Top Ten Tuesday: Kid's Books We're Reading This Month

I've been meaning to join the Top Ten Tuesday fun over at Oh Amanda's for a while and finally got inspired today! So, here it is. The Top Ten Kid's Books we're reading at the Loving house this month:

1. Goldilicious, by Victoria Kann - We're big fans of Pinkalicious so this one was a no-brainer. It's particularly popular with my girls because it's all about an imaginary friend and since we're currently overrun with imaginary friends around here it's one we can all relate to!

2. The Story About Ping, by Marjorie Flack & Kurt Wiese - We're doing Five in a Row as part of our homeschool curriculum and this was the first book in the volume we started with. The story has a great little moral to it and when coupled with the FIAR curriculum has so much that can be learned from it. We're learning all about China, boats, ducks & more!

3. How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? by Jane Yolen & Mark Teague - Have I mentioned my girls love dinosaurs? They also love this series of books! This one is perfect for us since we're learning all about being in a classroom & what it means to behave at school. Plus, it's such a cute rhyming story that it is super fun to read out loud.

4. & 5. Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? and Fox in Socks, by Dr. Seuss - Not that I ever need an excuse to bring out the beloved Dr. Seuss, but we're trying to focus on rhyming books this month as part of our phonics curriculum. And who better to do that with than Dr. Seuss? Not to mention, the girls think it is hilarious to see me all tongue tied reading Fox in Socks!

6. A Tree for Emmy, by Mary Ann Rodman - This one is probably one of my top favorite kid's books ever. The illustrations (by Tatjana Mai-Wyss) are beautiful and the story is so charming. Emmy makes for an adorable and spunky main character and one who (like the tree she loves so much) is "stubborn, strong, and a little bit wild." It's a new family favorite!

7. Class Two at the Zoo, by Julia Jarman - You might have already noticed, but I'm a sucker for cute rhyming books. This one falls in that category. It's a funny little story about an anaconda on the loose at the zoo and the rhyming makes it one of those books I just love to read. The girls think the story is hilarious and since we're trying to reinforce the concept of rhyming it's a fun one to read this month.

8. Little Pea, by Amy Rosenthal - This book is precious! It's all about how poor little pea is forced to finish all of his candy before he can eat the good stuff (like spinach!). It was given to us last year by a good friend but we've recently picked it back up because we've got ourselves a seriously picky eater (Ivy) and we thought this book would be perfect for her. I love the illustrations ( by Jen Corace) and the story just adorable to read.

9. Skippyjon Jones in the Dog House, by Judy Schachner - If you haven't read the Skippyjon Jones stories you are missing out! These stories of this little Siamese cat suffering from an identity crisis are among our favorites. Skippyjon Jones thinks he's a Chihuahua and has quite the imagination. It's definitely one of those books I enjoy reading as much as the kids!

10. The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis - You might be thinking it's a little too grown up for a 5 and 3-year-old, but the girls did so well with Despereaux we thought we'd give another big chapter book a try. They've already made it through the 1st book, The Magician's Nephew, last month and are on to The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe now. The best part? Their daddy is the one who reads it to them before bed so they get lots of good quality daddy time while hearing a great story!

So that's what we're reading this month. What's on your bookshelf right now?

Read This Book: Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott

I've been in a book reading funk lately. I just can't seem to find anything engaging that I am crazy about reading which is a really big deal for me because reading ranks right up there with breathing and eating for me.

I'm probably a bad Christian for admitting this, but I don't usually like books about faith. I like hearing people's stories about how they "found" God, but I can't ever manage to get through a whole book about finding faith/peace/happiness because I find myself in the literary version of a diabetic coma from all the sugary sweetness. That is a gross over generalization about those types of books, I know, but I simply talk myself out of reading them before I even get a chance to pick them up.

But my friend Dewde (who I trust not to give me a sugary sweet Christian cupcake-book) gave me this book when I was in the hospital with Traveler and once my baby haze wore off and I could stay awake long enough to read I picked it up.

And wow. This book.

Traveling Mercies is a book about a journey to faith and finding God, but Lamott's voice is so raw and honest and real that it isn't for the easily offended. In one breath, she admits to saying or doing things that "would make Jesus want to drink gin straight out of the cat dish" while at the same time inspiring the reader by her unconventional methods for finding God in these trials and the ways in which her faith grows throughout them.

The language is a little spicy (though we all know that doesn't exactly bother me) so it's not your typical ladies Bible study book on faith, but somehow the grit and the grime of a real, honest, imperfect life serve as a stunning mosaic against which the grace of a loving God is able to shine.

Traveling Mercies is so good and true and real that I'm pretty much at a loss for words about why you should read it. I feel like a girl with a crush who finds herself stammering and stuttering and speechless when faced with the object of her affection. I have such a huge writer-crush on Lamott and her book and so I'll simply say this:

Read this book. You won't be sorry you did.

(And also thanks Dewde for sharing it with me. You were right about waiting until I could laugh without endangering the stitches from my C-section!)

Read Me Days 4 & 5

Okay...so I skipped a day. I'm blaming it on early labor, kidney stones, & the fact that a pipe broke in our basement Wednesday night and left 2" of standing water in my basement closet. It's a good excuse, right?

I knew you'd understand.

So, anyways, here are two books for the last two days of Read Me Week:

See Inside Your Body
by Katie Daynes & Colin King

This book is intended for ages a bit older than my girls, but they love it nonetheless. Kai, in particular, is fascinated by science and biology so this book has been great to explain some of the answers to the questions she comes up with. I love Usborne books because they are so educational but in an interactive way that really engages my kids. It's been a great addition to our homeschool library and I highly recommend it for kids as young as 3 since even Ivy can now recognize some of the body systems and what they do!

For the last book, I asked Kai to pick out her favorite book so I could recommend it and this one is all her choice.

Kai: The Honu Who Didn't Know He Was Brave
by Mora Ebie

This is another great book we picked up on a trip to Hawaii and bought pretty much solely because it had Kai's name in the title. It turns out it is a great book about being brave in scary situations and recognizing when some things just seem scary because of your imagination. I like the little honu (turtle), Kai, because he is a nervous guy in the beginning who finds that he isn't such a scaredy-honu after all and saves his friends by being courageous. It's a great bedtime book for kids of all ages.

So, there you have it 5 of our favorite books to read lately. Here's your last chance to give your recommendations for your favorites kids books! What's next in your kids reading pile?

Read Me Day 3

My girls will be 3 and 5 in the next couple months and we've mostly waited until recently to read chapter books to them. To be honest, I'm not quite sure when the ideal age to start chapter books is, but it just never occurred to me to try until recently.

But, given the success we've had reading these books I think it possible I could have started this much earlier with them. They LOVE listening to these books before bedtime.

For Christmas our good friends, Dewde & Dewdette, gave our girls their new favorite book:

The Tale of Despereaux
by Kate DiCamillo

Do yourself (and your kids) a favor and skip the junior novelization of this book. Our friends gave us the original version and not the "film" version and I'm so glad they did! The vocabulary is a little more complex and it doesn't exactly read like a little kids book but I think that is one of the best things about reading it to little ones. It stretches their understanding of the written word and gives them new words that they might not encounter on a daily basis.

And, oh, the story. We are loving it. Of course, it is another one of those stories that celebrate being unique & reaching for the seemingly impossible and I just think kids can't hear enough that it is okay to be themselves so I loved that. But, other than that, it is just a beautifully written and romantically told story that will be as enjoyable for adults as it is for kids.

We haven't seen the movie yet because we're waiting until we finish the book, but it gives the girls something to look forward to when we're finished reading it.

What literary or children's classic were you thrilled to see your kids enjoy? What are some book selections you've found that can be enjoyed by adults and kids, alike?

P.S. It's Read Me Day 2

Despite the drama, I'm continuing on with Read Me week and my promise to blog my family's favorite kids books.

Book #2 is:

Humu: The Little Fish Who Wished Away His Colors
By Kimberly Jackson

(image from JacketFlap)

Most people know how I feel about the Rainbow Fish book. I'm not a big fan of encouraging kids to give up what makes them unique and special so they can have more friends. Call me crazy, but I think we need to do more celebrating of the things that make us different. Not more compromising of those unique traits.

So since I have such strong opinions on the topic of celebrating our differences, the story of Humu is right up my alley. We originally bought this book on one of our trips home to Hawaii to see Thomas' family. I've never seen it in a bookstore on the mainland though the link in the title takes you to the Amazon page and I'm sure most bookstores can order it for you.

It is a great kids book about Hawaii's state fish the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a (yeah, that's really the name and I swear I double checked the spelling!). In the book the little fish, Humu, realizes he is more colorful than all of his other friends. He is upset that he doesn't look like everyone else and makes a wish to be the color of sand so he isn't different any more.

But, he does so without telling anyone and when his friends find out they are sad because they know his colors are part of what make him such a special fish. They tell him that it was those crazy colors that made him special because they made him unique. Realizing he made a mistake, he wishes for his colors back and with the help of his friends he gets back the beautiful colors that made him so different. In the process Humu realizes that it is those things that are uniquely individual about someone that make them who they are and they should never be wished away.

The illustrations are beautiful and the story is such a great celebration of individuality that it has instantly become a family favorite. I highly recommend picking it up and reading it with your kids!

Your turn, what books celebrating individuality and uniqueness does your family love?

My Little Girl, Book Review

I'm reviewing "My Little Girl" by Tim McGraw over at my review blog. Come check it out!

Everybody's Nuts (Giveaway!)

I suppose it's only appropriate that my first real product review is for a company called "Everybody's Nuts" seeing as how that is very nearly my family's motto. Welcome to the Land of Lovings where everybody's nuts. It just seems to fit us, right?

Still, when the folks over at Everybody's Nuts offered to have me try their Pistachios and give my honest unbiased opinion I couldn't resist. I mean, when was the last time someone actually asked for your opinion and offered to give you free food for it?

Plus, I really, really love Pistachios. I mean, second only to a bag of hot boiled peanuts they are hands down my favorite nut of all time. But, I'm not really a Pistachio snob and I always pretty much assumed a Pistachio is a Pistachio. Which is probably why I used to buy those packages of red Pistachios at the gas station and never tried any other kind.

But, people, I was missing out. For real. I got to try all four of their flavors and, um, yeah...a Pistachio as it turns out can be quite delicious. They have Unsalted & Roasted for the ultra healthy folks, Salted & Roasted for the traditionalists, Salt & Pepper for the adventurous, and European flavor (Salt & Vinegar) for our continental friends.

These were hands down the best Pistachios I've ever had and, best of all, my kids loved them. When I was trying to sample them one afternoon during a controlled taste test (which really means: keep them to myself while watching Dr. Phil) I was constantly interrupted by chants of "Nuts! Nuts!" from my girls - which was just weird on its own, but also because I've never been successful in getting them to eat any other kind of healthy snack without bribing, threatening, or trickery so I was pretty stoked that they actually showed an interest in something other than Cheeto's and chocolate chip cookies...

So, now, here's where you get the chance to benefit from a freebie (and who doesn't love one of those?). I will be drawing two lucky winners from the comments off this post and each one will receive a package of Everybody's Nuts Pistachios in the flavor of their choice (in case you're curious, European is my personal favorite!).

Just leave a comment with the flavor you'd most like to try and I'll draw the 2 winners on Wednesday at 12:00 am E.T. Good luck!

"Reading is Fun" Favorite #5: The Tale of the Three Trees

Kai got this book as a present at her Baby Dedication from our good friends, the Witchers. So, that means it has been a favorite of ours since she was just a little, little baby. I'd actually never heard of it until they bought the book for us and it is certainly a family favorite now.

It's apparently a folktale that's been retold for hundreds of years and this particular version is beautifully written and illustrated. Trees must be some kind of classic sacrificial archetype in children's literature 'cause it's a theme that just keeps repeating itself.

Sorry, I let my internal English major out for a second. Ignore that. I think this is a great bedtime story book with an excellent message. Definitely a must-have for your children's library.

"Reading is Fun" Favorite #4: The Giving Tree

No list of favorite children's books can be complete without this classic by Shel Silverstein. Who couldn't love The Giving Tree?

In fact, this is one of those books that if I read it to the girls at the end of a particularly emotional day, I still find myself crying when I read it. I just think it is such a beautiful story about love and sacrifice. It has been one of my favorite books since I was a kid and it is definitely one of Kai's favorites now.

If you have never read this amazing book, RUN don't walk to you nearest book store and pick it up. Think of it as a children's literature emergency...

"Reading is Fun" Favorite #3: I Love You Because You're You

This is a simple little children's board book that I've had since Kai was about a year old. It's not a children's classic or anything, but the message in the book is one I love reinforcing in our girls.

Basically, the gist of the book is that the mommy fox loves her baby fox whether he be angry, silly, scared, bashful, or naughty. She loves him no matter what he does or doesn't do. She loves him just for being himself. It is a simple sing-song poem that teaches kids that their moms and dads love them even when they may feel unlovable.

When Kai gets in trouble or I seem frustrated with her she inevitably asks me, "Do you still love me?" And everytime, no matter how frustrated or angry I am, I completely melt. I want my girls to always understand that I love them no matter what. That no matter what they do or what happens nothing will be able to change that. Heck, I think it's something even adults can stand to hear more.

"Reading is Fun" Favorite #2: A Color of His Own

Having multi-racial children I try to find books that highlight the good things about being different. When I found this book by Leo Lionni book I LOVED it!

Basically, the whole premise is that everything has a color of its own. Everything but Chameleons. And so, this Chameleon goes on a search to fit in and find his color. In the end, he finds a friend and a sense of happiness about what makes him unique.

Who doesn't love a book that teaches children to love themselves and others for who they are? I know I do...

Songs of the Humpback Whale, By Jodi Picoult

I just realized I never posted my review of Songs of the Humpback Whale by Jodi Picoult. It was last month's First Thurdays book and I was going to wait until we met to post my review. So here it is...

I've been a fan of Picoult for a few years now and pretty much am guaranteed to love anything she writes. So, for me, it was a no-brainer to pick this book for the First Thursdays inaugural book choice. It was Picoult's first novel so I was curious to see how far she'd come. The answer is, very, very far. I did enjoy the book on a superficial level. I thought the plot was relatively interesting, but ultimately the characters were flat and unlikable. There really wasn't a single character who seemed the least bit interesting or real to me.

From the emotionally infantile mother/wife, Jane, to the cold, uncaring and unsympathetic husband/father, Oliver there was not a likable character in the mix. Even Rebecca, the wise-beyond-her-years daughter with a reverse role as a maternal figure to her own mother, who should earn the reader's sympathy if nothing else, was just dry and flat.

It is a testament to Picoult's progression as a writer to see where she began and it makes me even more excited to see where she is headed.

Ultimately I'd say skip this one and choose one of her later books. My Sister's Keeper was the book that introduced me to Picoult's writing and is still one of my absolute favorite of her works...

Middlesex and other books...

Okay, so I am going to officially save my review of Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides until First Thursdays meets and we can talk about it, but for now I have to say Oh. My. Gosh. I LOVED this book! From the blurb you know it's about a Greek-American hermaphrodite who comes of age and learns to deal with the medical diagnosis and its affect on his/her life. But, it is about so much more. It is complex and tragic and beautiful and gut-wrenching. It is absolutely a must-read (despite being an Oprah book club selection).


I am trying desperately to make some progress on Thomas' pick, Out of the Silent Planet, by C.S. Lewis because he has absolutely loved the Space Trilogy. Try as I might it's just not happening for me, but I refuse to give up. So, I continue to work through it.


However, I must admit, I'm starting a bit of a literary affair with The Age of Shiva, by Manil Suri. I want to be faithful to Out of the Silent Planet, but this other book is just calling my name. Maybe once I get it finished and out of my head I can go back to the Space Trilogy...

Literary Goodness: Water for Elephants

It's been a while since I've caught the reading bug but in the last couple months I've been on a reading frenzy. I'm waiting to review my First Thursdays book, Songs of the Humpback Whale, until we actually meet (my fault, long story) but I will go ahead and give you a peek at the one I just finished, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.

This book is really a delight. I read it so fast and it was one of those books you just are so sad to finish because you hate to leave the friends you've made in the characters. I actually picked this book up because of the subject matter (a traveling circus during the Great Depression). In fact, since there was no book blurb on the back cover that was all I knew before I started it. It was a risky decision, but I think it made the whole book more of an adventure.

The book follows the life of Jacob Jankowski a Polish-American veterinary student whose life takes a crazy turn when tragedy strikes his family. What follows is his entry into the foreign and complex world of the traveling circus. I have to say, I never gave circuses too much thought or much credit for being a real business venture. But, if Gruen's novel has any basis in reality (and it seems credible enough to me) then the world of the traveling circus was very much a world of complex social mores and drama. I suppose any time you collect a group of such eccentric characters and performers you are bound to have drama ensue. And these characters were no exception. Though some people might think the book moves too slow at points, it is the depth of the character development that really drives the book. Even when the action seems a bit slow the reader finds themselves just enjoying hearing about the lives of the characters. It gives the reader the feeling of catching up with a new friend. Perhaps most surprising of all is the book's unlikely heroine. A beautiful and silent character that seems to serve as an almost omnipresent figure in the book. She exists in the midst of everything, often driving the conflict, but with seemingly little control over the events surrounding her. She is, at once, the most powerful and powerless character in the book.

If you are looking for a thrilling trip back into one of the most fascinating times in American history don't miss out on this book...I loved it!