The Boy Who Wouldn't Share by Mike Reiss

The Boy Who Wouldn't Share by Mike Reiss, illustrated by David Catrow

Rating: 4 stars

Last night my dear Ben lost his bedtime show.  Again.  In our house, if a child gets three strikes during the day, they lose a show.  It happens quite a bit with young Ben, who has a difficult time controlling his eruption-like reaction when something doesn't go his way.  He's working on it, he's working on it... And, in the meantime, we sit and read books while the other kids watch a show.

So, his loss is definitely my gain.  I mean, I should have been cleaning up, but...who is going to pass up a boy in a lap with a big pile of books?  Not me.

We read four books last night together.  The Boy Who Wouldn't Share was one of them.  The rhyme itself is great: "Edward was a frightful boy / who wouldn't share a single toy. / Even with his sister, Claire, / Edward simply would not share."

The illustrations themselves are even better.  The wickedly funny, exaggerated stuff that comes from David Catrow's Crayolas are so great.  (Here are all the books I've reviewed with his illustrations.)  They fit well here; he's given Douglas a permanently sourpuss face with pouty eyes that magically seem to know when Claire is getting close to any of his toys.

But the story itself is really good, too.  Claire tries again and again to borrow something. She wants so desperately to play with her big brother!  Finally she sits on the outskirts looking in at Edward, who has somehow managed to bury himself--happily--with his toys.

Then their mom brings up fudge.  And he can't reach it.  So delighted Claire receives the whole plate.

With the whiff of dessert in the air, Douglas knows he's been "made bad choices."  The deep, crabby scowl lifts off of Douglas's face as he encourages her to take, hold, hug his toys.  He apologizes, sincerely. "And Claire who did not hold a grudge, / helped him out and gave him fudge."

In wonderful child-fashion, she forgives Douglas quickly and completely.  Claire knows she needs to forgive him.  She knows she should share.  She knows he deserves another chance to make better choices.

And so she does.

The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale by Ying Chang Compestine

The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale by Ying Chang Compestine, illustrated by Sebastia Serra

Rating: 4.5 stars

Yesterday I was itching to get out of the house, so when I put Ben down for his nap Lorelei and I scooted out the door to go to the grocery store...and hit the bookstore on the way there.  We almost didn't make it to the grocery store--there were too many good books to read!  We'd were ready to leave but then she'd find another book and say, "This is the last one, Mommy!" and then I'd see another I wanted to read and say the same thing back to her.  When I told my mother that we were there for about 90 minutes, she asked if there was a sale or something.  No way!  We didn't buy anything.  We just went to read.

While I wonder if Lorelei is related to me when she pushes away an uneaten dessert, I know she's mine when we can spend hours at a bookstore.  Together! 

Anyway, this was one of the books that caught my eye and I just couldn't leave without reading it.  I have a special spot in my heart for anything Asian--I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand and I have a graduate degree in Southeast Asian Studies (that is gathering dust!).  The Chinese New Year is coming up (3 February 2011) so there was a small display of Chinese books. 

The Runaway Wok is a story of sharing, a Robin Hood-style tale where a rusty old wok steals from the richest family in Beijing and gives to the poorest family in the city.  Of course, the rich family never shared any of their food, toys, and money, and of course the poor family shares all of the food, toys, and money that come their way.  The illustrations are high-spirited to say the least, and the scenes were just so different than what Lorelei is used to seeing, that these alone would have kept us in the bookstore for another hour.

"What's a wok, Mommy?"  Proudly, I said: what we used to make bee bim bop last night! 

"What are those lanterns for?"  They are decorations for the new year festival, or party.

"What's that dragon?"  A big puppet-like thing that walks and dances through the street!  Cool, huh?

"Can we see one sometime?"  Ok!  You got it!  Let me figure out where we can go!

THIS is why a book like this is so wonderful--to start conversations like this, to start thinking a bit differently, to just broaden--if only ever so slightly--the horizons of a young child.

I think my only mild critique is the way the rich family gets carried off.  The wok tricks them into chasing it and falling in, and then carries them away from the city forever.  For not sharing!  But I think it's appropriate and wouldn't change it--it's a fable, after all, and if it makes Lorelei a better share-r (to fear that Mommy's wok will magically whisk her away forever), well...that's not bad!

How Kind! by Mary Murphy

How Kind! by Mary Murphy

Rating: 5 stars

If ever there was a book for my mother, this is it.  My mom grew up telling us to "be charitable" (my best friend still tells me that in her best mom-voice because she heard it almost as much as me); here is a book that has the same message without that parental you-know-better-than-that tone of voice! 

This book is wonderfully simple: Hen does something kind for Pig, who replies "How kind!" and then Pig wants to do something kind for someone else, and he decides to give Rabbit a carrot.  Rabbit replies "How kind!" and then Rabbit wants to do something kind for someone else, and he...  It's just a chain reaction to kindness that ends up with Pig returning the egg (now turned chick) back to Hen.  See?  What goes around comes around, especially kindness.  (My mother would so agree.)

Lorelei has begun to have some, um, loquacious moments when her mouth doesn't seem to stop moving.  She likes to repeat the same thing over and over again, something that requires more patience than a deep breath or a full night's sleep can provide.  But when she repeats "How kind!" or "I want to do something kind!" I really don't mind at all.

Just a few things that I wonder about, though: How does Cow milk herself to give milk to Cat?  And did Mary Murphy decide that the first kind gesture would be giving away one of Hen's unhatched children?  I find that a little funny, but I think it's a detail that few, if any, 3- or 4-year olds would actually pick up.

Knuffle Bunny Free by Mo Willems

Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion by Mo Willems

Rating: 5 wonderful stars

Let me just assume you've read the first two of these wonderful books (if you've not, just know that little Trixie has a beloved bunny she's lost but recovered before) and tell you about the third book.  Trixie goes to visit her Oma and Opa in Sweden, taking a taxi, airplane, and train to get there.  She is drinking a glass of chocolate milk in their garden when she suddenly realizes something: She left Knuffle Bunny on the plane!  She's pretty sad, but when her father finds out her bunny is on its way to China, she tries to grin and bear it--she's "older now," though she doesn't really want to be.  But then she has a dream of Knuffle Bunny traveling to all these different places, making all these different children happy.  And she wakes up happy, ok with the fact that she no longer has her beloved bunny.

The trip ends and they head home.  They get on the plane, right in front of a screaming baby, and Trixie notices something: Knuffle Bunny is in the seat pocket in front of her!  She is ecstatic.  And then she turns to the baby behind her and asks her parents, "Would your baby like my Knuffle Bunny?"  All the parents are shocked, and Trixie is sure of her decision.  (Even my husband said, "Awwww" when I explained the book to him.)  She gives her bunny to the child, who is now gloriously happy and, even better, gloriously quiet.  And Trixie gets a letter in the mail to say thanks.

What a wonderful book about being kind and thoughtful!  This book was released just last week, and before our trip to the beach I scooted out to the bookstore to buy it for Lorelei.  My mom, a middle school teacher, and I were just talking about the horrible cyberbullying/suicide at Rutgers University... (And here I am trying to make a segueway from a great children's book to a horrible situation.  But bear with me.)  I was almost in tears asking her: What can I do?  How can I prevent this in my own community, with my own kids?  What lessons are important for me to teach our kids? 

I got to thinking, and I think there are two things: First, to teach my children--today, tomorrow, and every single day until I die--how to stop and think of other people.  They need to be thoughtful, and not just the card-on-your-birthday thoughtful.  To be compassionate and caring, even though they'll not replace Mother Teresa.  Second, to teach my children how to be strong and confident when they face the inevitable criticism their peers will throw their way.  They need to know that not everyone will adore them like their parents certainly do, and they need to have a larger perspective than the one child/group/day that is really, really bad.

This book is a tiny step in that.  How wonderful to see one of Lorelei's favorite little characters, Trixie, give her most favorite stuffed animal to a stranger when she realizes Knuffle Bunny will comfort the crying baby more than it would comfort herself.  This is a book for your shelf, not to check out at the library (though that is certainly better than passing up this gem).

To end on a light note, I mentioned to Lorelei how, one day, she'll decide she's old enough to stop sleeping with all of her guys (as of this post, she has about eight that get tucked in beside her at night).  Normally smiley Lorelei immediately frowned, with tears forming in her eyes.  I back pedaled like there was no tomorrow:  "Not tonight!  When you're ready!  Maybe when you're in college!"

The Story Blanket by Ferida Wolff and Harriet May Savitz

The Story Blanket by Ferida Wolff and Harriet May Savitz, illustrated by Elena Odriozola

Rating: 5 stars

This book is a little gift of a tale about Babba Zarrah, a wonderful old lady, giving gifts to everyone in her village.  And, in return for her generosity, they give her gifts in return.  There are so many wonderful things about it I don't know where to start. 

Babba Zarrah is a beloved story-teller, and kids come from all over to sit on her story blanket and listen to her stories.  One day she notices one of the little boys has a hole in his shoes, so she decide to knit him some socks.  But the winter snow is too deep to allow new supplies to come to the village; she can't find any new wool.  She says, wisely, "Every question has an answer.  I just have to think of it."  (What wonderful thing to say to my kids, and to have them say to themselves!)  She looks at the story blanket and finds the answer...she unravels it to make socks for the little boy.  And then a scarf for the chilly postman.  And then mittens for the headmaster.  Pretty soon everyone has mysterious, warm gifts delivered on their doorstep, and the story blanket becomes smaller and smaller, forcing all the kids to squash together.  When the villagers finally realize where they gifts are coming from--and you see the villagers wearing the warm gifts, the beautiful story blanket shared with all--they decide to return the favor to Babba Zarrah by unraveling all of their blankets and giving her their wool.

"The next time the children went to Babba Zarrah's for a story, there was a colorful new blanket to sit on and a tale about a village where everyone shared with each other."

Such a sweet, sweet story!  The images from Elena Odriozola are simple and whimsical.  They help make what could be a pretty heavy story into a light, approachable one.  It is definitely one for teachers and grandmas (our Grammy would give it ten stars and tear up while she read it), but one for parents as well.  There are so many lessons to draw from the tale, especially those of sharing and generosity and thoughtfulness.  But also of recycling and creativity and resourcefulness.  An all-round winner!

We Share Everything! by Robert Munsch

We Share Everything! by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko

Rating: 4.5 stars

I want to start a trend: books for birthdays. Nothing else, and only one. That's it. Think of all the crap--plastic, mostly--that wouldn't need to be put away, thrown away, or given away. I am a firm believer in gift receipts, so if the little birthday girl or boy already has the book, then they can return it. But my latest "thing" is to include a picture of Lorelei and Ben on the first page, with a hand-written note from me (until Lorelei's handwriting becomes legible--right now she just "writes" her name and Ben's name). This way, the recipient knows who it is from even before she or he can read, and in a few years they can smile at how little their friends are. Of course, if I have a picture of Lorelei and/or Ben with the recipient, all the better! ANYWAY, think about it. BOOKS FOR BIRTHDAYS. Maybe I'll get a bumper sticker.

So we've ordered this book for our wonderful little neighbor-friend's third birthday. We love C, and I love her mother even more (we live in the ex-burbs, with just a few houses on a dirt road). But...um, well, she's got some room to grow in the sharing department. Of course, we love her anyway. I'm still working on my sharing skills, after all! So when Lorelei and I were chatting about what book we should get C for her birthday, I asked Lorelei if there were any sharing books. She thought of this one, which we found by luck at the library. (That's another bumper sticker I'd have if I put them on my car: I LOVE LIBRARIES. My husband would be so embarrassed!) This book showcases a boy and a girl who don't share, don't share, and don't share until finally they say: Ok, fine. We have to share. What should we share? They share their clothes, and the little boy ends up in an all-pink ensemble. It's really funny, with great illustrations from Martchenko and a good little message about sharing. Very fun to read aloud, too.

One more thing--the funny picture of the author on the back (which Ben and Lorelei study every time we check this book out) made me check out Munsch's website. I'm so glad I did! I am going to read all of his books now (just 42; I should be able to do this by summer time). A few things that I like about him: he puts REAL kids in his stories, he made up his most famous book Love You Forever as a song to his two still born children (my heart breaks for him), and he returns all his fan mail from classes. Gotta love that!

All right...I'm going to stop blogging so I can log onto the library and order up some of his books...

P.S. If anyone ever reads this blog, reads this post, and reads this book, and watches Survivor, doesn't Amanda look like Shambo on page 29?!??!