Ezra's top five activities include being outside, reading books, exploring/learning, playing with bear, and playing with mom and/or dad. This list can be interchanged, but generally it follows this order.
Ezra is more likely to wander around the grassy field at the park looking for pine cones and "fluffies" (dandelion seed heads) rather than play on the playground equipment. Ezra is more likely to empty the kitchen utensil drawer and explore its contents than empty his toy bucket. Ezra is more likely to read a book than play with trucks.
His fascination with books has been apparent for awhile. We go to the library often and check out between 15-20 books per visit. We are likely to read about eight a day, often the same three books six times over again. His favorite two words come in handy with this favorite activity: "more" (as in "more books") and "up" (as in "pick me up, Mom, so we can read"). Lately, his favorite type of book is the picture/concept book (A, B, C's or 1, 2, 3's or colors). He likes to play a Q&A game with me based on the pictures. For example, we look at a page with a red tulip, a yellow banana, a green ball, a blue car, etc. and I ask, "Where's the ________?" He loves it; I guess he gets a sense of satisfaction even at this young age in feeling informed and prepared with a right answer.
I enjoy reading most any book to Ezra, but after checking out easily 200+ books in the last six or seven months, I definitely have some "mommy favorites".
I have several in the "clever" category. These books do not necessarily have great story lines or memorable characters, but they do use a completely new twist to explore a common idea. For example, Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal uses a lively interchange over cloud shapes and explores two equally valid perceptions. Orange Pear Apple Pear by Emily Gravett has darling illustrations and a five word text (!) combined into witty combinations.
Owen by Kevin Henkes is a little mouse boy with a well-loved blanket (something tells me this dad had a little one with a similar story!) I love the tone; it is so connected to the emotional attachment with a snuggly thing. Neville by Norton Juster is a story of a boy who moves to a new place and doesn't like it...never heard that one before, right? But, it has such a pleasant, wholly unexpected resolution. It made me smile, and I think it sends a very positive message about using initiative to solve your own problems. Here's another commonly heard story, with a happy surprise ending: Wolf! Wolf! by John Rocco is a clever Aesop's Fable adaption.
Happy Reading!
3 comments:
I do love new twists on classic storylines. And reading is awesome.
Have you tried Banana! It was the first book Forster could read himself because there are only 2 words. And Hug - that's another adorable book with just 3 words, mostly just one, that Forster loves because he can read it to me. I haven't heard of all Ezra's picks- we'll have to check them out! Oh - and Dr. Seuss' ABC was both my kids favorite alphabet book because of the fabulous rhymes and rhythm. Is there anything Seuss can't do??
What a precious blog entry. Your timing is perfect for introducing the magic of books to little Ezra. Your own writing looks like you're getting ready to self publish. Good luck with that dream.
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