Superman Phonics Fun

Well...Atticus is officially a Star Wars, Superman, Spiderman, and Batman lover. He loves to hear the the theme music of all of these hit movies while pretending to be the characters. It all stared when I purchased Superman: Phonics Fun at one of our favorite bookstores - Park Street Books. The stories, with only a few words a page, tell of some bad guy or other being conquered by Superman. Now, while I say "some bad guy", Atticus could tell you every detail. I thought the books might be too scary, but Atticus just adores them. I often have to tell bedtime stories about a creature named Parasite.

I have often heard that if you want to raise a reader, let him/her read what they love. I am begrudgingly doing that? Here's to a lifetime of reading, Atticus!

I'm Not Santa!

Jonathan Allen was a big favorite with Ivy as well. Baby Owl has had many adventures, but this holiday adventure is really fun. Baby owl, donning his santa hat, heads home from sledding on Christmas Eve.




Baby hare runs into him and insists he is Santa due to his chubby owl tummy, "sleigh", and hat. When tears erupt Baby Owl feels he is forced to lie and say he is Santa. What happens next is a series of misunderstandings, tears and finally a visit from the big man himself. A lovely new holiday classic.

Dinosaur Christmas by Jerry Pallota

I miss terribly writing my blogs, but it turns out working full time with the young children and keeping it up is not as easy as I thought. I will try to sporadically return so that you, little Atticus, can look back and see the joy reading has brought to your life.

While visiting Grandpa and Grannie Frannie in New Hampshire, we stopped by our favorite bookstore there - Morgan Hill Books. A clerk there recommended Dinosaur Christmas. You loved it so much you wanted it read three times. Santa remembers the good old days when dinosaurs pulled his sleigh. Each two page spread discusses the issues with each dino - the Giganotosaurus was too big, the Raptors were too fast, etc. Although Santa is grateful for his reindeer, you loved reading about each dinosaur.

Have a Dinosaur Christmas!

Curious George

I think Atticus is just like Curious George.

Loving, devoted to the man in the yellow hat (well...mommy), curiously intelligent, possessing a penchant for trouble - a lovable puppy dog. I think Atticus sees a kindred spirit in that wild little monkey. He particularly enjoys the original picture book, which possesses firemen, balloons, policemen, a jungle, and a zoo. What two year old boy would not be enraptured by this book? A classic, but necessary rite of passage for every young child.

Clifford: The Firehouse Dog

Atticus adores Clifford. In fact, one of his first t.v. shows was Clifford the Big Red Dog. In this book Clifford and Emily Elizabeth visit Clifford's firehouse dog brother. Clifford attempts to teach the children about fire safety like his brother, but he is just too big. However, when the fire alarm blares Clifford is able to use his size to help put out the fire and rescue everyone. Another adorable Clifford tale...

Charley's First Night

Helen Oxenbury and Amy Hest team up in Atticus's new library favorite - Charley's First Night. Henry Korn brings home his new dog, Charley, one snowy night. Henry is excited to show Charley his home and to begin his care-taking duties. His parents' one rule was - No dogs sleeping in his bed. When Charley wakes up in the night, will Henry be able to follow his parents' rule? Not only are the pictures in this book adorable, but the language is a bit stream of consciousness, just like a toddler. Even Ivy likes this one.

Underwear

Potty training is no easy feat, and I am trying to inundate Atticus with books to help him along. I have found a few goodies over the past few days: Tupera Tupera's Polar Bear's Underwear

and Jared Chapman's Vegetable in Underwear.

Both books have relatively few words, but have hilarious pictures of animals and vegetables (respectively) in underwear. Polar Bear has lost his underwear. His good friend, mouse, finds various undergarments, but none of them seem to be quite right as other animals are wearing them! The vegetable book is quite silly, but what can one expect? What could be cuter than an envious diaper-wearing carrot looking at an underwear-wearing piece of broccoli? Both of these books are great for potty training kids!

Going Swimming

Sarah Garland is officially the first author Atticus requested by name. Tonight he repeatedly said, "I don't want xxx book. I want Sarah Garland's Going Swimming." After reading this for the fourth time, I decided it was blog worthy. The illustrations are just so true to life - babies running away from pools, people with accurate bodies, dogs wistfully staring from cars and longing to be with their masters, etc. Her series for toddlers is just so lovely and captivating. A hit for both boys and girls.

Building With Dad by Carol Nevius

Parents of toddler boys...rush out and get this book for Father's Day!

Atticus requested this no fewer than five times tonight. A young boy helps his dad, a construction worker, get his new school ready for opening day. The boy follows his dad from ground breaking until the first day of school in lovely, rhyming lines. The cool thing about Bill Thompson's illustrations is that a viewer feels like he is looking up at a scene, or down below depending on the picture. The perspectives are unique, and the pictures are so vivid they are almost like photographs. Atticus's favorite part, as could be guessed, is the machines at work: diggers, steam rollers, cement mixers, etc.

Harry the Dirty Dog

Gene Zion and Margaret Bloy Graham teamed up in 1956 to produce the classic, Harry the Dirty Dog. I thought there would be too many words for young Atticus, but no! Poor Harry hates baths so much he buries his bath brush and runs off to play. As the day progresses, he becomes dirtier and dirtier til he becomes a black dog with white spots instead of a white dog with black sports. He is heartbroken when his own family does not recognize him? Will he be able to convince him that he is truly Harry? Find out in this adorable tale.

Policeman Small

Lois Lenski does it again. I didn't think Mr. Atticus could like a book as much The Little Fire Engine, but Policeman Small is a close second. This book was originally published in 1962, but is still going strong. Readers follow the day of Mr. Small as he directs traffic, helps a fire engine and ambulance be on their way, and even leads a parade. Adorably illustrated, this book is a sure hit with the toddler crowd.

The Big Red Barn

An old Margaret Wise Brown classic beloved by both Ivy and Atticus alike. Follow all the animals in the barn from sun up to sun down. Toddlers love books with barn animals and animal sounds, making The Big Red Barn a must have. The book is reads like a soft lullaby, so it is only fitting that each of the pages gets gradually darker. Atticus's favorite line: "With some little puppy dogs all round and warm."

The Farmer's Away! Baa! Neigh!

This is a humorous book by Anne Vittur Kennedy about a group of farm animals just waiting for the farmer to go off for the day. The minute the farmer's tractor disappears, the animals begin their fun. They go boating, have a picnic, ride a roller coaster, jet ski, and even ride a hot air balloon. The only words on each page are the joyous sounds each animal makes as it encounters each new experience. On each picture one can see the farmer getting closer and closer...Atticus gets excited as the farmer gets closer, loudly warning the farmer animals to get back into their places! A fun hit for any toddler. When the farmer's away, the animals will play. 

Whose Tools?

Toni Buzzeo and Jim Datz have gathered to create the perfect book for tool aficionados.

This book is a young boy's dream. Each spread begins with a clue to what part of a house will be built next, ending with "Whose tools are those? Don't you know?" All of the tools are beautifully labeled. They are fun to look at because they have cartoon faces. Despite the humorous context, this is a non-fiction book about building a house. It is a wonderful book, but I am tiring of it slightly. I have had to read it eleven times in two days. A good sign?

20 Big Trucks In the Middle of Our Street

Mark Lee and Kurt Cyrus have created a truck book that Atticus likes almost as much as Mighty Dads. This book has it all rhymes, trucks, counting and kid power. When an ice-cream truck breaks down in the middle of a street, a massive traffic jam ensues. Only the sage advice of a small boy can save the town from congestion and bring ice cold treats to all.

Naptime!

Iris de Mouy's new book translated from the French into English by Shelley Tanaka, Naptime, is a new Atticus favorite. All the animals on the savannah are exhausted, yet they refuse to take naps. Sound familiar, Atticus? Each animal refuses, insisting, "Naps are for babies!" "I'm too big!", etc. Fed up with their excuses, a young girl convinces them to close one eye and then the other.

What happens? Well...you can guess! Atticus likes to chime in periodically that naps aren't just for babies. Remember that, Atticus.

Duck and Goose

Duck and Goose - Goose and Duck. What a pair! These two crazy little winged creatures are just full of antics. In Duck and Goose -Here Comes the Easter Bunny by Tad Hills, the two friends decide to disguise themselves and hide on Easter eve, hoping to catching sight of the famous hopping bunny.

Will they see the Easter Bunny? Of course not, but does that stop us from loving them? Of course not!

Hop! Hop!

Leslie Patricelli was a favorite of Ivy's. Atticus seems to enjoy her as well, although not quite as much! In this adorable Easter tale, a little boy prepares for Easter, waits for the bunny, and then hunts for eggs and jelly beans. We reread it again today; it was the perfect recap for Atticus, helping him to talk about the excitement of Sunday. A new toddler Easter classic!

Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother Too?

Although a bit simplistic for my tastes, the repetitive nature of this story is just what a toddler loves. Each page has a beautiful water color of an animal with the question, "Does ....have a mother too?" The following page has a lovely painting of the animal with a yes. Atticus does not seem to tire of this story. A sure hit with any young toddler!

Be Still

"Be Still!" is one of Atticus's new favorite sayings. Ivy was never really interested in Where the Wild Things Are. In fact, the wild things still scare her a little. Atticus, however, can't get enough of Max's antics. He sees Max chasing the dog with a fork, and excitedly yells, "Trouble!" Somehow this timeless classic speaks to his life - trying to have fun, being put in his crib in a time out, dreaming his way out of the punishment, and maybe even controlling Ivy with, "Be Still!" Maurice Sendak does not disappoint; Atticus is a fan!

How Do Dinosaurs Stay Safe?

I don't think there is a bigger fan of Jane Yolen and Mark Teague's How Do Dinosaurs than Atticus. However, as a parent my latest favorite is How Do Dinosaurs Play Safe? In its usual funny way it covers things that could go wrong if a young dinosaur is not safe - falling off a bike without a helmet, etc. However, Teague and Yolen somehow tackle REAL issues in a fun and light-hearted way as well. Atticus learned about not going with strangers, calling 9-1-1 and staying where he can be seen when playing.

Star Wars Colors

Atticus's Aunt Jessica purchased a Star Wars board book trilogy for him over a year ago. He has shown little to no interest in these books until about two weeks ago. He is now obsessed. He had Star Wars Valentines (Yoda Best Valentine), reads his board books 2-3 times a day, and has requested Darth Vader sneakers. Even Ivy has gotten into the spirit and has added Jedi, Death Star, and Obi-Wan Kenobi to her reading vocabulary. A must have collection for any Star Wars fan.

Supertruck

Supertruck by Stephen Savage is a simple book about something that all of Massachusetts is dealing with right now: what to do with all of the excess snow! We are introduced to all the heroic trucks - the firetruck, the tow truck, etc. The book glosses over the slightly nerdy garbage truck with glasses until one night when a huge storm hits the city. All the vehicles are left wondering who the superhero truck was who plowed out the city. It couldn't possible be the nerdy garbage truck who disappears into a garage in the middle of the storm, now could it? Ivy and Atticus both adore this simple book. 

Little Elliot, Big City

Atticus really enjoyed meeting little Elliot, the spotted and tiny elephant. Elliot has trouble navigating what is clearly NYC due to his unusual size, yet he manages to make do. He can't get the ice cream from the fridge without a broom, and his breakfast can't be eaten without sitting on a stack of books. Dejected because he was not seen requesting a cupcake, the little elephant heads home. On the way he meets a mouse, in even more dire straits. The mouse teaches him some valuable lessons; you are always big to someone else, and friendship makes life lovely.