100 Picture Books
Last October Melissa Wiley wrote about reading 100 Picture Books in six months. I loved the idea immediately! We read aloud plenty here. But the older children have moved into chapter books and the toddler is firmly in the board book category. Picture books–with their lush illustration, and engaging, often sophisticated, text–were being forgotten. So this little challenge was just the thing to bring a new focus to our reading.
Well, it brought it into focus for a while at least! I was gung ho for the first few weeks…and the last few weeks. But we will certainly fall short of 100 books. But the sweetness of the one-off stories, the books that aren’t meant for anything but enjoyment, the books that aren’t a part of any lesson plan (no matter how gentle or child-led) will stay with us. This is not something I want to lose.
The highlight for me was discovering Kazuo Iwasmura’s squirrel books! Sweet, funny stories of a family with three children. Each child has a personality and viewpoint that becomes recognizable as you read multiple books in the series. The family too has its own culture. Mabel had a very hard time narrowing down her choices, but finally settled on the graphic novel of The Odyssey (not really a picture book, I know. But if functions as a picture book for our non-readers) and the Cozy Classic version of Pride and Prejudice. Nicolas likes Tomie dePaola’s silly Bill and Pete go Down the Nile. Jojo loves Gilgamesh the King.
If you are looking for even more good picture books, Mary Machado’s board is a wonder…and so is Penny Parker Klostermann’s!
I cannot wait until we are in the US again and can attack the local library!
Will you be stateside soon? This summer? The library saves my homeschooling bacon on a regular basis! Love to you, Missy!
Kort! I just rediscovered your blog after several years away! I was thinking of you the other day, actually, but couldn’t recall the name of your blog! Anyway! How exciting to find you again, and discover that you are Catholic! I never realized that before. Also, I felt compelled to comment on this particular post because Mary Machado is a real-life friend and mentor of mine. I love her so much! Wishing you a wonderful Holy Week.
Blessings,
Grace
Oh, Grace! How wonderful to hear from you!
I wonder if you found me again because someone clicked through from this piece on Lent? http://www.kortneygarrison.com/2008/01/30/observing-lent-with-our-families/ I wrote it after you commented on a flickr picture. It was the first time I thought I might have something to add to the grand conversation happening here, the first time I really thought about sharing my voice in this space.
And I’ve been thinking of you too lately. Not least because my husband’s school is closing and in a few months he will be unemployed. I’ve watched you cross this season of uncertainty with power, honesty, and well, grace.
Also thinking of you as I’ve been working a bit as a virtual assistant–work I know you’d excel at if there were enough hours in the day. The book Bootstrap VA has been so helpful for me. I’d love to give you a copy if you thought it might be something you’d be interested in. Just leave another comment or email: onedeepdrawer at yahoo dot com.
Peace keep you and yours, dear one. I’ll be praying for you this Holy Week.