Tuesday, May 23, 2006

"Tuesday" by David Wiesner


I saw this book in the store, picked it up, and determined to buy it immediately. The frogs in this story are the main characters, taken for an amzing ride. They seem not to know what to do at first, but then settle in good-naturedly, as all frogs do.
This book challenges you to consider what God's creatures are doing while we're asleep. I like how pleasant it is.
Bowden tells me that he has seen frogs on lily-pads, flying through the air outside. This book is worthwhile if only for that.
(Clarion Books, 1991)

"The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses" by Paul Goble


When I first began collecting children's books- after I had become "too old" for them, I had an idea in mind that the books I collected ought to be the kind of books that would make my children better. There were a few important issues that I felt that children's books could make an impact for...namely, the importance of imagination, the joy of asthetics, and the idea of acceptance and diversity as intrinsic in our idea of love.
What?
I think what I am trying to say is that I bought books that I thought were original and beautiful and different...and this book was a perfect example. I love the bold lines and colors of Paul Goble's world, and the story is not one a child would hear often, and it represents a culture that existed right here in our country, but has been largely fogotten by people like me.
I love new fairy tales, and this is a good one.
Bowden loves the horses...he can name them, and he likes to find the other animals as well.
(Simon & Schuster/Aladdin Paperbacks, 1978.)

Thursday, May 11, 2006

"You're A Winner, Tractor Mac" by Billy Steers



Now, this book isn't drawn better than any other, and it doesn't have the best storyline, but I love what it does have- a world of tractors.
Bowden loves tractors. If we pass one on our walk he begs to be put on it. He has imaginary tractors that he likes to take for rides.
I have no idea where we got this book from, but I do know that the day we first read it to Bowden was a great day, for Bowden.
This book has grown on me. I like that it shows a tractor pull, somthing I doubt Bowden would ever have reason to know about otherwise. Thanks, Tractor Mac, for opening up his horizons.
Bowden now believes that tractors have feelings.
(Dogs In Hats Children's Publishing, 2003)

"Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown, pictures by Clement Hurd


I was never attracted to this book because I judge most children's books by their covers, I admit it, and the colors never drew me in. But, after growing up and having one boy to entertain, we were given a board book of it, and since Bowden would sit for me even as a little tiny baby boy, I read this to him, and he enjoyed it.
Then I heard a lullaby by a country band that talked about this book, and finding the mouse, and I realized how fun this book really is. I love it for how simple it is, how soothing and quiet, and Bowden loves to find the mouse, and screech when it eats the food, and say, "Aaah..." when it looks out the window.
Bowden is not put to sleep by this book, but it is a joy to read.
(Harper Trophy, 1947)

"The Ear Book" by Al Perkins, illustrated by William O'Brian


This book was another hand-me-down from the St. Albans Police Department, and what I love most about it is the rhythm. If read correctly, this book produces such a moving beat that you can't help but sway a bit. It plays with your ears, which I appreciate, in light of what it is about.
Bowden will move to this book, and laugh at the noises, and lean in to hear the soft sounds.
(Random House, 1968)

Sunday, May 07, 2006

"Curious George And The Puppies" illustrated in the style of H.A. Rey by Vipah Interactive


Now, I believe that this book was made by a computer, or a group of random people, but boy, can that computer make a sweet book. We bought this book for Bowden last year at the marriage retreat because it contained two things Bowden loved- puppies and monkeys, or a monkey.
I had never read the Curious George books before, and I really love how sweet and harmless he is, and how much he reminds me of Bowden, who gets into more trouble before he realizes that that's what he's doing. I actually like this book better than the original Curious George book, but that could be because I read it first.
Bowden just loves this book- because of the monkey and puppies. At the end, the man in the big yellow hat asks George if he wants a puppy of his own, and George does, and Bowden says, "Me, too!"
(Houghton Mifflin, 1998)

"When I Have A Little Girl" by Charlotte Zolotow, illustrated by Hilary Knight



This is the perfect book to read to crazy kids- who are more like goats than anyone with a good child can know.
I bought this book when I was 16, because it spoke to me about how I was, and I now appreciate it for what it says about my son. I think that there is a boy version of this book, but I like the wild little girl, her wild hair, and her fat belly.
Bowden gets ideas from this book.
(Harper Trophy, 1965)

"A Peaceable Kingdom; The Shaker Abecedarius" illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen


"Alligator, Beetle, Porcupine, Whale,
Bobolink, Panther, Drangonfly, Snail,
Crocodile, Monkey, Buffalo, Hare,
Dromedary, Leopard, Mud Turtle, Bear,..."

and so on. This book has the traditional Abecedarius from the Shaker Manifesto of 1882, illustrated winningly by the pair above. I took this book out of the library- I don't even own it! I want to take it, to gaze on it lovingly, and greedily, I know, but I won't. I will share it.
It first attracted me with the title- "A Peaceable Kingdom." If I wrote a children's book, this is the title I would like. And it has the word Abecedarius, which I had never seen before, but shall never for all my days forget it because it is a truly magnificent word, isn't it. Oh, gush, gush, gush.
Bowden likes the different animals, and does not mind that fictional animals, like the xanthos, are put with bears and moths. He doesn't know they're fictional, and why should he?
(Viking Press, 1978)

"Three Men Who Walked In Fire" by Joann Scheck, illustrated by Sally Mathews


And who were they? Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, of course. This Daniel 3 super-revised story is part of a series that my mom bought for my sister and I when we were smaller..."Quality Religious Books For Children." I loved this story- my mother took such joy in saying, "Shadrach, Meshach, and To Bed You Go!" at the end of the story reading, if it was bedtime, and sometimes when it wasn't.
The book gives personalities to the three men, and there is no mention of Daniel at all, but I felt comforted by this story then, even in its sillier form.
My mom, possibly thinking it was too silly, wrote in these words at the end of the book, "All of the sudden, their king knew that their God was the One that was true!"
Bowden does not really care about the book, but thinks that fire is neat. (Uh, oh.)
(Arch Books, 1968)

"Wee Mouse's Peekaboo House" by Jean Hirashima


This is, without exception, my favorite board book. It's about a little Momma mouse who plays hide-and-seek with her mousey children, by name, Lou, Mabel, Willow, Tom, Arden, and Marty. What I love most about the book is the mouse's house- it is nearly perfect. It is charming. It is cozy-looking. It has huge scissors on the wall, but I can forgive that, since they are mice. Wee Mouse has a penchant for lovely patterned fabrics and lots of pillows, and I want to visit her, or just move in.
Bowden likes to find the mice children first, but he usually has a problem with little Arden, in the garden.
(Random House, 1991)

Monday, May 01, 2006

"Who Lives Here?" by Dot and Sy Barlowe



My mother used to read this book to us, and when I found it on her bookshelves a few years ago and opened it up, I was struck with the same facination for the way these animals live that I had had as a child. Really, the book is amazing- the beaver dam picture alone is very detailed and you can't help but put yourself in their little dam home, cozy and safe.
The hollow tree page is another brilliant picture.
Bowden goes crazy over this book, and sometimes I try to skip paragraphs because it's a little lengthy, and so far, he doesn't really notice. This is his favorite book to sit down and read to himself.
(Random House, 1978)

Joyful Noise; Poems For Two Voices, by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Eric Beddows


I bought this book way back in 1995 for my very future children, but I never had a chance to read it with someone else until my recent beach trip with my sister and family- and we didn't even read it to Bowden and Lucy.
I love the idea of this book- it's about insects, but the poems are split into two parts that harmonize or interweave depending on the nature of the insect. It's a beautiful idea, and I think that Bowden would like to hear it read by both his parents.
Bowden does enjoy the bug pictures, even though generally he's wary of most bugs.
(Harper Trophy, 1988)