Building A Children's Library: Christmas Books

It's officially December and we're anxiously awaiting the now-belated arrival of our daughter! In my head, she was always a November baby, so this is certainly a nice lesson in patience. Since I have plenty of time on my hands while I wait for my body and baby to do their thing, I put together this children's book wish list for the upcoming holiday season.

Our children's literature collection is fairly extensive (I'm a collector!), but I realized recently that I own almost zero holiday-related books. One of my favorite memories from childhood is curling up near the fireplace with my parents and sister to read Christmas stories. The books on this list include some childhood favorites as a well as a few I've discovered as an adult in my time teaching preschoolers. With a baby on the way, I figure this is the perfect year to start building the collection for all of the Christmases to come. Please don't hesitate to share your own favorites below: I'd love to hear.

Normally, I'd indicate why I included a title, but I think part of the beauty of children's literature is discovering that magic for yourself. These are all books I whole-heartedly endorse and plan to add to my daughter's shelves over the years. Happy reading!

The Polar Express / The Nutcracker / Dream Snow / The Little Fir Tree / Santa Mouse / The Christmas Magic / How the Grinch Stole Christmas / The Snowy Day* / The Mitten* / Snowballs* / The Gingerbread Man* / Papa, Please Get the Moon For Me* / The Night Before Christmas / The Christmas Wish

*Books with an asterisk are not specifically about Christmas, but still favorable for welcoming the winter holiday season.

Watermelon Bubblegum

It's that time of year when everything is watermelon, bubblegum and orange creamsicle: I don't hate it one bit. Here are a few favorites inspired by summer's boldest colors...

1). Citrus Art! I would hang an oversized version of this in my kitchen.

2). The perfect pop of red by Ilia Beauty (all natural, too).

3). Giant confetti balloons. Hey mom? Maybe we can incorporate a few of these into my baby shower this fall?

4). A polka-dotted children's ukulele just because it's adorable.

5). The most gorgeous set of building blocks...ever.

6). I'm quickly learning that baby rompers are my biggest weakness in life.

7). A favorite book for little hands by none other than Hervé Tullet.

8). This beet, avocado & fried goat cheese salad is what all my culinary dreams are made of.

9). Britt Bass Turner's original paintings on canvas and wood = happymakers.

The Shape of My Heart

I read this sweet picture book for the first time in the children's section of the Barnes & Noble near my school a couple of weeks ago.

The cover title and illustration initially caught my eye (as well-designed children's literature often does), but the simple rhyming text and colorful, clever imagery throughout was what caused me to buy it on the spot. It didn't surprise me to discover that the illustrator is also a graphic designer.

If you're a parent or a teacher, I definitely recommend adding this one to your shopping list for Valentine's Day. I can't wait to read it to my class next week, and then tuck it away somewhere special to save for my own children.

P.S. While discussing the topic of love in my classroom yesterday, one little boy offered up this gem: "Love is when you're so 'ezausted' (exhausted) you still get up to give the other person a hug when they come into the room."

Truth.

Peter Rabbit, And Thoughts On Blog Content

I've never really known where I fit into the world of blogging. I become more excited over the discovery of an amazing children's toy than I do over a pair of shoes (although I do have a weakness for handbags). I love taking pictures of my breakfast but possess no real interest in detailing step-by-step recipes. Beautiful writing sends shivers down my spine, but overt "inspirational talk" makes me roll my eyes and smirk. An impeccable living space will stay on my mind for days, but my brain will completely tune out upon reading a how-to-get-this-look design guide.

I write about what I like and don't bother wasting time with the things I don't. There's no "niche" here. Personally, I don't really think you need one to be a successful blogger. You just need to be interesting. And you do that by being interested.

What's interesting to me is when people share what they like and convey why they like it in a unique way.

I like Peter Rabbit. I am planning a hefty spring unit based around this classic children's story and am so, so excited about it.

I mean, look what you can do with Peter Rabbit and kids! You can plant seeds. You can harvest a vegetable garden. You can visit the farmer's market. You can discuss morality and rule-following. You can bake carrot cake. You can act out dramatizations. You can conduct a scientific rabbit study. And these are just a few ideas I've tossed around in these pre-planning stages.

P.S. Can you imagine the sheer wonder of a Peter Rabbit-themed kid's party? I think a genius business idea would be to start an event-planning company based solely on children's literature. Endless possibilities there.

P.P.S. The new Peter Rabbit for Gap collection is adorable. I was unable to resist the draw of a teeny-tiny white eyelet dress to be tucked away for my someday daughter...which she'll obviously wear while we read Peter Rabbit together in our backyard garden.

Clockwise from top left: Wedgewood Bowl, Mug & Plate Set / Plan Toys Wooden Vegetables / The Tale of Peter Rabbit / Peter Rabbit Cuddly Toy / Vegetable Onesie / Heirloom Seed Packet / Kids Gardening Tools  / Copper Galvanized Watering Can

My Favorite Picture Books, Part One

My picture book collection is enormous. For a long time, I wanted to pursue a publishing career, with the hope of ultimately breaking into the children's literature field. I still have dreams of writing picture books, although for now, I've decided not to put quite so much pressure on that goal. I believe that when my life experiences grow even richer and more seasoned than they are now, the story will come.

I thought I'd share some of my very favorites with you. This is barely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to picture books, as there are literally hundreds I hold in high regard. But these? They are some of my most beloved and will be amongst the first to grace the shelves of my future child's bedroom.

Caps For Sale / Make Way For Ducklings / Love You Forever / Elmer / Bread and Jam For Frances / Miss Rumphius / The Lion and the Little Red Bird / Ish / My Garden / Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel / Madeline / The Hello, Goodbye Window

Care to share any of your own most-loved? Kid-lit chat is my favorite kind of book club discussion!

Start That Rumpus

As a writer for and a teacher of young children, I would be remiss if I didn't pay homage to Mr. Maurice Sendak today. In many ways, he is such a huge part of my everyday life.

I've always loved the way his brain works:

“Once a little boy sent me a charming card with a little drawing on it. I loved it. I answer all my children’s letters — sometimes very hastily — but this one I lingered over. I sent him a card and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, “Dear Jim: I loved your card.” Then I got a letter back from his mother and she said, “Jim loved your card so much he ate it.” That to me was one of the highest compliments I’ve ever received. He didn’t care that it was an original Maurice Sendak drawing or anything. He saw it, he loved it, he ate it.”
+
“I’m writing a poem right now about a nose. I’ve always wanted to write a poem about a nose. But it’s a ludicrous subject. That’s why, when I was younger, I was afraid of writing something that didn’t make a lot of sense. But now I’m not. I have nothing to worry about. It doesn’t matter.”


I hope he's up there somewhere having a drink with Max and those badass Wild Things of his. 


(More Sendak quotes here, and poster above available here)

Love Is...

All true. From Charles M. Schulz's 1965 out-of-print gem, Love is Walking Hand in Hand featuring the Peanuts gang. This makes me feel all warm and tingly inside. Snoopy!

(Found via Brain Pickings).

Just Start

I'm reading this book and it is changing my life. The words she writes and the way she writes them make me want to write all of the things I am afraid to write.

My dad is one of the best and most honest writers I know. He sent me this postcard recently. When it first arrived, I read it over and over and over again while standing in the middle my living room.

I want to be the best version of myself; the version he describes so vividly in two sentences. A better friend, teacher, wife, sister, daughter, writer, listener, giver. A better person.

I want to be better at so many things.

I won't get better at anything if I don't begin with something.

Turning better into best takes time. I just need to start.

*When I was a child, my dad and I used to read Miss Rumphius together before bed. It has always been, and will always be, my favorite book and greatest inspiration on how to live this life.

So I Wrote a Book and Now I Need Your Help!

I have some exciting news. Today, I was informed that my manuscript submission qualified for the 2011 Meegenius! Author Challenge. Now, I need your help to win the popular vote and make it to the finals. You can read more about the author's challenge here. And you can view my story right here (press the like button to vote!). If I make it to the final round, I'm that much closer to the grand prize (a publishing contract!).

You can also find my story via the "title search" (page 4 of the listings) or "author search" (page 15). They rotate the featured listings every two minutes, so we all get a chance at the top.

If you're so inclined, please feel free to spread the word via your blog, twitter, facebook, etc., with a link to either this post or my direct author challenge link. Voting closes on December 18th. Many many thanks, my friends!

I Survived (+ a Few Weekend Blinks)

Happy Weekend. But first, a few blinks (blog links) that made me smile:

Completely bewitched by the photos of Katarina of Grain & Silk, discovered on Elephantine

I enjoyed this Smithsonian article detailing how celebrated author E.B. White came to write Charlotte's Web through his love for nature and animals.

 This light-filled apartment is so dreamy &  magnificent. (spotted on Bloesem)

A favorite quotation and a beautiful photo. (By Ez Pudewa)

Whew. What a week. Thank you so much for all of your kind comments over the past few days. I wasn't on the computer much, but I read them all and felt the outpouring of love from you.  I think I cried more this week than I have in an entire year. I wish you could have witnessed the scene at the end of the day yesterday: big, unstoppable tears from the teachers, students and parents. It would have been comical if it wasn't so difficult. 

Letting them go is always the hardest part. I can't describe it exactly, but for me, my students become so much a part of my life that the abrupt ending after a year together feels like I've been hit by a ton of bricks. Or maybe a bus. I will be fine, of course. But I'll never forget them, especially not this group.

Tomorrow, we are attending the wedding of one of Tiho's co-workers. Aside from that, I'm going to sleep and catalog a ton of photos from the school year. So, I'll probably cry again and then sleep some more. Good thing wine will be accompanying it all.

See you Monday.

Emotional Rollercoaster + Weekend Blinks

Dream house, anyone? (Photo by loicmoreau via Frolic)

A gold bicycle. I want one. (photo by Isabelle Bertolini as seen on Wit + Delight)

These color gradient necklaces from A Merry Mishap are calling my name in a big way

Chocolate chip cookies in a skillet. Need I say more? (photo by Jen Causey)

Painterly floral inspiration from Once Wed and the always fabulous Michelle Armas

Reminders. (found via Mary Swensen)

Fifty (free!) things to love about life. (from Tiny Buddha)

The Ageless Appeal of Beverly Cleary via The New York Times

Happy Friday, chickadees! The past few days left me feeling off-centered as I confront the reality of the school year winding down. I anticipate a complete roller coaster of emotion next week (Thursday is our last day). Over the weekend, I plan to relax and carve out time for stillness and reflection. I'm also going to hunker down and get stuff done. Oh and then I want to bake something. Most likely bread, and maybe a cake, too. Have I mentioned that my sister is living with us for the summer? She arrived on Tuesday and we are thrilled to have her. Consequently, my wardrobe just doubled in size, which is fantastical.

Hope your weekend is first rate. xo.

Scenes From The Weekend

 

(grilled cheese squares for lunch)

 

 (one of many silly drawings I sketched this weekend)

 (magazine & peppermint tea = requisite lounging materials)

 (late night trawling of the internet at the newly set up desk space in the living room)

(pretty colored pencils)

 

 ($3 salt & pepper shakers bought Friday after work. I already own two very nice salt & pepper shakers, but apparently, I have hoarding issues)

 (admiring the calendar every time I walk into the kitchen. I like that I love my calendar)

 (impromptu breakfast picnic on our bedroom floor, courtesy of Tiho running out to the local bakery before I woke up and surprising me with a "just-the-way-I-like-it" bagel)

Whew. I was Hyper with a capital H in my last post. I've calmed down a bit after a relaxing weekend at home.

On Friday night, we met up with friends for dinner & drinks and then (finally!) saw Black Swan. (loved). After our indoor picnic on Saturday morning, I puttered around the house all morning doing random things. I tried to make homemade caramel sauce and burned my finger. It really hurt! In the process of hopping from the stove to the sink, I knocked over a bottle of vanilla extract--spilling it everywhere--and then, while tending to my injury, proceeded to burn the batch of caramel. oops.  After a second, half-assed attempt with one hand in a bowl of ice water, I gave up. I'll try again next weekend. Any tips? I had no idea caramel was so testy.

I felt momentarily bummed out by the lack of caramel brownie crumbs on my tongue, so I took out my colored pencils and spent almost the entire afternoon and evening drawing. I haven't done that in a long time and it felt really fantastic. I am not an illustrator: I've just always enjoyed doodling and making little stories. I'll share some of the weekend's sketches in an upcoming post (a french school girl theme emerged, not sure why). Before hitting the hay on Saturday night, I watched the Miss America pageant and felt really old when I realized that the newly crowned Miss America was born in 1993.

Sunday involved lots of reading and an afternoon run to the park. It wasn't horribly cold, but the icy patches and slushy sidewalks sure made for an amusing experience. Mac n' cheese, football playoffs (rip Patriots) & the Golden Globes capped off the weekend.

I have the day off today because of this man. I was going to write a small tribute but then decided I still like what I posted last year in honor of him. Check it out if you like :)

Happy Monday, pretties!

How to be an Explorer of the World

If you only buy one book this year, make it this one. Trust me.