the black hare

Beginning the year with reading

2012-01-14T20:39:00.000-08:00

It's the new year and already I am trying to catch up with many things. One was getting all the books Nettles have read the past few months onto her GoodReads account. I'm quite proud of all her reading achievements!

Hooray for Pippilotta!

2011-05-18T11:15:00.000-07:00

I am a couple months late from posting this but alas, I am here now :) Last March we finished reading 'Pippi Longstocking' and it was a complete thrill! I grew up on the Pippi Longstocking movies so of course, when I found a 1959 paperback edition at our local thrift store, I was ecstatic. I couldn't wait to read it to Nat, knowing that Pippi and her crazy antics would be right up her alley.

I love all of her outrageous adventures from simple things with her two best friends, Tommy and Annika. Even in her unapologetic way of living, Pippi manages to keep herself in check (she has quite the logic on how she tells herself to go to bed). What I love most about Pippi is that she is strong (not just physically) in who she is and is not bothered on how others see her (though, she is a bit of a wreck at a tea party). She is courageous, inquisitive and tough but not without true feeling and sentiment.

We loved the Pippi book so much we netflixed the original movie and watched together laughing hysterically. I do hope Nat decides to be her for halloween as now she has officially made it to the possibility list. :)

In Addition--How awesome would this have been?:

Hayao Miyazaki's aborted anime film

In 1971, Japanese animators Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata had expressed great interest in doing an anime feature adaptation of Pippi Longstocking. The proposed project was titled Pippi Longstocking, The Strongest Girl In The World (長靴下のピッピ世界一強い女の子 - Nagakutsushita No Pippi, Sekai Ichi Tsuyoi Onna No Ko). They traveled to Sweden, and not only did research for the film (they went location scouting in Visby, one of the major locations where the 1969 TV series was filmed), but also personally visited creator Astrid Lindgren, and discussed the project with her. Unfortunately, after their meeting with Lindgren, their permission to complete the film was denied, and the project was canceled. Among what remains of the project are watercolored storyboards by Miyazaki himself.^[7]
^{(from Wikipedia)}

bedtime scripture reading

2011-01-31T12:38:00.000-08:00

Bonnie Wright reads Dickens' "A Christmas Tree" at Children & the Arts concert

2010-12-26T18:28:00.000-08:00

We'll have a thrifty books Christmas!

2010-12-09T12:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I visited my local thrift store with pretty much one intent, books and I believe I have found some real gems! I came home so excited at the amount of books purchased (26 in all!) and the amount of vintage ones I scored on as well. Most of them will be wrapped as part of my daughter's Christmas presents. A couple of them are going to children of a friend of mine (she too, loves 'new' books from thrift stores). Here are some of the goods:

This book I simply grabbed because I really enjoy the way it looked at me (yes, books can see me). It's from Penguin Books, Middlesex 1953. The pages are all brown tinted with age yet still is in quite good shape. This book is actually volume two from a set and begins with chapter nine: Christianity. I'm very pleased to have this as part of my collection.

I also liked that it has a personal message written inside it's cover, dated 1958. For some reason, these human touches on books seem priceless to me because it tells me this book did have another life (or more). Who knows the people who bought it, read it, gave as a gift or received it as one.

This next book I picked up immediately for my friend's sons. I went over to their house once and her youngest showed me a few of his favorite books and I think he will like this one as well.

We love Eric Carle and do have a small collection on his books with us. This one, we did not have but soon on Christmas Day, it will officially join the pack.

I immediately picked this out and put it in the cart. I knew I didn't even have to look at it right away to judge whether I wanted it or not. I was completely right with my first instinct. The book is from 1979 and it's filled with beautiful illustrations. When I showed my husband I was pleasantly surprised when he said he knew this book. Score!

The inside of Ox-Cart Man. More history here. I think I'll begin collection old library cards too but I don't think I want to remove them from the books they are found in.

Another delightful book that I will be giving to my friend. I almost want to keep it for myself it's so nice! It's also from 1979 and as the title says, is filled with facts and fables of various animals. The illustrations are beautiful (and some humorous) and I can't wait to give it to them.

This one I will be pulling out on Christmas Eve. It is from 1977 and I love when you open it to the second page, the illustration shows a mother nursing a baby. You really don't find those 'kind' of books anymore unless it's specific to nursing or something so it was a nice surprise. I also enjoy how the illustrations setting was inspired by the illustrator, Elisa Trimby's favorite house on the Atlantic Coast of Cornwall England.

Pop up books! So much fun aren't they, you can't really pass them up. These two are not vintage but still has that feeling based on the illustrations. It seems that I have found two of the four that were published together so I must keep my eye out for Pinocchio and Peter Pan.

A book from 1973 and adapted from a Russian story? I'm so there! I can't wait to read this one with Nat and enjoy the story as well as the beautiful color palettes of the birds and animals in it.

I had to have this one as well. From 1965, an instructional book for Campfire Girls. True to the time era, the illustrations are perfect with their white, blues, pink and corral colors. It is filled with great ideas and activities and I am sure my Brownie Girl Scout and I will make good use of it.

From one little girl to another and now to my little girl too.

She'll also enjoy that very popular book girl name of the sixties, Jane since it's her middle name.

All of these books were found in really good condition. This one actually seems like it was hardly used at all. I am sure we can fix that by reading over and over the classic English fairy tales inside. What makes it even better is the illustrations are by Arthur Rackham along with Jessie Wilcox Smith.

I love pretty and patterned book cover insides.

One of my favorite illustrations in the book.

Else Holmelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak are a must for our children's library. Especially since Sendak was one of my very first favorite illustrators. This one is from 1958.

Not a true vintage book since it was published in 2003 but has the illustrations from 1965. It has a funny little tale and is practically brand new.

Finally, we have Mathilda! Nat loves the movie and I can't wait to read the book to her. Also found was this paperback 1959 edition of Pippi Longstocking. I think every girl should know about Pippi, don't you? :)

Lastly, I found a handful of Beatrix Potter books missing from our small collection. The Beatrix Potter sized ones (the smaller ones as I call them) were all a part of gift for a two year old boy more than ten years ago. Now, they are ours. :)

Soleil Moon Frye Reading MOUSE COOKIES & MORE to Benefit FIRST BOOK (@moonfrye)

2010-12-09T10:21:00.000-08:00

Teatime: The Perfect Time For Sharing Family Stories

2010-12-09T08:50:00.000-08:00

Bigelow Tea posted a nice article on Teatime and Storytelling for National Family Story Month (which was November but really, can be anytime of the year)! Get a cup of tea, click the link and read the short article which will encourage and inspire sharing more stories with the ones we love...

(artwork my own, littlebighead)

Hedgehog in the Fog [Yuriy Norshteyn, 1975] HQ

2010-11-26T13:49:00.000-08:00

Memetales hosts a Chronicle Books giveaway!

2010-11-22T18:36:00.000-08:00

Memetales is hosting a giveaway from Chronicle Books. Just leave a comment on their blog (become a fan of Memetales on Facebook for an additional entry) for a chance to win $500 worth of books from Chronicle! Memetales has a few choices for the win too, like:

the spider and the fly

2010-10-29T20:21:00.000-07:00

Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly,
'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And I've a many curious things to shew when you are there."
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."

My newest favorite book we recently added to our family library is The Spider and The Fly illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi of (Spiderwick Chronicles fame, etc.). It's actually a poem written by Mary Howitt (1799-1888), that was published in 1829. Tony DiTerlizzi has done an amazing job with it, bringing it to life with his illustrations inspired by classic Hollywood horror movies of the 1920's and 1930's. It is quite the dark cautionary tale but I fell in love instantly. My heart further rejoiced when we brought it home to Nat and she quickly exclaimed, 'I love this book!' . We found out it had been read to her at her school so she was well familiar with it and I think that helped us a bit with the storyline with her. With so many sugarcoated stories out there you never know how a child (especially my sensitive one) will react but I think Tony DiTerlizzi's illustrations really bring it in the right way.

(photo from The Book Griffin. For their review of this book, click here)

This book was published in 2003 but as in life, sometimes I don't get to the new things when they are still new. However, it still is quite exciting when I do and I absolutely love this one!

(photo from The Slade Tales where you can here the story told in audio)

13 Words Book Trailer by Lemony Snicket

2010-10-20T09:09:00.000-07:00

everything's a mystery...

2010-10-19T18:07:00.000-07:00

Today was a gray and rainy day, perfect for having breakfast with a childhood friend and thrift store shopping afterward. Like usual, we hit up my favorite local place and of course, I couldn't get my mind away from the book section and promptly headed in that direction. Today I brought home two books. Another hardback, The Mystery of the Musical Ghost by John and Nancy Rambeau (part of the Morgan Bay Mysteries) and illustrated by Joseph Maniscalco from 1965 and The Curse of Ravenscourt, A Samantha Mystery (part of The American Girl Mysteries) by Sarah Masters Buckey. With it being October and Natalie getting older, she is showing more of an interest in 'scary' books which I take it to mean books that are slightly scary with a lot of mystery to them. I believe these new additions will fit perfectly into that aesthetic.

Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves

2010-10-19T17:54:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I was sent a link of some really amazing owl illustrations from a vintage book a friend of mine had found on a blog. I quickly had to see this blog that she got it from and discovered for myself, Vintage Kids' Books My Kids Loves. What an awesome blog! It completely encouraged me to be more dedicated to this blog, The Black Hare all the more. The blog title encompasses the entire blog with wonderful entries, suggestions and giveaways as well. There is also an etsy shop that accompanies the blog with an vast collection of vintage kid books for purchase. Check out the profuse list of 'favorite authors' and 'links we love' that's worth a perusal.Visit the blog, follow it if you like as well as the twitter, facebook and 'Other Stuff My Kid Loves' tumblr.

thrifty books

2010-10-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

Last week Nat missed school for a dental appointment. She ended up having some work done that was not previously anticipated and after her appointment, we had the rest of the day free for us. One of the stops we made was to our local thrift store and I was quite proud of us. We looked around but what we came home with was not a load full of clothes but a few books.

Our score was Monster at Loch Ness by Sally Berke, a hardback from 1977; A paperback copy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, copyright 1960 and The Ersatz Elevator, Book Six in the Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. I was absolutely thrilled with our finds for several reasons. I love old books and the older I get, the more I want to add to my collection. The Monster at Loch Ness and the Alice book both fit that and I am thrilled with how great the condition of both books are. Especially the Alice book. It had never been cracked opened it seemed. You can always tell with a paperback if it has been use and the pages are pristine with no bends or cracks. I myself don't even want to read from this one so as to maintain it's condition (fortunately for me, I have other copies).

Another new mission of mine is to collect all of the Lemony Snicket books. I once borrowed the first three books from my little cousin when the first came out. I never had a chance to read the rest of the series but was always drawn to everything about them, from the content to the author to the illustrations. One of Natalie's favorite movies is The Series of Unfortunate Events with Jim Carrey as Count Olaf. Our library only has a paperback of the first book, The Bad Beginning or, Orphans! with a few 'extra stories & extra art for no extra cents!' in the back. My other copy is book 2, The Reptile Room. The first book I found to take home that day was book 6 and I was eagerly looking for more but that's all they had.

When we came home that afternoon, I began reading to her from the Loch Ness book and we had so much fun as I tried to do an Irish accent when describing the 'monstah'. It worked some of the time but the read was very much enjoyed by the both us.

a book wizard's wish list

2010-05-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

We are lovers of Harry Potter, of books and of Etsy! Here, I combine a wish list (from Etsy!) that I would love for my girl and I...

A bookbag worthy for all magical texts and notebooks--Snow Owl (hedwig) book bag by Atlantis804 (see also the silver lightening bolt bag and gold bolt as well).

Speaking of notebooks, here are a few from Celeste Frittata's line:

My favorites are Herbology, Astronomy and Care of Magical Creatures. She also carries stationery for Owl Posts and The Daily Prophet.

You may want to curl up with a nice hot cup of tea as you read. Knitstorm can help your tea stay 'cozy' with her tea cozies! A few favorites:

Books are not complete with adorable bookmarks to save your place. It doesn't get much cuter than this owl bookmark by Blue Eyed Night Owl's (she also has other adorable bookmarks too)!

Or you can use a cute green crystal bookmark with an owl from Motherrap's shop.

Sometimes we can get so engrossed with reading that we want to make sure we are nice and comfy. This owl silhouette pillow from Under The Pyramids can help.

And while you are comfy, why not have some snacks in cute reusable snack pouches on hand

The Green Spotted Owl Eco Friendy Handmade Reusable snack bag by SackSavers and the Blue Spotted snack bag also.

If you need an eco friendly bag for when you are purchasing all your reading goods, this Maurader's canvas tote bag from Evietees may come in handy.

Or you can use this flying barn owl bag from Happy Family

Of course I know there are a ton of other themes I could use derived from the Harry Potter world but I'm partial to owls (as if you couldn't guess). I'll keep my eye out for more things a book wizard could use :)

2010-05-26T09:45:00.000-07:00

You will notice a new banner on the sidebar. It's from Read The Printed Word and I want to encourage all you readers and lover of books to add a badge/banner to your site (if you like, of course)...

(I've also included it on my main blog, Cider & Faun)

love for books

2010-04-30T09:17:00.000-07:00

I love our love for old books. We went to Uptown Whittier and stopped by the new and used bookstore there. Natalie went straight to the children's area where she quickly picked up several books to show me, a couple of them old hardbacks. She told me since she 'likes old things' she 'would love to have these old books because they are old'. We obliged her one, The Tale of Paddy Muskrat by Arthur Scott Bailey (A Sleepy Time Tale) from 1916. I picked up an old favorite of mine, The Wizard of Oz in a portable paperback to tote around with me as well.

where the wild things are

2009-10-05T09:37:00.000-07:00

We all have seen the trailer and we all want to see it. Why? Because Where the Wild Things Are was a part of our childhood, for some, a huge part. Maurice Sendak was my first favorite artist, even beforeCharles Addams, before Edward Gorey, he was my favorite simply because of that book with only ten lines but full of imagination and the magic and realities of childhood.

Now, Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers have put their brilliance together in to realizing this wonderful book into something wonderfully visual and I can't wait to be there to see it. Everytime the commercial comes on and I see and hear it, my inner child grins like the cheshire cat and my creativity begins to swarm inside me.

So, in tribute, here art inspired by Where the Wild Things by myself and by my little girl...

natalie's 'wild thing and me'

my little wild thing

The Trouble with Tink

2009-06-10T10:45:00.000-07:00

Developing a love for literature

2009-06-10T10:31:00.000-07:00

Here's a great article I read on Mothering that I would like to share with you...

The Love of Reading: 10 Tips for Developing a Love for Literature

By Carrie Kerr

A child’s love for reading is a gift. It’s the key to freedom and a ticket to magical explorations only found within the pages of books. But creating a love for reading takes a deliberate effort from the home front. Here are 10 tips for helping your children run to the bookshelf in anticipation of their next great adventure.

1. Books, Books, Everywhere Books

There is a simple yet bold message we need to send to our children. Books are important! Deliberately bombard your family with various forms of literature. Place books, magazines, and pamphlets in every room, on every shelf, and in every corner. Your children will have no choice but to be lured into the wonderful world of reading. Here's a little secret for starting it off. Begin in the entryway. This may seem like an unconventional place to arrange books, however it makes sense. Your entryway gives people (most important, your children) the introduction to your home. Some people like to sweep off the welcome mat and put up a seasonal wreath, I suggest dusting off the shelves and displaying seasonal books. It makes my heart skip a beat when my child gets sidetracked with a book from the entryway. I feel as if I’ve caught a fish!

2. Reading is Natural

“If parents want to raise children who voluntarily choose to read, then they must show the importance of reading for pleasure by modeling reading themselves and by reading a variety of materials at home, including books and novels.” Children are most likely to follow your example, so your example should be to read often. Model reading as a natural part of your day. Use it to get information in the morning, to learn something new in the afternoon, and for pleasure in the evening. Set the example that reading takes priority. In fact, you may even choose to ignore your child because you're reading a book or magazine! Honestly, there are so many times we brush off our children; we're busy cooking, or we're busy on the phone, or we're busy on the computer. If you're going to ignore your child, make a point while doing it; the point being "I'm reading! This is important!" And when your child wants to later ignore you because she is reading, you can crack a little smile. I have a picture of my daughter from when she was about a year old. I was sitting on the couch reading a novel, and she was sitting next to me flipping the pages of another novel. Perfect. That same child is now ten years old and reads about 1,500 pages in books per week. She got the message. Books are a natural part of our life.

3. Books are Beautiful

Books are not just for reading; they are for admiring. Much effort goes into creating the cover of a book, and children's books especially have beautiful artwork. Rather than just shelving them with their spine showing, pick a few to showcase with the full face of the book revealed. Rotate the books in this way throughout the month. Forward-facing bookshelves are available in catalogs such as Pottery Barn Kids, or you can make your own from a simple wooden display shelf. You may choose to arrange books by theme or by a specific author. However you do it, your children will be quickly drawn to flipping through their colorful pages.

4. Books are Valuable

Because books are the secret to our freedom, because they feed our souls and pave our futures, they must be treated like gold. It will be every toddler's tendency to throw a book, or school child's temptation to shove a book in a bag, but this must always be treated as a great offense! Teach your child from the very beginning that books are a commodity to be cherished. Pages should be flipped with care. We use bookmarks and try not to break the spines. If a page is ripped, it is mourned and tended to delicately. We love and respect books. Always.

5. The Library is as Common as the Grocery Store

Our children spend plenty of time with us at the grocery store; they know where the cereal aisle is and where to find the milk and eggs. The same should be true of your local library. Several studies have revealed that children who are reluctant readers are likely to have less access to a variety of reading materials than children who are avid readers. A school library is not enough. Expose your child to the public library in regular and frequent intervals. Send a strong message that you cannot live without the library. Declare that you are going in for five minutes and stay for 30. Go in to pick up one book and come out with ten. Rejoice and be giddy in the new treasures you are bringing home. Designate a special spot in your home for library books and keep them ever-changing. Books are food for thought. Always keep it fresh.

6. Audiobooks Count

One of the biggest reasons children who are avid readers are more successful in school is because of their sheer exposure to language. It may seem time consuming to read aloud to your child, and there are many times in the day when you cannot put everything down to read. Rather than defaulting to the TV, use this time for audiobooks. When your child is young, give her the actual book to flip through while she listens to the story. If you don’t have the book, give her a piece of paper and some crayons to keep her busy while she listens. Listen to stories together in the car, and as your child gets older, give her audiobooks to listen to while cleaning her room. This is a great way to make sure your child is listening to material just slightly above her reading level, thereby exposing her to new sentence structures, writing styles, and vocabulary. The library, which you’ll be visiting frequently, has many audiobooks available for loan. For purchasing audiobooks, try audible.com. There are also free podcasts available, such as Storynory, that streamline a fresh supply of stories for children. I always find it humorous to look at my ten-year-old “spaced out” with her iPod and headphones, knowing that the reason she’s lost is not because she’s listening to some questionable music, but rather because she’s listening to one of her favorite audiobooks.

7. Prepare for Takeoff

Books are a platform; use them to take off. Find an interest of yours or your child's and use books to help you gain knowledge and momentum. Start with something that is small and happens naturally. For instance, growing a plant. Read a few stories about seeds and how they grow, such as The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss or Mrs. Spitzer's Garden by Edith Pattou. Also, find some preschool-level science books on the same subject. Discuss with your child the items you need and the time it will take to grow your seed into a plant. The idea is to teach our children that the source for learning new things is books. In future years (6) you will find your child researching projects on her own, such as how to build a tree house or how to rebuild a small engine. You are teaching a lifelong love for self-directed learning.

8. Books are Food for Thought

Charlotte Mason, a great philosopher of education, believed that you should have tea time daily to discuss books. This may be a bit unrealistic for some families to achieve, but do find time to regularly discuss your current book. If possible, take an evening or two to read a book your older child has just read and then discuss it together. You will both love the opportunity to learn and grow together through literature. On occasion, flip the scenario around. Read a children's novel and then hand it to your child expressing your interest in the book and why you think she would enjoy it. A discussion on books leads to a discussion on life, and that helps us live in better harmony.

9. There is no Room for Twaddle

Twaddle is defined as something trivial, insignificant, or worthless. I realize you may be confused at this point, because aren't all books worthwhile? This is a debatable point. While I agree that any book is probably better than no book, I do not believe all books are worthwhile. There is an endless stream of high-quality literature in this world. I could spend all of my life reading only high-quality literature and never get to all of the things I want to read. With that in mind, do not spend your time or allow your children to spend too much of their time reading twaddle. You'll know it when you see it. It's fluffy, redundant, and the vocabulary is weak. The message of the book is unclear or underwhelming. Just because something was published does not make it valuable. If you are unsure of where to find high-quality literature, try a search for certain book lists. You can search Newberry Award books, Caldecott Award books, or Accelerated Reader book lists. You can also search literature-based curriculums, such as Sonlight Books, used by homeschoolers. Keep this list with you and bring it to the library!

10. Read Together as a Family

Find time every day to read together. If you miss a day, don't fret, just pick up and read something together the next day. Depending on the ages of the members of your family, you may choose to read a few picture books together at night or read a chapter or two aloud from a chapter book. Our first read-alouds as a family were the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. I will never forget falling asleep with the girls as my husband read aloud. It took us almost a year to read the entire series. And my dad loves to remind us of the days when he read Edgar Allan Poe to us by candlelight just before bed. I assure you that left an impression!

As with audiobooks, try to read things aloud that are slightly above your child's reading level. At the same time, don't be afraid to get out an old favorite and read it together just for fun. My older girls will still gather around me when I'm reading my preschooler a picture book. Sometimes it may be fun to read aloud a short story or a couple of poems. However you choose to do it, make sure you are reading together as a family. It instills a great love for books, and each other.

Creating an exceptional environment for literature takes time. It is a lifestyle. If you are not in the habit of doing some of the things suggested above, be patient. Work on it slowly. Perhaps give yourself a year to incorporate these ideas. Before you know it, reading and a love for literature will be a part of your family’s life. Embrace your journey and bask in the joy that will result from welcoming books into your family. You'll know you've succeeded when you tell your child, "Put down that book and come to the dinner table!"

Charlotte Mason, The Original Home Schooling Series. (London, England: Kegan, Paul, Trench, Trubner, and Co. Ltd., 1925).

Risley, T.R. & Hart, B (2006). Promoting Early Language Development. In N.F.

Watt, C. Avoub. R. H. Bradley, J.E. Puma & W.A. LeBoeuf (Eds.). The Crisis in Youth Mental Health: Critical Issues and Effective Programs. Volume 4, Early intervention programs and policies (pp. 83-88). Westport CT: Praeger.

Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. The Condition of Education 2006 (NCES 2006–071), Indicator 33. (2006).

Carrie Kerr lives in central Illinois with her husband and three children. She holds a master’s degree in speech-language pathology and enjoys reading and writing on issues that pertain to attachment parenting, child development, and philosophies of education.

the lion, the witch and the wardrobe

2009-05-09T19:06:00.000-07:00

today, we finished reading the lion, the witch and the wardrobe by c.s. lewis, one of my all time favorites!! i especially enjoy the colored illustrations in this paperback collector's edition. one by one i will buy all the paperbacks of this edition with the illustrations by pauline baynes.

the birds that sing...

2009-05-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

i finally was able to purchase the bird songs anthology (200 birds from north america and beyond) by les beletsky. i first saw it at an anthropologie store and it's retail price was for $45. i found it yesterday for $9.99 at borders! natalie is having a blast going through it and listening to all the various bird calls. she is actually showing her papa that book right now, beginning with her favorite call from the willow ptarmigan.

the stone and the feather

2009-05-08T09:51:00.000-07:00

last night, while driving home, we began a story:

once there was a father who had a little girl named natalie. she loved to play in the house all day and in the evenings, go outside to play hopscotch. one day she went out to the woods and found a stone. she picked it up and took it home. the next day, she went to the woods again and found a feather. this too, she picked up and took home. she went to her discovery box the following day to look at these things she had found and realized that the stone had a diamond on it with a star within. the feather too, was also extraordinary because it was a heart shaped feather, a very rare thing indeed. natalie saw that these were very special items she had collected and went immediately to show her father...

from here, the story went back and forth and all over the place. i'll have to colloraborate again with natalie to see where to story goes... :)

read a book, plant a tree

2009-03-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

from time to time, i like to donate to ecolibris to help balance out trees for new books we have purchased. i am trying to teach nat about the importance of taking care of our environment and so she was thrilled to see one of the ecolibris stickers (printed on recycled paper with soy inks too) on her 'the snowman' book. i usually save two of the five stickers for her books only and i am still looking for her other book we just bought (it must be buried somewhere in her new room!) i like doing this for many reasons but also to see her feel like a part of such a bigger thing. she feels proud that her book helped plant a tree. :)

the miraculous journey of edward tulane

2009-02-05T07:55:00.000-08:00

truly, a delight, instantly a favorite...

a trip to borders...

2009-01-22T07:54:00.000-08:00

i love children's books. they are filled with such delight and whimsy. here are some photos i took while we perused borders. nat made out with a few pre-level reading books and i got my first two nancy books (at the age of thirty!) :)

silvermist and the ladybug curse

2009-01-08T07:53:00.000-08:00

giving back to the trees

2008-12-18T07:49:00.000-08:00

i just posted this to cider & faun and wanted to share it here as well.
i found a site called eco-libris where you can plant a tree for every book you read. for every tree planted, you receive an eco-libris sticker showing your commitment to the environment (made on recycled paper as well).

here are our first five books, including 'despereaux' which we just finished not too long ago...hopefully i help her understand the value of reading and the value of taking care of our environment as well...

Edgar and Ellen: Rare Beasts

2008-12-18T07:48:00.000-08:00

december 2008

The Tale of Despereaux

2008-12-17T07:45:00.000-08:00

The Tale of Despereaux

november 2008