Carter had to take a little break from library books. He figured out how to break a board book. Impossible you might say! Carter's a baby. Board books are indestructible. Well, I'm here to tell you that they are not. In all of my years working in a library, I have never seen a book break like he has destroyed two of his at home. What's even more shocking is he isn't even doing anything out of the ordinary or that destructive to them! He just likes to open them and see how far back the covers can go until it inevitably snaps. It's basic print awareness as he explores the book but maybe a little bit too much. So, no library books for Carter without parent supervision.
We've been reading a lot of new board books together that we get at the library. I'm serving on the Best Books for Babies Committee, so I get to read and review a lot of the new ones from last year. Part of my review process is testing them on Carter. He's a tough critic of books (I wonder where he gets that!). He also is a creature of habit with his books. Sometimes we read Fire Engine Man three times and other nights Llama Llama five times! My favorite is when he has to throw open Pout Pout Fish (and he literally throws it open) just so we can study one page.
Here are some cute books from my committee work and our recent library visit that I tested on Carter.
We've been reading a lot of new board books together that we get at the library. I'm serving on the Best Books for Babies Committee, so I get to read and review a lot of the new ones from last year. Part of my review process is testing them on Carter. He's a tough critic of books (I wonder where he gets that!). He also is a creature of habit with his books. Sometimes we read Fire Engine Man three times and other nights Llama Llama five times! My favorite is when he has to throw open Pout Pout Fish (and he literally throws it open) just so we can study one page.
Here are some cute books from my committee work and our recent library visit that I tested on Carter.
Making Faces: A First Book of Emotions
I picked this book up at the library for Carter before I joined the committee but sure enough it ended up on our list. I was drawn to the book because I love baby books with real pictures. To me, the pictures make the reader able to relate better. The baby looks like me or the dog looks like my pet.
The book shows one baby featuring a different emotion - happiness, anger, sadness, surprise, etc. Then on the next page it shows a range of babies featuring different emotions and the reader has to pick the baby with that page's emotion. At the end there is a mirror, so that the reader can see his own face and emotion.
Carter was very attentive during the book. I wouldn't say he was interactive though with the book. He did like seeing himself at the end and I think if I tried the book again on him I might get a different response. He does seem to gravitate to books with real pictures. He has a similar book at home and he likes to point to the different babies.
Dance by Matthew Van Fleet
I put this book on hold not knowing what it looked like or really even what it was about. It popped up on a list of books for babies. It also then later appeared on our list of books to review for the committee.
I was so excited when it arrived on the hold shelf for me. It's so cute and interactive! There are tabs that the reader can pull to see the animal dance. It seems a lot sturdier than most pop-up/tab books. Of course Carter would probably be a great judge of that but I wouldn't let him touch it. I actually stood while I read it to him. Ha ha!
The sad part is that he completely lost interest. It's very wordy. He liked the animals but was done about halfway through. It's weird because the interactive part works best for a young child while the text is more for an older child I feel. It's too old for babies but too young for preschool. Toddlers would probably enjoy it, especially those that like to dance.
Black Cart & White Cat by Claire Garralon
Carter goes to the library for two reasons in his mind and neither is to get books. He goes to play with the train table and get a cookie. Perhaps this is why he doesn't do well when we go to two other libraries for storytime - no cookie and no train table. So, we were at the library for our weekly visit and I normally pick up any new board books for him. There wasn't much of a selection, so I took this older board book because it looked good and might catch his attention.
I thought he would instantly gravitate to the book because it is about two cats. He was initially excited by that fact. After all, his best friend is a cat. He didn't even get one page in before he was up and walking away off to torment said best friend of course. OK, so not a great book for Carter. Maybe it was the lack of color since it is black and white although the last page is color? Or maybe the lack of words since it is really simple and he's use to a little bit more of a storyline? Whatever the reason, he gave his vote and it was a flat out no.
Regardless, it's simple. I'm sure it's perfect for some babies/toddlers out there just not mine.
So, that my friends, is a board book round up for this week. Head to the library if you don't already with your little one and get them some books and take them to storytime. If you need recommendations of good storytimes, I can give that as well!
Happy Reading!
I put this book on hold not knowing what it looked like or really even what it was about. It popped up on a list of books for babies. It also then later appeared on our list of books to review for the committee.
I was so excited when it arrived on the hold shelf for me. It's so cute and interactive! There are tabs that the reader can pull to see the animal dance. It seems a lot sturdier than most pop-up/tab books. Of course Carter would probably be a great judge of that but I wouldn't let him touch it. I actually stood while I read it to him. Ha ha!
The sad part is that he completely lost interest. It's very wordy. He liked the animals but was done about halfway through. It's weird because the interactive part works best for a young child while the text is more for an older child I feel. It's too old for babies but too young for preschool. Toddlers would probably enjoy it, especially those that like to dance.
Black Cart & White Cat by Claire Garralon
Carter goes to the library for two reasons in his mind and neither is to get books. He goes to play with the train table and get a cookie. Perhaps this is why he doesn't do well when we go to two other libraries for storytime - no cookie and no train table. So, we were at the library for our weekly visit and I normally pick up any new board books for him. There wasn't much of a selection, so I took this older board book because it looked good and might catch his attention.
I thought he would instantly gravitate to the book because it is about two cats. He was initially excited by that fact. After all, his best friend is a cat. He didn't even get one page in before he was up and walking away off to torment said best friend of course. OK, so not a great book for Carter. Maybe it was the lack of color since it is black and white although the last page is color? Or maybe the lack of words since it is really simple and he's use to a little bit more of a storyline? Whatever the reason, he gave his vote and it was a flat out no.
Regardless, it's simple. I'm sure it's perfect for some babies/toddlers out there just not mine.
So, that my friends, is a board book round up for this week. Head to the library if you don't already with your little one and get them some books and take them to storytime. If you need recommendations of good storytimes, I can give that as well!
Happy Reading!
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