11/14/10

GooGooGalleryKids 50th Sale!

I’m proud to say that the very humble little shop I run over at ETSY, GooGooGalleryKids, has reached its 50th sale this week. GooGooGallery has been up and running now for a little under two years and to tell you the truth, when I decided to start selling my books on ETSY I had no idea I would sell 1 let alone 50! The greatest feeling is when someone is reacquainted with a book from their childhood and they are very eager to share it with their children! That is exactly why I started GooGooGallery in the first place and I will continue to cherish each and every book I find a new home for.

I look forward to another 50 sales!

10/6/10

Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody

Goodnight Goon: A (Not so) Petrifying Parody
Michael Rex - 2008

In a previous post I mentioned that Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd's Goodnight Moon is one of The Boog’s favorite bedtime books of all time! (At least for the time being) and millions of children agree since the book has been a kids' classic for over 60 years now. It’s a story of socks, clocks, kittens, mittens, chairs, bears and……. Well, I’m certain you have the entire thing memorized. Now forget that version and all the verses that you have recited and replace them with Michael Rex’s version, Goodnight Goon.

As a spinoff of Goodnight Moon, Goodnight Goon gets a fiendish makeover. The charming room is replaced by dungeon-like stones. The old bunny’s knitting becomes a voodoo doll. The three little bears sitting in chairs have become three little mummies, rubbing their tummies and Cows jumping over the moon turned into Martians “taking over the moon”. The pages boast an imaginative revision of the famous bedroom with furry little kittens to a tomb filled with monsters! Im not quite sure that The Boog is ready for Goodnight Moon’s evil twin just yet but you can be sure it’ll be waiting for her when she is!


P.S There is also a spinoff of The Runaway Bunny also by Margaret Wise Brown & Clement Hurd, which I have yet to check out. It’s called The Runaway Mummy. Like it’s predecessor, Little Mummy calls up all the ways he can declare his independence and thwart Mommy Mummy's attempts to capture him for bedtime.

10/5/10

Top Halloween Movies

I know that this is a vintage book blog but I have to admit I grew up on tv and cinema almost as much as I grew up reading books. There is something about Halloween that gets me excited to watch certain movies over and over again and everytime I watch the movies on this list I feel like a little girl all over again! So, I thought I’d share some of my choice Halloween picks of the season. They are movies that the whole family can watch. .... .... ....

Labyrinth- 1986 Rated PGJennifer Connelly – David Bowie
15-year-old Sarah accidentally wishes her baby half-brother, Toby, away to the Goblin King Jareth, played by Bowie, who intends on keeping him if Sarah does not complete his Labyrinth in 13 hours.

Nightmare Before Christmas – 1993 Rated PGTim Burton
Jack Skellington is king of Halloween Town. After discovering Christmas Town he decides to kidnap Santa and claim the holiday as his own although he doesn’t quite understand the entire concept of Christmas.

Hocus Pocus- 1993 Rated PG
Bette Midler – Sarah Jessica Parker – Kathy Nijimy
More than 300 years ago, 3 witches were sentenced to die in Salem, Massachusetts and a boy was turned into a cat (a black cat, naturally). Now it's Halloween, and the witches are back. This time, they've got their eyes on immortal life and have turned their wrath on trick-or-treaters and it's up to the 300-year-old cat to save the day.

It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown- 1966 Rated NR
The Peanuts gang celebrates Halloween while Linus waits for the Great Pumpkin

The Worst Witch- 1986 Rated PG
Tim Curry – Fairuza Balk
Mildred is one of the young girls at a prestigious witch academy. She can't seem to do anything right and is picked on by classmates and teachers. The headmistress of the school, Miss Cackle, has an evil twin sister (Agatha) who plans to destroy the school. Can Mildred foil the plan before the Grand Wizard (Tim Curry) comes to the Academy for the Halloween celebration?

Beetlejuice- 1988 Rated PG
Alec Baldwin – Geena Davis – Michael Keaton – Winona Ryder
A couple of recently deceased ghosts contract the services of a "bio-exorcist" in order to remove the obnoxious new owners of their house.

(It was going to be a top five but I had to include Beetlejuice, It’s a classic!)
Happy Halloween!

10/3/10

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Judith Viorst – Illustrated by Ray Cruz – 1972

So this morning I woke up with the BOOG’s foot in my rib, a tangle in my hair and meowing hungry cats (because I forgot to put more food in their “Self-Feeder”) All before my first cup of coffee!

“I think I’ll move to Australia!”

If you get my meaning than you’re familiar with this book and if you have no idea what I’m talking about but know the feeling than you’ll completely relate to Alexander. In this instance,Alexander is having a really craptastic day. For example…….

“ I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there’s gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.”
Ahhhh, to be young! When all you had to worry about was little gum in the hair and not getting the right sneakers or you arrive famished to the dining room table only to discover Lima Beans on your plate. The truth is, bad days happen to everyone sooner or later at any age. Imagine for a second your only 3 and you can’t quite get your foot into your pants on your own, your mom says no when you want a cookie and on top of it all dad is watching Sunday night football and you can’t watch your favorite cartoon! When you’re a little child all these minor hassles can seem like the end of the world!

Just when I thought I conquered The Terrible Twos it seems we are just getting started!

P.S I found my copy at a local thrift store and almost didn’t purchase it because it had an inscription on the title page. That little scribble turned out to be Judith Viorst’s signature! That wasn’t such a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day at all!

9/27/10

Chicken Soup with Rice


Chicken Soup With Rice
Maurice Sendak
1962

Sorry for my brief hiatus but it is cold season and true to form, I fell under the spell of the ugliest cold I have ever met! I know I just posted a little something not too long ago pertaining to Sendak's Nutshell Library about a little boy named Pierre, but I can’t help myself. I have a huge crush on Maurice Sendak’s illustrations and a major obsession with Carole King which brings me to today’s post, Chicken Soup with Rice.

In 1975 Carole King became the voice for a musical known as Really Rosie based on Sendak’s Nutshell Library featuring the musical stylings of King and Lyrics by Sendak. One of the songs translated directly from the Nutshell Library is Chicken Soup with Rice and since the story is written in poem it translates well into song.

Although the book begins in the middle of winter, presumably the best time for chicken soup, it builds a very clear case to make chicken soup prevalent in every season! Even in the dead of Summer. By the "year's end," readers are convinced that all seasons / of the year / are nice / for eating / chicken soup / with rice!


Also By:
Pierre: A Cautionary Tale
Where the Wild Things Are

9/2/10

I am a Bunny

I am a Bunny
by Ole Riesom with illustrations by Richard Scarry
Published 1963 by Golden Books

Since my last post was a tad bit dark I decided to lighten things up a bit. I am a Bunny is a vivid account of Nicholas, a little bunny that enjoys the seasons, and shares his experiences throughout the year. In the spring he likes to sniff the flowers, and in the summer watches the frogs in the pond. In the fall, he watches the animals getting ready for winter, and in winter, watches the snow falling from the sky.


This is one of my favorite Richard Scarry books because the illustrations are so vivid but the real credit should be given to Ole Riesom, who was one of the most influential publishers of mass-market books for children. Mr. Riesom was vice president and art director of Golden Books Western Press from 1952 to 1972 and then vice president and associate publisher of the juvenile division of Random House from 1972 to 1990. Although he was most famously associated with Richard Scarry, he also worked with Dr. Seuss, Jim Henson and Sesame Street books, Stan and Jan Berenstain, Leo Lionni, Laurent de Brunhoff, Charles M. Schulz and Marc Brown. He also gave numerous young artists, like Joan Walsh Anglund, their start. The bunny in this book is named after his son Nicholas and remains in publication to this day.

9/1/10

The Gashlycrumb Tinies: or, After the Outing

The Gashlycrumb Tinies: or, After the Outing
Edward Gorey1963 – Simon & Schuster

I have fond memories of this book but for some reason I was reluctant to make a post about it. Maybe because it is so, um, well, it’s so, Gorey. (Pun definitely intended) It’s one of those guilty pleasure books. You know the kind, the sort of book that you don’t really like to admit liking unless you find someone who admits they like it first. For me Edward Gorey books fall under that category simply because they are a bit macabre and also because I have come to realize you either get his work or you don’t. It’s hard to explain his books, this one in particular, to a person who has never picked one up but if you had to the explanation would go something like this:

“In The Gashlycrumb Tinies, Gorey tells the tale of 26 children (each representing a letter of the alphabet) ………….. and their very untimely, sometimes ghastly, surprisingly awful deaths ….. oh, and did I mention the book is told in rhyming couplets?”

The response to this explanation may be a look of bewilderment or amazement. Granted The Gashlycrumb Tinies is not a conventional alphabet book but it delivers a hilarious journey into the macabre while at least delivering some educational significance. One can see the paradox of Gorey’s work as being intriguing yet morose, hence the category “guilty pleasure”. Should you like seeing illustrations of children in peril? Probably not, but Gorey brings a whimsy to it that makes it palatable. Maybe it’s the Edwardian feel of the text and the dark crosshatch renderings of the hapless brood, whatever it is, I am a fan, and if you’re not faint of heart, perhaps you will be too.

Check out the narrated version .... if you dare!

8/29/10

Pierre: A Cautionary Tale

Pierre: A Cautionary TaleBy Maurice Sendak1962

Written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak, of Where the Wild Things Are fame, Pierre is about a naughty boy named Pierre who decides one morning that he is going to cry out his indifferences to the world by employing the mantra “I DON’T CARE!!!!”, that is, until a rather large and hungry lion sets him straight. Sounds a little brutal? That’s because it is!




“Now, as the night
began to fall
a hungry lion
paid a call.
He looked Pierre
right in the eye
and asked him
if he'd like to die.
Pierre said,
"I don't care!"




The Lion ACTUALLY eats Pierre………… who in the end, having been retrieved in one piece, really does care.

Published as part of The Nutshell Library (along with One was Johnny, Alligators All Around, and my ultimate favorite... Chicken Soup with Rice), Pierre certainly is a cautionary tale.

There is an animated version of Where the Wild Things Are which also includes the entire Nutshell Library set to music sung by Carole King allowing kids to sing and dance through the alphabet, good manners, numbers, and the months of the year. Peter Schickele narrates Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen both set to Jazz music. It is one of my childhood favorites and now I get to share it with The BOOG!

8/27/10

There’s Something There! By Mercer Mayer

There’s Something There! Three bedtime classics
Written and Illustrated by Mercer Mayer

Almost every child can provide an account of a nightmare, But Mercer Mayer's familiar books do more than just offer visual and written representations of such accounts. These stories ask children to question their relationships to the unexplainable. Issues of reality, ownership and control may be hard to explain to children but Mayer's stories ask us what kinds of things in the world are real, whether objects in our minds, such as nightmares or a menacing imagination, are real all within a child friendly format.
There's Something There! is a collection of three bedtime classics by Mercer Mayer including:, There's a Nightmare in My Closet (1968) There's an Alligator Under My Bed (1987) and There's Something in the Attic (1988).

As a child I was afraid of the dark and still to this day I am a little creeped out by things I have trouble explaining and perhaps by reading these books to The BOOG will she will learn how to take control of her mind's eye when it begins to work against her..... Although I have to say, she is pretty fearless already!

You can find the clip below in DVD format here.


8/26/10

Cookie Monster and the Cookie Tree

Cookie Monster and the Cookie Tree
1977
By: David KorrIllustrated by: Joe Mathieu

Cookie Monster and I go waaaaay back! He brings back fond memories of simple milk and cookie days promptly followed by a nap that we all looked forward to back in kindergarten. (By the way, what were the teachers thinking giving us cookies and then expecting us to lay still for up to 45 minutes?) Anyway, I was lucky enough to buy two copies of this title at the thrift store one eventful afternoon so I decided to sell one at my shop and keep one for myself and to tell you the truth, I would gladly buy a thousand more copies.

In this Sesame Street Little Golden Book, Cookie Monster finds a magical Cookie Tree in the forest. Think about it for a second: Your Cookie Monster, and you stumble across a Tree that is plentiful with cookies! This particular tree belongs to a witch and she knows that Cookie Monster will eat all her cookies so she casts a spell on the tree to only give cookies to people that will share them. Cookie Monster makes a mad dash to Sesame Street to find someone to share the cookie tree goodness only to be rebuffed by all his friends. Cookie Monster SHARING COOKIES? Yeah, right!

In the end he does find someone to share with…… and as always he gets carried away in a cookie frenzy.

The great thing about this book is the style in which it is illustrated. Most of the dialogue is presented in word bubbles so while you’re reading it there is a sub-dialogue depicted within the illustrations.

The BOOG was first introduced to Cookie Monster while watching Sesame Street but she fell in love with him after watching this clip of Cookie singing to the moon……


8/23/10

Learning through Pop Art


The BOOG is obsessed with Monet and Van Gogh for the moment so I seized the chance to turn her interest in art into a learning opportunity and I was amazed at how many books there are out there to choose from! My main focus, unintentionally, turned out to be Pop Art. I was looking for ABC’s 123’s and Colors and came across these very inspiring board books perfect for little hands and big imaginations.

Andy Warhol (1928-1987), Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997) and Wayne Thiebaud (1920- )were all key figures in the world of Pop Art and although not vintage classics, learning about letters, numbers and colors has never been so modish!



Board books make perfect sense when you have children. At the very least they allow a child to get used to the idea of reading a book. They have sturdy coated cardboard pages that withstand throwing, food spills and the dreaded gnawing and chewing of little ones but sometimes a board book can offer so much more than reading training wheels and here are three examples of just that.

7/30/10

Where The Wild Things Are


Where the Wild Things Are
Maurice Sendak
1963

Truly, I can’t think about this book without getting teary-eyed. I know its a little cliché to say that this is my ultimate favorite children’s book but really, how could anyone NOT heart this book!? When I was a child of about nine years old, I read this book as best as I could to my younger brother who received it for his fifth birthday; even further, it’s the first book I bought when I found out I was expecting my very own little one. What initially drew me to the book all those years ago were the illustrations, however, I am posting this book for a completely different reason.


Although, I have to admit I am a big fan of Maurice Sendak’s illustrations, the actual plot of the book is really taking on an analogous undertone as of late. You see, my darling little BOOG has taken to tantrum throwing. I won’t go into great detail, as I am certain I am not the only one here with a tantrum throwing 2 year old on their hands, but it can be quite taxing at times to say the very least…… which is why I decided to evaluate this book in an entirely different perspective.

The story is based on not only Max’s fantasies but also on the real life consequences of his misbehaviors. The story goes, one night Max dresses up in his wolf suit and wreaks havoc. He chases the dog (in our case a cat) with a fork (again in our case a misplaced hanger) and is eventually scolded by his mommy who calls him a “WILD THING!” To which Max replies, “I’LL EAT YOU UP!” As a result, his mommy sends him to his room sans supper. A little harsh but after a good sulk with imaginary WILD THINGS, Max learns his lesson. He begins to want to be "…where someone loved him best of all." Max's WILD THINGS adventure ends when he smells his dinner from “afar”. Despite the WILD THINGS’ protests, “Oh Please Don’t Go! We’ll Eat You Up We Love You SO!” Max sails back to his own room where he finds his supper waiting for him “and it was still HOT.”


I love this book even more as an adult because in the end Max comes to grips with his own anger and his piqued feelings towards his mother. In the end, after he succumbs to his brooding emotions by creating a sub-reality where he is crowned KING OF ALL WILD THINGS, Max puts his impishness aside and decides that he doesn’t want to be angry anymore. The hot dinner waiting for Max is proof that his mommy loves him regardless of his misdeeds.

This is particularly appealing to me because it speaks about emotions that are realistic not only to me, but also my daughter. In a sense Max represents a character which any young WILD THING can correlate with. *Especially my Lil BOOG* BECAUSE SHE IS THE MOST WILD THING OF ALL!


The above images were created for Terrible Yellow Eyes (TYE)

“The contributing artists share a love and admiration for Sendak's work and the pieces presented here were done as a tribute to his life and legacy.”

Find out more about the project here.

7/26/10

The Red Balloon

Le Ballon Rouge (The Red Balloon)
Albert Lamorisse1956

There is something about foreign films that sound pretentious. (Maybe it’s the sub-titles) Thankfully this short film has none. In fact, it is set to music and has almost no dialogue at all! It tells the tale of a little boy, who on his way to school discovers a red balloon. The red balloon proceeds to follow the boy throughout the streets of Paris.

 
It’s a short film at just about 35 minutes and provides a glance at the area of Bellville in Paris. An area that regrettably has been altered considerably since the films making; Ninety-five percent of what is seen in the film exists no more. It has won numerous awards and has been digitally re-mastered not too long ago and is available on DVD. The cinematography is quite charming and the town seems muted around the vibrant color of The Red Balloon and at times the balloon seems to take on a life of its own.

The book by the same name is also worth a read! My favorite version is the children’s I can read edition published in 1978, this particular cover is a great segue way for the film. There are many versions of it out there and if you happen across it in any vintage form you should scoop it up at once. Either way, both are classics and when The BOOG is old enough I hope she enjoys it as much as I did when I was just a wee little thing!

7/25/10

Choose Your Own Adventure

Choose Your Own Adventure
Edward Packard1979

I have to credit my one of my favorite Aunts for introducing me to this series. During my pre-teenage years I babysat for my little cousin and my aunt would than repay me by buying me copious amounts of books. While on one of our many visits I purchased a gem of a collection known as Choose Your Own Adventure Books. Among them, Cave of Time, The Mystery of Chimney Rock and Vampire Express. From there a collector was born and I gobbled up every vintage copy I could lay my hands on! A good many years later, I have no idea what happened to them and I still search for them like mad whenever I go thrifting……………

Amazingly enough, Edward Packard along with publishing company Simon & Schuster, are releasing some of the titles under a new name for your viewing pleasure. There are three newly named “U-venture” mobile applications for iphone and ipad and can be purchased for 3.99 a piece on iTunes. The First story, Return to the Cave of Time, was released this past June and two more, Through the Black Hole and The Forbidden Castle, are due out later this summer and early next fall.

The new “U-Ventures” include the old text but with more choices and subsequent endings. Usually I am not into bells and whistles (nothing beats a good old copy of a book) but the level of interactivity is enhanced and, depending on your decision, a physical response is triggered. The image on the screen may fade to black, buzz or shake violently, and may even generate sound effects and music.

Now to buy an iphone…….

7/23/10

Everyone Poops!

Everyone Poops
Taro Gomi1977

So, The BOOG is somewhat stunned when she realizes what our cat’s are actually up to in their litter box! I was cleaning it out the other day and she pointed towards it and exclaimed, “STINKY POO POO!” I’ve chosen to highlight this book for obvious reasons; it is an awesomely illustrated book explaining the inevitable in everyone’s life…......Everyone Poops!

This one is a no brainer and it’s great for little ones that have limited reading capabilities as it has no plot whatsoever. In the beginning different animals are chronicled explaining that all animals poop differently and in different places. When I first looked through the pages I was taken aback at the illustrations because on almost every page there is a view of the animal’s rear end and they are clearly pooping but decided it was all in good fun!

The last pages of the book explain that because every animal eats, every animal must therefore poop! Straight and to the point!


These days Taro Gomi is illustrating coloring books and doodle pages..... and, Iam happy to report, there is a new sequel to Everyone Poops simply known as "The Gas We Pass: The Story of Farts" written by Shinto Cho, which I have yet to check out!

7/22/10

The Monster at the End of This Book

The Monster at the End of This Book
Jon Stone ~ Illustrated by Mike Smollin
1971

I didn’t grow up in the 70’s or anything but having thrifty grandparents meant lots and lots of vintage finds, including books. I believe I read a ton of Sesame Street books before ever having watched an episode on T.V. however; I can’t say I ever came across The Monster at the End of This Book. I really wish our paths had crossed years and years before because this might be one of the most hilarious kid’s books out there!

In its first year of publication, the book, which is one of the first to star Grover, sold two million copies and is still considered an all-time one-year sales record for a single book.
It is written in comic book style, utilizing thought bubbles and various styles of text, but the most appealing element of The Monster at the End of This Book is what lengths Grover will go to keep you from turning another page, all so he can avoid the monster which turns out to be HIM!
Luckily, I stumbled across it during a trip to the thrift store and The BOOG spotted it on the shelf (She has Sesame Street radar) and now it is one of our preferred titles when we feel like giggling.

7/17/10

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?


Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Bill Martin Jr. ~ Illustrated by Eric Carle1967

The BOOG is lucky enough to have older cousins which means sometimes she is awarded gratuitous hand me downs. Case in point, this super awesome board book copy of Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? The book was designed, very simply, to help toddlers relate colors to objects, which it accomplishes beautifully, but it also gave The BOOG the confidence to read to her mommy for a change! Since she knows all the words and animals she, very matter-of-factly, relays the entire story, and I don’t even have to utter a word.

To my astonishment, there is an actual back story involved with Brown Bear.

THEN......
NOW!

“Eventually, I started painting my own papers to achieve even greater texture and I began using archival quality materials. You can see these changes in the art work from these selected illustrations from Brown Bear where a history of how my style has evolved is evident.”

Carle reveals that there are actually 4 complete sets of art work for Brown Bear. Even further, he points out the technical process by which he creates his illustrations and how they have evolved throughout the years. He initially would use commercially available tissue papers in various shades of colors and add crayon and paint for texture but over time these papers faded and the rubber cement he was using discolored the papers and did not last very long. In short, he would have then redo art work for numerous other titles because the original work had faded and needed to be recreated for reprints. Fortunately, using archival materials made for more long-lasting art work and a more consistent design.
See, You learn something new everyday! ;)

7/16/10

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland



Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll
~ Illustrated by John Tenniel1965

Lookie, Lookie what I scored! I have been on the hunt for a vintage reading copy of this book forever. After several failed attempts at finding a decently priced readers copy online, I lucked out and found one at the Good Will for next to nothing! Literally it cost nothing! It was buy one get one free day and the hubby was scrounging in his usual area, while I lingered in the kid’s books section, and he just happened past it. It is the most perfect little copy in that it has the original illustrations by Mr. Tenniel. The pages have this rustic quality to them and it came with a dustjacket, which is nice because I prefer the hardcover illustration and anything that helps preserve it is fine by me!

I was uber obsessed with the animated Disney adaptation and I sat thru the movie version but unfortunately, I have never read the actual book, so I am ready to dig in and delve into the literary world of Alice’s adventures in wonderland! They even found a way to make the text whimsical!

So now that I have it in my possession I got to thinking about my sister’s 30th birthday. The theme for her party is “The mad hatter’s tea party.” Which then reminded me of gwen Stefani’s video. It’s couture, meets harajuku , meets vogue circa the 1800’s (If such a thing existed) In a nutshell, it’s going to be one mean soiree! Anyhoo, I am rambling on and on……. I’m just going to shut my mouth and read my book now :) Please enjoy the video……


7/15/10

A Flower Pot Is Not a Hat

A Flower Pot Is Not a Hat
Martha Moffett
~ Illustrated By Susan Perl
1974

A flower pot is not a hat.
A lamp shape is not a hat.
A frying pan is not a hat.
If I put it on my head it is.


As a mother to an only child, and coming from a very large brood of 5, I sometimes undergo a sense of regret whenever I come to the realization that the BOOG may never feel that sense of ridiculousness that seems to be contagious amongst a pack of likeminded little munchkins. Though my siblings and I never ran out of ways to make my grandmother punish us in separate areas of the house, this book reminded me of how simply we turned a sheet draped table into a castle or a cut up tube sock into a fashionable ensemble for our Barbie dolls.(True Story)

The pictures throughout this book are so full of engaging peculiarities punctuated with large morsels of bold typeface, each scene surrounded with plenty of sub-drama . The children in this book try new inventive ways to explore their surroundings while exploiting familiar objects like an umbrella, or a chair and even, at one point, a frying pan!


"If I can sit on it, pound it, ride on it, sleep in it, play with it, and put it on my head, then I can find out what it is by myself."

Just when I think the BOOG is off in la la land while I am reading, she surprises me with a new observation. “Look, an umbrella mama!, “ she declares, while looking inquisitively at the little children not knowing what to make of the little child riding atop an umbrella. “Is it raining?” she asks. I have to explain the child is being silly and then she lets out a huge giggle because if there is one thing any child loves, it’s being silly!

If there is one thing this book should make you realize it’s that, even if you're just young at heart like me, it’s ok to be ridiculous and juvenile. Especially in front of your kids, because life is too short not laugh; even if it’s at yourself.

7/14/10

Goodnight Moon



Today I will start with an obvious favorite of BOOG’s. Good Night Moon, which is both written and illustrated by two very big names in the children’s lit. circle, both past and present. First published in 1947, it remains the quintessential bedtime book even today. It is written by Margaret Wise Brown, in rhyme, and depicts a bunny’s bedtime ritual of saying Goodnight to the many items in his bed room . After reading this pretty much every night for a year and a half, one of BOOG’s favorite things about this book, and impart, what makes it a bedtime winner, is the detail in all of the illustrations.

The story takes place in the bunny’s bedroom but upon prolonged readings you’ll begin to notice the details in the illustrations, beautifully laid out by Clement G. Hurd, and one reading will never be the same as the next. For instance, the young mouse and kittens wander around the room. On various pages throughout the book, the mouse is present in different positions about the room. We can read it for a whole hour just searching for the mouse!

We loved it so much that we bought a huge lap edition, which BOOG has littered with an array of kitten stickers, and a tiny board book version to take with us when we travel. Even though we have read it a million and one times it’s still a nightly pick.

7/13/10

Waking up in Mommy-Land ; When Old Becomes New


While I have been off in mommy-land, tending to the little one, (to whom we affectionately refer to as the BOOG) inspiration planted its tiny seed. Being an avid reader of all things fiction, I have come to view my love for children’s picturebooks as, somewhat, of a guilty pleasure. My husband has labeled me a hoarder and in a way I am because I have an inordinate amount of children’s classics sitting row upon row of shelves and until last night I had no idea why I was compelled to collect and hoard in such an ardent manner. That is, until I noticed my 2yr old trying to sneak a peek at MY beloved stash of contraband.

It suddenly occurred to me that I have been collecting these books for her and that although they meant something to me at one time, she has yet to discover what they will mean to her. Yes she has her own bookshelves full of wonderful titles, and yes she is fine with reading the same books over and over (and over and over and over) again: Its mommy and daddy who are always ready for something fresh, yet she is still drawn like a moth to a flame over the coveted books I’ve compiled over the years. I remember wishing she would walk over to one of my old faves and pluck it off the shelf and demand I read it to her but nothing prepared me for the moment it actually came into fruition.

Feeling very nostalgic I thought I would share some of our favorites with you and invite you into the world of mommy and BOOG. I will post one vintage favorite a day with a smattering of the BOOG’s new faves, which will no doubt be considered vintage when she is a mommy herself, in the hopes that perhaps you will be inspired to assemble a vintage (both old and new) collection of your very own…… to share with your current or future little ones. ENJOY!!!

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