may day. lei day. may first.
...whatever you wish to call it, it's time to flip the calendar. Time for new poetry, celebrating fourteen years together, a new folk song, being four, the sea shore, and warmer - sunnier - outside days (we do the least amount of school work in spring, when the weather is most bearable here in lovely Arkansas).
I don't really have a May Book Basket to share, I tend to focus mostly on Easter in the spring, and then skip right to summer. But here are just a few titles off our own shelves that will do the trick:
Growing up in Cincinnati, May is Zoo Baby month. (I used to have the coolest Cincinnati Zoo Baby poster ... I wonder what happened to that?) So here are a few baby animal selections:
Baby Farm Animals, illustrated by Garth Williams ... This classic–full of piglets, kittens, calves, and bunnies–is one of his best. Simple, humorous text identifies each fuzzy, furry, or feathery farm animal capering about the farm.
Baby Animals by Margaret Wise Brown ... A classic bedtime story--out of print for over 40 years--returns, newly illustrated by Caldecott Honor Book winner Susan Jeffers (we love here Nutcracker).
May is the perfect time to get back into Nature Study:
Wonders of Nature by Jane Werner Watson ... a rare nonfiction book that’s also a simple, beautiful poem. In this gorgeous Little Golden Book from 1957, Eloise Wilkin’s stunning and realistic artwork is accompanied by gentle text that brings an awe of nature to the youngest readers.
We all know that our birds come back, ready to raise their babies:
Birds by Kevin Henkes ... Birds come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Birds are magic. Birds are everywhere. If you listen very carefully you will hear them, no matter where you live. And if you look very closely you will see them, no matter where you are. And if you can't go outside right this minute, you can always read this book!
Birds, Nests, and Eggs (Take Along Guides) by Mel Boring ... A fun, informative take-along guide that will help children identify 15 birds. Kid will also learn how and where birds build their homes and all about their young.Invites young naturalists to spot wildlife. (I mentioned the Take Along Guides to someone recently. My kids LOVE them. We own almost the entire series.)
And even though those April Showers are over ... the occasional thunderstorm still pops up:
Thundercake by Patricia Polacco ... Grandma consoles her frightened granddaughter by telling her that the dark clouds of the impending storm are nothing more than the ingredients for a Thunder Cake. (I LOVE THIS BOOK. LOVE IT)
Tasha Tudor's 1 is One has very May-ish verse/illustrations ... "There will, of course, always be children who must learn to count. Teach them also to enjoy the process and to count those things that are most important to them. Eighteen stars twinkling in the sky and twelve baby birds learning how to sing are an excellent start." - Tasha Tudor
Since Wilbur is a spring pig ... why not start Charlotte's Web in May?
It looks like I have a May Book Basket after all. What other springtime stories would you include?
: happy may reading! ::
