid's sisters strike a deal with the sea witch, exchanging their beautiful locks of hair for a magic knife that she must use to kill the prince. In return she would be able to return to the sea and live out the rest of her natural life with her family. In the end, the mermaid cannot kill her only true love despite the fact that he has married someone else. And so she flings herself overboard in dispair. But instead of turning into sea foam, she turns into a "daughter of the air'. A spirit with the chance of earning her own eternal soul by doing good deeds.

Love can be tragic, but also beautiful. High risk, high reward. Be careful what you wish for. Once you've made a decision there are times when it is impossible to reverse course. If it's worth it, go for it but but know but accept the consequences . Be good and kind, and good and kind things will happen to you. These too are all great lessons.

I am looking for a picture book with the true story of the Little Mermaid to read to Bobbin. Until then, the Disney version is off limits :-) And I've renew my search for an authentic version of the Pied Piper of Hameln story as well.

And if you haven't already, definitely check out the history and origins of the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. It's really fascinating! And apparently this year is the 725th anniversary of the piper's appearance in Hamelin.

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Good vs Evil

This has become a new fascination for Bobbin in the last two months. She's drawn to plots with sinister antagonists and battles between good vs evil. We're talking good vs evil at a preschooler level, of course. Although she does continue to be curious about more grown up, real world examples of good vs evil. Which is why we listen mostly to music on the way to school, and not NPR :)

Past favourites have included Cinderella and 101 Dalmations. Goldilocks and the Three Bears was interesting from multiple angles. Not so much because she thought the bears were mean; she knew they were not. But because Goldilocks had clearly defied her mother and had absolutely no manners to speak of, let alone a sense of personal safety.

Her latest fascinations are also classics:

1. Sleeping Beauty (my verbal rendition of the original as I remember it, and Disney's movie version)
2. Hansel and Gretel, retold and illustrated by James Marshall although she also has a version retold by Rika Lesser and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky who has done another book we've recently added to our library. See below. I like his pictures.).
3. Little Red Riding Hood, retold and illustrated by James Marshall
4. The Three Little Pigs, retold and illustrated by James Marshall

The latter three and Goldilocks are the James Marshall versions, , about whom I've written about previously. They stay true to the original story (not "disneyfied") while softening some of the more macabre elements with a touch of wry humour that adults and kids alike can enjoy.

Stories in which characters are eaten by other characters provide a level of fascination to Bobbin. Stories involving evil stepmothers and stepsisters likewise are usually hits. Stories that have evil fairies and witches are good ones as well.

Because I have heard many of these over and over and over again (from my own childhood as well as in the present) and although Bobbin is content with rereading the same material every night, I as the one reading these stories aloud on a daily basis, often multiple times per day, feel the need to mix it up a little bit more often.

Fairytale anthologies are not popular with her yet, because she likes to read the story cover to cover. Chapter books likewise are not something she's ready for yet. I expect though, by the end of this calendar year she'll start getting more enjoyment out of both and we'll be able to draw upon these for bedtime stories too.

But it's really really hard to find any classic single story fairytale picture books that do not feature a Disney Princess on the cover, and that have a sufficient balance between words and pictures to keep their interest. Too few words or two few pictures and Bobbin loses interest. Too many words and the same happens. A good fairytale picture book needs ample amounts of both. Vivid pictures that still leave much to the imagination and descriptive, creative language with new words that she can add to her ever expanding vocabulary and that creates interest and allows her to form pictures in her mind. Dialogue is also important because she likes using the same phrases to act out the characters when she pretend plays.

But I have happened across a few picture books that meet these specifications and that have become instant hits. Recent additions to our library have included a mix of classic fairytales and new stories:

1. Rumpelstiltskin, retold & illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky


2. Jack and the Beanstalk, Retold by E. Nesbit and illustrated by Matt Tavares


3. The Elves and the Shoemaker, Retold by John Cech and illustrated by Kirill Chelushkin


4. The Little Matchstick Girl, Retold and illustrated by Debbie Lavreys


5. Hans Brinker, Retold by Bruce Coville and illustrated by Laurel Long


6. The Widow's Broom, Story and pictures by Chris Van Allsburg


7. The Sweetest Fig, Story and pictures by Chris Van Allsburg


8. Just a Dream, Story and Pictures by Chris Van Allsburg

You may recognize the author and illustrator's name from the last three. Chris Van Allsburg wrote and illustrated The Polar Express (yes, the movie was based on a book :)) as well as Zathura (yes, that movie was also based on a book :)). He does absolutely beautiful illustrations and his stories are imaginative and contain happy endings although there are interesting characters that aren't always what they seem and that blur the line a bit between good and evil. I love them.

Bobbin has yet to let me finish The Little Matchstick Girl. She's afraid to get to the end because I told her that it's a bit sad at the end and the story always made me cry when I was a little girl. It's true. And I want her to know what she's getting into. So we've only made it to the fourth match so far. The rest though have been very eagerly received and reread.

I am still seeking non disneyfied picture book versions of Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, and Rapunzel, to name a few. She knows the story of Sleeping Beauty because I've told it to her verbally and she's seen the movie (and has already called attention to several descrepancies between my version and Disney's. Yet she continues to want to see and hear both :)). She knows the Disney version of the story The Little Mermaid. The original tale has a tragic ending that I think she'd actually find more interesting. Rapunzel would be a new one to her and it's been so long for me that I need to reread the story myself, and it is one of the few that is not in one of the many fairytale anthologies that I've kept from my own childhood. As I wrote this entry I discovered that Paul O. Zelinsky did a a version of Rapunzel so I think that will be my next online purchase :)

The picture book version of Cinderella she has is an old storybook of mine that was passed on to my sister (who wrote her name in it :)) and is now Bobbin's. It's retold by Evelyn Andreas with illustrations by Ruth Ives, originally published in 1954 by Grosset & Dunlap (no, I'm not that old. I have the 1974 printing :). It's true to the original and has in my opinion far more beautiful illustrations than any Cinderella book you can find today, including the Disney version.

Borders has an actual "Fairytale" section in their picture books, but it is mostly filled with Disney crap (don't get me wrong; I love their original movies and we have many of them but I don't like all the princess swag and "add on" stories they publish) and Sparkley books that feature Dragons and Fairies on the cover and in the pictures but lack any substantial story. Barnes and Nobles just sticks their fairytales on the shelf with all the other picture books, making them hard to find unless you know the author of the book you want. And don't bother looking under "Grimm" or "Andersen", because the author they're listed under will be the one who "retold" the book, not the original author of the book. And so I have spent many an hour at the book stores browsing shelves only to come up emptyhanded except for the few mentioned above. Next stop for me will be the independents and online. Although I much prefer to do my book shopping in person :).

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Probably not the original plan, but effective nontheless...

Police Chief Shoots Self while Teaching Daughter Gun Safety

There's a Berenstain Bear book in there somewhere...

Hooray! Hooray!
We're on our way!
The local Gun Show
starts today!

And here we are.
What a wonderful trip!
Let's find us an Uzi!
Let's let 'er rip!

[Mama Bear]
Papa bear
Don't you forget
you should never use guns
while you are lit

[Papa Bear]
Don't you worry.
Don't you fear.
I've only had three
bottles of beer.

[Small Bear]
I'm watching, Dad
I'm all set to go!

[Papa Bear]
Then here is the first rule
you should know.
Always check to make sure,
When cleaning your Glock,
That it's not loaded or else
You might shoot yourself (BAM!) F*CK!

[Small Bear]
Yes! That's a good one.
And I think you should know
You're bleeding all over
Mom's new cashmere throw.

I could go on... but I don't really need to :-)

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Bracing for the storm

4 days of 60 consecutive minutes of aerobic workout, 2 days of 30 consecutive minute workouts. Technically I've exceeded my weekly goal of 3 60s and 2 30s and I'm only 5 days into the week! I'm gonna need the extra credit.. next week's gonna be a bitch.

Tim and I made a very very very hard decision today to enroll Bobbin in a new preschool. Her current daycare, as I've mentioned previously, served us well for 3 years but over the course of the summer a lot of changes happened and despite us trying to work with them on getting to some common ground, it just wasn't on a path to getting resolved to our satisfaction. And so we began a search for new options this week, and wham bam, in the informed yet decisive way that is mine, we have analyzed the results, assessed the risks, and made a decision.

Bobbin's last day at her current daycare will be Monday. We started talking with her about it today, and will spend time talking with her about it in depth tomorrow, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. We'll write cards to the teachers to say thank you and goodbye. We''ll write notes to the parents of her friends with our contact info so we can hopefully get the kids together semi-regularly since she's been with many of them for 3 years now.

Tim and I are sure we have made the right choice. The teacher and classroom consistency is what we are looking for, the teachers are highly qualified and from what I've seen from my visits there, are highly interactive and clearly care about the children. Three different parent reference checks came back with glowing feedback, as well as some concrete things that they'd like to see the school do better but none of those things are deal-breakers. Overall I think it is a much more stable and consistent and dependable environment than the one she is in currently.

I took Bobbin there today on the way home from her other school. We talked about where I was taking her. We arrived and she marched up the steps like she owned it, and started looking around the room as I talked with the director. Actively looking. Touching. I was surprised. Then I told her we could go check out the playground and the forest and that was all she needed to hear. We were there for about an hour; the buildings had all closed but the director said we can use the outdoor grounds any time - weekends, etc - now that she's enrolled. We'll take her up on that this weekend. Get Bobbin feeling familiar with the space.

To accomodate the transition I'm taking Tuesday morning off, and we'll spend a half-day at her new school together and then come home for the rest of the day, during which I'll attempt to work from home. On Wednesday Tim will take her to the new school and they'll spend a half day there together and then come home for the rest of the day while I work all day. Thursday and Friday I'll spend all day with Bobbin at her new school hangin'. Saturday and Sunday we'll go play there together. Monday I'll spend half a day there with her and then hopefully, leave her there on her own and happy the rest of the day.

That's the plan. It's complicated. And while I wouldn't have done anything different, I do feel guilty about the two mornings I've taken off from work this week to tour daycare centers and interview daycare directors. Tim's had to do the same. And now I'm taking 2 and a half days off next week and a half day off the following week.

Next week, I predict that my wednesday blog entry will be filled with regrets and self doubts about whether we did the right thing for Bobbin; whether I'm meeting my responsibilities at work; etc. etc.

And so the vicious cycle continues.

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Late to the game but still fired up

Janel sent the Friday Gang a book review for a book by LInda R. Hirshman entitled "Get to Work: And Get a Life, Before It's Too Late"

The review was by Sandra Tsing Loh and I'm not entirely sure what her opinion was of the book or author; She came across to me as a bit annoying at the beginning but when I actually took the (long long long) time to read through to the end of her review I think I liked her wit and sarcasm. Whether or not I read the book that she is apparently publishing and releasing shortly is undecided But I do know that the review made me decide unequivocally that the book she was reviewing was not a book that I was interested in actually reading, and the opinion I was left with was that Linda R. Hirshman's view of the world was more likely to just piss me off than entertain me.

And apparently I'm not alone; I guess I've been living under the proverbial rock when the book came out and sparked apparently much debate and critique in the internet blogosphere. Ah well... yet one more thing I missed while I had my head buried in my ever-growing pile of self-doubt, working-mom guilt, and stinky laundry.

It's clear from the review I read as well as the publisher's remarks that Hirshman thinks very little of women who have chosen to stay home after having a child, vs continuing their careers.

The quote that really annoyed me: "Although child rearing, unlike housework, is important and can be difficult, it does not take well-developed political skills to rule over creatures smaller than you are, weaker than you are, and completely dependent upon you for survival or thriving. Certainly, it's not using your reason to do repetitive, physical tasks, whether it's cleaning or driving the car pool. My correspondent's life does have a certain Tom Sawyerish quality to it, but she has no power in the world. Why would the congressmen she writes to listen to someone whose life so resembles that of a toddler's, Harvard degree or no?"

Power in the world. In my book raising and teaching another human being the qualities that allow them to be kind, caring, empathetic, responsible, giving, independent, confident, questioning, challenging, contributing beings in life is wielding a fair amount of power. As for who the congress men (and women) do and do not listen to and why - our politics is flawed on so many levels at this point that it's meangingless to try and argue that a stay-at-home mother is going to have any less influence than I would as a working mom. I don't have any influence either. Neither do the majority of the "regular people" working or not in this country.

As for the level of skill it takes to "rule over creatures smaller than you are, weaker than you are, and completely dependant upon you for survival or thriving" I think that is a very myopic view of what it takes to raise a child in the world today. It's true that it is not rocket science. And it's true that the problems that are being solved at home are different than the ones that are being solved at work. But it is inappropriate to try and draw conclusions or comparisons about the skill involved in doing one vs the other.

I recently learned through an old friend that a high school classmate of ours has a child that was born with Cerebral Palsy. There was a spot on a local news show about their family that I watched on the internet. The skills that it must take him and his wife on a daily basis, to care for their daughter, to care for the rest of their family, to move themselves and their family forward and give them hope and opportunity and strength and unconditional love and encouragement and support is a skill I will never ever ever claim to exercise in the work that I do in my 45+ hour week high tech management job that provides me with full benefits, a pretty wide scope of responsibility, and a competitive salary. How can you compare the two? Our lives are completely different, filled with different requirements, different skills, different circumstances and in many cases those circumstances aren't choices that a person gets to make for him or herself.

Anyway... I think my friend Debra (who really does need to get a blog at this point; C'mon Debra; I set my sister up. I can set you up too. You know you want it ;-)) summed it up best with her response to the review which was "if the kids aren't raised well, we ALL pay the price" and "Irregardless of whether we are at home or at work, if we are all cranky or sucking the life out of the system or thrashing on others, we are not at our full potential. Tell me how that contributes to having 'a life'?".

I have such smart friends :-)

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She won't need therapy later in life...

Found at Sweet-Juniper:

The children's books you wish celebrities would write, Vol. 4: Metallica Board Book

Tim's mom collects Hummels. I'm going to have to check them out more closely next time we visit and "borrow" a few.

I'm picturing an electric lazy susan divided into 4 dioramas positioned on her night stand and rotating slowly as the music from her Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Metallica CD plays softly in the background; a soft purple glow emanating from the center of the arrangement.

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No More Crayons

A couple of weeks ago I stopped at the bookstore and picked up a couple of new picture books for Bobbin. "The Bunnies are Not in their Beds" by Marisabina Russo, and "A Day with No Crayons" by Elizabeth Rusch. Both were instant hits but the favourite by far is the Crayon book. And it seemed I was quite timely in my selection of this book. It came in handy today.

The book is about a little girl named Liza who loves to colour. But when she runs out of paper and gets caught in the act of colouring on her bedroom wall, her mother promptly confiscates the tools of her crime and Liza must get through an ENTIRE DAY without any crayons. She manages to find ways to entertain herself and make and discover art in other creative ways and in the end she finds she didn't miss them so much after all.

Bobbin loves to make art. She absolutely adores painting. And so when I bought her some Crayola Paint Brush Pens for her to be able to keep in her room and use anytime without asking (I'm in charge of the regular paints; they're not readily accessible at her whim) she was really ecstatic.

Usually she sits at the table or her desk to draw and paint but today she decided to arrange herself and her paper and pens on our floor. The solid brazilian cherry floor that just last weekend I had spent hours on my hands and knees cleaning so I could get at every nook and cranny myself. After about 10 months of buildup I started getting annoyed and just generally disgusted whenever my socks, or worse my bare feet, would stick to the floor as I walked through the house. But I digress.

And so I said "Ok, but we have two rules. Can you guess what they are?"

" Y' know?" she replied, which is her usual response to these questions.

"Rule 1: NO colouring on the floor. Colour on the paper only. Not the floor. Got it?" She nodded her head emphatically. "Rule 2: When you are finished your painting, you put the caps on and put your pens away. Ok?" which solicited another somber nod. I asked her to repeat the rules back to me, which she did, and then I asked her what would happen if she didnt' follow the rules. "Mommy take my paintbrushes away and I cannot use them again". We seemed good.

It wasn't 10 minutes later that I then found her laying on the floor on her stomach, colouring book well out of reach, non-chalantly brushing her marker back and forth over the same spot over and over. Purple. On purpose. Clearly intentional. I asked her what she was doing and she looked up and stated the obvious. I picked up the rest of her pens and then spent the next 5 minutes quietly demanding that she turn over the purple one still in her hand. She started out defiant in her "No!" answer, but when she saw I wasn't letting up they turned to pleads, and then she started negotiating and promising "I will not paint on the floor again, I will not Mommy, please, I will not and I will clean it up". She finally turned over the last pen when I showed her the deep purple stain on the hardwood floor. The big, deep purple stain. The stain from the "washable" paint brush pens that refused to be wiped away with soap and water, and that only faded slightly when I applied something a little more harsh. She knew she was done.

I deposited the pens in what I mockingly refer to as the "Cubby of Confiscation" when I use it, or as Bobbin mispronounces it, the "Cubby of Constipation". It's a small wicker basket I keep on top of the china cabinet for just such purposes. Confiscation purposes, not constipation purposes. And then while she was sobbing uncontrollably I took her on my lap and reminded her about her picture book, and we talked about what Liza had done, and what her Mommy had done, and how this was just like what Liza had done and I took her pens away from her for the same reason Liza's Mommy took Liza's crayons away from Liza. In the end she acquiesced. It seemed fair. Liza's Mommy had done the same thing. It happened in a picture book; it must not be so bad.

I managed to get her out of her blues and back to her jovial self by enticing her outside to blow bubbles on the deck after putting the cubby back on the top of the china cabinet. The pens were not forgotten completely however, and she would refer to them repeatedly throughout the day. "Mommy, 'member when I was colouring with my pens and I coloured on the floor and that was not ok and so you took my pens and I cannot have them now until tomorrow, just like Liza". I reminded her repeatedly that Liza managed to have fun despite having no crayons for the day. We went to the park and fed the ducks and geese, and played at the playground, and rode her tricycle all up and down the bike path, and generally had a great afternoon but every so often she'd bring up the pen incident as a reminder. "Member, Mommy, when I did that?"

I had intended to give them back tomorrow but later this afternoon she willingly volunteered to help me clean the house. I gave her our little Dirt Devil portable broom vacuum thingie, and she went to town from one end of the house to the other while I used the "real" vacuum to do the carpets. When we had finished and put the vacuums away, I thanked her and praised her for being such a great helper and gave her a big hug and kiss. And that's when she looked up at me and said "Mommy, maybe I can have my pens back now please?"

This time, I put a mat underneath her paper and pens.

Not even three yet. Man are we in trouble.

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Prepped for surgery

Well, we're as ready as we're gonna be. We've spent the last couple of days talking with Bobbin about what she can expect at the hospital, the sequence of events that will take place, reading her books (yes, they write books for kids on the subject of ear tubes), and play acting the actual visit. Tomorrow morning at 5:45am we'll be rousing our little munchkin and making the 30 minute trek to the hospital where we'll arrive at the receptionist promptly at our 6:30 checkin time, and then wait for 60 minutes until our 7:30 surgery time. the surgery itself will last about 15 minutes once she's out, and then we'll spend the rest of the day at home. 2 days of prep for a 15 minute procedure. We'll see how it goes :-)

I bought 3 books from amazon.com: "Koko Bear's Big Earache: Preparing Your Child for Ear Tube Surgery", "Tubes In My Hears: My Trip to the Hospital", and "Chris Gets Ear Tubes". They are all pretty much the same, but having multiple consistent stories is a good thing for Bobbin; She listened intently and studied the pictures and pointed out objects and asked questions and by the end of the 3rd book she pretty much had it down pat. Her favourite was Koko though. There's just something about a cuddly little bear that makes everything more endurable.

So we read the books and in particular I focused on how Mommy and Daddy were going to wait in the waiting room while she went with the doctor and nurse to the special operation room. The special operation room is a very clean room with no germs and so only the doctors, nurses, and Bobbin would be allowed in, to keep it clean and safe for her surgery. we practiced saying "Bye! See you later!" cheerfully. I played the doctor, Bobbin played herself, and Tommy served as Mommy. I would tell Bobbin to give 'Mommy' a kiss and hug and tell her that she'd see her later. She'd crouch down and wrap her arms around Tommy. "Bye bye Mommy! I love you! I'm getting new ear tubes!" she'd exclaim happily, and then we'd go down to her bedroom which served as the "operating room".

The next thing I focused on in the books and in our role playing was the special medicine mask that they would have her breath into, to help make her sleepy so she could nap. I explained they could only put the ear tubes while she was napping, because then she'd be very still. I held a pretend mask in my hand and held it gently up to her nose and mouth and told her to breath in and out. Then asked if she was sleepy, and she replied yes and closed her eyes. Then I wiggled my finger just inside her ear lobe of each ear and said "There, all done! You can wake up now Bobbin!"

The last thing we spent a lot of time on was the fact that the doctors and nurses had to wear masks so that they could keep the air clean and safe and not spread germs during her surgery. I talked about how the masks kinda look a bit scary at first, but if you look at the doctor and nurses' eyes you can tell what they're feeling and if they're happy and relaxed, their eyes will look happy and relaxed. So just because they were wearing masks, you could still know that everything is ok by looking at their eyes. we practiced making happy, sad, angry and scared faces while covering our mouth and nose. I'd cover my mouth and make a face and ask her to guess if I was happy or sad. She thought it was pretty hilarious.

We played acted the whole scenario through several times - at Bobbin's request. She would enthusiastically arrive at the "waiting room" (living room) with 'Mommy' and wait for me to call her name. I'd pretend that I didn't know which one she was, when she stood up and introduced herself, I'd say hi and then go over to talk to her 'Mommy' and explain that I had to take Bobbin to the operation room and that 'Mommy' would have to wait here. She'd give 'Mommy' a hug and then 'Mommy' would roll over on his doggie bed in a sigh of relief as she gallivanted up the stairs and ran down the hall to the 'operation room' and clamoured onto her 'operating bed'. We'd do the whole anesthesia thing, I'd stick my fingers in her ears, she'd 'wake up' and we'd run back to the 'waiting room' to do it all over again. Then she became the doctor and Kitty became the patient, and I was kitty's mommy who had to wait in the waiting room, etc. etc. etc.

I suspect the enthusiasm will not be quite as great tomorrow. Some apprehension will surface when we actually arrive. And I don't know what to expect at all in the whole waiting room parting. She could surprise me. On Monday when I took her to see the cardiologist, my normally shy and cautious-with-strangers preschooler actually disappeared down the cardiology department hallway, following the nurse she had spent all of 10 minutes with, on the promise of getting stickers and a lollipop while I was still in the examining room talking with the doctor. And she came back with a fistful of both (before I could gently admonish my little sticker-grabber the nurse did admit that she had been intentionally free with the offering because Bobbin was just so sweet and had done so well during all the procedures ;-)). Likewise she surprised me by letting the doctor examine her without much preamble, and then in the middle of her stethescope exam exclaiming to the doctor quite directly and animatedly "Oh! You have cold hands, you know". That's my girl - always full of surprises.

So who knows what to really expect. we've done what we can to make sure she knows what's happening and that she's feeling upbeat about it at least at this point. She may surprise us, or she may be sweetly and heartbreakingly sad and scared. Either way, we'll be there for her, to cuddle and love her.

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Books on CD during the morning commute

On a whim about a week ago, I bought a copy of a "Nemo" book + CD for Bobbin, thinking it might be interesting change of pace to have her listen to a book on CD in the car instead of the usual music (lately she's been alternating between "The Nutcracker" ballet suite and "Sharon, Lois and Bram's Travellin' Tunes". She has a range of musical tastes ;-)). I was also curious as to whether she'd "get it" - ie, the concept of reading the book while it is being read to her on CD.

I learned to read by following along to recordings of books on cassette tapes. I remember I had a bunch of book+tapes that my parents had bought me. My favourite, though, was Cinderella. And it was the summer before 1st grade, our first summer in Germany, that I recall vividly sitting on the floor of my bedroom in our 2nd floor apartment, cassette tape recorder on the floor next to me, book in lap, finger underlining each word as it was spoken, that I learned to read "and they lived happily ever after. The end". The cassette ended but I sat there and, with my right index finger pointing beneath each word, I read it over and over and over and over and over again, and I was so proud. And it was more than just knowing where one word ended and the other began. I already knew my ABCs and I knew the sounds letters made. And just repeatedly having the story read to me with me following along, it all eventually sunk in and then clicked. What a feeling that was.

So I was curious as to how much Bobbin would be capable of grasping, and also admittedly want to be able to watch over the course of the next 2 years, if she liked the concept and stuck with it, of it clicking with her as well.

When I picked her up at daycare I showed her the Nemo book and the CD, and explained that I was going to put the CD in the CD player and it would tell the story and she could follow along in her book. And she would know when it was time to turn the page, because the CD would make a special sound.

I popped the CD in, and had her keep the book closed while she listened to the instructions. They narrator explained that when you hear the "brrrrriiiiiiing" sound of the chimes, that was a signal that it was time to turn the page. She seemed to get it. Then the first chime sounded, and she looked at me and said "Mommy, time to turn the page?". I smiled and nodded.

The book is a paperback and she still has a bit of trouble manipulating the thin paper pages one at a time; often times they get stuck and she'll turn more than one. But she got the gist of it pretty quickly and before long was saying to herself instead of asking "time to turn the page".

Nemo was a good choice because she loves that movie and has watched it several times, and it had scenes directly from the movie in the book illustrations, and much of the sound from the movie included in the narrative. And there were a couple of times when she missed turning the page at the right time, but realized that she must be on the wrong page because the story as she was hearing it wasn't matching up to the picture on the page, and she'd look up puzzled and ask "turn page now?" or exclaim "I missed a page!" The familiarity with the sounds and the images helped her figure out whether she was on track.

We're a long ways away from her tracing her fingers over the words and reading them for herself, but it was so much fun for her to be able to "read" independantly and know when to turn the page.

I think the next purchase will be Cinderella :-)

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More on James Marshall, and keep 'em if you got 'em

In my last blog entry I wrote about Bobbin's current favourite story: Goldilocks and the Three Bears. I briefly mentioned that the version that we have is the one retold and illustrated by James Marshall. Bobbin has gotten so much joy out of listening to the story and looking at the pictures, and I've derived so much joy from reading it with her (both from the standpoint of enjoying the story myself the way the author retells it, as well as enjoying having Bobbin cuddle close to me, and the interactive dialogue that ensues as she engages with the story and with me) that I decided to see if he had any other retellings of classic tales.

A brief search on Amazon while I was writing the last blog entry turned up several: Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, and Hansel and Gretel. He also did a version of Cinderella. And I learned he also had a whole series of characters that he had made up and written about - most notably George and Martha, two hippopotami.

So today I decided to take a little time and head down to the local bookstore to see what I could find. While I like the convenience of ordering online, I like the instant gratification I get from going to the bookstore.

Children's books has become a real hobby for me since I first learned I was pregnant with Bobbin 3 1/4 years ago (good grief! It's been that long?!). I've always been an avid reader myself and so it was a natural thing for me to start spending more and more time in the children's section of the bookstores looking for the books that I remembered fondly from my childhood, and seeing the new stuff that was out there. Finding all the new beautifully or cleverly illustrated books as well as beautifully or cleverly told stories as well as all the old favourites. For me, it's more than just the best sellers. "Knufflebunny" and "Where the Wild Things Are" and the Eric Carle books are good stories, but they are also on every bookshelf in every children's book-nook, in every bookstore's children's showcase display, and every daycare, doctor's office, dentist's waiting room, bank, coffee shop, and just about anywhere else that attempts to entertain children while their parents are busy doing something. I like to find the fun, interesting, zany and creative books that are hidden behind these ones. That's the thrill of the hunt, I guess :-)

Oddly enough, I don't recall any James Marshall books from my childhood. But the discovery of George and Martha in my James Marshall research sparked a distant memory. Perhaps from school or the library. They were written in the early 70's right when I would have been the right age for them, so it's entirely likely.

At any rate, I found only one of his several books in the bookstore after much searching and sifting through book shelves. This was the same bookstore in which I had found and purchased Goldilocks a few weeks ago. I remember noting at the time that it was strange they only had one copy.

In fact, interesting to note, my search for hardcover James Marshall books was eerily similar to my search for Berenstain Bear books earlier this year. In both cases, there were no hardcover versions to be found. In both cases, there was only an odd paperback version of a single book to be found wedged in between all the other paperback picture books on the bottom shelf where they pile that stuff in no apparent order. And in both cases the reason given was that the hardcovers are probably out of print, and "I guess the books just aren't that popular anyway". Who the hell is running these bookstores, and can they even read?

I even went to The Other Bookstore, and didn't even find any soft cover versions of his books. They had absolutely nothing.

At any rate, I bought the one paperback copy of James Marshall's Three Little Pigs, and then came home and ordered online what I swear is the last remaining hardcover version of his Little Red Riding Hood, along with a softcover Hansel and Gretel. They should arrive next week just in time for Bobbin's ear tube & adenoid surgery which will be a nice treat for us afterwards.

Having such a difficult time finding any of his books made me want to know a little bit more about him. Hence the link to his wikipedia entry at the beginning of this post.

It's a brief article, but the sentence that struck me the most was the last: "James Marshall had the uncanny ability to elicit wild delight from readers with relatively little text and simple drawings. With only two minute dots for eyes, his illustrated characters are able to express a wide range of emotion, and never ever fail to produce howls of laughter from children and adults." because that exactly describes my and Bobbin's experience reading his books.

Bobbin zeroed in right away on the bears' eyes. It's true - they are only tiny dots and lines, but there's no doubt as to what emotion they are displaying and Bobbin will point it out right away.

Bobbin: Why Mama bear is angry? Mommy: I don't think she's really angry. More annoyed, really. Bobbin: No, hers angry. Her have angry eyes. Look at her angry eyes. See?

It's so much fun to watch her notice that stuff completely on her own; for her to take in all the little details of an illustration and independantly arrive at an interpretation and conclusion about the characters' feelings and state of mind, and what it must all mean.

And now for some children's book advice: If you find yourself in the possession of, or with the opportunity to become in the possession of, a hardcover copy of either a James Marshall picture book OR a Jan & Stan Berenstain book, hold on tight. Cause they're rare finds. AND they're great stories that your kids will love. Valuable on multiple fronts ;-). And if you can't get a hardcover, go ahead and buy the paperback edition. They may not last as long but you and your kid will still derive invaluable pleasure, and for much less than the price of a hardcover (even if they weren't rare).

Blog update: While at the bookstore, in addition to purchasing The Three Little Pigs, I also purchased a hardcover called "The Adventures of Isabel: A Verse" written by Ogden Nash. I had picked it up and read it, and the poem was fun and silly and childish and perfect, and the illustrations for it matched perfectly. I didn't realize until I got home, started doing my James Marshall wikipedia search, and discovered this title amongst the long list of books that he had either authored, illustrated, or both, that this book was in fact illustrated by James Marshall as well. I found it in a completely different area of the children's book section and hadn't even looked at the illustrator name. Interesting that I seem so consistently drawn (pun intended ;-)) to his work. That tells me a lot!

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Gogeeochs and the Bear's Corridge.

Bobbin's favourite story right now is Goldilocks and the Three Bears (we got her the version retold and illustrated by James Marshall. I highly recommend that one; the dialog is pretty fun, as are the pictures).

Only in the World According to Bobbin, the girl's name is Go-Gee-awk (hard "G" sound both times) and should you pronounce it any other way, she will correct you.

It's a fairly short story but it takes a good half hour or longer for us to get through the entire book. Because I can't just read it straight through. Many questions must be asked and answered on each page. Our reading usually goes something like this (and generally takes place in the bathroom, while Bobbin is trying to do #2)

Page 1:

Mommy: "Once there was a little girl called Goldilocks"
Bobbin: No, it's Go-Gee-awk, not Goldilocks. Go-Gee-awk. Read it again.
Mommy: "Once there was a little girl called Go-Gee-awk. 'What a sweet child,' said someone new in town. 'That's what you think,' said a neighbour"
Bobbin: Where's the neighbour?
Mommy: Right there. The woman standing behind the fence. That's Goldilock's neighbour.
Bobbin: Go-Gee-awk. Not Goldilocks, Mommy.
Mommy: Go-Gee-awk.
Bobbin: Why hers a neighbour?
Mommy: She's a neighbour because she lives next door to Goldi... Go-Gee-awk.
Bobbin: Where's next door?
Mommy: Beside Goldilock's house. Right beside it.
Bobbin: But where in the book?
Mommy: Oh, they didn't draw it in the book. you can't see it in this picture.
Bobbin: Why I can't see it?
Mommy: Because the artist wants you to look at Goldilocks in this picture.
Bobbin: Why?
Mommy: Because the book is about her.
Bobbin: No it is not about her. It is about three bears.
Mommy: True. It is about the bears too. But the point is, it's not really about the neighbour so the focus is not on the neighbour. May I turn the page?
Bobbin: Yes.

Page 2

Mommy: "One morning Goldilock's mother sent her to buy muffins in the next village."
Bobbin: Why her send Go-gee-awk to buy muffins?
Mommy: Well, because they were all out of muffins?
Bobbin: Why they all out of muffins?
Mommy: Well, probably because they had eaten all the muffins yesterday and needed some more.
Bobbin: Why they needed some more?
Mommy: Well, because they were hungry and wanted muffins for breakfast.
Bobbin: Why they not have waffles instead?
Mommy: Maybe Goldilocks doesn't like waffles. Why do you think they don't have waffles instead?
Bobbin: Maybe Goldilocks mommy is all out of waffles too. Maybe her mommy forgot to go to the grocery store.
Mommy: That could be. (mental note to self: stop at the grocery store after work and get the damn pancakes that we've been out of for 3 days).
Mommy: "'You must promise not to take the shortcut through the forest," she said. 'I've heard that bears live there."
Bobbin: Why her not want Go-gee-awk to go through the forest?
Mommy: Because the forest can be dangerous.
Bobbin: Why the forest can be dangerous?
Mommy: Well, because it's dark and wild animals live in there.
Bobbin: Bears live in the forest!
Mommy: That's right. And did Goldilocks listen to her Mommy?
Bobbin: NO!
Mommy: And is that ok?
Bobbin: No! It's NOT ok!
Mommy: And why is that not ok?
Bobbin: Because Go-gee-awk might fall down and bump her head and get a BIG owie and the bears might come and they might scare her and Go-gee-awk would RUN AWAY and she would be scared and she would have a BIG owie so she would need to go to the doctor and she would be sad and she would be crying and her mommy might be worried.
Mommy: Yup, pretty much. You're a smart girl, Bobbin.

Page 3

Mommy: "Meanwhile in a clearing deeper inside the forest, in a charming house all their own, a family of brown bears was sitting down to breakfast."
Bobbin: Why they sitting down to breakfast?
Mommy: Well, they just woke up and they are hungry and want to eat breakfast. Are you hungry in the morning when you wake up?
Bobbin: Yes!
Mommy: And you want breakfast too, right?
Bobbin: Yes! Bobbin is hungry. Bobbin wants a BIG pancake!
Bobbin: Why there is a chicken on their roof?
Mommy: I'm not sure; he looks like he's up there napping in the sunshine. Maybe it's nice and warm up there. It's near the chimney too.
Bobbin: The chicken needs to be careful he doesn't fall down and bump his head and get a BIG owie. He needs to be careful up there.
Mommy: Very true.

Page 4

Mommy: "'Patooie!' cried big old Papa Bear. 'This porridge is scalding! I've burned my tongue!' 'I'm dying!' cried Baby bear. 'Now really,' said Mama Bear, who was of medium size. 'That's quite enough.'
Bobbin: No, it's not porridge. It's corridge. CORridge.
Mommy: CORridge. Hmm... I always thought it was PORridge. Hey look. What's that letter?
Bobbin: P! for Potty!
Mommy: That's right! And what sound does the letter P make?
Bobbin: you know?
Mommy: it makes a "Puh" sound. "Puh Puh Puh". Like "Potty". or "Porridge"
Bobbin:Porridge. Yeah.
Bobbin: Why Mama bear is angry?
Mommy: I don't think she's really angry. More annoyed, really.
Bobbin: No, hers angry. Her have angry eyes. Look at her angry eyes. See?
Mommy: You're right. I guess her eyes do look angry. I think she is just a bit angry that Papa Bear and Baby Bear are being overly dramatic. Making it seem worse than it really is. Overreacting. You know, like how Mommy tells you when you're panicking or you need to calm down when you get upset about little things, like when your sock won't come off or you want a different coloured napkin?
Bobbin: Why Mama bear says "That's quite enough"
Mommy: Because she wants Papa and Baby to calm down and stop panicking. She wants them to stop and take a deep breath, like I tell you to take a deep breath when you get upset. I tell you to calm down. Take a breath. Mama bear says "that's quite enough" it's the same as "calm down. Take a breath".

and so on. Although as I read through this again, this does present an opportunity for someone to tell the story completely from the neighbour's point of view. Or a general tale of what it was like living next door to the precocious Goldilocks from the day she came home from the hospital to the day she left home for college. The incident with the three bears was probably just one of many. I think I'll explore that angle more fully the next time I read this with Bobbin and she launches into her Page 1 questions.

The rest of the pages are equally inviting of questions and audience participation. I'll get her to finish the "too hot" "too cold" "Just right" and "too hard" "too soft" "just right" parts and tell me which porridge/chair/bed belongs to whom etc. She absolutely loves the book. And she picks up on the smallest details. Like when I get to the part about Goldilocks trying out Mama Bear's bed and deciding the head of the bed is "too low", Bobbin points to Baby Bear's bed and says "No! That's not to low, this bed is low. This is a low bed" and really, she's right; after all it is Baby Bear's bed. It's lower than the rest of them. Or when Goldilocks is in the parlour trying out the three chairs, in the illustration on that page there is a set of "photographs" hanging on the wall next to the fireplace of various bear "family" members and they all are grimacing. Bobbin will always point to them and ask "Why are they angry?" and we'll talk about how maybe the photographer said something to them that made them grumpy, or that maybe they didn't feel like getting their picture taken that day, or maybe they stepped in something yucky while they were getting their picture taken, etc.

The kid's inquisitive. And imaginative.

James Marshall has versions of the Three Pigs and Red Riding Hood too. I think I'll pick those up next time I'm at the bookstore. he has a way of updating the dialog so the story is more amusing than frightening, while still keeping to the original storyline and his pictures are super fun.

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The Potty Vacation

Inspired by hours in our bathroom, reading Berenstain Bear books to Bobbin. The numbers in small italics correspond to the page numbers from the actual book, The Bears' Vacation, from which this was adapted. Enjoy :-)

Hooray! Hooray!
We're on our way!
Our potty vacation
starts today!
[3]

And here we are.
What a wonderful trip!
Let's sit on the potty.
Let's let 'er rip!
[4]

[Papa Bear]
Small Bear! Small Bear!
Don't you forget
to wash your hands
after you've done your bit.
[7]

[Mama Bear]
Don't you worry.
Don't you fear.
I'll help her with
her potty career.
[9]

[Small Bear]
I'm watching, Mom!
I'm all set to go!
[10]

[Mama Bear]
Then here is the first rule
you should know.
Obey all body signs!
now, tell me
what are some body signs
that you see?
[11]

[Small Bear]
Yes! I've got one.
And I think you should know
It feels like a tingle.
I think I must go.
[12]

[Mama Bear]
Ah, yes, Small Bear.
You are right. So you must.
Sit down on your potty.
No need for a fuss.
[13]

[Small Bear]
Yes, Mama! It's here!
I think I am done.
[14]

I'll be safe when I pee now.
That lesson was fun.
[15]

[Mama Bear]
You will be safe
when doing number two
after I give you
some pointers on poo.

Sit first. Then push
with all your might.
Let's give it a go.
Let's not have a fight.
[16]

[Small Bear]
Yes, Mom, I will!
But this pushing is hard.
[18]

[Mama Bear]
Never mind that!
Just disregard.
[19]

[Small Bear]
You proved it, Mom!
It's easier when calm!
[20]

[Mama Bear]
Right, my girl.
That is very true.
It's a pleasure to teach
the potty to you.
[22]

[Small Bear]
Mom, I'll remember
the rules you gave.
Now let's go have fun.
I'm feeling brave.
[23]

[Mama Bear]
First, we go on
to rule number three.
Beware of all rocks
when surfing at sea.
[24]

[Small Bear]
But Mama? What's rocks
and surfing got
to do with peeing
in a pot?
[25]

[Mama Bear]
You're right, small bear.
I've lost my thought.
So much potty reading
has me distraught.
[26]

[Small Bear]
I think I understand
the potty now.
Thank you, Mom,
for showing me how!
[30]

[Mama Bear]
But I have much more
to tell you, my girl.
More potty rules
have I still to unfurl.
[31]

When people are done
doing their stuff
they must wash with soap.
Water alone's not enough.
[33]

Using the soap pump
is rule number four.
Just push it once
No need for more.
[34]

[Small Bear]
But Mom, what about
the soap bar instead?
May I use it?
It's just as good, I have read.
[36]

[Mama Bear]
Wait now! Don't touch
anything yet!
There's another rule
you have to get!
[37]

Here it is...
rule number five
Watch what you flush.
It may be alive!
[38]

[Small Bear]
Rule five is creepy
and not sure how it fits.
But I'll heed it to avoid
a battle of wits.
[40]

[Mama Bear]
Okeydokey, Small Bear
Hop up to the sink!
You must learn the rule
for safe washing I think!
[41]

When at the sink
you must take care.
And here is rule number six,
Small Bear.

Cold faucet only.
Don't touch the hot.
And try not to splash
so you don't have to blot.
[42]

See? Like this!
Only a fool
would fill up the sink
with hot water, not cool.
[44]

[Small Bear]
It's a very good rule.
I can see that, Mom.
Without it, things might
go very wrong.
[46]

I've been happy to learn
all you had to teach.
Can I go now?
I'd really like a peach.
[48]

[Mama Bear]
I have one rule more
before we go,
and then you'll know
all you need to know.
[49]

One more thing
you must do in this room
before the rest of
your life can resume.
[51]

In the bathroom
like lots of other places
there are many, many
dangerous spaces.

And my last rule
is simple and clear:
Always flush AFTER
removing your rear.
[53]

The toilet seat
is big and wide!
You do not want
to fall inside.
[54]

[Small Bear]
But, Mama, I'd rather
use my own
than sit on one as big
as a throne.
[55]

[Mama Bear]
Good choice. As I said,
like other spaces
the bathroom has
many dangerous places!
[56]

FLUSH!

[Small Bear]
Wow!
We learned that rule
very fast!
[58]

Tell me, Mom,
was that the last?
[60]

[Mama Bear]
Yes, that rule
was the very last one.
My safe potty rules
are done!
[61]

[Small Bear]
Pa!
You won't have to worry
anymore!
Ma taught me how
to poop safely and more!
[63]

In 4 weeks I expect to have a similar adaptation of War and Peace ready to post. Stay tuned ;-)

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Beautiful books

Since Bobbin's birth, I've spent many an hour in the children's section of book stores and libraries. Bobbin has a pretty good library - lots of fun board books, learning books, story books, rhyming books, fiction, and non-fiction, and all on a whole spectrum of subjects. I've also been building a collection of special picture books that I've carefully selected over the last year+ to add to her library. For these, I look for unique stories, inspirational stories, stories that teach, stories about real people or events told in a voice and language that she'll understand, stories that take place in other places, times, stories that feed the imagination, stories of the impossible, stories that elicit a variety of emotions. And in all cases, stories that are accompanied by beautiful illustrations in a variety of styles and mediums.

That's how I came across John J Muth. My all time favourite ilustrator of children's books, and one of my favourite children's book authors. His artwork is so beautiful. To elaborate on the beauty I see in his art is not possible. You simply need to discover for yourself. In addition to illustrating, he also has written some children's stories, and these too are among my favourites. Uplifting, inspirational, simple, and wise. Zen Shorts is my all-time favourite book in Bobbin's library, but they are all high on my list. I highly recommend his work.

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Sweet sipping at amazon.com

Just discovered a cool new feature at amazon.com. "SIPs", or Amazon.com's Statistically Improbably Phrases.

It's actually a pretty darn cool idea. No idea how long it's been available, but I only just discovered it this evening. Here's what it is (straight from amazon.com):

Amazon.com's Statistically Improbably Phrases, or "SIPs", are the most distinctive phrases in the text of books in the Search Inside!™ program. To identify SIPs, our computers scan the text of all books in the Search Inside! program. If they find a phrase that occurs a large number of times in a particular book relative to all Search Inside! books, that phrase is a SIP in that book.

SIPs are not necessarily improbable within a particular book, but they are improbable relative to all books in Search Inside!. For example, most SIPs for a book on taxes are tax related. But because we display SIPs in order of their improbability score, the first SIPs will be on tax topics that this book mentions more often than other tax books. For works of fiction, SIPs tend to be distinctive word combinations that often hint at important plot elements.

Kinda cool, huh. I'm going to have to play around with this - would be interested in seeing the SIPs for my most favourite books :-)

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If ever there was a perfect book

for Baby Girl, this is it:

The Magic Hockey Stick

From the School Library Journal Editorial Review at amazon.com (bold emphasis is mine ;-)):

A young hockey player receives the ultimate gift when her parents accidentally buy Wayne Gretzky's hockey stick at a charity auction. However, her father insists that she keep the expensive collector's item displayed on pegs above her bed. Temptation overcomes, and the stick is smuggled to the ice rink inside a huge stuffed giraffe. With the autographed stick, the child scores goal after goal and her team has its best season ever. Meanwhile, Gretzky himself is in a scoring slump. The newspaper says he's lost his stuff. After a sleepless night full of guilty dreams, the protagonist hurries to Madison Square Garden determined to return the magic stick. The hockey pro is so touched by his young fan's generosity that he requests her autograph. A satisfying ending shows the famous stick displayed at the Hockey Hall of Fame. This story is told in humorous rhyme and is accompanied by delightful cartoon illustrations. Even children who have no knowledge of hockey will be entertained by this book and impressed by its message. Maloney and Zekauskas have scored a winning goal with this one.

Yeah, of course we ordered it for her :-) Can't wait to get it and read it myself ;-) Only drawback is there probably won't be any pictures of the orange, white, and blue jersey (the story takes place when he's with the Rangers... go figure ;-)) that Baby Girl is so familiar and enthralled with. Ah well - she'll still enjoy it!

Just occurred to me that I don't believe I've documented Baby Girl's fascination with the autographed Wayne Gretzky Oiler's jersey hanging over the sofa in the TV room. I've talked about her fascination with hockey on TV I think. That alone is priceless to watch. But the whole jersey thing is quite something else!

The jersey was Tim's wedding gift to me. Being Canadian, and born in Edmonton, and a Hockey fan, and a Gretzky fan (the latter two being required by law in Canada now, I believe ;-)) he knew how much the Jersey would mean to me. Anyway - literally from the moment we brought Baby Girl home from the hospital, she's been completely entranced by the dark blue "99" and "GRETZKY" lettering outlined in orange on the white background. She'll stare at it for hours if we let her. It's gotten to the point where, when she's sitting on my lap on the sofa over which the jersey is mounted, she'll actually INSIST on me holding her up so she's face to face with it, so she can stare at it. And the look of awe and excitement on her face is priceless. And the look of genuine disappointment when my arms give out and I bring her back down is equally priceless :-).

Yeah - I know it's probably the stark contrast of the dark blue, outlined in orange, on a white background, that really has her captivated. But I like to believe that a part of it can be attributed to her Canadian blood and thus her innate love of the sport and our national hockey hero :-). As I mentioned, she is also just as captivated by the game when it is on TV. And that I think is the Canadian side of her coming out (and the sports-loving genes she inherited from her Dad! :-))

The other thing I love about this book is that the protagonist is a little girl hockey player. Not a little boy hockey player. How cool is THAT! I'm always on the lookout for books that feature a strong female main character and one that crosses the traditional gender roles. Baby Girl is going to grow up knowing the sky is the limit and she can achieve anything she wants to.

Along those lines I did a quick search on Amazon for picture book biographies for ages 4-8 and found a plethora of really well written, beautifully illustrated, picture book stories based on real and interesting people with amazing and widely varied lives. Rosa Parks, Sadako Sasaki, Jackie Mitchell, "Snowflake" Bentley, Buzz Aldrin, Koko the Gorilla, and Balto the dog were just a few of the many that I found. Of course, some of these will wait until she's older and is capable of some depth of understanding of the history and circumstances of the people and their times, but still - kinda cool to know these are out there!

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3 new books

We bought 3 new books today for Baby Girl. I highly recommend all of them! Great stories and poems that capture the imagination, and wonderful illustrations!

The Three Questions by Jon J Muth (Illustrator)

If Not for the Cat by Jack Prelutsky, Ted Rand (Illustrator)

Mixed Beasts by Kenyon Cox, Wallace Edwards (Illustrator)

The last two are in honour of Juan, the Poet among us - she's inspired me to make sure that Baby Girl gets exposed to her fair share of poetry (at least until she can make up her own mind about it! :-) If Not for the Cat is especially fun... all Haiku!

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The Littlest Bookworm

Baby Girl loves books and loves being read to. And it warms my heart!

Baby Girl and I have a routine. When she's in one of her "quiet alert" moods (and she has many) she and I will lie down on the floor together on our backs, and I'll hold a book up over our heads and read to her, and she loves it. She'll get all excited when I turn the page and reveal a new picture. She'll smile and coo and wave her arms, all the while focusing in intently on the pictures. And she'll "read" out loud along with me too.

She has some favourite books, and some favourite pictures. She's got these really cute cloth books with bright colours and pages that make a crinkly sound when you touch them, and she loves turning the pages. I'll sit her in her highchair with one of them while I'm making breakfast and she'll crinkle and turn the pages and goo and laugh in delight as she turns page after page. It's really quite entertaining to watch!

I've only dropped a book on her head twice while lying down with her reading. Unfortunately it was a board book both times. She was shocked but not hurt. I of course felt like the worst mother in the world. But it didn't deter her from lying down with me again and reading.

We'll go through 3-5 books in one session. Some are simple board or cloth books, some have real photos in them and some have drawn or painted pictures. But she also really likes real story and picture books too.

I could spend HOURS in the children's section of the book store. And I have. I love to pick out different types of stories, with different subjects, in different places, and books with different types of artwork and drawings in them. She's amassed quite a varied collection.

Seeing as how the holiday season is approaching, and our family has been known to enjoy giving books as gifts (and enjoy receiving them even more) I thought I'd take a moment to list the books that Baby Girl already has. For those of you looking for good children's books to give as gifts to other children, I highly recommend ALL of these! Baby Girl enjoys them all, but gets especially enthusiastic with the ones marked with a **. Where I've been able to find them I've also linked to them on Amazon.com so you can read more about them.

Cloth Books

• ** Fluffy Chick and Friends by Roger Priddy


• ** Snowy Bear and Friends by Roger Priddy


• ** Fuzzy Bee and Friends by Roger Priddy


• ** My Kitty

Board Books

• ** Baby Einstein's Mama and Me


• ** Baby Einstein's Neighborhood Animals


• ** Millie Moo by Roger Priddy


• ** Little Quack by Lauren Thompson


• ** Peter Rabbit's Colors


• Happy Baby Colors by Roger Priddy


• ** Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? By Dr. Seuss


• ** There's a Wocket in my Pocket! By Dr. Seuss


• ** Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire


• The Shape of Me and Other Stuff By Dr. Seuss


• How do Dinosaurs Count to Ten? By Jane Yolen & Mark Teague


• Counting Kisses by Karen Katz


• I am an Astronaut by Cynthia Benjamin


• Baby Faces by Margaret Miller


• Touch and Feel Kitten


• My First Nursery Rhymes (Published by Brimax)


• Happy Baby Animals by Roger Priddy


• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown


• Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins


• Where's Spot? by Eric Hill

Story / Picture books (I picked most these for their beautifully written and unique stories, positive messages, and absolutely fantastic artwork; a couple I picked because they're classic fairytales. And because these versions had beautiful artwork :-))

• ** Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth


• ** SuperDog the Heart of a Hero by Caralyn Buehner


• ** Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots by Carmela Lavigna Coyle


• ** Odd Velvet by Mary E. Whitcomb


• ** Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes


• ** The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn


• Ginkgo and Moon by Lisa Mertins


• Magic Words by Edward Field


• Do like a Duck Does! By Judy Hindley


• Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney


• Daddy's Little Girl by Bobby Burke and Horace Gerlach


• The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Andersen, illustrated by Anne Yvonne Gilbert, Translated by Naomi Lewis


• The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen, illustrated by Robert Ingpen, Translated from the Danish by Anthea Bell
  

Happy Reading!



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Link to this Entry | Add a Comment | Filed under Bobbin, Books

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OK. Someone obviously is dying to get back to work and start making lists again.

Posted by gracie on November 2, 2005 11:59 PM.


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Looking for something to read?

Every so often I go through a book-reading spree. My longest one lasted from Grade 1 ("First Grade" for you americans) through to my graduating year from university. It seems since moving out here to Seattle, getting an actual job, and then turning that job into an actual "career", I've had less time for reading. It's just so much easier to plop down in front of the TV and watch strangers' dreams get shattered on American Idol, Last Comic Standing, Marry My Dad, or any one of the other trillion "reality tv" shows that are bombarding the airwaves. (What is up with that? It's not like TV wasn't mindless enough before...)

Before I started first grade, we moved to Germany. My dad was in the military and we actually moved around quite a bit. But I think the move to Germany is what set me off on the right reading path for life (at least until adulthood). Because for 3 years - grades 1 - 3 - we had no TV. NO TV (we also had no phone but that's a separate topic). And I never missed it. I read. A lot. And I listened to stories on the radio. God - doesn't that make me sound like I'm ancient?

Anyway - I read a lot while we were there. And when we came back we did get a TV, but it was a black and white tv. Without a remote control. And no cable. And just the one TV for the entire house. So I just kept reading when we came back. Except for thursday nights when I was allowed to stay up till 9pm to watch Buck Rogers! Buck was preceded by "Littlest Hobo" at 7:30pm - another family favourite. Kind of like "Lassie", except that the Littlest Hobo was a boy dog, and a german shepherd, and he lived in Canada. And he was homeless. But I digress.

Now my reading sprees are much shorter and farther apart. But I just finished a good one - about 2-months long, and I read a lot of great books. So - Here they are (that's what you're supposed to do in one of these, right? List your favourite books, movies, music, etc.? Whatever).

- Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold
- The Five People you Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Albom
- Self, by Yann Martel
- The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
- The Rule of Four, by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason
- The Davinci Code, by Dan Brown
- The Birth of Venus, by Sarah Dunant
- Pompeii, by Robert Harris

Actually - I have only just started that last one. I fear my spree is ending before I will get to the end of the book. Must. Get. To End. I had hoped it would last at least through my upcoming vacation. Must. Make. It. Last. Ah well. We'll see. I can feel the words releasing their hold. But it's actually a good book. I think i just need a break :-) Good thing this blog thing started happening.

I did quite well this spree though. I tend to have a theme for a spree. Recent sprees have been historical fiction, and there's a bit of that in this one too. I used to go through long and heavy science fiction / fantasy sprees. And there have been a couple of "airplane book" sprees. This one had a bit of a mix to it. All in all, a good time!

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