Showing posts with label best. Show all posts
Showing posts with label best. Show all posts

9.23.2010

when you are happy.

i would think it fair to say, that
i am a complete nut when it comes to the books our children read.
i literally will look at some covers, or flip through a few pages and give a firm, 'no' to some books that are brought to me as potential bring-home-selections.
i will spend literal HOURS researching book series, and finding just the right content mixed with educational benefit level and artistry, as well as the over all 'mood' of the story line before choosing said books at times.
and it must be challenging to the mind of course.
i can also, though, look at a book and flip though it quickly and immediately get a sense that 'this book has it all'......
i just wanted to make these facts known before you embark on the following.

from our trip to the library today, we brought home and abundance of books, as usual.
one of them, though, was simply beautiful.
it is called
as a mama who delights in every bit of every-everything that my children do, this book was like a breath of fresh air, as well as a reminder (that we all DO need every once in a while) that our little ones truly are our most precious precious, unFATHOMably irreplaceable asset. and every moment spent with them; whether that moment be nursing them when they are sick, holding them as they cry over a broken heart, teaching them, cooking and baking for them, or giggling and frolicking with them; is a moment to be fully absorbed and cherished and spent completely IN that moment.
lovely lovely life.
i must have spent a good deal of time on the 'S' shelf today, though, because i brought home aNOTHER book by eileen spinelli called, 'someday'.
wow. we totally hit the jackpot!
what a woman, mrs. spinelli!
she should be thanked and applauded.
again, beautifully written and perfectly suited for both my nearly 4 year old 'B, and my nearly 9 A.
the illustrations are whimsical and fun as well.
i especially am fond of the drawings in 'someday'.
i may have even [almost] coveted the wardrobe of the main character a little.
just a little.
ALmost.
but, i shall not, and instead add them to my collection of ''things i WILL make and sew for my girls. and me.''

while i am on the subject of books, i want to also give mention to one we picked up on our last library trip.
DE-lightful!
i specifically picked it out for A, who is having an extra-difficult time dealing w/our recent move.
though she typically reads on a 5-6 grade level, i thought that she would enjoy a picture book read clearly designed with older children in mind. come to find out, she did enjoy them and so my quest for little joys such as these that both encourage and bring smiles to A as well as allow for enjoyment by all members of the trio, is what has led me to search out little treasures such as the ones mentioned in this post. (not that A doesn't always enjoy a good picture book, but a certain tone is what i am going for right now)
the illustrations, too, were well suited. they vaguely reminded me of the 'charlie and lola' series.
a ROLLICKING favorite and 'best' of our entire family! british accent and all, of course! (=

anyway, it brightened her day a little.
and won't we do nearly ANY-thing to brighten their days?????
(=

on to the last book of note i will name drop for you today......
[this one, has my L by his sweet little heart, and i am afraid that after our renewal options have dissolved we will HAVE to track it down via amazon and have it shipped to our 'new home' (as he STILL calls it every time it is mentioned!)]
it is called 'henry in love'
and wow. (again)
it is about a little cat-boy (not to be confused with one 'kitty boy', skippy jon jones!)
named henry, and his love, chloe.
the book begins with a near-perfect line; ''henry awoke to the smell of blue-berry muffins.''

and if you read it with JUST the right amount of pauses for dramatic emphasis, and in JUST the right calm tone of voice, it will tear at your heart as well.
hearing my L read it by memory, word for lovely word, is possibly one of the sweetest things that i have ever heard.

it even includes a page where henry says "her name is claire", and the picture shows chloe, sitting at her school desk 'in the back row', surrounded by a field of red flowers and tall green grasses swaying in the wind.
L giggles and blushes and curls his little mouth when the author tells us that "henry thinks chloe is the loveliest girl in his class"
followed by the description of henry, not talking to, but doing his 'best forward roll' for chloe.
to which she answers with a perfect cartwheel. and henry is "impressed"
TOTALLY swoon-worthy, and just the exact love story that you would want your 2 1/2 little romeo to be introduced to.
you will have to read it to see how it all plays out and what in the world came of the blue-berry muffins that were so wonderful that they awoke a darling little boy.

enjoy! (=