Down By the Station: To assuage my guilt

Title: Down By the Station
Author and Illustrator: Will Hillenbrand
Age Range: 1-3
Genre: Picture Book

My son doesn't have the same attention span for books that his sisters did at the same age.  I don't know if it is because I didn't read to him enough when he was little, as I was too busy trying to keep the other two in line, but I have a certain measure of guilt about the fact that he just doesn't focus on books the same way his sisters did and still do.  I'm worried that my semi-lazy attitude about reading to him has profoundly affected his future as a reader.  Which is why I focus so much on it now.  At age 2 1/2. he just doesn't focus and get into books the way I think he should.

But he looks at pictures, and loves looking at pictures.  He's just not so into the words.  The story line itself, the story does not excite him.  But, I have found that books with rhymes and books that I can sing make a big difference in how he pays attention.  If I sing or "rap" a book, he'll listen with almost double the attention and double the focus as when I simply read a book.  So I try and find books that have this rhyming element or a song element.

This one is perfect as it is based on the song, "Down by the Station" and although my son was not familiar with this song prior to the book, the song was catchy enough for him to relax and listen to me sing it.  On top of that, the pictures of bears, tigers, flamingos and different animals on their way to the children's zoo also really appealed to him.  The train running through on every single page was also a plus and helped my son to really pay attention to the book.  In the book a bunch of animals are on their way to a children's zoo by train, and this amazingly cute train picks up different animals.  At the end of the book, a school bus filled with children run into the zoo, and the final picture is of baby animals and young children playing together.  On the last page, my son said, "They are all together." 

Paperback



Hardcover

Curious George Complete Adventures: Why Audiobooks are so great

Title: The Complete Adventures of Curious George with audio CD

Authors and Illustrators: Margret and H.A. Rey
Age Range: ages 4-9
Genre: Fiction, audio book

Over the weekend, my kids and I spent some time at our good friend's house.  While there, there was one point where the three older kids disappeared and became completely invisible for a very long stretch of time - almost two hours.  I became extremely suspicious, because quiet kids usually mean trouble so I tiptoed my way to the room where I thought they might be.  There, crowded around a book were two four year olds and a six year old, completely engrossed in a book and listening to a story.  At one point they looked up and realized that I could change the CD for them so they clamored for more.  I looked at them quizzically and said, "Umm...don't you guys want to do something ELSE?" to which they replied, "MORE BOOKS!  MORE BOOKS!  MORE BOOKS!"  I turned on the CD and bolted out the door as fast as my legs could go so that I too, could perhaps rest and read.  (It didn't happen as there are two younger children who love to bother their mommies.) 

Audio CD's are a wonderful way to encourage your child to read.  There has been research to support that kids who have fluency issues with reading benefit highly from following along in a book as it is read aloud to them.  This particular set offers a "with page turn signals" and "without page turn signals" and is extremely well-read by wonderful actors.  It also adds some fun and jazzy music, and elevates the reading experience to something a bit more rich than a harried mother or father trying to stay awake as she or he reads aloud to her children.  The selection of audio cds is slowly dwindling as most people use other websites like amazon.com to buy audible books. However your local public library should have a selection, (which I love getting because sometimes I don't want to read aloud to my kids) This particular Curious George Collection, I think is totally worth the money.

Seals on the Bus: Because I like to sing about the ridiculous

Title: The Seals on the Bus
Author: Lenny Hort
Illustrator: G. Brian Karas
Genre: Picture books, rhyme
Age Range: 2-4

My son's attention span with books is not the same as my daughters. He likes looking at books of cars, but isn't all that interested in hearing the words...unless I sing them and unless they rhyme. Suddenly he curls into my lap, sits patiently and wants me to read to him.  Therefore, this book was perfect for him, because it was a song he knew (Wheels on the bus) with fun pictures of animals invading a bus with an unsuspecting family of four on it.

The book invites you to sing the words like "The seals on the bus go ..." and then you make a series of animal sounds include sheep, geese, and tigers. (which is my son's favorite.)  It is a quick rollicking read with lots of opportunities to admire the animals as they take over the bus and the family inside is forced to make it with the animals.  The last verse is about helping the family who cry "Help help help" and get off the bus.


Paperback...amazon has paperback books on their 4 for 3 deal, so you could pick up a few and give them as gifts. :)

B is for Betsy: If you like things simple

Title: B is for Betsy
Author: Carolyn Haywood
Age Range: 5-10
Genre: Chapter books, realistic fiction

I remember reading B is for Betsy growing up. It was one of my favorite books as a child, and I read the books over and over to my mother's dismay.  She constantly told me to try something different, something more challenging, some different genre, but I was always drawn back to Betsy and her adventures in school and her town.

I just recently remembered this book and handed it to my six year old to read.  I can usually tell if she likes a book when she starts reading and is extremely quiet.  It means the book has transported her to a place she doesn't want to leave and she can't wait to see how it turns out.  This happened with this book as she disappeared behind the sofa for an hour and appeared later saying, "I finished it Mom!"  She was thrilled to be reading it as it did chronicle Betsy in her first grade year, just like my daughter.

One of the reasons I like this book is that it focuses on relationships, conversations, and the human side of life.  There is no technology (the book was published in 1939 after all), no phones, no emails, no iphones - nothing to detract from face to face conversations among children and their parents.  It is somewhat idyllic in its tone, but it does expose some common fears and problems for young kids.  For example, the first chapter focuses on the first day of first grade for Betsy, who has never been to school.  She has not attended preschool, daycare, or kindergarten, which are modern educational methods.  Up until now she has been at home with her mother enjoying, playing and having fun.  Suddenly it is the first day of first grade, and she has a brand new dress, brand new shoes, and brand new book book, but has dread and fear in her heart.  She has heard bad things about school from someone and it has completely colored her opinion about what her school will be like.  The chapter reveals Betsy fears, and also shows how all of those fears are unfounded.  Even at the end of the chapter,  she comes home to tell her mother that she made a friend.

It is a beautiful portrayal of childhood and a timeless read.  It is a must for any little girl to read.

The first (it's a series!  YAY!)


The second....just gave it to daughter and she devoured it.  Talks about losing teeth and other fun adventures of growing up.


The third


The fourth