Bear Snores On

It was over a year ago when Emmy and I checked the book Bear Snores On out of the public library. I remembered how enjoyable it was to read this book to a group of second graders, but wasn't sure about an almost two year old. Well, the book was such a hit that we checked it out again several times and then finally purchased it along with the second book in the series Bear Wants More. Both of these books are currently back in the read aloud rotation at our house and, I must say, are even more fun since Emmy is really connecting to the stories.

The author, Karma Wilson, brilliantly writes this series of books completely in rhyme only stopping to repeat a key phrase such as "But the bear snores on." and "But the bear wants more!" Each book gives lots of opportunities to expand the read aloud experience by creating funny voices and exaggerating words like growl, squeak, blubber and Emmy's favorite "RAAAAA - CHOO OOOO!!!!" which follows the text "Hare stokes the fire. Mouse seasons stew. Then a small pepper flake makes the bear..."









And just as important to the book reading experience are the magnificent illustrations drawn by Jane Chapman - WOW! Each character is alive with personality and charm. You really feel like you could just walk right into the pictures and join in all of the fun.

For Christmas, Emmy received Bear Stays Up For Christmas and once again we found ourselves joyfully immersed in Bear's world. We will slowly add the other three books in the series to our home library and look forward to the next Bear book!

Karma Wilson has a great website so if you'd like to find out more about her and the other books she's written for children, check it out here!

Sow and Grow: A Gardening Book for Children

Oh my goodness, where have these books been hiding! I have been collecting books for children for quite some time now and am always on the lookout for a vintage book in superb shape. Recently, I found the next best thing - a brand new book with a vintage look. I discovered Sow and Grow: A Gardening Book for Children and was instantly "in love." Just feeling the cover of the book was enough to send tingles up my arms. As soon as I got home, I searched and found out that this book was just one in a series of three books. JACKPOT! See and Sew: A Sewing Book for Children and Look and Cook: A Cookbook for Children are the other titles in the series. All of the books are beautifully bound and filled with the most endearing vintage artwork. Each book is filled with wonderful tips on how to bring gardening, sewing and cooking into your child's life. These charming books would make a very thoughtful and wonderful gift to anyone with a love for the home and all of its craftiness. I know these three books will hold a special place on our bookshelf and am looking forward to exploring each of the them with Emmy.

I wish that I could find out more about the author of these books, but at the moment all that Google will tell me is that there is someone else with the same name receiving a whole lot more press thanks to the whole Chris Brown/Rhianna thing. I do know that Tina Davis is a graphic designer and created Tina Davis Design. She holds an MFA from Yale and a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. Ms. Davis lives in Israel and the USA. Well, this is just not enough for an author junkie such as myself. I want to know much, much more like how these books came to fruition. I will continue to search and hope that another book will come out soon!

A Time to Keep

A Time to Keep is a delightful book of holidays that begins when a little girl asks, "Granny, what was it like when Mummy was me?" Tasha Tudor gives us a year's worth of wonderful holiday traditions from her life in New England. Quotations from literature charmingly open each month along with beautiful borders that surround each page's nostalgic illustrations depicting family celebrations. Beginning with brown and frozen grasses and flowers decorated with icicles, the borders show the changes of season as each month progresses. The flowers bud and send out catkins, then blossoms, then flowers and leaves, then fruits, all in splendid realistic detail. With the delicious foods, the antics of the children, the activities and games, the decorations, the weather, the homespun plays and puppet shows, and the joyful seasonal work, Tasha Tudor warmly invites us to engage in the fun as she rekindles our own memories of childhood. What fun it is to see big families caught up in living through the wonders of the wheel of the year. Equally important to the holidays are the birthdays, the county fairs, cider and maple syrup making time. Tasha Tudor's own experience of the people and animals of her childhood grace the lovely pages and offer us a glimpse into lives that are filled with love and wonder and appreciation for the beautiful and gentle nuances of living the good life. Simplicity and tradition make the holidays magical and ask us to re-examine how we celebrate our traditional holidays. Materialism is replaced by creativity and family participation. The focus is on love, comfort, and gratitude rather than excessive "partying." This book is truly a treat and is guaranteed to help put whatever holidays you celebrate into thoughtful perspective.

I become completely swept over by nostalgia and longing every time I look at this spectacular book. I find myself yearning for the life depicted in Tudor's scenes. Even though Emmy is a bit young to fully appreciate this book, I will continue to reach for it on the first of every month and share with her the wonder and secrets that each month holds.

To learn more about the life of Tasha Tudor, please visit her family's website:
http://www.tashatudorandfamily.com/index.html