Books For My Son

I got 10 books for my son yesterday at the library.

Two of them made me laugh. When I picked up "Trashy Town" I smiled. "Trashy Town" by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha. Then when I picked up "The Worst Person In The World At Crab Beach" by James Stephenson I laughed and could see how this book will also make my son smile.

I spent about an hour picking out books and came across many I had never seen before. The ones I chose sort of fell into my lap though, and I think my son would like any of them. I felt bad about one, when I got home and read it through, because it's about a train named "Gordon" that's full of hot air. I thought, "Oh great. And some will think of Gordon Brown and snicker." It is "Thomas and the Jet Engine". A red balloon representing hot air is featured.

One that I found, I pulled out, looked at, and thought, "No way am I getting a book about kings, princesses, or anything of the like" but then I put it back and strangely felt moved to take it out again. I put other books back with such topics, no sweat, but this one, it was strange. I felt compelled to look and I was in for this really wonderful story about a king and a counselor and about sacrifice and humility. "The Secret Room" by Uri Shulevitz. At first I felt confused by where it was going, because it starts out with a man who has a black beard and grey hair. But then ending is a surprise. I don't know if my son will get it or not but I think he will and I try not to underestimate his intelligence, which is one thing I think he appreciates about me, is that I don't talk down to him. I try to find age appropriate but I go a step above, because I feel most adults or materials for children are beneath their capabilities. I don't think the average public school child is challenged enough.

I also got Mi Mundo: un companero de Buenas Noches, Luna, by Margaret Wise Brown because my son likes the stories by Brown. Also got "The Little Book of Latin American Folktales" Edited by Carmen Diana Dearden and translated by Susana Wald and Beatriz Zeller and it has quaint pictures by Maria Fernanda Oliver, Heinz Rose, and Irene Savino.

I got a Discovery book on Cars because my son said in the last visit, he wanted to pretend he was getting a ride on a car when I asked, "Do you want to pretend this is a military tank or a car?" and he said "Car!"

"One Scary Night", illustrated by Antoine Guilloppe, is another book I got, and it's all black and white and no words but is interesting as there are lots of "tracks" and this big wolf that looks scary ends up being a friend. But it allows children to see or make up their own story through these photos.

"Crocodiles are the Best Animals of All!" by Sean Taylor, because my son likes the crocodile animal I use for making a southern voice (Maggy). I also got "Dubi Dubi Muu" by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin.