I have to admit, in all my years as a bookseller, I haven't paid very close attention to board books. Even in my former days as a children's librarian, those little volumes just weren't on my radar. Shameful, I know. Sure I could recommend a baby shower gift-book or two, and always knew the latest quirky releases, but larger picture books have always had a way of stealing the show. With their subtle plots, layered illustrations, and award-winning potential, full-scale picture books tend to offer more adult appeal. It can be hard to get excited about books that are aimed only at the littlest of readers--published exclusively in board book form. How much time do we spend actually thinking about and discussing the merits of books by Sandra Boynton or Karen Katz? When I found out I was expecting my first child this summer, I suddenly found myself paying VERY close attention to the section I had so long neglected. It seemed that most folks (myself included) weren't sure exactly when to start reading to their infants, and were disappointed by the amount of information out there as to what actually works and what doesn't. I knew it was high time to take a crash course in "Board Book 101." After doing some research, I was finally able to figure out which books to choose from a developmental standpoint. It really helped to start thinking in terms of what babies can see, rather than what they can comprehend. Color doesn't seem to matter much to newborns, but they still love looking at books as much as older babies! They are incredibly drawn to high-contrast, black and white images. Books like, Look at the Animals! by Peter Linenthal or White on Black by Tana Hoban, with their big bold shapes are perfect for them. At around 6-8 weeks, infants become more aware of color and are drawn to shapes and angles in illustrations. Books like What Do you See? by Martine Perrin, and I Kissed the Baby, by Mary Murphy are fantastic for this beginning stage, and offer just a little more interest for parents as well. I especially love that I Kissed the Baby has a miniature plot that older siblings seem to find hilarious! At about 3 months, babies start to scan their environment. They can recognize people, objects, and other familiar things, but they also know when something is different or out of place. Novelty is key. It helps to think of the environment to which a baby will become accustomed, and what might surprise him/her. I tried to imagine the things our little one will see every day. Dogs, cats, bicycles, nature, the bathtub, clothing, kitchen things (his/her papa is a chef), and books that might include those elements. Babies of all ages are particularly fascinated by faces, and books that feature lots of different types of faces (both illustrated and photographed ) of babies, children, and adults are great for every stage. There might not often be much in the way of text for parents to read, but the more diverse group of faces you include in your viewing, the better! Babies love to study eyes, noses, ears, hair, and even belly buttons, so it's best to keep things varied. Of course, books for slightly older babies, like Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown, and I am a Bunny by Richard Scary, are classics for a reason. Board books that perfectly capture the elements of a little one's environment, use reassuring repetition, and still provide enough novelty to keep things interesting, are books that every generation will return to again and again. I Am a Bunny has always been my go-to baby shower gift book. Even in my board book ignorance, I knew there was something special about it, the way it resonates with readers both young and old. So can you guess the first book I purchased when it came time to start building a library for baby-on-the-way? Of course you can. In the end, it's always best to remember that you will be the one doing the reading, and to choose books you love as well. Babies can definitely sense our enthusiasm for certain books over others, so what better way to create a reader than to start bonding over favorite books right away? I've still got a lot to learn about the world of board books, but I suspect that my library shelves will be full of them before this little one even arrives! *Andrea This morning I totally started the day right. I ran around outside in my red hood and checked out the purple crocuses and papas biking with their daughters at daybreak. When I came home my roommates were cooking me breakfast--coffee, poached eggs, and asparagus with Japanese mayonnaise. Just to be sweet! I was feeling really lucky, like the simplest things were parties. Counting blessings and celebrating the simple are Byrd Baylor and Peter Parnall's favorite pastimes, and I reread these three stellar picture books this morning in honor of my especially good mood. What a sappy post this is! *Elizabeth RULE NUMBER 8 The shape of the rock is up to you. (There is a girl in Alaska who only likes flat rocks. Don't ask me why. I like them lumpy.) The thing to remember about shapes is this: Any rock looks good with a hundred other rocks around it on a hill. But if your rock is going to be special it should look good by itself in the bathtub. The way to start a day is this-- Go outside and face the east and greet the sun with some kind of blessing or chant or song that you made yourself and keep for early morning. The way to make the song is this-- Don't try to think what words to use until you're standing there alone. I put myself in charge. I choose my own. Last year I gave myself one hundred and eight celebrations-- besides the ones that they close school for. I cannot get by with only a few. Friend, I'll tell you how it works. I keep a notebook and I write the date and then I write about the celebration. I don't think I'm the only one who associates the Newbery Award with bawling my eyes out. I've had to stock up on the tissues for everything from A Wrinkle in Time to Moon Over Manifest, so I tend to brace myself when picking up a new winner every year. As much as I love a good cry, I couldn't be more pleased that a 'funny book' was awarded the gold this year. Never was a funny book more heartfelt or more deserving of the gold than Jack Gantos', Dead End in Norvelt. Gantos is truly an unlikely children's book author, and if you haven't yet heard his brilliant segment on NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! then head on over to their website and have a listen. SAGAL: So I was reading your book and it's about a kid named - let me check - Jack Gantos. GANTOS: Yes. SAGAL: Who is growing up in a town called Norvelt. GANTOS: Yes. SAGAL: In Pennsylvania, which is a real town where you yourself grew up. GANTOS: Yes. (SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER) SAGAL: I mean, is this book autobiographical? We can only assume, since the character is named after you and growing up where you grew up and when you grew up there. GANTOS: Yeah, yeah, all those three things point to autobiographical. He also plays a chuckle-worthy round of Not My Job (on romance novels, of all things), so don't miss it! *Andrea We're already looking forward to February 16th's BOOK WITH A HOLE IN IT class! The latest in a whole series of bookmaking classes for kids ages 6-11. We'll use pages with big ol' holes to create a story. We'll put on our thinking caps and make the hole transform into different objects as we turn the pages. What will the hole reveal on the very last page? 3:30-4:30 $10 per child per class. Call 503-954-2354 to sign up! Check out BRAINPICKINGS best-illustrated list!
The votes are in! The 2012 ALA Award Winners (Caldecott, Newbery, Printz, etc.) were announced last week, and we were thrilled to see some of our favorites on the list. (Bonus points if you can name the picture book characters in the voting booths above.) While some winners and honors were easy to predict (A Ball for Daisy, Inside Out and Back Again), there were some real surprises this season as well. Check out the full list of winners here, or a condensed list plus a few reviews over at Horn Book. And don't forget to head on over to Green Bean to check out the winners in person! --Andrea _ PART ONE OF MAURICE SENDAK ON THE COLBERT REPORT! PART TWO OF MAURICE SENDAK ON THE COLBERT REPORT! HILARIOUS! What a goof troup, these two! I love how Sendak is wearing New Balance sneakers, and when Colbert says, "I don't believe in monkeys." In another mood entirely... _ _THE NPR interview, on Fresh Air, which will make you cry, cry, cry. "When I did Bumble-ardy, I was so intensely aware of death," he says. "Eugene, my friend and partner, was dying here in the house when I did Bumble-ardy. I did Bumble-ardy to save myself. I did not want to die with him. I wanted to live as any human being does. But there's no question that the book was affected by what was going on here in the house. ... Bumble-ardy was a combination of the deepest pain and the wondrous feeling of coming into my own. And it took a long time. It took a very long time." <3 <3 <3 Elizabeth _ Emily Winfield Martin--creator of the The Black Apple’s Paperdoll Primer--will celebrate her beautiful new book--Oddfellow’s Orphanage—at Green Bean Books on February 19th at 2 PM. This event will include an Emily-led drawing activity, as strange and breathtaking as ever. “What do an onion-headed boy, a child-sized hedgehog, and a tattooed girl have in common? They are all orphans at Oddfellow's Orphanage! This unusual early chapter book began life as a series of full-color portraits with character descriptions. Author/illustrator Emily Martin has fleshed out the world of Oddfellow's with a cozy collection of tales that follows a new orphan, Delia, as she discovers the delights of her new home. From classes in Cryptozoology and Fairy Tale Studies to trips to the circus, from Annual Hair Cutting Day to a sea monster-sighting field trip, things at Oddfellows are anything but ordinary ...” <3 <3 <3 Elizabeth <3 <3 <3
Elizabeth We're so excited! _ GUESS WHAT! Stellar singer/songwriter Laura Veirs is coming to GREEN BEAN! Gather round on February 29th at 11 AM to hear songs off her new album of folk for kids, "Tumble Bee," and chat with Laura about life as a music-maker! This event is FREE! The lovely Carson Ellis, another friend of Green Bean Books, did the album artwork! _<3 <3 <3
Elizabeth |
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