saturdays {in october} are for sharing a scary story

the little old lady who wasn't afraid of anything from Kathi Bailey on Vimeo.

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything
Linda Williams

autumn book basket

Storybooks:
Move Over, ROVER! by Karen Beaumont
:: The rain is pouring...it's a good thing Rover is snuggled up safe and sound and dry inside his doghouse. But slowly, one by one, some friends show up looking for a cozy place to wait out the storm.

Pumpkin Moonshine by Tasha Tudor
:: Sylvie Ann sets out across her Grandmummy's cornfields to find "the very finest and largest pumpkin," so she can make a pumpkin moonshine (jack-o-lantern). But when she finds the perfect pumpkin, it's so very big, she decides to roll it home...which causes quite the predicament.

The Tale of Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter
:: Because I have a Benjamin. Because I love Beatrix Potter. Because it mentions a scarecrow.

The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree by Stan and Jan Berenstain
:: Three little bears, with light, stick, and rope...do they dare go into the spooky old tree? (This is about as 'spooky' as we get here. I hear the audio book is wonderful...too bad it's only available in audio cassette, for $50!)

The Surprise from Frog and Toad All Year by Arnold Lobel
:: It's October, and Frog and Toad decide to secretly surprise one another, by raking the other's yard. They are both happy...to have done a good deed for their dear friend. I *love* this story.

Hush Little Baby by Sylvia Long
:: You can check the link to read my previous review of this sweet, little book. What Mama doesn't want to show their little baby the harvest moon?

and our new book, this autumn:

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda D. Williams
:: "0nce upon a time, there was a little old lady who was not afraid of anything! But one autumn night, while walking in the woods, the little old lady heard . . . CLOMP, CLOMP, SHAKE, SHAKE, CLAP, CLAP. And the little old lady who was not afraid of anything had the scare of her life!"

Read Alouds:

Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
:: The most fall-ish one in the series, in our opinion. It's been read over and over by my three oldest, and the boys all *love* to listen on audio book as they fall asleep.

The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
:: An easy, sweet little story about a very brave little girl, and her new friends. Sarah and her father finish building their new home in fall.

Poetry, Songs, and Nursery Rhymes:
Leaves by Elsie N. Brady
Gathering Leaves by Robert Frost
I'm A Little Scarecrow (I'm A Little Teapot)Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater

:: Happy Reading in autumn! ::

the first of may { may's book basket }

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! ::

thanksgiving book basket

 From Honey for a Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt: "Increasingly the Thanksgiving holiday is becoming the time when the extended family gathers. More than a day of remembrance, it calls for a spirit of thankfulness to be nurtured. Thanksgiving was not, as is sometimes said in schools, the pilgrims thanking the Indians; it was a thanksgiving to God. Our celebration should be more than "turkey day," a day for overeating, with little conversation about the truth of it's history or significance in family life." (Mrs. Hunt lists of 14 books, 3 of which I include here in my list)

The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh - an accurate Thanksgiving picture book that tells the story of a family's first year in Plymouth Colony which ends with the Thanksgiving feast.

In November by Cynthia Rylant - we LOVE this book, LOVE it! You can read my review here.

Thanksgiving on Thursday (Magic Tree House) by Mary Pope Osborne - this was a fun, easy read. We enjoy Jack and Annie and their adventures here. I'd like to take a peak at the Pilgrims Research Guide to go along with this.

Thanksgiving Mice by Bethany Roberts - just for fun, more for the Littles. We read this a few years back, when we still lived in Cincinnati, and I'm hoping to get my hands on it again, to spark some interest in putting on a little play of our own (like that needs a spark)!

*I've already added An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving, Molly's Pilgrim, and Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember.

:: Happy Almost November, Everyone! ::

st patricks day book basket

A Pot O' Gold

selected and adapted by Kathleen Krull
illustrated by David McPahil

from Music K-8: "Though it may only be a small emerald isle, Ireland's heritage is very large indeed. In A Pot O' Gold, noted writer Kathleen Krull and illustrator David McPhail bring this legacy to life. This anthology compiles classic and rare examples of Irish culture including songs, poems, stories, recipes, and even a little blarney. From legends of leprechauns and fairies to the classic poetry of Yeats and Joyce, this treasury is a perfect way for anyone to share the wonders of Ireland."

:: Happy March! ::

winter book basket

:: In honor of the SNOW that is falling ::

The Long Winter
(an audio radio-show version)by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Winter Poems by Barbara Rogasky

...a variety of poems (Rachel Field, Robert Frost, Carl Sandburg, Emily Dickinson) that celebrate Winter itself. I love it (and I'm NOT a poetry fan), and the illustrations are so cozy.

 

Treasures of The Snow by Patricia St. John
...the movie version of this is also wonderful!


Owl Moonby Jane Yolen
...A little girl and her father go Owling on a moonlit Winter night near their farm. A 'Living Nature Book,' so calm and perfect for quiet, snow-y days and evenings.


***Jan Brett's Gingerbread Baby, The Mitten, The Hat, and The Three Snow Bears all in one Snowy Treasury ***


Snowflake Bentleyby Jacqueline Briggs
...a heartwarming picture book biography about the Vermont farmer who photographed snowflakes. Beautiful illustrations of wood block prints by Vermont artist, Mary Azarian (A Christmas Like Helen's, LOVE!).

 

And, of course, Sleepy Bears!

christmas book basket

The Christmas Story

by Jane Werner, illustrated by Eloise Wilkin

The story of Jesus' birth, from Gabriel's appearance to Mary, to Jesus growing strong in spirit and full of wisdom. The text and illustrations are both beautiful!

The Night Before Christmas

by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Corinne Malvern (We have Brian's edition, priced at 69 cents. Little Golden has updated their illustrations to this...we prefer the vintage-style one by Miss Malvern)

Connor giggled this evening, as he read aloud to TJ,

"He was chubby and plump,

a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him,

in spite of myself;"

 

The Animals' Christmas Eve

by Gale Wiersum, illustrated by ? (We also have Brian's edition of this one, priced at 49 cents. I gave my copy to my sister for her boys. Little Golden has also updated the illustrations to this classic, but with the same rhyme. Again, we prefer the old one...if you know the illustrator, please share.)

"In the barn on Christmas Eve,

After all the people leave,

The animals, in voices low,

Remember Christmas long ago..."

A sweet rhyming and counting story. A group of animals remember the events surrounding Jesus' birth in the manger, and the parts some of their ancestors played in it.

 

 

As I checked for our stories on Golden Book's website, I discovered that you can get all three of these wonderful Christmas books in one mini-treasury!

 

(They just won't be 32-ish years old, or have your mother-in-law's inscription on the inside cover, the pages won't be torn and worn, I'm sure they'll be a little more than 49 cents...oh, and the illustrations won't be near as beautiful! Let it be a lesson to all us Mommas, who will one day be Grandmas!)

:: Happy Christmas Reading! ::