Though we have a bjillion children's books, K and I get tired of them.
Oy, the repetition.
I decided to do something about it, went on-line, downloaded a list of all the Caldecott Award winners and honor books since the history of the award and started reserving them through the on-line service my library offers.
[I am the so smart Ms. Genius Pants!]
I also found a newsletter from our local, independent children's bookstore and reserved some of their recommendations.
This is how I found The Adventures of Polo by Regis Faller.
There are no words in the book as it is sort of a graphic novel for toddlers. There are simply pictures of Polo traipsing along on his happy adventures.
I have to be creative and describe what I see in order to I read it... you know, TALK about the pictures with my children.
[Oh, my frontal lobe!]
My children are in love with this book.
A few nights ago I listened to K read it to them and it was clear that he has no trouble with making up his own words.
I give you The Adventures of Polo... as told by K.
"Polo and kitty cat knocked on the door at the orange house and met... uh...who is that?
Oh, it's SKITTLE MAN!"
"Polo followed Skittle Man down a deep hole.
He fell right on his... butt.
OUCH!
Polo got up and ran after Skittle Man.
What's this?
A glowing mushroom?
Is it MAGIC?
I love mushrooms!"
"Whoah. What's this?
Where has Skittle Man taken me?
Duuuuude.Check it out!
These mushrooms are AWESOME! "
"YOUR MUSHROOMS ROCK, MAN!!!"
"Oh, man! Look at this!
This is the best mushroom of all!!"
"Wheeeeeeeeeeeee.
I'm flyin' high in my mushroom rocketship!!"
Polo.
Definitely.
73 comments:
Shrooms, skittles and rockets. Sounds like a great party! =)
Children's book authors are definitely partaking of the electric Kool-Aid.
Kids don't need to. They produce it naturally.
Peggy Rathman has some FANTASTIC books with few words that require participation from the readers. "10 Minutes Til Bedtime" is our favorite this week. She hides all kinds of characters in the illustrations. My three year old just found "Goodnight, Gorrilla" and "Officer Buckle and Gloria" hanging out after reading it a bizillion times.
LMAO! Polo was shrooming.
I think the graphics could've been a little more psychadelic though to give the kids a better "effect" of Polo's experience.
Ha, I've had some mushrooms before that made me feel the same way.
Polo was flying high indeed. ;)
Hahaha! Shrooms and skittles. Too funny!
The skittles should be careful--don't you get hungry 'shrooming?
I was going to suggest Sector 7 by David Weisner as another great picture book, but I see it's a Caldecott Honor Book so you're probably already on that.
*No mushrooms were consumed in the creation of this book.*
Clearly those were some seriously good shrooms....
(Dude, I'm totally getting that book now. It looks like so much fun!)
inspired genius. sometimes you wonder how things get published. i love that within the children's realm (oy is right!) books and film, there is joy to be found by the parents. i heart skittle man.
For the creative mind, textless children's books are a godsend. Check out a book called "Tuesday". I can't remember the author. It's great too.
Oh my. Ten-fifteen years from now, your kids are gonna say: my dad used to enthuse about magic mushrooms. He even saw them in a kiddie book. (I must say, it`s a suspicious book).
- laughing my ass off -
What a story! Gripping, yet humorous. What more could a kid (or blogging wife) want?
I love the story. I love Skittle man and man, those magic mushrooms are just awesome.
That sounds like a party!
I suspect that my husband will much enjoy that book...it's going on my list.
That looks good! Ever read Flotsam to them? It's very cool.
Maybe K should write his own book. He sure seems to have a talent for story-telling!
I met skittle man once and damn those mushrooms rocked.
Oh wait, different story.
lmao. I have to find this book! Thanks for the rec!
Sounds like a story someone told me during college, except I think it involved brownies and a guy named Kurt - and something about neon stuff - I remember a lava lamp also...hey, I could write, I mean, draw a book like this Polo kid one.
I highly recommend "The Happy Hocky Family" for awesome read-together moments.
A sample:
I have a balloon.
I have a big red balloon.
POP!
I have a string!
hmmm... my husband always wonders what drugs the makers of children's programs are on. At least with this book we know exactly which controlled substance was being used!
OMG, I want him to come read to me!
That seriously rocked, dude!
Awesome! Love the skittle man!
This is too funny!!
Love it! But my kids would SO go to school and tell their friends and teacher all about the 'shroom book. :|
Sounds like a great book. I think kids like stories that are made up better. Katie likes me telling her stories about her life, over and over and over again.
brings me right back to college.
Y'all can come read to me any time. ;)
I want to have bedtime at your house.
I'm laughing so hard I'm crying!
That must be from "Magic Roundabout" times...
I'm sure that any written version of that story would not be nearly as hilarious as yours was. Do you live near a Magical Mushroom pizzeria? You could follow up a book reading with a trip there.
P.S. "Mellow" mushroom, not Magical. But their pizza is magical.
LOL...flying high indeed.
God, I hate do-it-yourself children's literature!! I can't take the pressure. And the questions. I just want to read the story and put them in bed. I know, I suck.
Other good (non drug induced) children's literature:
The Napping House; Dan and Audrey Wood. (everything by them is awesome)
Llama Llama Mad at Mama; Anna Dewdney
How Do Dinosaur's Say Goodnight; Jane Yolen
Raising Dragons; Jerdine Nolan
Alexander and the No Good, Horrible, Very Bad Day; Judith Viorst
LOVE children's books. I couldn't part with any of my kids' books.
Anything by Janelle Cannon, but especially
polo with the munchies that's hilarious.
Ah, my son Ezra LOVES these books. Thank you Library!
I've been reading you now for a few months and never commented before because I'm a huge dork.
Happy Mofo Delurking Day!
Thank You! Thank you for not having a blog the is complied of mostly "Oh, my life is so sad, pity me, pity me, pity me!" No you give us a sweet glimpse to your wonderful little family. It freaks me out sometimes as to how much we are a like- at 11pm on line checking to see when the library books are due! Getting board with said library books so looking at award list to find new ones! I LOVE IT! Something tells me we would be great friends! Perhaps we were separated at birth, yet the is a year difference between us! Keep writing sister!
Dude- how cool that rocket-shroom!??!!!
I love those wordless kids' books. Instead of suffering through insipid dialogue, I can create my own (which is naturally much, much better than that of children's book authors').
Trippy!
This is totally random, but thank you for not saying "my local library." That is a pet peeve of mine.
I figure when someone talks about going to the library, they're talking about a local one. Not one ten states away.
End rant.
Jane, Pinks & Blues
thanks for the recommendation. my son's into rockets...i just requested it from the library. can't wait!
whoa man, the colors!
HA! I hate reading the wordless books at bedtime because I have to actually think beyond the "It's bedtime! It's bedtime! It's bedtime!" cheer going on inside my brain. Perhaps, though, if I had some of Polo's mushrooms, my creative flow would get a boost...
There isn't nothing better than a handful of shrooms...er...a good children's book.
Wordless books are the bane of my existence. I gave up having an imagination YEARS ago.
Mmm... magic mushrooms. They'll take you straight to the moon. Or so I've heard.
Duuuude.
Mushrooms? Skittles? Freaky illustrations?
Sounds like a university dorm room.
Seriously, I love the subversive nature of so much children's programming/literature (see also: certain episodes of Boohbah and Teletubbies).
I'm a book fan, too, but haven't bought anything new lately. Fortunately, my daughter has a cool teacher this year who buys book fair books as rewards for the kids. Baby girl's received two so far.
That was amusing. K should turn it into a book on tape/CD. I'd buy it.
your children will be raving at parties with assortment treats by the time they are 12....lol...i'm surprised K didn't say that skittle man had a glow stick explode all over him....
Sweeeeeet.
Have you guys read The Book of Beasts by Edith Nesbit? Highly recommend. A favorite around here.
Love it.....he just may have a future with the whole children's literature writing thing!
You two should write a book! It's GENIUS! Wait....I mean, I'm a genius! (hee-hee)
Those types of books really challenge me. I am so bad at inventing stories to go along with the pictures!
I'm amazed at your posting ability. How long did it take to get those pictures up?! I love that you keep up with your blog. (I feel pretty chuffed to know I initiated you to the blogosphere, btw). Love you lots!
It is a tad scary how your wee little one knows that skittles go hand in hand with tripping! You should look into that!
P.S. "[Oh, my frontal lobe!]" is yet another reason I adore you!
What's bad is when the kids get mad because you "changed the words" from when your spouse "read" them!
Looks like a winner to me.
Cheers
sooo you're gonna think i'm a stalker and all, but,i bought a book for you the other day. it is one you will oh so greatly appreciate. i bought myself a copy a few years ago, and when i saw it again, i just had to get it for you. so, if you want, email me a mailing addy and i will send it your way...an early christmas present or something!
YOUR MUSHROOMS ROCK, MAN
Hee.
Semi-delurking for The Great Mofo Delurk 2007.
There's another graphic one called Bow Wow Bugs a Bug, it involves butt sniffing on a child's level.
I highly suggest it, for Roo, the Mayor and your frontal lobe.
Hold on, I'm going to read it again and play Bob Marley...
Wow that is funny. We have the book "Hug" and get to read about how Bobo needs to hug everything. Scary hippos humping towards the end of the book. Taking the "hug" thing a little too far. Not joking.
'shrooms, maaaaaaaan. 'shroooooooooooms.
I need to find a copy of that book.
Dear oh the joys. Wow. Imagine if you gave that book to a uni student in a haze of... hedonism... I wonder what sort of story would come out.
love it!
And that is why I have made the field of children's literature my profession. It's the mushrooms.
Duuude! Spread those "shrooms" around will ya?!
I'm definitely going to find that book!
And then let Steve read it to the girls.
OMG that is insane.
And if you're looking for more book lists, NYPL keeps some good ones online at kids.nypl.org under the "Books and Reading" tab. (And of course, we have a resident expert at mommyblogstoronto.com, too! Ahem.)
There are no words....
Wacky, kooky friend just had second baby. Distracted, bad friend has not sent baby present.
Delightful blogger has solved dilemma. Thanks!
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