Current Reads

I've picked out some good books at the library recently so I thought I would share. I know this is very common but LB definitely gets hooked on certain books and then only wants to read those for weeks on end. It can get a little old but luckily I really enjoy the books he is currently obsessed with. We'll see if the obsession ends before these books are due. If not, I may have to actually pay for them.

It will come as no surprise that his two favorites are airplane books. They are both all about going to the airport, checking in, getting on the plane and taking off. LB reenacts these airport scenes with his fleet of airplanes all day long so getting to see pictures of planes that are "sleeping" at the gates and "going up in the sky" is very satisfying for him.

If we can convince him to stray from the airplane books then he is usually more than happy to read "Shades of People" by Shelley Rotner or "Please, Baby, Please" by Spike Lee. I really think "Shades of People" should be a must read for all little kids because it explains that we are all a little different on the outside but that doesn't mean anything. LB's favorite part is when the pictures show "that even the same family there can be many shades." It's especially cute when the three of us are reading this book before bed and he'll make a point to say that we are a family. Heart = melt. "Please, Baby, Please" is a cute book about a baby that does everything she isn't supposed to do and LB likes shaking his head at the baby, even though he, of course, does a lot of the same things. I like that the baby has brown skin. I find that I have to make an effort to find books with more of a multi-racial cast of characters.

My sister got him a really great book called, "Sheep in a Jeep." LB thinks it is hilarious and it's rhyming so he can "help" me read it. Before the airplane book obsession he really liked two books by the same author, Todd Parr. The librarian at my mom's library recommended them and LB enjoyed "The Peace Book" and "The Family Book," which also explores the fact that all families are different and that's okay. Some people have large families or families with two mommies or some families adopt kids. Todd Parr also has a book all about adoption and I checked it out from the library but wasn't a big fan. I just didn't like some of his wording. I am sure I was being picky but I can't help it. I was a little worried when we had to return the two Todd Parr books but he handled it gracefully. One of my favorite bloggers, Rage Against the Minivan, recently did a post about a situation her adopted son faced on the playground. Another child basically was questioning her son about his "real mom" and that his mom couldn't possibly be since they didn't match. She had it published on The Huffington Post and actually got some negative feedback. The premise of her post was to ask other parents to talk to their kids about how families are different and that not all families will look like their's. It seems like a pretty simple and necessary thing to talk about and I think children's books are a great way to start. Reading a book like "Shades of People" or "The Family Book" is an easy way to bring this topic up for discussion, even with a two year old. I am so incredibly nervous about those playground moments. But I'm doing my best to worry about today and not several years from now. Let me rephrase that, I am doing my best not to worry. Ha! Okay, the first sentence was more accurate.

There you have it. That's what we're reading. Any suggestions?