Do Princesses Scrape Their Knees? by Carmela LaVigna Coyle

Do Princesses Scrape Their Knees? by Carmela LaVigna Coyle, illustrated by Mike Gordon

Rating: 4.5 stars

This book, more than any other I've read, makes me realize how important it is to read good books to our kids.  Not just any books, but books with good messages, quality characters, and engaging illustrations.  This book really gave me food for thought about all the books we've read so far in our reading adventure, and how this book will make me really choose even more wisely than I have in the past few years.

You know who loves this book more than Lorelei?  Ben!  It cracks me up when he pulls out a book with "princess" on the cover, but then again, it's so fitting--because this book is about a little brother who is trying to keep up with his big sister.  The big sister is, wonderfully, letting him tag along.  She teaches him to try again, to believe in himself, and to dream big.  It is the first book of the sibling/new baby books that I'm going to focus on for most of my next bunch of blogs. 

When I was about six years old, my big sister said I was corroded.  I had to look the word up in order to see if it was an insult or not.  Of course it was, and of course it was just an example of a normal sibling relationship.  My sister did and does love me fiercly, I know, but my relationship with her makes me tell Loerlei almost every day how important it is that she encourage, praise, and teach Ben.  He looks up to her more than she will ever know--I say that as the mom who is always watching them, and the little sister who knows how much I still look up to my big sister.

So I really try to find and bring home books that highlight good, quality, loving interaction between siblings.  Yes, I realize that all kids--even my angels--will fight and argue and bicker in the next five or six decades.  Their closeness will come and go, and their love with be shown in different ways.  But there are way too many books out there that show sisters calling their brothers "Stupid" or brothers shunning their sisters because "girls play princess, not ball."  All books teach; I want books that teach behavior and lessons that compliment what Jonathan and I are teaching our kids.  Lorelei is still learning how to be a big sister, so finding good books that illustrate (literally and figuratively) how to be a wonderful big sister is a priority.

This is definitely one! 

I do have a soft spot in my heart for this author, not just because she's from Colorado, which is the only place I'd be tempted to choose over our home in Virginia.  Her first book, Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots?, was inspired by her daughter, Annie.  I follow her blog and enjoy her infrequent reflections on her writing and memories and parenting.  I really wish her books were stories, not just a series of questions and answers, but those are minor infractions that are easily overlooked.