He Bear, She Bear

I am blessed by the fact that my parents kept several books from my childhood. Many of them currently sit on my bookshelves and Esther loves reading them. This week, she is infatuated with "He bear, She Bear" by Stan and Jan Berenstein.

I love the Berenstein Bears, but this book is perfect for right now. Esther sometimes mixes up her he's and she's. In a typical Berenstein Bears easy to read sing song rhyme formation, brother and sister bear help to explain what it means to be a "he" and a "she". It goes on to show all the different jobs a He Bear and a She bear could do.

Overall, its a book I don't mind reading ten times a day (which I do), and it definitely has helped Esther with her he's, she's, we's and I's.

The Dot - A book review

This weeks book of the week is The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds.

In the book, a little girl is frustrated because she can't draw. She doesn't think she is a very good artist. The teacher tells her "Just make a mark and see where it takes you." She jabs her pencil on the paper making a small dot. Soon this small dot grows into quite the artistic adventure.

This book is perfect for my little one. I can already tell that Esther is very analytical and a perfectionist. The few times I have seen her try to draw she gives up in frustration because what comes out on paper is not exactly what she sees in her mind. I am hoping this adorable book will help her to see that even the smallest dot can become a masterpiece.

I am planning this weekend to clear off the table and cover it with different types of art utensils and just let her go. Hopefully the result is a lot of fun and some beautiful new pieces to hang on my fridge.

Overall I find the book very sweet and inspiring, in an artistic way. It would be a great starting point for an art filled afternoon or morning. You can visit Peters website for even further ideas to go with the book. (click here to go) There are two more books in the series, ish, and a third which is to be published soon, plus a few more that we will probably be looking in to.

Even if art isn't your "thing", this great story is sure to bring a smile to your face.

Alphabets and Bunnies - a book review

Star is absolutely in LOVE with the book Alphabet by Matthew Van Fleet.

I had originally seen the book Tails by the same author and thought it was cute. Then, I happened across this book in our local Marshalls and decided to get it. I didn't realize what a great book this was until I got it home and Star wouldn't put it down. The idea behind the book, is that each letter of the alphabet is represented by pictures of three different animals and one plant. The back of the book is a reference guide to all the names of the animals and plants pictured. The pictures are enhanced with textures and moving parts. There are a total of 17 different textures, three moving parts and 5 flaps. It also comes with a poster of the alphabet with even more animals and plants. Plus the poster itself is interactive. Just lift the flap and there is a pop up animal to greet you. All of this leads to a lot of fun for your fingertips.

This book is great for little ones. Butterbean (5 months) really enjoys the textures. Star (2.5) is intrigued by the pictures and moving parts. She is constantly asking "what's that?". When she is older it is perfect for learning her beginning letter sounds. And for me, I find the pictures amusing. The author seems to have depicted just about all the emotions that we as parents seems to find ourselves experiencing with our kids. The only downside, unless you find it for discount like me, the book can be pricey.

My book pick for the week is The Whispering Rabbit by Margaret Wise Brown.

I picked this one up at the Good Will. I had never heard of it, but I recognized the author. (The Runaway Rabbit, Good Night Moon) The story is of a little rabbit who swallows a bee while yawning and now can only whisper. She spend the book trying to figure out how to wake up the bee who fell asleep so he would fly away and she herself could go to sleep. Why do I like the book so much? It is a quiet book. You spend most of is whispering, which makes the child concentrate even more. I found it to be perfect for right before nap time.

Thats it for the book picks this week. Happy reading!

My Two Book - Book Review

At the moment Star is entirely hooked on the book called "My Two Book"
This is actually just one book in the series. There is also a series for the alphabet. We haven't received them yet, but have ordered them from the inter-library loan. I was a bit skeptical, because I couldn't believe that there could be an entire book based on just one number. We found this book to be engaging and fun. It's definitely worth checking out from the library. I have been catching Star counting a lot more now that we've been reading these books.

How Do Dinosaurs.....

If your child likes dinosaurs as much as mine does, then they will love this book. We just checked this one out of our library after a neighbor suggested it. Star LOVES it. The first half of the book takes time to describe all the improper things to do at the dinner table and ends with showing how dinosaurs eat their food the proper way. The pictures are colorful, cute and funny. I have found this book very helpful with table manners training. The other night Star was blowing bubbles in her milk so I quietly asked her if dinosaurs blow bubbles in their milk and she answered "no". I then asked her if she wanted to be a good dinosaur. She said yes and stopped blowing bubbles! (score 1 for mom!)

This is only one in a whole series of books covering topics from manners to number and colors. We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of another one from the series.

Enjoy!