Bedtime!

by Ruth Freeman Swain

illustrated by Cat Bowman Smith

Bedtime! is a non-fiction book about the history of and different kinds of beds. We all sleep, but it's amazing how differently we all do the same thing. This book follows beds through various times: ancient Egypt and China, the Middle Ages, and every time in between. My kids especially loved seeing beds in different locations: the desert, trains, semi-trucks, boats, the side of a mountain (yikes!), and outer space. My kids were delighted to see that the book made special mention of one bed in a manger.

Sometimes fact-books are overstimulating because of their hodge-podge of information strewn throughout the page. While great for older kids, younger kids could easily get lost. In Bedtime! the facts are given to form a continuous "story," not a spattering of facts.

If you love this one, check out Ruth Freeman Swain's other fun fact books.

While I enjoyed both of these books, Bedtime! is still my favorite of Swain's collection. However, you may enjoy these others even more, considering that these are both better sellers than Bedtime!

Have a Little Fun: You've reached the end and you're aching for more? Turn the last page to see facts about sleep. It includes a part that talks about how when we're getting ready for bed, someone on the other side of the world is just waking up! This led me to teach my kids about the position of the sun with the rotation of the earth and how that effects day and night around the world. I assure you I explained in it more simplistic terms. ha!

I used a mirror to reflect light from the sun onto our globe (but you could just use a ball). It shows how while one side of the earth gets light, the other is in shadow and it is night there. I've found this works best, because a flashlight simply isn't bright enough...but I guess you could go in a totally dark room to do this with a flashlight.

The Poky Little Puppy

"One of the original 12 Little Golden Books, The Poky Little Puppy has sold nearly 15 million copies since 1942, making it one of the most popular children's books of all time."*  Someone read it to you, have you read it to your kids?

by Janette Sebring Lowrey

illustrated by Gustaf Tenggren

Five little puppies dug a hole under the fence and went exploring. After a while they could smell rice pudding. So home four of the puppies ran, only to find their upset mother scolding them for digging a hole, and sent them to bed. The fifth puppy, a poky little puppy, came home late and ate up the rice pudding and went to bed happy.

The next morning there was a sign by the fence from Mother that warned the puppies not to dig holes. But, they dug a hole again, and four little puppies got into the same punishment again when they returned. The poky little puppy came home later and enjoyed chocolate custard before heading to bed.

The puppies finally learn to repair their mistakes and listen to Mother, and so does the poky little puppy, but just a little later than the rest.

I've been feeling reminiscent the past couple of weeks. Perhaps it was having to call poison control twice in one week, or hearing my 5 year-old-daughter say, "You are ruining my life!" Whatever it was, I'm appreciating my mom a lot more lately. I remember this book as a childhood favorite, and now it reminds me I'm not the only one who struggles to be a good mom. Here's celebrating non-toxic doses of old cough drops and the 5 year old who secretly sings songs about having the most wonderful life. They do things wrong, but they learn (after a while), and so do we (after a while)!

image via howtobeachildrensbookillustrator.wordpress.com

Be Nice to Spiders

I live in the Midwest.  My basement was flooded when 12" of water fell in 6 hours.  I can survive that.  What I cannot survive is the resulting infestation of mosquitos!!  I'm being mummified alive!  Reading this book gives my murderous feelings toward those, and other flying insects, a little satisfaction.

by Margaret Bloy Graham

Billy had to leave his pet spider, Helen, to a good home when he moved, and the zoo seemed like the perfect place.  Helen escaped her box soon after her surprise delivery, and quickly started eating the flies that troubled all the animals at the zoo.  She moved from cage to cage until the flies were finally under control and all the animals were content.

One day, the Keeper orders the cages cleaned of all the "unattractive" spiderwebs because the Mayor was coming.  During the cleaning of the camel cage, one of the workers spotted Helen and swatted, but missed.  Scared of being discovered again, she decided to only stay in the camel cage.  Over the next few weeks, the flies returned to the other animals' cages, but not the camel cage, thanks to Helen.  The Keeper finally learns that we should be nice to spiders because they really are useful.

Those who know me well, and sometimes the occassional complete stranger watching me scream and run away, know that the title of this book is not my creed.  However, I am a firm believer that all life should be treated with respect.  Every life has a purpose, and sometimes we have to identify the good each does in order to appreciate it.  That's where mom comes in, to answer the little one's question, "Why do we have spiders, anyway?"  To be honest, if every spider had a cute little smiley face like Helen, I would be less inclined to shiver when I see one.

Margaret Bloy Graham is more well known for her illustrations in books about Harry the Dirty Dog, which is also an enjoyable vintage book.

Have a little fun: Check out a book about insects and arachnids that live in your area.  I don't know what it is about looking at those pictures, but my kids love it.  Teaching them how to identify a Black Widow or Brown Recluse spider might be a good idea.  Or do you want them getting that close?  Hey, you might learn something you didn't know...like not all spiders spin webs!

images via vintagechildrensbooksmykidloves.com

Enemy Pie

by Derek Munson

illustrated by Tara Calahan King

It should have been the perfect summer for this little boy, but it wasn't because Jeremy Ross moved in next door to the boy's best friend, Stanley. Jeremy Ross laughed at the boy when Jeremy struck him out in baseball. Jeremy Ross had a party on his trampoline and didn't invite the boy. Jeremy Ross was the first person, the only person on the boy's enemy list. (The boy doesn't have a name, because I guess it's supposed to make him more relatable to the reader.)

The boy tells his dad about his problem with Jeremy Ross. His dad, wisely seeing this was not a bully issue, pulled out the recipe for Enemy Pie. The boy was informed that the only way Enemy Pie could work was if the boy spent one whole day with his enemy, Jeremy Ross.

The boy imagines all the horrible things that would happen to whoever ate Enemy Pie, and what kind of disgusting things were inside. Although he really doesn't want to spend the day with his enemy, he ultimately rings Jeremy Ross' doorbell and asks him to play. After spending a day of throwing waterballoons, playing sports, and having a great day together, the boy realizes he doesn't want Jeremy Ross to eat Enemy Pie! Dessert is served, and the boy needs to act quickly to save his new friend!

The author, Derek Munson, is a great storyteller. I have yet to find a text I have been more impressed with. This is a great book for teaching kids that an enemy might just be a friend you haven't gotten to know yet. My daughter is barely 5, so I had to tell her what an enemy was before we began (ah, innocence!). 

Have a teaching moment: Do a "picture walk" through the story, not reading the words, but just looking at the pictures (but not the last few pictures!). As you go, have your child predict what is happening in the story, and what they think will happen next. Teach and use the word "predict" since it will definitely come up at school. Remember, any guess is a good guess!

images via wrjih.wordpress.com