March '09 Book of the Month

Announcing Planet Silas' March '09 Book of the Month:

We're Moving by Heather Maisner ; illustrated by Kristina Stephenson.

When Amy and her family move into a new house, it takes some effort to make it feel like home.

Anyone who has been following this blog knows by now that we are in the process of buying a house and will be moving to said house in a near-by town at the end of the month. Change can be difficult for kids (and adults too!) and Silas has reacted in a pretty typical way. He will seem fine with the idea, but then say things like "I don't want to buy the yellow house. I want to buy this one!" We have been gently guiding him towards accepting the change by seeing it in a positive light. We have been talking up the following, for instance: "There will be a room just for your toys" and, "there will be a room for Grandma and Papa and Grandma G to stay in so they can visit with us longer."

Being a librarian, I am inclined towards using books as a means of making the idea of moving more concrete and less scary. I've checked out a dozen or so picture books on the concept of moving (and for those interested, the Library of Congress subject heading is Moving, household.) We have been reading them all pretty regularly and I knew I wanted to select one as the book of the month, but wasn't sure which one to go with. In the end, I let Silas decide. Although he enjoys all books and has asked for multiple readings of several of the "moving" stories, We're Moving has been a favorite. I'm not surprised that he made this choice and here's why:

When the little boy looses his favorite toy car, his sister, Amy, helps him look for it, and they find lots of interesting things in their new house including "two dirty socks behind the radiator." He laughs so hard when I read that line and asks me to repeat it over and over again. "Two dirty socks behind the raderator. STIIINKY" he shouts.

Well, whatever works. The move to a new house is scary for the brother and sister and it takes them a while to adjust to their new surroundings. But, as these stories always do, thing work out for them in the end and all is well. I hope that that concept, that things will work out in the end, sinks in to his little noggin, deeper and deeper with every reading. It is a message that we could all benefit from listening to.