We reinstituted library day this week. The library has been a struggle for us. We lose books way too often. And we don't return them on time. The library became stress instead of joy, so we took a break.
It was great to be back.
We have a few strategies that hopefully keep us on track. One is that each child can get the same number of books as his age. This prevents the 3 year old from coming home with a red wagon full. The other is that I keep all the receipts. When library day is approaching, we can check our books against the receipts to ensure that we have them all. Also, I keep all the cards in my wallet. Theoretically. I allowed one of the olders to go to the library with a friend and the card never came back. It was last spotted on the bathroom counter, and we have hope that it will turn up again before said child has to buy a replacement.
My littlest ones just love to choose books I abhor, like Disney picture books. I rarely say no (unless the book is truly objectionable), but I make up for it by choosing books that are lyrical and beautiful. Eric Carle: One of my all time favorite children's book authors. 10 Little Rubber Ducks includes counting and numeric order. One of my goals is to include more living book math, so here we go.
I truly love The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse. It's an encouragement to people like me that we can all be artists, even if our art is unconventional. And the pictures are bold and colorful. Really lovely.
The Secret Remedy Book has charming illustrations, a sweet story line, and lovely text. The little girls and I enjoyed it this afternoon, but I think the big kids would love it just as much or more!
This sweet book is not that exciting, but I adore the way it captures the essence of a rainy day in sweet rhyme. I grew up in the desert till my teens and I still never tire of the rain. "A wind comes whooshing/Through the trees./It shakes the raindrops/From the leaves."
So what are your favorite read-alouds? How do you keep up with library books?
~Linking up with Read Aloud Thursday~
~Linking up with Read Aloud Thursday~
I know exactly what you mean about the choices of books the little ones pick. My youngest is on a Dora and Diego book kick lately, which I groan at inwardly. I read them to her but make sure she has a steady diet of books I choose as well.
ReplyDeleteWe are lucky that our library has a computer system where we can keep track of books. All the kids (and I don't have as many) cards are tied to my card so I get email reminders when they are almost due and I can go on and renew or check what we have out for all the cards.
Oh, I do know what you mean about library usage causing stress! Still, I figure with the volume of books I check out that buying even a fraction of the books we want/need would be a thousand times more expensive!
ReplyDeleteI read Yee's Tracks in the Snow to my girls many years ago and still remember it as a favorite. I'll have to look for the rain book. And that Hime Remedy book looks good!
Amy, that is a good way to look at it! There is no way I could afford books if we bought most of them new!
ReplyDeleteSupratentorial, mine love Dora and Diego as well...Hopefully our mommy choices will sink in eventually! ;)