Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Books we Both Like

Next week will be my first week taking care of my soon-to-be three year-old nephew, Anderson.

Anderson has been going to other folks' childcare since he was 9 months.  I have not been taking care of children during the day for the past 15 years, since I last babysat in College.

One day I asked my soon-to-be-principal-of-her-own-school, sister "Can I watch Anderson during the day?".  I felt nervous to meet her and go over my "proposal" for how Anderson and I would spend our time... I think she imagined us not getting around to changing out of our pajamas, Anderson handling pruners (he knows to use the safety latch), and that he wouldn't learn how to dutifully recognize colors, letters and numbers (the sign of a well-raised 6 year-old of course).  No matter.  She's on board.

One of our activities will be a blog.  (I made this decision for him).  Together, we will review picture books.  If we both like it, it must be pretty good, because our interests differ a little.

Anderson's Motivation:
He likes stories.

My Motivation:
I want to know what makes a children's book enjoyable for both children and adults, and not one or the other.

Anderson's Favorite Genres:
trucks
trains
sea life

My Favorite Genres:
gardening
nature
whimsical
peaceful


How I Know Anderson Likes a Book. He says:
"Read it Again"
"Don't Skip Any Pages"

How I Know He Doesn't Like a Book:
He doesn't pick it from the shelf, and if I happen to, he throws it on the floor.  Or, he shuts it part-way through.

Some of the books we've read that we both like:
1. Library Lion
2. Little Blue Truck
3. Little Green (board book)
4. Moo Moo Brown Cow (board book)
5. Madeline
6. No Dogs Aloud by: Linda Ashman
7. The Stars Will Still Shine by: Cynthia Rylant
8. One by: Kathryn Otoshi
9. If You Give a Moose a Muffin
10. Tickle, Tickle by: Helen Oxbury (board book)
11. Duck in a Truck
12. Snowy Day

*although we no longer read board books, I wanted to include our old favorites.