Overheard at CCC, courtesy of Allyssa:
A picnic was underway in the Front Yard. Amy was serving food and Alex approached.
Alex (to Amy): "Do you have any poop?"
Amy, after looking carefully: "I have a little poop."
Alex: "I want some real wicked pirate poop!"
Henry, glaring at himself in the mirror: "Abracadabra! I'm gonna cast a spell and turn you into a stinky poopy bottom head!"
Monday, January 18, 2010
Kindergarten Q&A: Rick and Otto
If you enjoyed the Kindergarten Q&A with Anna and Elsa, read on for another interview, this time with Rick Reed and his son Otto, who graduated from CCC last year. Lay your kindergarten fears to rest, Rick says, "It's all going to work out fine." Meanwhile, Otto shares a somewhat contrasting perspective...
Where is your child attending school?
Rick: St. Paul’s in Oakland.
School choice is often a personal one, but do you have anything you'd like to share about why you chose your school?
When we were choosing CCC, it just felt right the minute we walked through the gate. All the rational ideas about what we were looking for were trumped by the “this is it” feeling. We looked at multiple options for kindergartens. St. Paul’s was the last place we looked. Until we walked in the door, no place had that “this is it” feeling like CCC.
Of course, just because the place felt good to us, didn’t mean Otto would like it, but, so far, so good.
How is your child's transition to kindergarten going? Any surprises?
It’s a really long day—8:30 in the morning until 2:30 in the afternoon. There’s no napping! As working parents, we were counting on having Otto in aftercare. Aftercare was wonderful at CCC! But to our surprise, Otto has been too tired, and because the aftercare at his new school is for kids from K–8th grade, the little kids don’t get enough structured attention. The most challenging part is we miss Auden and the CCC aftercare.
How do you think your time at CCC helped prepare you and your child for kindergarten (and beyond)?
In terms of his parents, all the opportunities for participation in class gave us a window into the world of our kids. What a relief to see the range of different behaviors and how Otto fits. We also learned ways of talking with Otto (what’s your plan?), and of understanding his nature by watching how he approached his first weeks as a Front Yarder (he’s very slow to warm-up to new situations).
In terms of Otto, he really went from a feral beast to semi-civilized. He also made enduring friendships at CCC and to this day talks about his CCC buddies.
Any words of advice for current backyard families gearing up for kindergarten?
I can’t say that every family will have the Eureka! feeling we had when we toured St. Paul’s. But in talking with so many of the BY kids from Otto’s class, whether they are going to Cragmont, Thousand Oaks, Jefferson, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X or Park Day, they all report REALLY LIKING their new schools. So, I’d say as rationally challenging as it is for us parents to pick the “right school,” our kids are amazingly flexible and are likely to thrive wherever they land.
So, relax! It’s all going to work out fine.
Q&A with Otto:
What do you remember most about being at CCC?
Making tin foil swords with Teo.
What is something cool about being in kindergarten?
I haven’t decided on that yet.
How is kindergarten different from being at CCC?
(Unlike CCC), they make you do things in kindergarten and I don’t like it.
Where is your child attending school?
Rick: St. Paul’s in Oakland.
School choice is often a personal one, but do you have anything you'd like to share about why you chose your school?
When we were choosing CCC, it just felt right the minute we walked through the gate. All the rational ideas about what we were looking for were trumped by the “this is it” feeling. We looked at multiple options for kindergartens. St. Paul’s was the last place we looked. Until we walked in the door, no place had that “this is it” feeling like CCC.
Of course, just because the place felt good to us, didn’t mean Otto would like it, but, so far, so good.
How is your child's transition to kindergarten going? Any surprises?
It’s a really long day—8:30 in the morning until 2:30 in the afternoon. There’s no napping! As working parents, we were counting on having Otto in aftercare. Aftercare was wonderful at CCC! But to our surprise, Otto has been too tired, and because the aftercare at his new school is for kids from K–8th grade, the little kids don’t get enough structured attention. The most challenging part is we miss Auden and the CCC aftercare.
How do you think your time at CCC helped prepare you and your child for kindergarten (and beyond)?
In terms of his parents, all the opportunities for participation in class gave us a window into the world of our kids. What a relief to see the range of different behaviors and how Otto fits. We also learned ways of talking with Otto (what’s your plan?), and of understanding his nature by watching how he approached his first weeks as a Front Yarder (he’s very slow to warm-up to new situations).
In terms of Otto, he really went from a feral beast to semi-civilized. He also made enduring friendships at CCC and to this day talks about his CCC buddies.
Any words of advice for current backyard families gearing up for kindergarten?
I can’t say that every family will have the Eureka! feeling we had when we toured St. Paul’s. But in talking with so many of the BY kids from Otto’s class, whether they are going to Cragmont, Thousand Oaks, Jefferson, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X or Park Day, they all report REALLY LIKING their new schools. So, I’d say as rationally challenging as it is for us parents to pick the “right school,” our kids are amazingly flexible and are likely to thrive wherever they land.
So, relax! It’s all going to work out fine.
Q&A with Otto:
What do you remember most about being at CCC?
Making tin foil swords with Teo.
What is something cool about being in kindergarten?
I haven’t decided on that yet.
How is kindergarten different from being at CCC?
(Unlike CCC), they make you do things in kindergarten and I don’t like it.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Concrete Pour: Go Behind the Scenes!
Coming back from the winter break, Back Yarders met with a delightful surprise: brand new concrete paths and patio in their play area. Many immediately took to the trikes and wagons, which had long been challenging to ride over the cracks and bumps in the old asphalt. What a difference! The new concrete is stronger (with the addition of steel supports), and because the hard surfaces are all concrete, instead of the old concrete/asphalt mix, the entire yard is now unified, giving a sense of more space. The grade on the paths is also easier for kids to manage and there is no longer an issue of rainwater running towards the building.
Here Andy Brucker, Buildings and Grounds Chair, shares some of the behind-the-scenes action, which included threats of rain, major demolition and an accidental concrete spew! Read on for the details:
Over the break we removed all the existing cabinetry. Next we started the demo process, which took three days. The demolition contractor had to bring out a mini-bobcat (small tractor) with a concrete breaker, which made a lot of noise but helped get the concrete out. The concrete was much thicker than expected and really took a while to remove. I think there were seven people lugging the concrete up to the dumpster for two days.
Next up was the layout phase: trying to figure out how to slope the concrete to allow the water to run off in the right directions and make it safe and pleasurable to walk, run and ride on. I did the layout with the contractor and his foreman. It took about four hours.
Then it was time for the big construction crew to come in and build forms for the concrete and set up the re-bar (structural steel). The crew was six people, and that took a day and a half. This took place during Monday of the second week of the break.
Then it was time to pour the concrete, except the weather reports were always calling for a chance of rain, which was making it look like it would be impossible to finish the concrete before the kids returned on January the 4th. That was definitely the hardest part of the entire job for me, worrying about the weather is a tough slog.
Anyway, we decided to pour on New Year's Eve day. At first the concrete pump broke and spewed concrete all over the place (Front Yard and Back), and the rain clouds seemed to be coming in. But eventually the sun broke out, and everything started going smoothly.
I woke up New Years Day and took all the family and Caroline and Sage up to see the beautiful new Back Yard that would be there to enjoy for years to come. That was a great way to start a new decade!
Plans and fundraising for the project were in the works for more than two years. Contributing to the design were Andy, the CCC teachers, Saul Picardo (CCC alum and architect) and Phil Worman (CCC alum and former B&G chair). Demolition of the cabinets was accomplished by the B&G crew. A big thanks to Andy and the B&G crew, and to all families past and present who donated time and money to this wonderful improvement!
(PS: For anyone needing help with concrete, Andy would like to recommend Mike Lozica, Lozica Contracting Inc. who did the demolition, concrete and finishing. “Mike was a pleasure to work with and a great concrete contractor. His number is (510) 334-6029. If anyone needs any type of concrete work done, he's reasonable and reliable.”)
(PPS: Want to see more photos of the pour in process? Join CCC's facebook page and check out the photo album: http://www.facebook.com/cccpreschool )
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Kindergarten Q&A: Anna and Elsa
For Back Yard families, attention is turning to life beyond CCC. Kindergarten is on the horizon. Between all the conversations, school tours, information nights, open houses and online reviews, this can be a confusing and even anxiety-provoking time. Not to mention the fact that our little ones are - gasp! - growing up.
Fortunately, we have a great resource to guide the way: our CCC alums! In coming weeks, we'll be hearing from parents and kids who have made the transition from CCC to elementary school. Sure it's a big world out there, but they say it's not so scary.
First up, a Q&A with Anna Rainier and her daughter Elsa, who graduated from CCC last year:
Where is your child attending school?
Anna: Oxford Elementary School.
School choice is often a personal one, but do you have anything you'd like to share about why you chose your school?
I picked it because it is one of the smaller schools and I like the location. I also took my time to visit all the schools in the Central Zone (the zone we are in) and from all those visits I liked Cragmont and Oxford the best. What made me decide in the end was the size (Oxford being smaller), Janet Levenson, the principal who is such an awesome person, and they have a teacher's aid in each of the kindergarten classrooms. I also had in mind that if Elsa wanted to do after school at CCC, Oxford was a good choice. Elsa's kindergarten teacher walks her over when class is done at 1:20.
How is your child's transition to kindergarten going? Any surprises?
At this point Elsa has transitioned and is very happy to be a kindergartner. In the beginning it was really rough though, and she did not want to go to school. Every morning was a struggle with lots of "pep" talk to get there on time (which is 8am at Oxford). She also kept asking why can I not be at CCC? What was and still is difficult for me is the emphasis on academics and therefore less attention to conflict resolution, social skills and building of a community. They are after all just 5 (or some just 4) years old and need a lot of help to grow.
How do you think your time at CCC helped prepare you and your child for kindergarten (and beyond)?
All the talking and checking in with your friends that the teachers and parents do at CCC prepare the children to deal with conflicts by themselves. CCC kids know how to communicate and are not afraid to ask for what they need. Elsa already knows most of the parents and she sees them as someone to go to for support.
Any words of advice for current backyard families gearing up for kindergarten?
Take a deep breath and keep repeating: Everything will be just fine...
Q&A with Elsa:
What do you remember most about being at CCC?
Allyssa and Lara.
What is something cool about being in kindergarten?
Having a really nice teacher, Ms. Henderson. It is cool to learn how to write and read.
How is kindergarten different from being at CCC?
It is a much bigger school but the classroom is smaller. And you have to wear shoes.
Fortunately, we have a great resource to guide the way: our CCC alums! In coming weeks, we'll be hearing from parents and kids who have made the transition from CCC to elementary school. Sure it's a big world out there, but they say it's not so scary.
First up, a Q&A with Anna Rainier and her daughter Elsa, who graduated from CCC last year:
Where is your child attending school?
Anna: Oxford Elementary School.
School choice is often a personal one, but do you have anything you'd like to share about why you chose your school?
I picked it because it is one of the smaller schools and I like the location. I also took my time to visit all the schools in the Central Zone (the zone we are in) and from all those visits I liked Cragmont and Oxford the best. What made me decide in the end was the size (Oxford being smaller), Janet Levenson, the principal who is such an awesome person, and they have a teacher's aid in each of the kindergarten classrooms. I also had in mind that if Elsa wanted to do after school at CCC, Oxford was a good choice. Elsa's kindergarten teacher walks her over when class is done at 1:20.
How is your child's transition to kindergarten going? Any surprises?
At this point Elsa has transitioned and is very happy to be a kindergartner. In the beginning it was really rough though, and she did not want to go to school. Every morning was a struggle with lots of "pep" talk to get there on time (which is 8am at Oxford). She also kept asking why can I not be at CCC? What was and still is difficult for me is the emphasis on academics and therefore less attention to conflict resolution, social skills and building of a community. They are after all just 5 (or some just 4) years old and need a lot of help to grow.
How do you think your time at CCC helped prepare you and your child for kindergarten (and beyond)?
All the talking and checking in with your friends that the teachers and parents do at CCC prepare the children to deal with conflicts by themselves. CCC kids know how to communicate and are not afraid to ask for what they need. Elsa already knows most of the parents and she sees them as someone to go to for support.
Any words of advice for current backyard families gearing up for kindergarten?
Take a deep breath and keep repeating: Everything will be just fine...
Q&A with Elsa:
What do you remember most about being at CCC?
Allyssa and Lara.
What is something cool about being in kindergarten?
Having a really nice teacher, Ms. Henderson. It is cool to learn how to write and read.
How is kindergarten different from being at CCC?
It is a much bigger school but the classroom is smaller. And you have to wear shoes.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Favorite Children’s CDs
Just in time for your last-minute holiday shopping, read on for suggestions of CDs enjoyed by fellow CCC families. You can also check out the recent posts on favorite books and favorite videos. Thanks to all who shared—I know these lists have given me lots of ideas!
Kate (Milo, BY) writes, “This summer we fell madly in love with the CD set of Winnie the Pooh read by British actor Jim Broadbent. It's a three-CD set, and I'm sure we listened to it easily more than 10 times over within the scope of a month. Amazingly enough, Phil and I both find it both sweet and hilarious every time.”
Lately Milo’s family has been taking a break from kid music, Kate says, “Though we always love Dan Zanes, Elizabeth Mitchell and the like ... but lately Milo has been really into The Mikado! Go figure. Trying to do more classic Beatles as well.”
Samantha says that Patrick (FY) has been enjoying A Bam Bam Diddly by Father Goose, as well as anything by Dan Zanes or Bev Bos, and the soundtrack to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (from 1973).
Ula (BY) has been listening to 96 Degrees in the Shade by Third World.
Josie (BY) and her big brother Sam like Dino 5, says their mom Ellen, “hip-hop for kids with Tracy Triceratops and Billy Brontosauras.”
Elise (Hazel Rose, BY) writes, “Our favorite kids CDs are still Octapretzel (local band) and Melita's Delicate Web. Though they are not for children, we both love Amy Bruckmeier's CDs!!!” (Amy is Ula’s mom in the Back Yard, and Pearl seconds the recommendation!)
Kristen (Mazi, BY and Finn, FY) suggests the Putamayo Kids series—“Any of their CDs are great.” Also African Lullaby from the Ellipsis Arts Lullabies series.
And finally, Ani shares that Ian (FY) has caught the spirit of the season and “loves, loves, loves Christmas songs this year, especially ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ and ‘Jingle Bells.’” Lately Ani has overheard Ian making up his own words to songs, including, "Here comes Santa Claus... going to jail!"
Well, Ian, I hope Santa can stay out of trouble long enough to deliver the goods. And to all, my wishes for a joyous holiday season!
Kate (Milo, BY) writes, “This summer we fell madly in love with the CD set of Winnie the Pooh read by British actor Jim Broadbent. It's a three-CD set, and I'm sure we listened to it easily more than 10 times over within the scope of a month. Amazingly enough, Phil and I both find it both sweet and hilarious every time.”
Lately Milo’s family has been taking a break from kid music, Kate says, “Though we always love Dan Zanes, Elizabeth Mitchell and the like ... but lately Milo has been really into The Mikado! Go figure. Trying to do more classic Beatles as well.”
Samantha says that Patrick (FY) has been enjoying A Bam Bam Diddly by Father Goose, as well as anything by Dan Zanes or Bev Bos, and the soundtrack to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (from 1973).
Ula (BY) has been listening to 96 Degrees in the Shade by Third World.
Josie (BY) and her big brother Sam like Dino 5, says their mom Ellen, “hip-hop for kids with Tracy Triceratops and Billy Brontosauras.”
Elise (Hazel Rose, BY) writes, “Our favorite kids CDs are still Octapretzel (local band) and Melita's Delicate Web. Though they are not for children, we both love Amy Bruckmeier's CDs!!!” (Amy is Ula’s mom in the Back Yard, and Pearl seconds the recommendation!)
Kristen (Mazi, BY and Finn, FY) suggests the Putamayo Kids series—“Any of their CDs are great.” Also African Lullaby from the Ellipsis Arts Lullabies series.
And finally, Ani shares that Ian (FY) has caught the spirit of the season and “loves, loves, loves Christmas songs this year, especially ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ and ‘Jingle Bells.’” Lately Ani has overheard Ian making up his own words to songs, including, "Here comes Santa Claus... going to jail!"
Well, Ian, I hope Santa can stay out of trouble long enough to deliver the goods. And to all, my wishes for a joyous holiday season!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Favorite Children’s Videos
From Charlie Chaplin to Japanese animation to a Canadian farm documentary, CCC parents share recommendations for kid-friendly videos. Pick up some ideas for your next family movie night. Don’t forget the popcorn!Annie (Alex, FY) writes, “We have recently discovered and fallen in love with The Little Travelers for our weekly movie night. They are two girls from Southern California who travel around the world. The movies are stories of their adventures and they're full of sweetness, curiosity and exploration. They're really well done. We've watched Bali, Japan and Iran... Bali being our favorite. We highly recommend!”
Val (Rudy, BY) reports, “Just got a hot tip on a DVD from Farmer Stanley at the Little Farm in Tilden. There's a group out of Manitoba called Rural Route Video with a DVD called Katherine's Farm, a year in the life of a young girl growing up on a Canadian farm... Just our speed.”
Samantha (Patrick, FY) recommends both Dan Zanes concert DVDs, Eloise videos, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (“He has a big sister who did not watch these at 3, by the way”). She adds two of his favorite TV shows right now are Wordgirl and Super Why.
Ani (Ian, FY) says Ian’s top movie picks are: Toy Story, Cinderella, Up and any Pixar movie.
Amy (Ula, BY) writes, “Ula is loving Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, and Season 1 of Sesame Street, downloaded off of iTunes. She loves the song about 'Dad, D-A-D, Dad!’”
Kristen (mom of Mazi, BY and Finn, FY) recommends: Scholastic Video Collection (“tons of great books made into simple video form”) and some true classics: Charlie Chaplin, The Red Balloon and The Three Stooges.
Ellen (Josie, BY) writes, “Kirikou is a favorite. It's based on a West African folktale. Kirikou, a walking, talking, tiny newborn saves his village from the evil sorceress. Cool animation and good music too.”
Elise (Hazel Rose, BY): “Charlie and Lola have been nice to have around. They are British animated siblings who have a nice relationship. All of the Hayao Miyazaki movies that are age appropriate are well loved by both of us: Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Ponyo (when it comes out), and well, yes, a lot of the way age inappropriate ones, too: Castle in the Sky, Howl's Moving Castle, Nausicaa, Monoke, Spirited Away.” Elise advises that parents pre-screen to make sure these are a good fit for their kids.
Kate (Milo, BY) also chimes in on Miyazaki films, including My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service. She adds, “There are a bunch of other great ones that are pretty wild and scary and probably not suited for this audience, but our kids love them: Porco Rosso, Laputa, Howl's Moving Castle, etc.”
And Kate writes, “We can't get enough of the BBC Series by David Attenborough: The Life of Birds, The Life of Mammals, The Blue Planet. Literally, Milo's first choice these days when picking something to watch.”
“Otherwise, old school Looney Tunes: The Rabbit of Seville ... Amazing animation with the fantastic scores from Carl Stalling. We love the classical music mixed in. And now our kids will listen to the Barber of Seville!”
Want to watch now? Kate suggests these classics on YouTube: Tom and Jerry play the Hollywood Bowl (Die Fledermaus), and Tom and Jerry play Franz Liszt.
What are your family’s favorite videos? Share them below!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Favorite Children's Books
Reading with kids is one of the true joys of parenthood, a time to reconnect with treasured classics and discover new favorites, and a time to connect with our kids, hear their ideas and explore the world together through books.
Here CCC parents share some of the titles they have enjoyed with their little ones. Read on if you’re looking for inspiration for your family’s library.
Lately Aeneas’ (FY) family has been reading My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett. His mom Jessica writes, “We were looking for chapter books to capture Aeneas' attention. It took a little adjustment for him to get used to fewer pictures and more text.” But, she adds, “He is starting to own with pride the idea that we are reading a chapter book.”
Hazel Rose (BY) enjoys the Flower Fairies Friends book series (authors include Kay Woodward and Pippa Le Quesne). Her mom Elise writes, “They have good stories that always involve the main character making a mistake natural to their own temperament, and then having to solve the muddle that ensues, usually with help. They teach great friendship and self-knowledge values through engaging stories.” Hazel Rose also likes Pippi Longstocking and its sequels (Back Yarders may have noted Pippi as one of HR’s fashion icons).
Ian (FY) is fond of anything Toy Story or super-hero-related. Other favorites, says his mom Ani, include Where the Wild Things Are, Corduroy (“about a defective toy store bear who finally gets adopted”), Just Me and My Family by Mercer Mayer (“has cute little anecdotes about spending time with family”) and Caps For Sale.
Milo’s (BY) family enjoys Elsa Beskow’s beautifully illustrated classics for bedtime, including Peter's Old House, Christopher's Harvest Time and The Sun Egg. For chapter books, his mom Kate writes, “We love anything by Roald Dahl, most recently The Giraffe, The Pelly and Me and Danny the Champion of the World. You can get these on CD read by the author and they are wonderful too.”
She adds, “We also love Astrid Lindgren's chapter book series on The Children of Noisy Village—stories of three families of children who live on neighboring farms in rural Sweden around the turn of the century. There is also a picture book called Christmas in Noisy Village that is a classic we've been reading since I was a kid!”
Kristen, mom of Mazi (BY) and Finn (FY), shares two of her boys’ top picks: Pierre in Love by Sara Pennypacker, and Trashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman.
A favorite of Pearl’s (BY) is The Amazing Bone by William Steig, about a pig named Pearl who befriends a talking bone. Other great books by William Steig are Farmer Palmer’s Wagon Ride and Spinky Sulks, about a particularly tenacious sulker. She has also been enjoying longer books of late—a recent fave: The Velveteen Rabbit.
Patrick (FY) likes anything by Margaret Mahy, including The Great White Man Eating Shark, Jam, The Three-Legged Cat, The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate and The Rattlebang Picnic. He has also enjoyed Thatcher Hurd’s Artdog, Mystery on the Docks and Pea Patch Jig as well as Mordicai Gerstein’s Mountains of Tibet. His mom Samantha adds he also likes books about stars, planets or Greek myths (especially Cyclops and Medusa).
Ula (BY) and her mom Amy recently checked out David Soman’s superhero inspired Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy from the library. Amy writes, “Even though she usually doesn't like to hear a story more than once, or possibly twice, we've read this about twice a day for three days. I guess she likes it?”
So…. feeling inspired and ready to shop? Milo's mom Kate reminds us to check out our great Bay Area independent bookstores. Among her faves are Mrs. Dalloway's (“they can order almost anything for you and are super nice!”), Pegasus, Books Inc. and Moe's. And recently she visited City Lights in San Francisco, with their “small but utterly unbelievable children's section. I could have spent a thousand dollars there easily! Really amazing stuff I haven't seen anywhere else.” And of course you can always take your wish list to your local library and test out new titles before you buy!
Does your family have a favorite children’s book not mentioned here? Share it in the comments section below!
Here CCC parents share some of the titles they have enjoyed with their little ones. Read on if you’re looking for inspiration for your family’s library.
Lately Aeneas’ (FY) family has been reading My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett. His mom Jessica writes, “We were looking for chapter books to capture Aeneas' attention. It took a little adjustment for him to get used to fewer pictures and more text.” But, she adds, “He is starting to own with pride the idea that we are reading a chapter book.”
Hazel Rose (BY) enjoys the Flower Fairies Friends book series (authors include Kay Woodward and Pippa Le Quesne). Her mom Elise writes, “They have good stories that always involve the main character making a mistake natural to their own temperament, and then having to solve the muddle that ensues, usually with help. They teach great friendship and self-knowledge values through engaging stories.” Hazel Rose also likes Pippi Longstocking and its sequels (Back Yarders may have noted Pippi as one of HR’s fashion icons).
Ian (FY) is fond of anything Toy Story or super-hero-related. Other favorites, says his mom Ani, include Where the Wild Things Are, Corduroy (“about a defective toy store bear who finally gets adopted”), Just Me and My Family by Mercer Mayer (“has cute little anecdotes about spending time with family”) and Caps For Sale.
Milo’s (BY) family enjoys Elsa Beskow’s beautifully illustrated classics for bedtime, including Peter's Old House, Christopher's Harvest Time and The Sun Egg. For chapter books, his mom Kate writes, “We love anything by Roald Dahl, most recently The Giraffe, The Pelly and Me and Danny the Champion of the World. You can get these on CD read by the author and they are wonderful too.”
She adds, “We also love Astrid Lindgren's chapter book series on The Children of Noisy Village—stories of three families of children who live on neighboring farms in rural Sweden around the turn of the century. There is also a picture book called Christmas in Noisy Village that is a classic we've been reading since I was a kid!”
Kristen, mom of Mazi (BY) and Finn (FY), shares two of her boys’ top picks: Pierre in Love by Sara Pennypacker, and Trashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman.
A favorite of Pearl’s (BY) is The Amazing Bone by William Steig, about a pig named Pearl who befriends a talking bone. Other great books by William Steig are Farmer Palmer’s Wagon Ride and Spinky Sulks, about a particularly tenacious sulker. She has also been enjoying longer books of late—a recent fave: The Velveteen Rabbit.
Patrick (FY) likes anything by Margaret Mahy, including The Great White Man Eating Shark, Jam, The Three-Legged Cat, The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate and The Rattlebang Picnic. He has also enjoyed Thatcher Hurd’s Artdog, Mystery on the Docks and Pea Patch Jig as well as Mordicai Gerstein’s Mountains of Tibet. His mom Samantha adds he also likes books about stars, planets or Greek myths (especially Cyclops and Medusa).
Ula (BY) and her mom Amy recently checked out David Soman’s superhero inspired Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy from the library. Amy writes, “Even though she usually doesn't like to hear a story more than once, or possibly twice, we've read this about twice a day for three days. I guess she likes it?”
So…. feeling inspired and ready to shop? Milo's mom Kate reminds us to check out our great Bay Area independent bookstores. Among her faves are Mrs. Dalloway's (“they can order almost anything for you and are super nice!”), Pegasus, Books Inc. and Moe's. And recently she visited City Lights in San Francisco, with their “small but utterly unbelievable children's section. I could have spent a thousand dollars there easily! Really amazing stuff I haven't seen anywhere else.” And of course you can always take your wish list to your local library and test out new titles before you buy!
Does your family have a favorite children’s book not mentioned here? Share it in the comments section below!
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