Brother to the Wind

One of the joys of motherhood is watching what my children gravitate towards, watching them develop their own tastes and styles, their own interests.  Of course I expose them to all the things that I love (including specific books).  And I find particular pleasure when they form attachments to the same books that I do.  But they are their own person and it's such a marvel to see that.

In my own family my oldest daughter despises realistic fiction while my youngest daughter loves and is drawn to that genre.  My son was never a fan of the 19th-century fantasy I often read to him, but rather prefers non-fiction, especially books about nature and science.  I have one voracious reader, one who will only read if it particularly catches their fancy, and one who loves books, but is not a strong skilled reader.

I enjoy celebrating all of this!  It's become a mission finding the books that will interest my different kids (and swelling our library in the process!).  I get to learn from what they are reading,  become exposed to new books and authors through them.  And yes, sometimes I even have to let go and realize that there are books that I want them to adore, but they just don't.

Which brings me to this book by Mildred Pitts Walter.  Charlotte recently revealed that this was one of her favorites.  Although I adore anything illustrated by the Dillons, this book didn't grip me the way that it has apparently gripped Charlotte.  She often reads it aloud to me at night.  The story is told like an African folktale about a boy who wants to fly and the mystical advice he gets from Good Snake.  Though I wouldn't choose to read it multiple times, it's fun experiencing how much Charlotte loves it and enjoys it.

Brother to the Wind

Mildred Pitts Walter

pictures by Diane and Leo Dillon 1985

If You Listen

A Father's Day post for those with fathers far away...

If You Listen

Charlotte Zolotow

illustrations by Marc Simont 1980

Charlotte Zolotow's gentle story is about a little girl who misses her father.  We are never told why her father is away or where he is, but we are comforted along with the little girl by the words of her mother.

The little girl's father had been away a long time.

"How do you know if someone far away is loving you?" she asked.

"Do you mean your father?" her mother said, smiling.

"Yes," said the little girl.  "If I can't see him, or hear him, or feel his hugs, how can I know he loves me when he isn't here?"

The little girl's mother tells her that when she is lonely she has to stop and listen...for the church bells that she can hear but not see, for the apple in the orchard that falls onto the ground, for the rustle of birds, for a train far away...

"If you listen hard you'll feel someone far away sending love to you."

(Amazon is selling a newer version with a different illustrator.  In my opinion Marc Simont's soft pictures from our copy enhance the story perfectly.)

National Parks of the U.S.A

National Parks of the U.S.A

Kate Siber

illustrated by Chris Turnham 2018

This was a Christmas gift for Henry (who sometimes considers a career path in forestry) and we all have been enjoying it.  Now I'm dreaming about how we can visit all these wonderful places!  There were so many parks that I had never heard of or known about.  On these pages they sound ripe for adventure and discovery!

Oversized and richly illustrated Siber and Turnham's book is a smorgasbord of maps and facts and animals and plants.  I recommend pairing this with John Muir's book, Our National Parks.   Muir was the "Father of the National Parks" and wrote philosophically and influentially about nature and environmentalism. 

  

Our National Parks

John Muir

Out of the Woods

Out of the Woods 

Rebecca Bond 2015

The best part about this book is that it's a true story!  A young Canadian boy lives in a hotel at Gowganda Lake.  His mother runs the hotel and all the different rooms and guests are described.   There's the kitchen and large dining hall to the travelers' rooms and the attic where the trappers and woodsmen stay.  One day there is a terrible forest fire and all the hotel guests and staff wade out into the lake for refuge.  Then a most miraculous thing happens (I won't spoil it!).  The author is the granddaughter of the little boy in the story and she grew up hearing this story told.  

The Whispering Rabbit

The Whispering Rabbit and Other Stories

Margaret Wise Brown 1965

pictures by Garth Williams and Lillian Obligado

This was a nap time staple when my kids were little.  I loved reading this gentle story and whispering the lines.  Margaret Wise Brown paired with the illustrator Garth Williams is perfection!  Our copy includes a couple poems, The Friendly Book and The Golden Egg Book.

Poor sleepy rabbit yawned and a bee flew into his throat and fell asleep.  Now he can only whisper and must make sounds like "snow falling" or "a bug breathing" or "grass rustling" to try and wake up the bee.  Reading this again last night brought back such nice toddlerhood memories.  Charlotte even said at the end, "That was a really nice story".