July '10 Book of the Month

Introducing Planet Silas' July '10 Book of the Month:

Little Rabbit and the Meanest Mother on Earth by Kate Klise ; illustrated by M. Sarah Klise.

Upset that his mother will not let him go out until he cleans his playroom, Little Rabbit sneaks away to join the circus and sells tickets by promising the audience a view of The Meanest Mother on Earth.

A few weeks back, I noticed this title on the new shelf in Kitsap Regional Library's Bookmobile. I think I may have gasped in excitement. Imagine, another Little Rabbit book by the same sister team that created Shall I Knit You a Hat: A Christmas Yarn.

"Silas," I said, "We have hit the new picture-book jackpot." I was not wrong.

This book has been a huge hit with the whole family. We've read it so many times that Silas now acts out parts of the book. He pulls out chairs to create a ticket booth and pretends to sell us tickets to see the Meanest Mother on Earth. "She has two heads" he'll yell "And green teeth!"

The other day, Silas decided to take his circus act beyond the house. He set up his ticket booth on the front porch and in his very loudest outside voice beckoned the whole neighborhood to "Come see the Meanest Mother on Earth!" This he repeated over and over again, until we calmly explained to him that other people might not understand what he's talking about, in the outside chance that they haven't read the book. Still, a book that can invoke this level of pretend play and all out fun has my vote. I can only hope that more Little Rabbit books are in the works.

By the end of the story, Little Rabbit no longer thinks his mom is so very mean, and I trust Silas doesn't either. I know that I myself have come to the same conclusion as Mother Rabbit "I'm not the meanest mother on earth...I'm the luckiest."

June '10 book of the month

Introducing the Planet Silas June '10 Book of the Month:

Bats at the Beach by Brian Lies

On a night when the moon can grow no fatter, bats pack their moon-tan lotion and baskets of buggy treats and fly off for some fun on the beach.

This is the second time in as many months that we’ve checked this title out from the library. Uproariously funny, Bats at the Beach is a total score for any kid who finds grossness the highest form of humor. The bats roast bug-mallows, munch on salted 'skeeters, and hit the snack shack for desert, where they are sure to find a few delicious moths fluttering about. “Eeeewww grody!” Silas will laugh, “And bats like to eat slugs too!”

The charm of this book extends beyond bugs-as-food jokes, however. The idea of bats flying off to the beach for a midnight picnic is so novel, and the rollicking rhymes so playful and upbeat, you can’t help but want to crash the bat’s party. They certainly know how to have a good time, from digging sand caves to sailing in the wing-boat races; although, if you're not keen on eating food with 6 legs, you may want to bring your own vittles.

Not only is this book on Silas’ current list of favorites, but due to our recent run-in with our own pair of bats, discovered when we began dismantling an out-building on our property, it is a timely choice as well.

Silas’ interest in bats was piqued by his close proximity to the real thing, and this book was actually a nice way to introduce the idea that bats are worthy of our respect. They eat bugs at enormous rates, after all, and although we are happy that our pair decided to move out of our shed so that demolition could continue, we are still hoping they haven’t gone far.

So, in honor of our little brown bats, and, in the hopes that beach season is right around the corner, I give you, our June BOTM.

May '10 Book of the Month

Introducing the Planet Silas May '10 Book of the Month:

The Curious Garden By Peter Brown.

A little boy named Liam discovers a hidden garden and with careful tending spreads color throughout the gray city.

What a wonderful book to read in order to celebrate spring. I'm truly in love with this book and knew it had to be a BOTM (thanks for this gift, LeClairs!). The illustrations are wonderful, as is the story. Whenever we read this story, I point out to Silas that one little child is capable of producing such remarkable change. Liam begins this story in a city with no trees, plants, or flowers. But when he discovers a few sorry plants languishing on an abandoned railroad track, he makes a choice: to nurture them rather than let them die.

With just a bit of care, the garden takes over, exploring the railroad track throughout the city. Eventually, the garden grows beyond the track, onto rooftops, between buildings...anywhere it can. But what's more remarkable than the garden itself is that Liam's one small act is contagious. As the garden grows, so do other people's desires to help it spread and flourish. Before you know it, every available space is bursting with life, and the people, no longer prisoners in their gray city, are transformed along with their city. All because of one little boy.

When Silas helps me plant seeds and work the soil, I think of this book and hope that Liam's choice to to good in the world will be his choice as well.

I hope your gardens are beginning to burst forth with life. Happy Spring!

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.

February 10 Book of the Month

Introducing Planet Silas' February '10 Book of the Month:

Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry.

A small blue truck finds his way out of a jam, with a little help from his friends.

We recently checked this book out from the library and it was an instant hit. Silas literally shakes with excitement when I read it to him. Little Blue Truck is just the happiest, friendliest truck to ever come rolling by. All of the animals adore him...but they aren't too keen on the big dump truck who comes roaring by, without any regard for others.
When the dump get's stuck in the mud, it looks like no one will help him...until Little Blue Truck comes along.

By the end of the story, all is resolved. Lesson learned: be nice to others, they'll be nice to you. I always try to emphasize this point with Silas, and I'm hoping it's seeping in through his ears to his brain. But honestly, what he truly loves about this book isn't really its message (he's not even three yet, mind you), it's the wonderful warm illustrations, the variety of animals, and the attempts I make at giving each one a distinct voice. And it's Little Blue Truck, for no other reason than that he lets all of the animals climb on board and have a ride at the end. In Silas's mind, there is nothing better than a big green toad driving a bunch of farm animals around in a pick-up truck. Where the book leaves off, Silas' imagination takes off. And isn't that what we want books to do?

January '10 Book of the Month

Introducing Planet Silas' January '10 Book of the Month:

The Mitten: A Ukraniane Folktale by Jan Brett.

This folktale has multiple adaptions; I myself am a fan of Brett's interpretation. This book, and indeed several of this author's works, speaks of winter, with it's cold snowy scenes and beautiful hand knit garments to keep the characters warm (second month in a row with a knit-related theme, by-the-way).

Nicki's grandmother just knows that if she knits Nicki a pair of all white mittens, he will drop one and loose it in the snow. But snowy white mittens are what Nicki wants, and so that's what he gets. Sure enough, Nicki promptly looses a mitten while exploring his winter world, and that's where the fun begins. Animal after animal discovers the inviting mitten and decides it would make a good place to get out of the cold. As the animals crowd inside, the mitten expands to comic proportions, which Silas finds absolutely hysterical. But, Grandma's excellent knitting holds fast and the mitten stays in one piece, even when a bear joins the menagerie.

One of the features that Brett is known for is a three-paneled picture layout. The middle, largest picture shows what's happening, mainly featuring the animals in the mitten, and carries the text. The smaller picture on the left appears through a mitten shaped "window" and depicts Nicki as he plays in the snow and woods around his house. Usually, he's walked near an animal's home without even knowing it. On a mirror panel on the right of the page, the animal then appears leaving it's burrow and heading, presumably, for the mitten. The next page will then feature that animal and it's introduction to the mitten and the other animals therein. I love having these glimpses of what's to come on the following page as it presents an opportunity to involve Silas in the story. "What animal is that? Who do you think is going to find the mitten next?" That sort of thing.

At the end, it is a tiny mouse who triggers the end of the animal's stay in the mitten. Nicki is lucky enough to find the mitten before he reaches home, so there is no chance of a lecture from grandma. The last wordless page, however, shows a perplexed grandmother holding both mittens out in front of her: one the size to fit a little boy, and one that is inexplicably large enough to fit a giant.

Wonderful and fun, winter read, and a classic story, beautifully rendered.

December 09 Book of the Month

Announcing Planet Silas’ December 09 Book of the Month:

Shall I knit you a hat? : a Christmas yarn / by Kate Klise ; illustrated by M. Sarah Klise.

When Mother Rabbit knits a warm winter hat for Little Rabbit, he likes it so much that he suggests they make hats for all of their friends as Christmas gifts.

Definitely at the top of our list of favorite picture books, this is a wonderful, colorful, knit-themed Christmas book, perfect for all of you knitting mamas out there. Another example of a book that I’d love to live in, Little Rabbit and his mother have such a caring and close relationship. They share carrot cake as well as hat-making ideas, and snuggle together on the couch of their cozy little home. Silas and I love to look at the pictures together, especially the winter market scenes, which are filled with an assortment of animals buying or selling all kinds of foods and holiday treats. I love that the Rabbits stay up late together making gifts for their friends, and I love that although the hats may be ridiculous, their recipients realize the value of the homemade hats, not just for their practical application, but because their friends cared enough to make each hat “especially for you” as Little Rabbit says.

At the back of the paperback edition, there is a pattern to make a hat like Little Rabbit’s, complete with bunny ears. How could I resist! Now I have my own Little Rabbit!

(I'll post a few more hat pictures later...)

Maybe if we’re very good boys and girls, the Rabbits will invite us to their house to celebrate Christmas with some tea and three pieces of carrot cake each! That’s what I want for Christmas this year:)

November 09 Book of the Month

Introducing Planet Silas' November '09 Book of the Month:
Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall ; pictures by Barbara Cooney.

Winner of the Caldecott Medal back in 1980, this is an oldie (relatively speaking), but a goodie. I picked up a copy at a library book sale recently and thought it might be something Silas would take interest in later on. I was wrong: He was interested in it immediately.

In this look at a farming family in 19th century New England, a father journeys 10 days to a coastal market town to sell the goods and food his family has made and grown over the course of a year. Through the items the man loads into his cart, we learn that the family spent March tapping sugar maples, and April spinning, knitting, and weaving the wool sheered from the sheep. We learn when each of the crops were planted, and that not even the feathers that fall from the geese are waisted. Each family member contributes and creates. When the ox-cart man returns from the market, he is without his cart and even his ox. But he has brought back a few simple items that will make the work that his family does that much easier. They quietly slip back into their simple rhythm: Cooking, candle making, whittling, planting, shearing. And the ox-cart man begins building a new cart for the young oxen in his barn.

As beautiful as this book is, both in words and pictures, I didn't expect Silas to take to it the way he has. He sits there quietly while it is read and studies the pictures. We talk about how the man had to walk because there were no cars or bikes. We talk about the fact that we still do some of the same things that that family does (like knitting and making things and growing food). Silas loves the pictures of Portsmouth the best and has told me that he's been there and in fact lives in one of the buildings pictured.

It is easy for a young child, whose entire day is spent in imaginative play, to place himself in such a book. But the mood of this book extends this sort of immersion to the far more closed and cynical minds of adults too. And it does it without you even realizing.

We will be coming back to this book often.

October 09 Book of the Month

Introducing Planet Silas’ October 09 book of the month:

Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell ; pictures by Lizzy Rockwell.

A little girl travels with her parents to a farm to pick a bushel of apples and to select the perfect pumpkin.

Silas has been requesting this book pretty steadily for just about as long as I can remember. While it is a delightful book to read any time of the year, it is undoubtedly the perfect pick for the October/Autumn/Halloween season. Young children (Silas included) relate to the little girl as she blissfully narrates her time on the farm with her parents, being followed by chickens and geese out to the orchard, picking just the right pumpkin and watching her dad cut it from the vine, etc. When they get home, the pumpkin is transformed into a jack-o-lantern and the (obviously health-conscious) parents pass the apples out for trick-or-treat.

This is a wonderful slice of life book that captures, both in words and pictures, the joys and traditions of this time of year. I trust that we will continue to read and enjoy this story for years to come.

September 09 Book of the Month

Introducing Planet Silas’ September 09 Book of the Month:

Wild About Books by Judy Sierra ; illustrated by Marc Brown.

When a librarian accidentally drives her bookmobile into the zoo, she introduces the animals to the joy of reading and before long, they’re hooked.

As a librarian and a mom, I can’t help but love this book. After all, it’s about learning to read purely for the love of reading. It’s about getting excited about books of all kinds, how books inspire writing, and about long lazy days spent deep within a story. Certainly I am hoping to share the concept of reading as one of life’s great pleasures with Silas. This book is a colorful, catchy way to do so.

Giving a nod to Dr. Seuss, to whom the book is dedicated, the rhymes are inventive, hilarious, and utterly captivating. Here are a few examples:

"Raccoons read alone and baboons read in bunches./ And llamas read dramas while eating their llunches."

“She even found waterproof books for the otter, who never went swimming without Harry Potter.”

“Forsaking their niches, their nests, and their nooks," going "wild, simply wild, about wonderful books.”

Before long, the animals decide to build their own Zoobrary. With books like this one to build upon, your kid will want to start their own library collection as well.

A lovely read-aloud all young kids (and the adults reading to them) will cherish!

August 09 Book of the Month

Introducing Planet Silas’ August 09 Book of the Month:

Richard Scarry's Cars and trucks from A to Z by Richard Scarry.

Silly, imaginative, and fun, this book includes fanciful vehicles from Apple car to Zippermobile, as imagined by the children’s book author popular during my own childhood, Richard Scarry. I adored Scarry’s books as a kid, but when I first read this book to Silas (largely out of sentiment), I never imagined that my love would be passed down to the next generation with such gusto.

This book launched so many interests for Silas. It was his first book focusing on vehicles, for instance. To this day, he still refers to bulldozers and diggers as “bugdozers,” because of this book. It also marked the start of his love of Busytown, which is the name of the fictional town depicted in many of Scarry’s books. He is studious in his approach to Busytown books, staring at a single page for long long minutes and talking over its many details. He refers to his play rug featuring a road and town scene as “Busytown” and even this featured book, which only mentioned Busytown in passing, is called “the Busytown book.”

We have read this book so many times that, similarly to last months, BOTM, Boats, Silas has this one pretty much memorized. “Watch out for the lemon car!” he’ll proclaim when we get to the “L” page. “Toothpaste car…teeny tiny tractor!” …and so on. Fun, fun fun!

July 09 book of the month

Introducing Planet Silas July 09 Book of the Month:

Boats by Byron Barton

This is, without a doubt, a Silas pick. I really had to make it a BOTM based on the frequency with which it has been requested over the past several months. If you are familiar with Byron Barton's books, you will know that he has a very distinct style that's pretty much perfect for a young lad of two. The pictures are simple but bold, and not one unnecessary word is used. The minimal text is quite easy for a toddler to memorize. Silas can pretty much read this one to us, though he prefers that we read it together as such:

"On the water, there is a..." and Silas will answer "rowboat!"
"Here comes a..." "Sailboat, sailing by!"

He quite surprised my friend one day with his naval know-how when we were walking by the docks and she pointed out the tugboats. I asked him what tugboats do and he replyed "they help the ship dock." I credit this book for that moment. Living where we do, we are surrounded by all of the kinds of boats featured in this book, from motor boats to fire boats, to ferryboats, to cruise ships. Silas, being in a stage where he obsesses over any kind of transportation device, could not help but be drawn to this title, and to have the boats that the book features appear in his real life has got to be exciting for him. I can only imagine. I do know that he talks about riding the ferryboat for days after we've taken it. He knows the fireboat is right next to Coleman Dock (where the ferryboat comes in) in Seattle and that fireboats "go to help somebody" by "putting out fires." Also, the wooden toy ferryboat I picked up at last year's Rotary Auction ($3.00!) that we squirrled away till recently is a huge hit. He loads up his cars and drives it to Seattle, unloads and loads it again and drives it back to Bainbridge Island. All of this imaginative play and knowledge started with this small, simple, wonderful book.

June 09 Book of the Month

Featuring Planet Silas' June Book of the Month: Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert.

I mentioned back in January when I featured Snowballs as the BOTM that you could expect to see more Lois Ehlert books in the future. Well, June's BOTM brings you another wonderful Ehlert title, Growing Vegetable Soup.

From planting seeds, tubers, and starts, to harvest time and preparing a meal made with said harvest, this book gives young readers their first look at the basic "how-to's" and joys of vegetable gardening.

I thought it appropriate to feature this book now, since our vegetable garden is in full swing. I have made sure that Silas was with me for every step of the veggie growing process. He helped me plant seeds, helps water, and helps pick the greens and peas that have been ready to harvest for several weeks already (He's also very good at helping to eat them :) I have gone over the importance of respecting the plants and being "nice" to them, from making sure not to dig in or tip over pots with newly sewn seeds, to not yanking out young seedlings, to only picking harvestable items under guidance. Aside from a few minor incidences early on, he caught on and has been very good. A book like Growing Vegetable Soup really helps make tangible the concept of a seed sprouting and eventually producing something that can be eaten. Without this visual representation of what the future holds, a patch of bare dirt is just a patch of bare dirt to a two year-old, even if it has dozens of seeds buried just under the surface. With this book as a guide, even a toddler can grasp the importance of caring for something that seems at first to be devoid of life, but that with care and time will soon be teaming with it. While aimed at young children, this book was inspiring to me as well. When we received it this winter (thanks LeClairs!), and I read it to Silas for the first time, I told him, "You know what, Silas? We can do this too!"

And so, we have.

May 09 Book of the Month

Announcing Planet Silas' May 09 Book of the Month:

Duck by Randy Cecil.

This may very well be my favorite picture book (though it might be tied with The Gardener by Sarah Stewart). I have such a strong sentimental attachment to this title, that I fear a short little write-up can't possibly do it justice. Moms, this is the perfect book for you to read to your little ones on Mother's Day (as I will surely be doing). The companion book to my April botm, Gator, Duck is the story of a carousel animal (Gator's dear friend) who dreams of flying even though she cannot possibly hope to do so with her heavy wooden wings.

One day, a fuzzy yellow duckling wanders into the amusement park and Duck adopts him. They do everything together and Duck teaches Duckling how to do all of the typical duck-like activities--with one big exception: Despite her efforts, Duck cannot teach Duckling to fly. The day comes when Duck must take her little one to meet a flock of "real" ducks. That is also the day she must watch as Duckling finally flies...away...

The intense joys and sorrows of parenthood are so carefully and beautifully rendered in this book. It is the sentiment that we must eventually let our children go when the time is right for them that particularly gets to me. Every single time I read this, I envision dropping Silas off at college for the first time. I just can't help it.

Watching Duckling fly away isn't the end of Duck's story, nor of the relation between this mother and her son. If we've given our children the love and closeness they need as they grow, they won't forget that. Duckling doesn't.

I won't give away the ending. It will be much better if you read it for yourselves.

Happy Mother's Day, mamas :)

April 09 book of the month

Introducing Planet Silas' April 09 book of the month:

Gator by Randy Cecil.

Note: There is a companion book to Gator called Duck. Duck will be the botm in May so stay tuned for more on that book. For now, if you think you might want to buy Gator, do yourself a favor and buy both. Seriously.

Gator is a wooden carousel animal who sadly witnesses the demise of the amusement park his carousel is part of, until one day, the park closes it's gates. After a long sleep, Gator decides it's time to step off of the abandoned carousel to see what else the world has to offer.

This book (and Duck, too) evokes such empathy from its readers. You truly feel for Gator and the other carousel animals when people stop taking interest in them. There's a "hole in Gator's heart where the carousel pole used to be." And in Silas' words "park closing, Gator sad." I don't mean to say this book is depressing; only that it covers the spectrum of emotion in a way that creates a main character who is alive and tangible, despite the fact that he is a wooden carousel creature. Silas really responds to Gator's character and has started calling his wooden toy crocodile "Gator." (There's time to learn the difference between an alligator and a crocodile later, right?)

It's safe to say that we love Gator, and that this book is an absolute treasure. And, okay, I'll say it again, check out Duck too, because, while Gator is well deserving of botm status and might be Silas' personal favorite, Duck is mine. Duck might be the best picture book ever. Seriously.

March 09 Book of the Month

Announcing Planet Silas' March 09 Book of the Month:

On the day you were born by Debra Frasier.

March both Silas and his mommy's birth-month, so this book, which celebrates a child's birth, is timely, indeed. All of the migrating animals, the moon, the tides, the wonders of nature, and the people surrounding a newborn baby, come together to welcome a baby to planet earth and to tell the child how glad they are that they have been born.

This is a book which makes me cry, and I have a feeling it has a similar effect on many mothers. I love the idea brought forth in this book that a child can be so cherished, every last living being and force of nature can be positively effected by his/her presence. When I read this to my son, I want him to feel that kind of overwhelming love, but eventually I also want him to feel empowered in a way that makes him acknowledge his place in the world, as well as his ability to make it a better place, (if you'll pardon the cliché). That, of course, is a grand concept, which I don't actively expect my (almost) 2 year old to grasp. For now, however, I appreciate his simple enjoyment of the stylized pictures and flowing text.

I will read this book to him on his birthday and talk to him about his birth and once again let him know how much I love him. And that, is enough.

February 09 Book of the Month

Announcing Planet Silas' February 09 Book of the Month:

And if the Moon Could Talk by Kate Banks ; illustrated by Georg Hallensleben.

This is not the first book I've featured as a BotM by the writer/illustrator duo of Banks and Hallensleben (see our very first BotM entry, Close Your Eyes). I doubt it will be the last either. I just cannot resist their thoughtful and strikingly beautiful books.

I can think of no better way to end the day than curling up with Silas to read this book. Like Close Your Eyes, And if the Moon Could Talk is a gentle bedtime story in which tranquil nocturnal scenes are intermixed with images and text of a child's peaceful bedtime routine. The moon looks down upon and unites each image, be it that of a silent harbor, animals bedding down for the night, or the comfortable domestic setting of a young child's bedroom (Someday in the future when Silas has his own bedroom, I hope to make it as inviting a space as the one in this book). The vibrant colors and eloquently simplistic text are sure to capture the attention of both parent and child.

Here's a bonus book, just for the parents! I've decided to feature a parents' "book of the moment" whenever I happen to come across a title I think would be worth sharing. I doubt it will be every month since I honestly don't read them that often. Drew and I have been enjoying this books, so I thought I'd mention it:

Peaceful Parents, Peaceful Kids: Practical Ways to Create a Calm and Happy Home by Naomi Drew.

Among many other useful concepts, the idea that we ourselves have to emanate peaceful behavior so that our child learns to model it really resonated with us. We got the idea for a "house of kind words" from this book as well. Many of the concepts discussed would be easier practiced with a slightly older child, but at it's core, peaceful parenting cannot begin too soon! We plan on implementing other aspects found in the book as Silas grows, including having regular family meetings and creating family guidelines, rules that Silas will be able to help us set. One of the misconceptions that Naomi Drew dispels is the idea that peaceful parenting must mean never getting upset or frustrated, or that peaceful parenting equals passivity. This is of course, not the case (as well as impossible, if you ask me). Instead, peaceful parenting focuses on acknowledging both parent and child's emotions while dealing with them in a mutually respectful way. This is a helpful book and is also easy to digest in small quantities (very useful for busy parents).

January 09 Book of the Month

Announcing Planet Silas' January 09 Book of the Month:

Snowballs by Lois Ehlert.

A family saves items like woolen hats, seeds, fruit, and buttons for just the right day, when they can put them to good use by creating an entire snow family. Once the snow melts, many of the items can be eaten by birds searching for food in the snow.

Given the weather we've been having over the past few weeks, this book seemed a pretty appropriate choice. In fact, I had just read this book to Silas on the day of our big storm, when we went out and made our own snowman. Because of this book, I made sure to use items like raisons and beans because I thought the birds would benefit from them after the snow melted.

Lois Ehlert is one of my favorite picture book authors. She hails from my home town of Milwaukee. Many of her books are at least somewhat rooted in her surroundings, so I always feel that we're getting a dose of the Midwest when I read her books to Silas. This is certainly true for this book, as there are photographs of real snowmen in the back, each one reminding me of the endless Wisconsin winters. Aside from that, all of her books are colorful and creatively designed. We have several other beautiful books authored by Ehlert, including two that just arrived for Silas from the LeClair family (Thanks guys! He LOVES them, and so do I!). Don't be surprised if you see some of these presented as future books of the month.

Not only is Snowballs a fun book to share with Silas, I also appreciate the fact that it teaches children to think beyond the simple joy of making a snowman to the positive impact their actions have on other living beings. Even after the snow family melts away and is no more, the birds can eat what's left behind. One of the most important traits to teach a child is empathy. This book hints at that importance, without being preachy or obvious. A lovely choice to put on your January reading shelf.

December 08 Book of the Month

Introducing Planet Silas' December 08 book of the month:

The Twelve Days of Christmas : A Pop-Up Celebration by Robert Sabuda.

This is an unusual choice for Book of the Month, not for lack of quality or kid-appeal, but because it is definitely NOT a toddler book. It is, after all, a pop-up book, and my toddler, like 99 % of toddlers worldwide, destroys pop-up books faster than you can recite "The 12 days of Christmas." But it's such a fun book, I couldn't resist highlighting it this month. Silas and I read it together, and it's safe to say that the words "don't touch, just look" are uttered from my lips as often as "a partridge in a pair tree." Still, it captivates both toddler and adult alike. Really, all of Robert Sabuda's pop-up books are incredible and are worth checking out. I've never come across one that didn't awe me. Seriously, he is a paper-engineering rock star.

Well, I probably don't have to go into a detailed summary of this book. It is the traditional song, as told through words and pop-up images. You can see a few pages here. We will be relying on this book to bring us some holiday cheer each night through this dark month.

November 08 Book of the Month

Introducing Planet Silas' November 08 book of the month:

Engine, Engine, Number Nine by Stephanie Calmenson ; illustrated by Paul Meisel.

Okay, two things to mention before I describe the book. First, I'm really late with this, as I normally try to publish the book of the month post on the 1st day of the month. With Halloween and the election, I pushed it back. Second, I don't have a bunch of pictures of Silas reading the book. I mean, do you really need to see pictures of him reading books every month? It's a little boring, right? And to be honest, I was getting tired of doing a kid-with-book-in-hand photo shoot every month. It's not that easy to get good shot when he's got his head in a book. So, from now on, unless there happens to be a nice picture of him looking at a book, or there's some other reason to post such pictures, the book of the month post will feature book cover images and a write-up of story in question and that's that.

So, let's get to it! This is a book that I used to read to Silas in the olden days when the worst thing he could do to a book was drool on it. In other words, we both really seemed to like this book when I could sit there and read it to him and there was little interaction on his part. At some point, it got shelved and forgotten about. Not too long ago, Silas brought it down and asked me to read it to him. "I remember that book, we loved that book" I said. I doubt Silas actively recalled it, but regardless, after just one or two readings, this became a frequent request. It's also the sort of book wherein after completing one reading, Silas shoves it in my face yelling "Mom, mom" until I agree to read it again (several more times).

Now, to the book itself. This is the story of a train picking up a myriad of passengers, from Bess and her pet pig, to Jake and his prize cow, to an entire marching band. They're all on their way to a county fair and it's the engine's mission to get them there on time. I don't know why both Silas and I love this book so much. Certainly, it's got a nice rhythm and there are lots of characters to follow. It's also humorous and sweet and, speaking as someone who went to the state fair every year, somewhat nostalgic. But there's something more to it that I can't quite place my finger on, even though I should be able to for the purposes of writing this review. Well, it's enough that we enjoy reading it, and I don't sigh and say "not that one again" when he asks me to read it for the hundredth time.

Sorry to say, but there's no honorable mention this month. Maybe I'll get back into the swing of it next month. Stay tuned...