Pure Parents

Question:

(Ron J Low) writes: >I give a big thumbs DOWN to the following: >- Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass >- Winnie the Pooh, et al >because they seem impossible to read aloud and were obviously written to >impress adults, which they don’t (in my case).

Ron, I LOVED Alice!  And still do.  But I read it myself when I was about 7 or 8.  Now, Pooh, OTOH…  I could never get past the "ther" on the first page.   These are kind of "older kid" read-alouds.  Maybe 7 or 8, when your child can understand more than they can read by themselves. BTW, I just introduced my 1st Grader to "My Father’s Dragon."  He loved it!  So we’re moving on to Book 2:  "Elmer & the Dragon."  And we (as a family) listen to audio books while on long driving trips.  Jack London, some science fiction, Kipling’s "Jungle Book" are some of the books we’ve all enjoyed.  It cuts down on the in-car fighting–if they fight, they miss some of the story!   JMHO!  <G> Denise    "If you don’t believe in dragons,/It is curiously true/    "That the dragons you disparage/Choose to not believe in you."–Jack Prelutsky

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > (Ron J Low) writes: >I give a big thumbs DOWN to the following: >- Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass >- Winnie the Pooh, et al >because they seem impossible to read aloud and were obviously written to >impress adults, which they don’t (in my case). > Ron, I LOVED Alice!  And still do.  But I read it myself when I was about 7 or > 8.  Now, Pooh, OTOH…  I could never get past the "ther" on the first page. > These are kind of "older kid" read-alouds.  Maybe 7 or 8, when your child can > understand more than they can read by themselves. > BTW, I just introduced my 1st Grader to "My Father’s Dragon."  He loved it!  So > we’re moving on to Book 2:  "Elmer & the Dragon."  And we (as a family) listen > to audio books while on long driving trips.  Jack London, some science fiction, > Kipling’s "Jungle Book" are some of the books we’ve all enjoyed.  It cuts down > on the in-car fighting–if they fight, they miss some of the story! > JMHO!  <G> > Denise >    "If you don’t believe in dragons,/It is curiously true/ >    "That the dragons you disparage/Choose to not believe in you."–Jack > Prelutsky

I loved both Alice and Pooh as a child — we actually wore out a set of the Pooh books. (This is the *original* Winnie the Pooh, NOT the Disney version!) My mom read them aloud to my brother and I when we were small, and then we read them on our own when we were a bit older. –Summer

Response:

My third grad teacher read the Winnie the (ther?) Pooh books aloud — ever since, I’ve loved Pooh.  My daughter does too — my sister found some pop-up books that condense some of Pooh’s adventures. My daughter loves for me to read the "Arthur" books by Marc Brown.  Our PBS station has the TV show, and Lili is addicted.  She also likes the "George and Martha" books by Marshall. Favorites of mine as a kid were "Runaway Ralph" and "The Mouse and the Motorcycle" (don’t remember the author — they are for kids around 7 – 9 years old), "Frog and Toad" books by Lobel, and I remember my mom reading the "Narnia Chronicles" to me when I was about eight. Mary mother to Lili (5-3-95) and Jenny (9-21-97) P.S. Jenny loves it when I read to Lili, too — I think I’m going to have two bookworms following in my footsteps!

Response:

> Favorites of mine as a kid were "Runaway Ralph" and "The Mouse and the > Motorcycle" (don’t remember the author — they are for kids around 7 – 9 > years old), "Frog and Toad" books by Lobel, and I remember my mom reading > the "Narnia Chronicles" to me when I was about eight.

Ralph was written by Beverly Cleary, the same author who wrote the Ramona Quimby series (my personal favorite as a child).  My daughter and I also read many of the Roald Dahl books – our favorite was Matilda. Laurie – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Mary > mother to Lili (5-3-95) and Jenny (9-21-97) > P.S. Jenny loves it when I read to Lili, too — I think I’m going to have > two bookworms following in my footsteps!

Response:

>Favorites of mine as a kid were "Runaway Ralph" and >"The Mouse and the Motorcycle" (don’t remember the author…)

Beverly Cleary is the author of these and also Ramona the Pest, etc.   – Ron Low Levity is the dearth of gravity.  Brevity is the height of clarity.   non-commercial e-mail always welcome

Response:

> > Favorites of mine as a kid were "Runaway Ralph" and "The Mouse and the > Motorcycle" (don’t remember the author — they are for kids around 7 – 9 > years old), "Frog and Toad" books by Lobel, and I remember my mom reading > the "Narnia Chronicles" to me when I was about eight. > Ralph was written by Beverly Cleary, the same author who wrote the > Ramona Quimby series (my personal favorite as a child).  My daughter and > I also read many of the Roald Dahl books – our favorite was Matilda. > Laurie

OH! OH! One more….if you have a child in the 8-11 range, you MUST read the book "Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbitt.  It’s an old book – written in the 30’s-40’s – but it is one of the dearest, most touching stories I’ve ever read.   Laurie

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Favorites of mine as a kid were "Runaway Ralph" and "The Mouse and the > Motorcycle" (don’t remember the author — they are for kids around 7 – 9 > years old), "Frog and Toad" books by Lobel, and I remember my mom reading > the "Narnia Chronicles" to me when I was about eight. >Ralph was written by Beverly Cleary, the same author who wrote the >Ramona Quimby series (my personal favorite as a child).  My daughter and >I also read many of the Roald Dahl books – our favorite was Matilda. >Laurie > Mary > mother to Lili (5-3-95) and Jenny (9-21-97) > P.S. Jenny loves it when I read to Lili, too — I think I’m going to have > two bookworms following in my footsteps!

I read, and loved, anything I could get my hands on.  The Boxcar Children, Cherry Ames RN, The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, etc.  I still read as much as possible. I have also read to our son daily, and many times for hours.  He has so many books.  His bookcase in his room, two shelves in ours, and four bins of books in other areas of the house.  Now that the books hold his attention better, we are starting to read longer books.  Several of these are from the ones my husband had as a child.  Can’t wait for him to get into the ‘classics’.

Response:

>I’m all for quality books for children but what IS the big deal about Brown >Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

It’s a chant, chants are something that toddlers can memorize (repetition), it’s meant for toddlers. It’s sort of a prereading book. That’s why you see so many on the market now. My son can *read* it alone, he knows the words and points to the correct one when *reading*. It’s gives him alot of satisfaction. My son can’t really read, only a few  words, but he thinks he’s reading Brown Bear and several other chant books and enjoys them. Suzanne (mom to John Henry, 24 weeker, now almost 3)

Response:

>I’m not too fond of Brown Bear, either, but I have friends whose kids >*loved it*. My niece-in-law tells me her daughter liked it because she >learned all of the words within one or two readings and could recite it >back.

At two my son loved it for the same reason.  Also because any book with animals is popular with him.  He also likes The Bad-tempered Ladybird, which is more fun than BB.  But his favourite book for many a long day (since 18 months; he’s now 3 and a bit) is Peter Rabbit, though he also likes all the other Beatrix Potter books, especially Squirrel Nutkin and Jemima Puddleduck.  He has many other favourites, including all of Sendak; for some reason he loves ‘Chicken Soup with Rice’ and We are all in the Dumps.  He’s also just started some fairytales, including Hansel and Gretel and Jack and the Beanstalk. The Elmer books by David McKee are more meaty books with a lot of colour learning in them. > It made her feel like she was reading. (I, on the other hand, was >reciting Winnie-the-Pooh at 2, but after many more readings, I’m sure.

Forget Winnie for pre-schoolers.  You need to be four or so to follow the story.  (Having said that, my son will listen to Alan Bennet read the stories for hours, as opposed to boring old mummy.)  Ditto and double for Alice; a six-to-eight year-olds book.  and Wind in the Willows, though four-five is ok for that.  Ditto Peter Pan. OTOH, my son loves When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six, though, and I sometimes read him the poems from Pooh, which he likes very much.   — Jane Lumley

Response:

> I give a big thumbs DOWN to the following: > – Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass > – Winnie the Pooh, et al > because they seem impossible to read aloud and were obviously written to > impress adults, which they don’t (in my case).   > – Ron Low > Levity is the dearth of gravity.  Brevity is the height of clarity.   > non-commercial e-mail always welcome

I’ve found it depends on the child, with regards to all three of those books; I used to read them aloud over the course of days to my preschool class at the beginning of naptime. The Pooh stories were especially well-loved, although only one or two of the kids actually followed the story-lines, but it might be because *I* enjoyed reading them aloud so much. A great deal of a child’s enjoyment comes from the degree of enthusiasm expressed by the adult–which is basically what you were saying. You don’t care to read them, so of course why should your kids enjoy hearing them? Micki (already reading books to my two month old and loving it!)

Response:

>recently I’ve found ["Brown Bear"] on two different recommended reading lists

There’s a difference between a good book to read to your child and a good book for your child to read.  "Brown Bear" is perfect for 1 to 2 y/o toddlers. Kindergartners can benefit from it because they can know how it’s supposed to sound, so the words on the page become "readable."   If you’re reading to your kindergartner, you should be reading weighty stuff. Try any recipient of the Caldecott medal (your library probably has these on a reference shelf of the juvenille section).   Kindergartners can follow longer 100 – 150 page stories with chapters, over multiple nights.  Try "My Father’s Dragon" by Ruth Stiles Gannett (and the rest of the trilogy: "Elmer and the Dragon" and "The Dragons of Blueland").   Shorter favorite reads which respect kindergartners’ brains: – Grandfather’s Journey – Allen Say (Caldecott Winner) – Amy the Dancing Bear – Carly Simon (yes, the singer) – The Velveteen Rabbit – (choose illustrator carefully) – How Many Days to America – – The Giving Tree – Shel Silverstein – The Fortuneteller’s – Lloyd Alexander – Little House picture book series – Laura Ingalls Wilder – Peter Rabbit and Friends collection – Beatrix Potter Some really good books short enough for toddlers: – Little Bear – illustrated by Maurice Sendak – Dikou and the Baby Star – Elzbieta – Where the Wild Things Are – Maurice Sendak – Love You Forever – Robert Munsch – Mommy’s Briefcase – Alice Low (no relation to my wife, Alice Low) – When I’m Sleepy – Jane Howard – On the Day You Were Born – Debra Frasier – Bill and Pete – Tomie dePaola – Blueberries for Sal – Robert McKloskey I give a big thumbs DOWN to the following: – Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass – Winnie the Pooh, et al because they seem impossible to read aloud and were obviously written to impress adults, which they don’t (in my case).   – Ron Low Levity is the dearth of gravity.  Brevity is the height of clarity.   non-commercial e-mail always welcome

Response:

I’m not too fond of Brown Bear, either, but I have friends whose kids *loved it*. My niece-in-law tells me her daughter liked it because she learned all of the words within one or two readings and could recite it back. It made her feel like she was reading. (I, on the other hand, was reciting Winnie-the-Pooh at 2, but after many more readings, I’m sure. Anyway, I do have the Eric Carle "Very Hungry Caterpillar" book and think it’s quite cute (nice drawings, not so repetitive as Brown Bear). But my absolute favorite at this point is by a British author (whose name escapes me) called "Can’t You Sleep, Little Bear?". I know the illustrator is Barbara Firth. Oh, and Pale Green Pants, along with Sneetches, is among my personal faves as well. Cheers, Julian’s mom – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I’m all for quality books for children but what IS the big deal about > Brown > Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? I know Eric Carle is a favorite but > this > book is a real snooze for MY toddler. For those (few) who don’t know > it, it > goes something like > Brown bear brown bear what do you see? > I see a green frog looking at me. > Green frog, green frog, what do you see? > I see a yellow bird looking at me. > And so on and on….. > When my daughter was in kindergarten and I wasn’t familiar with the > book, we > got lots of notices about this exciting project the class put > together– A > BROWN BEAR BOOK!! At open house everyone was reminded to look at the > BROWN BEAR > BOOK. Much anticipation…and it was …. a picture by each child of a > (red > truck, green tree, purple plum etc..) yeeehaaa. (now don’t slam me for > being an > unenthusiastic parent–I LOVE my kids’ artwork, it’s all over the > walls, but > this was much ado about nothing.) > And recently I’ve found it on two different recommended reading lists. > Sorry > but in our house Brown Bear just doesn’t hold a candle to Pale Green > Pants!!

Response:

The reason the schools love it is because it teaches kids their colours very effectively. However, as you have obviously discovered, effective parenting TVOCS

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I’m all for quality books for children but what IS the big deal about Brown >Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? I know Eric Carle is a favorite but this >book is a real snooze for MY toddler. For those (few) who don’t know it, it >goes something like >Brown bear brown bear what do you see? >I see a green frog looking at me. >Green frog, green frog, what do you see? >I see a yellow bird looking at me. >And so on and on….. >When my daughter was in kindergarten and I wasn’t familiar with the book, we >got lots of notices about this exciting project the class put together– A >BROWN BEAR BOOK!! At open house everyone was reminded to look at the BROWN BEAR >BOOK. Much anticipation…and it was …. a picture by each child of a (red >truck, green tree, purple plum etc..) yeeehaaa. (now don’t slam me for being an >unenthusiastic parent–I LOVE my kids’ artwork, it’s all over the walls, but >this was much ado about nothing.) >And recently I’ve found it on two different recommended reading lists. Sorry >but in our house Brown Bear just doesn’t hold a candle to Pale Green

Pants!!

Response:

I’m all for quality books for children but what IS the big deal about Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? I know Eric Carle is a favorite but this book is a real snooze for MY toddler. For those (few) who don’t know it, it goes something like Brown bear brown bear what do you see? I see a green frog looking at me. Green frog, green frog, what do you see? I see a yellow bird looking at me. And so on and on….. When my daughter was in kindergarten and I wasn’t familiar with the book, we got lots of notices about this exciting project the class put together– A BROWN BEAR BOOK!! At open house everyone was reminded to look at the BROWN BEAR BOOK. Much anticipation…and it was …. a picture by each child of a (red truck, green tree, purple plum etc..) yeeehaaa. (now don’t slam me for being an unenthusiastic parent–I LOVE my kids’ artwork, it’s all over the walls, but this was much ado about nothing.) And recently I’ve found it on two different recommended reading lists. Sorry but in our house Brown Bear just doesn’t hold a candle to Pale Green Pants!!

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