(no subject)

[rivka]

Alex is in the middle of having three different chapter books read aloud to her.

We had been reading Louis Sachar's Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger at bedtime. We're almost done, so when we went to the library today I picked up All-of-a-Kind Family, and we had to start it as soon as we got home. We've read four chapters already. When Michael came home, I took a break, and she asked him to start re-reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.

She's my daughter, all right.

Comments

[laurarey.livejournal.com]

I remember a thread in your journal once in which folks listed children's books (or was it music?) they would recommend. However, I don't begin to remember how long ago it was. Does this ring a bell? If it does and you happen to have the link handy, I'd be grateful. I'm putting together a book and music library for Rachel and want to construct, for the grandparents, a wish list. I discovered the necessity of guiding purchases when my mother, totally innocently, sent us two Rugrats books. I read them and immediately said, "No. Not acceptable reading material." (For goodness sake, one was about how a mother told the kids they couldn't have candy so the kids demonstrate all the ways they got candy anyway just to end with a grandparent explaining that he got treats when he was a kid.) Honestly, who writes this crap?

And, I hope you aren't offended that I consider you such a good source of information for all things parenting. Feel no pressure. ;)

I am grateful that you so graciously share your life experiences.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Here (http://rivka.livejournal.com/457799.html) and here (http://rivka.livejournal.com/474069.html) are posts about good chapter book read-alouds.

Here are my recommendations for baby books:
Almost anything by Sandra Boynton. Colin really likes Moo, Baa, La La La, but it's hard to go wrong here.
- Jamberry by Bruce Degen.
- Any of the DK Publishing "My First ___ Board Book" series. These are for somewhat older babies, but they are marvelous - full of great interesting photos and word-learning opportunities.
- Any books that are mostly pictures of baby faces.
- The "World Snacks" series of baby board books about ethnic cuisines. The sushi one is a favorite here.
- Sturdy lift-the-flap books like Cheryl Christian's (http://rivka.livejournal.com/457799.html) and Karen Katz's (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=karen+katz).

Rugrat books and the like are written as works-for-hire based on the orders of the licensing company. Never buy a book that wasn't written because the author had something to say.

[chargirlgenius.livejournal.com]

WRT your comments on James and the Giant Peach in your old post, I was worried about the same thing. I did skip over a little bit of the language that the aunts used to abuse him, but Henry was just horrified in an enthralled sort of way. And then was tickled pink when they got squished.

Somebody pointed out to me:
Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.

Ah, so true.

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Those all look like interesting books. She's getting a great education from them, I feel sure. All of a Kind Family in particular looks like the sort of book I'd love to read just for myself, even though I'm obviously a long way from its target demographic.