Anyone Up for Some Adorable Picture Books?

Mondays stink. Even my girls think so. They are OK with school, and they love their teachers and friends, but still, Monday mornings at my house are filled with moans and groans (mine included).

Everyone needs some cheering up on Mondays -- so here are a few picture books for girls (all right, for boys too) that will make you smile on a Monday or any day....

First, give Plaidypus Lost, by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel a try. Susan came and did an author's visit at my kid's school last spring, and I was lucky enough to be in the audience. Once you've read a few of her books (which she collaborates on with her illustrator sister Janet), you can imagine how funny she was in person.

Plaidypus Lost (that's right P-L-A-I-D) is a tribute to best loved toys everywhere -- most especially those stuffed friends that go everywhere -- the ones that parents live in fear of losing (see my posts about Knuffle Bunny). This stuffed creature is made out of, yep, you guessed it -- a plaid flannel shirt -- and is constantly in danger of being lost forever. Of course, he is always found by his owner who swears she will "never, ever, ever" lose him again.

With clever, sing-songy prose that is as fun to read as it is funny -- this is one of those books that girls of all ages will love to read -- whether by themselves or with a grown-up.

Another great picture book for girls is Cha-Cha Chimps by Julia Durango. This counting book is filled with hilarious illustrations by Eleanor Taylor and clever rhyming verses. Girls will love this literary dance lesson and mom readers will especially will love the end, when Mama Chimp escapes for a little cha-cha-ing of her own.

I love books that leave us laughing and reading together. These are a few that are sure to leave you and your girls doing the same.

Remember, EVEN Mondays can be fun when you sit down and read a book with your girls!

Enjoy!

Picture Book Pick: Trixie's Back -- and Better Than Ever!

It may seem to many that I am being paid by Mo Willems to promote his books -- sadly, this is not true. I am such a big fan, though -- along with my 7 year old who is a HUGE fan -- that I can hardly help myself. That said, you and your girls MUST read Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity.

My 7 year old immediately pulled it off the shelf when we were at Barnes and Noble the other day, made me squeeze my bottom into one of their teeny Adirondack chairs -- and ordered me to read it with her.

That's what I love about Mo Willems and my darling daughter who is blossoming as an early reader -- she likes to read Trixie's lines and I get to be everyone else.

As we sat, my hips wedged into the tiny chair, we were thrilled to see that Trixie was back -- bigger and better and heading to Pre-K, with her beloved Knuffle Bunny, of course. We chuckled as Trixie argues with her classmate Sonja -- who happens to bring a Knuffle Bunny impostor! We laughed as Trixie realizes in the wee hours of the morning that she is sleeping with the wrong Knuffle Bunny! And we all out guffawed as Trixie refuses to budge until her dear Dad solves the problem.

Willems' illustrations are fantastic as usual -- superimposed over actual photographs. And the subject matter couldn't be more appropriate for girls who still cling to Blankies, Lovies, Wubbies, or in my 7 year old's case, Bear. My own sweet girl felt Trixie's pain, and hugged her Bear a little closer that night.

Your girls will love this picture book -- and so will you. Enjoy Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity -- and have a wonderful weekend!

Quiet Books Before a Not-So-Quiet Weekend

As I sit at my laptop and count down the minutes until the girls get out of school for the weekend, I am soaking up the quiet.

After a summer of non-stop noise, I relish the hush that falls over the house when I get back from morning drop off. I am able to work on writing assignments, balance the checkbook, do some laundry, go for a walk, eat lunch, and write for fun (to me -- that's fiction).

I know very well that in just a few hours there will be screaming, conspiring giggles, pounding footsteps up the stairs and questions. "Mom, can I ... have a popsicle, can I watch TV, can I keep this snake I just found?"

We all need our quiet time -- am I right? Even children need something non-narcotic to lull them into a relaxed state. I advocate using books for this purpose.

One of my favorite "quiet" sleepy-time books that I read to my girls for years is the classic The Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown. This is a perfect book for all girls who still appreciate read aloud books. The rhyme is rolling and charming, the illustrations, by Felicia Bond, are so adorable -- your girls will love to scan the pages for little suprises.

Now that my girls are older (and have read The Big Red Barn about a million times) they prefer picture story books like Fancy That by Esther Hershenhorn. This book, about a limner (painter of portraits) named Pip enthralls my girls every time we open it up.

The story tells a vivid tale of life in the mid-1800s (through gorgeous illustrations by Megan Lloyd) -- but it also weaves a story of determination, finding one's calling and family love.

Sounds like a lot for a picture book, but Hershenhorn and Lloyd have done such a fantastic job of layering this story and its illustrations -- and my girls delight in discovering all the patterns that occur throughout the pictures and text.

Pip and his sisters are left at the end realizing that siblings are a true gift (sometimes I like to reiterate that once or twice when I finish reading), and when I put my girls to bed, they are smiling and hopefully, maybe thinking that they've got it pretty good.

I hope you have some quiet time this weekend -- I know I probably won't -- but that's OK. As my own mother keeps reminding me -- someday they'll go off to college and there won't be noise after school.

That's the kind of quiet time that I'm more than willing to wait for....

Realistic Fiction Book Pick: Island of the Blue Dolphins

Well, the carpets were clean ... for about two hours. Then the kids came home from school and I could almost see the fluffed-up off-white glow of the dirt-free carpet fibers begin to disappear.

Oh well. And the living room and dining room still look like Fred Sanford's junk shop -- but the good news is that I keep finding great books for girls that had been all but forgotten in the packed bookcases.

Today's Pick: One of my own childhood favorites -- Island of the Blue Dolphinsby Scott O'Dell. This 1961 winner of the Newbery Award for outstanding children's book is one of those timeless masterpieces that speaks volumes about human determination and survival -- and specifically sings to girls of their own ability to rise above their circumstances.

This is the story of Karana, a young Aleut girl whose entire village inadvertently leave her and her brother alone on their native island. When tragedy strikes and her brother is killed -- Karana must fend for herself and learn to survive.

I first read this book when I was ten, and vividly remember putting myself in Karana's shoes. She faces hunger, she needs shelter, she encounters danger and adventure throughout the book. I could picture in my mind her vibrant skirt made of comorant feathers and her hut with a pointed-spike fence surrounding it.

Most of all, I felt her loneliness -- it was real, and a little scary. O'Dell does a beautiful job of showing the reader Karana's interaction with the nature on the island, including her touching friendship with a wild dog.

I think that a main character like this shows girls the God-given strength that we all possess -- to survive when all odds are against us. Whether it be standing up to injustice or coping with divorce, dealing with insecurity or feelings of loneliness -- our girls need to be reminded that they are strong.

Any book that does that -- and is spectacularly written to boot -- is a book worth recommending. Enjoy reading Island of the Blue Dolphins-- a great book for girls!

If your girls are looking for specific genres for school reading programs, this is a great choice for realistic fiction.

Books, Books, Everywhere! Part II: Discover the Bugs

Tomorrow is Wednesday and the carpet man cometh -- I am still clearing out the top floor in anticipation of the event. If you told me 20 years ago that I would be Christmas-Eve-excited about getting my carpets cleaned I would have laughed out loud!

The books downstairs are no longer in piles -- my 7 year old (God bless her) hunted through them last night and now they are spread out all over the dining room -- a virtual carpet of books. Scattered within the books, though, I notice the Bug magazines.

When my girls were babies, my mom bought them a subscription to Babybug, a fantastic publication that features short poems, songs and illustrations on tough card-stock paper --custom made for babies and toddlers.

As they moved out of the baby years, they began to receive Ladybug, the next step up in this series of magazines. Ladybug appeals to the slightly older child (and emergent reader), with whimsical illustrations, a continuing series in every issue, crafts and poems.

Now the girls read Spider, the Carus publishing magazine made for 6-9 year olds -- perfect for my kiddos.

Through the years in our house, these magazines have been collected and dragged everywhere from the doctor's office to the beach -- and have been invaluable on long road trips.

When the girls were too young to read the words, these magazines were a great excuse for me to sit down with them for some quiet time. Now they are more inclined to read them on their own, curled up on the sofa or before lights out at bedtime. The best thing about these magazines is that they will grow with your girls -- with first-rate titles all the way through the high school years.

I consider these publications top-knotch -- with consistently quality material -- kind of kiddie literary magazines. And these three titles are just the tip of the iceberg -- check out the Cricket website to preview issues of many others -- including Click and Ask. And don't let the price of a yearly subcription throw you off -- you'll find that any Cricket magazine is worth every penny.

Give these great magazines a try -- and enjoy reading them with your girls!

Amelia Bedelia Will Tickle Your Funny Bone, Literally

As a kid, I loved to follow the misadventures of Amelia Bedelia, the hapless maid who takes every instruction she is given literally. Today's emergent and early readers can still enjoy the comic mishaps of this silly character in the series of books by the late Peggy Parish.

Early readers will build confidence as they work their way through these books, which are recommended for grades 1-3. Who wouldn't love discovering all the ways that Amelia can twist the words of her employers? Drawing the drapes, dusting the furniture, trimming the tree -- Amelia translates each request in her own special, hilarious way.

As a writer, I love these books because they introduce young readers to the complexities of language -- and in their own way, get these readers to "think outside of the box". Hmm.. wonder how Amelia would "think outside of the box."

As a read aloud, these books also work, and even my 9 year old will occasionally pick up one of her sister's Amelia Bedelia books, just for a good laugh. Give these classic early readers a try -- your girls won't be disappointed.

I hope everyone had a good holiday weekend, it was a rainy one in Houston -- perfect reading weather!