Books Books and More Books

I just bought another two book shelves. That makes a grand total of 9! Yikes. It is no wonder that when we bought our home I made sure it had room in an unfinished basement to add a library. While cleaning, it has been fun to go through all of our books. I have 4 bookcases, plus 3 baskets full of just kids books -(books for kids about 5 and under.) I think I'm in trouble....if I have that many for toddlers (and my kids really can't read yet....) what is going to happen when they actually start reading???? I suppose I may have to get rid of some of my books. But for now, I am heartily enjoying them.

There is a problem, though. problem is that I get soooooo bored reading kids books. The repetition just kills me. I hate reading anything twice. (I also ate watching a movie more than once, too. We never buy movies for us. They just sit there. Boring - seen it once, don't need to see it again.) So, instead of reading the same ones over and over I've just trained my kids that if they want mom to read to them they have to read new ones. I have developed a really bad habit of buying lots of books since having kids. It's so hard to pass them up when they are buy 3 get one free at Savers at only 59 cents a piece. In San Diego our libraries always had some on sale, and I would buy some new ones every week, with the rationalization that I was only supporting our local Friends of the Library Program. I just love books, and hate reading the same thing twice.....oh on top of owning all these books we go to the library weekly. Sometimes multiple libraries. I have a card in both Weber and Davis County. We check out basketfulls of books. Books are great. They are also hard to clean up :) Anyhow...here are a few pictures of us enjoying our new bookcases.

A few of my recent favorite books include (but certainly aren't limited to....)

1. David books by David Shannon. I fell in love with these when Cade was a toddler and no surprise, after having a David, he gets these for Christmas/Birthday/ etc. I think we only have one more to complete the set, oh...and then there are the David dolls. My favorite page is this one..."Come Back Here David!" We love all the David Shannon books, and the Pirate Books he illustarted, too (Pirates don't change Diapers and How I Became A Pirate - good books.)

2. Tana Hoban books - these are old school - but awesome. I love the pictures and how you can talk about them with a 1 year old and a 4 year old at the same time. They work for many levels and many concepts. Her books inspired me to try my own Tana Hobanesque book a few years back. It is the book at the top of the picture. I entitlted it "Of Shadows and Shapes." I'm not really a photographer but I had a ton of fun making the book and putting together pics of random shapes all around me. It made me look at the world totally different. I secretely wish I were a photogorapher actually. I wish I had that skill. I think it would be tons of fun. I just don't think I have the natural talent or patience to do it. Dash it all.

3. Yummy Yucky. David gets a kick out of me reading this and bluck bluck blucking and spitting. Yes.,....this is one of the few I HAVE to read over and over. I'm not totally immune from it.

4. This is My Hair. It makes me laugh. I love crazy silly kiddy board boooks.

5. George and Martha - this was actually the first present I gave to Eric. I had only known him a week or two, and this collection of stories of 2 best friends just seemed to fit. We sat down and read this together and laughed and laughed. My favorite story: The Tub. "George was fond of peeking in windows. One day he peeked in on Martha. (cut to picture of Martha dumping tub on George's hippo head.) He never did that again!"

6. Sandra Boynton Books with music - Dog Train and in particular Mooo Mooo MOooo Quack Quack is our favorite around here.

7. I asked Cade what his favorites were - he picked these 3. Nutmeg (about a little girl who has a spoon that stirs up her house), The Incredible Book Eating Boy (so funny, the little boy eats books and turns green and vomits etc....), and The Stinky Cheese Man.

8. Other classics we love - Joe on Holiday, The Happy Dresser, Dr. Seuss, Curious George, Helen Oxenbury, James Marshal fairy tales, What Color is Your Underwear, Dr. DeSoto, Star Wars anything of course, Richard Scarry - especially the funniest story book ever, books...I could keep writing for hours, but my head hurts and I need to lay back down. Stupid flu. I have a hard time resting....so this is as close to resting as I get. Blogging about books. Somewhat relaxing. Too bad I can't lay down and do it.

IF YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE KIDS BOOKS PLEASE COMMENT AND TELL ME YOUR FAVS!!! I"M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW SUGGESTIONS!!!! THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!