What We Are Reading

One of J's favorite activities is reading books and I absolutely love cuddling him on my lap and reading. I like to link up to What My Child Is Reading blog link-up. Not only is it a great way to record the wonderful books we've read, but I've found so many new good book ideas by visiting each week. Click on the button below to see what others have been reading!

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
I really am enjoying this author, Karma Wilson. She has such wholesome, godly books. The Bear series are really fun and we enjoyed this one too. In the middle of a cold winter night, several little animals come to the bear's cave to keep warm. They end up having a fun, little party and bear is sleeping the whole time while all the noise is going on. They end up waking him up and he's a very grumpy bear, until they include him in the fun. I love the great illustrations too.


Duck, Duck, Goose by Tad Hills
Duck and Goose are best friends. One day, duck brings a new friend over to play who he is really taken with. He just loves and admires this new duck. But this duck seems a bit pompous bragging all the time about all she can do. This really wears on goose and eventually he goes off to play by himself. By the end, duck realizes life without goose isn't as fun so he goes searching him out. They end up figuring out a way to conveniently get out of playing with the other duck and are back to enjoying their old friendship again. Although this wasn't my favorite book, J asked for it over and over again. I did like the pictures, just wasn't as excited about the story.



Just Going to the Dentist by Mercer Mayer
This week we have our first trip to the dentist so we've been preparing with some books. We really liked this Mercer Mayer one. They are always fun and enjoyable and it's great that it's helping J to know what to expect like a thorough exam of the teeth, cleaning, even getting X-rays. The part we liked the most was when he entered the exam room, it reminded him of a space ship. We always have fun in these books trying to find the critter's little frog and spider friend. They show up on just about every page, and we have to sometimes search a bit to locate them.


Our First Chapter Book:
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
I got this idea from someone who posted on the link-up in the past. They were reading a chapter book to their little one and it was from Beverly Cleary's mouse series. I had found the videos for J and he absolutely loves them. I had no idea if he was ready for a chapter book, but I gave it a try. We started with the first in the mouse series and to my joy, J is really loving it. We have been doing a chapter most nights and it is really bringing out J's creativity. Since there aren't many pictures to look at, J is really getting into the story action by having an ongoing stream of thoughts as we read.


A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman
We got our first Corduroy book about a month ago and have found that J really enjoys them. The stories are about a little girl and the teddy bear that she loves. In this book, they take a trip to the laundromat and Corduroy ends up getting lost and left behind. They have a lovely reunion and in the end they "nuzzle noses". J came up to me several times after reading this saying, "Let's nuzzle noses mommy!" And he'd proceed to push his little nose into my face and we'd nuzzle back and forth. Just adorable!



Snow Wonder by Charles Ghigna
This book does a good job of highlighting all the joys of snow and winter including sledding, snow angels, building snowmen, having hot chocolate and ice skating. All things that I love about winter and want to share with my son! I usually have good luck with the Step Into Reading books like this one as the stories are fun and the pictures are great.


Snug as a Bug? by Amy Imbody
I recently found Zonderkidz books through Amazon. Now I just do an Amazon search, put the book I like in my library search box online and I've been amazed how many of those books I can find in our library. This was one of them. It is a sweet little book about a boy who imagines going to bed like all different kinds of animals and critters (like sleeping in the mud like a frog). It ends with him wanting to sleep in his own little bed, and his mom thanking God for him. It also has a sweet little note for moms at the back of the book that touched my heart. It was a nice encouragement about the impact we make on the world around us as we shepherd our kids.


Sweet Dreams Lullaby by Betsy Snyder
Again, we found a lovely bedtime book. This actually came from the blog host at Mouse Reads, Mouse Grows. As this little bunny is preparing for bed, the books tells in a neat, rhyming way about all kinds of creatures prepare for the night. What's really neat is how the colors of the pages change like the way the sun sets getting darker and darker hues. Sweet little bedtime book.



Thanks for visiting!

Books We Are Reading

One of J's favorite activities is reading books and I absolutely love cuddling him on my lap and reading. I found a few book blog hops that I like linking up to. Not only is it a great way to record the wonderful books we've read, but I've found so many new good book ideas by visiting each week. Click on the buttons at the bottom to see what others have been reading!







Annie and Snowball and the Cozy Nest by Cynthia Rylant
We love reading stories about nature and wildlife and this one is special in that a momma robin comes to make a nest and raise her babies right on Annie's porch where she frequently hangs out with her big dog Snowball. I like the details of how they check the next day after day and share the changes taking place and how she shares this with her cousin Henry who also comes to watch.



Dear Dragon Goes to the Firehouse by Margaret Hillert
J continues to like books about fire men. In this book, a boy and his classroom get to visit a fire station. This book adds a little dragon that goes with the boy and J had fun pointing out what the dragon was doing. To me it was a little odd that the dragon was there, as they don't focus very much on the dragon, but I see that it's a whole book series (like Dragon Goes to the Market). But J liked that added detail of the dragon being there throughout the story.



The Frog in the Pond and other Animal Stories, The Children's Press
By far, I think this was J's favorite book this week. We seem to do really well with books that have multiple stories in them, especially stories that include animals. This one includes the title story plus Get Out of My Chair, Old Mo and One Smart Fish. The Frog story is so cute. The boy loves the frogs that come to the pond outside his house and decides to keep one for a pet. Well, the little frog gets so sad he stops croaking and won't eat anything. The boy realizes he probably misses his friends in the pond so he sets him free! Before the book told us the frog missed his friends, J said "I bet the frog misses his mommy and daddy!" J also liked the One Smart Fish about a girl Very cute.


The Gingerbread Man by Jim Ayelsworth
J really loves all things gingerbread, and this was no exception. Even though essentially this is the same story we've read in a couple other books, he still loves it and will request it. The ending in this one is a bit different, as the fox just ends up being too quick for the gingerbread and gobbles him up. There is not an ending in this book where the fox takes him for a ride through the water and ends up eventually eating him as he gets him to step closer and closer to his mouth. I found this author on one of the book blog posts last week and we have a few books of his coming like The Mitten.



How Do You Sleep by Louise Bonnett-Rampersaud
I notice I am really drawn to "going to sleep" type books lately. Gee, could it be that my son is struggling lately with going to sleep? He has always been such a great sleeper yet now he really fights the idea of taking a nap or going to bed. He'll go, but not without some huge protests. So books like these are great finds for us, as it does help settle him in with the idea of going to sleep. This book is all about how different animals go to sleep, like the bear who hibernates or the bird who sleeps in his nest and the end shares how little ones go to sleep.



Kate's Surprise by Ann E. Burg
I've made a couple selections lately based on the diversity of the kids shown in the story. This book, along with a Scholastic Video of The Snowy Day by Ezra Keats. It wasn't until recently that it dawned on me so many of our books are all pictures of Caucasians. J really liked this book. It's a sweet little story about a boy who is sick and can't go outside and play in the snow and watches with longing as his sister is playing and sledding in the snow. The best part is when Kate makes a "surprise" for her brother Pete; a snowman ice cream sundae! J especially liked that part. I just loved the illustrations too. I found out this is also part of the "Rookie Reader" book series. "These leveled books actively engage young readers, encourage language development, build fluency, and promote independent reading" I'm already finding more of them and putting them on hold for us at the library.



Snow Wonder by Charles Ghigna
This is a cute book about all the "wonders" of winter and being able to enjoy the outdoors and the snow. The little girl and boy watch the snow fall, go outside to enjoy it by sledding, ice skating and coming inside to enjoy a good book and hot chocolate with Grandma and Grandpa. It's a book that celebrates family and the winter season.



Tuck Me In by Dean Hacohen
OK, I found this book to be just adorable. It is such a simple story, yet so cute. On each page there is a baby animal with the animal being asked, "Who wants to be tucked in?" The animal on the page says, "I do!" so you take the little flap (which is a little blanket to tuck in the animal) and place it on the baby. The next words are "Goodnight baby _____(zebra, pig, elephant, etc.)!" My son also had fun reading this one to himself. Very sweet and another good "going to bed" book for us.



When I Grow Up by Caleb Burroughs
This is a fun Dora book where it has a little bit of story, but a lot of pictures. J liked that it was Dora in a fire helmet and that intrigued him. Throughout the book they look at various careers Dora and friends could have when they grow up. What I really like is that they have a seek and find activity on each page. They'll have several pictures on the side that the kids are asked to find within in the bigger picture. J loved doing this and asked for this book often.

Click the links below to see what others are reading!