It’s time to catch up with what my three adorable and brilliant grandkids are “reading,” right? Three-year-old big sister Pia is way past board books and deep into picture books. It’s been fascinating to watch her attention span and vocabulary grow almost by the day. She loves books that have lots of new words that she can ask about and use. Her two current favorites are B Is for Bagel by Rachel Teichman, photos by Rebecca Wright (Collective Book Studio) which, despite its 40 pages, she can recite from memory (great subject matter and lots of new words), and The Wheels on the Bus by Paul O. Zelinsky (Dutton), celebrating its 25th year of delighting young readers. She has the dexterity to manipulate it without ripping it and it offers an opportunity to sing along to one of her favorite songs (bonus!).
We also enjoy reading Wombat, a silly counting book by Philip Bunting (Charlesbridge) and two inspiring picture books for aspiring female firefighters: Firefighter Flo! by Andrea Zimmerman, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino (part of Holiday House’s Big Jobs, Bold Women series) and Fire Chief Fran by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter (Astra Young Readers). Whenever we see smoke, even from birthday candles, Pia calls out “Where’s Firefighter Flo?” Reading to Pia in a quiet room seems to be the best way to allow her to calm down when she’s experiencing the “big feelings” of a toddler. She’s also fascinated with a tiny photographic nature book about Iceland that I bought in the bookish island nation way before she was born. Perhaps it’s because it lives in its own matching tiny bag. She curls up and flips through the pages for the longest time. Alphablock by Christopher Franceschelli, illustrated by Peski Studio (Abrams), is a fun and empowering book for a kid, like Pia, who is mastering the alphabet.
When Pia began learning numbers, she enjoyed the excellent Dr. Seuss book There’s a Wocket in My Pocket (Random House) and One Bear at Bedtime (with its hidden caterpillars) by Mick Inkpen (Little, Brown). We hope that the fun and fortuitously named Mail Harry to the Moon by Robie Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley (Little, Brown), is helping Olympia process her ambivalent feelings about becoming a big sister.
Her parents and I take Pia to our local library as much as we can, and she picks out plenty of books, usually with the help of the awesome children’s librarians (smartest and best people on earth). I mentioned to her once that a miniature horse had visited the library. Now whenever we go near it, she reminds me that “the miniature horse lives there.” I sure hope the library plans a second visit for the wee animal so I can make her dream come true.
At two years old, Ira is an active and sociable kid. His parents refer to him as “The Mayor” because it can take as much as 30 minutes to extricate him from day care at the end of the day as he bids farewell to every single kid and teacher in all the classrooms. Thankfully, he still loves to read and is firmly in board book land. His favorites include Peek-a-Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins (Disney-Hyperion), A Birthday for Cow! by Jan Thomas (Clarion), and Mommy and Daddy, both by Leslie Patricelli (Candlewick). A new reading practice he enjoys is “silent reading” time when he reads a book silently and insists that you do the same. It’s a surprising turn for such an outgoing kid, but he digs it. Ira also enjoys looking at the back covers of series books when there are pictures of other books in the series and studying each book cover very closely. With my old eyes, I can hardly see some of them, but he really loves looking at them. Similarly, he loves any book with pages showing lots of kids facing forward. What a party animal Ira is! An extrovert and a reader—what a great combo!
Due to a (fortunately brief) period of, um, unwelcome aggression, Ira’s parents of course turned to books for help. The best, most age-appropriate one they found was Hands Are Not for Hitting by Martine Agassi, illustrated by Marieka Heinlein. It’s a board book published as part of the Best Behavior series by Free Spiritin 2002.
Six-month old Harry loved books from the jump, even if it’s mostly to chew on them. He started with the customary black-and-white ones the experts claim he can see better (how do they really know that?) He appreciates the snuggly one-on-one grownup time that reading provides (in somewhat shorter supply for him than for older sister Pia when she was a one-and-only). Now he’s following in her well-worn footsteps when it comes to board books. He delights in all the classics: Little Blue Truck, Dinosaur Dance, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, etc. His eyes follow the pages and he reaches out to touch/nibble on them, too. A new favorite of his is The Rooster Struts by Richard Scarry (Golden Books). I swear he anticipates and starts bouncing up and down when we reach the spread where the hippos start partying in Hippos Go Berserk! Prereading is happening!
Oh, I neglected to mention that Pia is such an enthusiastic reader that she’ll even read to Tucker, her other grandma’s dog... who seems to like it!
To quote Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice: “I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!” Reading with Pia, Harry, and Ira is still the best part of any day for me. But as they grow and develop new interests, I will have to do my level best to make sure it carries on. And I will.
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Becoming a grandmother three times in three years is Betsy Groban’s greatest achievement. She’s currently a correspondent for the Boston Globe as well as the book review editor of the Jane Austen Society of North America.
