What I'm Reading....

Our family has started a fabulous tradition of heading to the library together on Saturday mornings for "music and movement," during which we watch Heidi walk up to other kids (like a foot away) and stare at them. She also tries to steal their books and spends the rest of the time trying to climb the cool bleacher-like carpeted seating feature, despite the fact that it is filled with nursing mothers and other small children. I see them looking around, trying to figure out whose kid this is and that's my cue. Occasionally, very occasionally, she will deign to participate in what is going on, but most of the time she is off in Heidi-land.

I bring a tote bag and get a pile of books while husband tries to get her to walk in a circle with the other kids. I decided awhile back that I would systematically go through our library to find cool picture books that Heidi would like and so that we would always have something fresh to read. Since the Z shelf was closest to the open play area, I decided to start there and work my way backwards. I have gotten better at picking out the books.

My criteria:
-no more than a few sentences per page
-beautiful illustrations
-things that Heidi is into (animals, puppies, puppies, puppies!)
-things that I'm hoping will sink in (counting, ABCs)
-things that make me nostalgic
-also, rhythmic themes are always a favorite with Heidi

Right now we're just finishing the W section, but I'm still getting over the Y section since I had never really read anything by Jane Yolen (she was after my time as a kid). Her most famous work, Owl Moon (Caldecott Winner I believe), I had seen around, but it never really did anything for me (nor Heidi when we checked it out). But that is just one of her many, many (around 270) contributions to children's literature.

Heidi's first favorites were the dinosaur books, which I think any toddler will love. My favorite was Dimity Duck, though Where Have all the Unicorns Gone (not shown) would probably have been my fave as a kid. She offers a host of animal books as you can see, and lots of fairy/mythical themes, which I enjoy but Heidi not so much just yet. Also, she is paired with many different illustrators, so her books have a lot of variety in appearance.

So, fellow toddler moms, if you are drawing a blank on what to get from your local library, I highly encourage Jane Yolen from the Y section. I'm sure there will be at least a few of her books, and I think your kid will like them.

(sorry about the heavy use of parentheses (if you are one of my former grammar students, I am doubly sorry))