Raising Kids is a Roller-Coaster

and five library favorites from this month

Hey, hi, hello, my beautiful friends.

My posting schedule has really gone off the rails over here, but you know what? I am doing my best. The thing about raising children is just when you think you have the whole picture figured out, the moment you think “We have solved the *insert your current struggle here* puzzle!” is the moment it all comes screeching to a halt, and everything you thought you knew as truth turns out to be completely wrong. Did the method work last week? That is how you know it will not work this week. The only guarantee is that there are no guarantees.

My three-year-old is taking her affection for me to a whole new, potentially slightly sadistic level. One second she is nuzzling my face between both her hands saying she loves me so much she is going to burst, the next she is melting in an absolute rage fire of tears because I didn’t present her snack to her in the way that she “told me 100 times she wanted it” even though she told me absolutely zero times. SHE LOVES ME SO MUCH and that is why she yells at me, right?!??

To be fair, I am also totally obsessed with her. And am prone to yelling.

The clinger vibes make my “sneak in the writing in the margins” moments few and far between. My margins are full of cute children demanding I look directly at them with one hundred percent of my attention while they do….pretty much nothing.

I have so many things I want to keep learning about, exploring, and sharing with you all that will just have to stay tucked away in my drafts until I can find the time, the energy, and the next successful method to get my darling daughter to peel herself from my side.

At least when she wants to sit next to/on me all day I have plenty of reasons to keep reading her all the books.

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FROM THE STAX

THAT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA by Mo Willems

A clever fox invites a seemingly naive duck for a walk in the woods. All the baby chicks watching the story unfold get to holler warnings every dastardly step of the way. In classic Mo Willems fashion, the end has a twist!

Leave it to Mo Willems to make a kids’ book cautionary tale with a twist in silent film format. Though the silent film visual reference will be above most small readers’ heads, the story, the humor, and the excellent art make this book a family favorite. The nod to the silent film era is just a perk, and perhaps a way to introduce silent films to your family. Buster Keaton anyone? I’d suggest previewing the films first before showing to your kids!

DOGOSAURUS REX by Anna Staniszewski Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

Ben gets to pick a dog! And the one he picks is a bit…unusual. When his dog causes a few giant problems, Ben’s mom thinks perhaps this dog is not worth keeping. However, when a criminal attempts to rob the fruit stand, it is Ben’s unusual dog who saves the day.

Truthfully, this was not my favorite book from the library, but my kids kept on requesting it. The formula of a dinosaur pet who saves the day was just too tempting for their imaginations. Sometimes the trick to raising enthusiastic readers is giving in to whatever book they want to read, whether you love it or not.

I’ll be on the lookout for this book by Anna Staniszewski, and we have read and loved this book illustrated by Kevin Hawkes.

DOG SAYS CAT SAYS by Marilyn Singer Illustrated by Sonia Sánchez

Cleverly written and illustrated, move through a day in the life of two family pets, one dog and one cat, through their internal dialogue. Highlighting the differences between cats and dogs in a way any pet owner will find both comical and true, this book brings humor and highlights the love a pet can bring to your household.

Bookshop.org doesn’t have this Marilyn Singer book (bummer), but if you also have a tiny dancer (not the Elton John song) in your house, consider this book by Marilyn Singer. I’m going to look for more books illustrated by Sonia Sánchez at our local library, this one looks so good, and when summer rolls around I hope we can find this one!

NOT A BOX by Antoinette Portis

One clever bunny and one plain old box that is, with just a hair (or should I say hare) of imagination, anything but a plain old box.

One of you faithful readers suggested Not a Box to us, and boy were you right, thank you, thank you, thank you! Even though this book is geared for a younger audience with its simple line drawings and very easy words, my kids reached for it over and over and over again. My eldest, who loves to know all, was thrilled that once we read it one time through he “knew the answers” before they were revealed. Plus, the bunny and his excellent imagination helped unlock the potential of all the boxes in our lives, and over the holidays boxes are plentiful.

FLORETTE by Anna Walker

When Mae moves from the country to the city she wants to bring her garden with her, but she can’t. She tries many different ways to replicate her country home in the midst of the concrete and gray, with little success. One day, a bird leads her to a positively incredible plant shop, only it is closed. Sprouting out the side of the building is a tiny little baby plant that holds great potential.

My neighborhood friend is the queen of propagation (hi P, if you are reading). If our HOA awarded “best yard” hers should win every single time. Before the cold snap came to Texas she tore into my front garden beds, gifting me so many Texas native babies that I have been obsessing over ever since. Have I tried my hand at singing to them? Yes. I feel like Toad in the classic The Garden, just poking and staring at the ground waiting for the blooms. This book reminded me of my sweet friend and the wonderful gift she brings to the world by sharing her garden (and her skills) with her friends.

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What have y’all been loving from the library lately? How have you been carving out time for yourself? What rollercoaster of emotion has your kid sent you spiraling down recently? I always love to hear from you!

See y’all soon and happy reading!