Ten books for Tuesday

As we all know, my attempts at any sort of serial blogging have failed miserably. But I am going to attempt to blog more regularly (again) and I also realized my list of library books is becoming unwieldy.  I thought I might highlight the ten best books we've enjoyed each week. On Tuesdays because of my obvious love for alliteration (see also: The Names of My Children). On our library list in the sidebar, I put an asterisk to recommend the book if any of us particularly enjoyed it, even if it isn't destined to become a great classic. On this list I will try to give a little more information. I think years from now I will enjoy looking back to read which books were delighting us at particular times. So, here we go! Ten Books for Tuesday!!

1. Building Our House by Jonathan Bean

This book is SUCH a treasure I went back to the blog that recommended it in order to thank her (Orange Marmalade--fantastic resource). It is based on Bean's own childhood in which his parents bought a field and built their own house. The idea of homesteading is a very appealing one, so I was characteristically teary-eyed by the time we got to the end, and I so loved the author's note at the end, which closed with, "Of course, a homestead would not be complete without a large garden, fruit trees, pets, woodland, and a stream flowing through mysterious marshland. Add to that the wise love of two parents, the companionship of three sisters, and a practically lived faith, and it's hard for me to think of a better place to have grown up." RUN to the library and check this out. Or buy it even.

2. The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon by Jaqueline Davies, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

I've mentioned this one before. We all like it. I love how patient Audubon had to be in order to discover what he did about the birds of America.  I also love how intent he was on mastering his craft. He would gather up his drawings at the end of each year (on his birthday) and burn them! "He hoped that some day he would make drawings worth keeping."

3. My First Little House Books: Dance at Grandpa's illustrated by Renee Graef

These adaptations from the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder are really sweet and well illustrated. I get them for Helena now, but the older kids always stop what they are doing and come listen too.

4. When You Were small by Sara O'Leary, illustrated by Julie Morstad

Every night, Henry asks his father for a story about when he was small. " When you were small we let you sleep in one of my slippers. The left one. You used a fuzzy wash cloth for a blanket and a tea bag for a pillow." The illustrations are perfection. All three kids enjoy this one.

5. The Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward

This won the Caldecott Medal in 1952. Johny Orchard is a little boy who lives on an apple orchard, but dreams of hunting bears. Then he finds a baby bear, and instead of shooting it, he brings it home. Sweetness and mayhem ensues. Hudson particularly liked the drawings of Johny with his rifle. There was a moment when I thought things were going to go the way of Old Yeller (or Abraham and Isaac). But they don't.  It may be a little too tidy in the end, but I am okay with that for now.

6. Peter and the North Wind retold by Freya Littledale, illustrated by Troy Howell

Helena asked for this one every day after she found it on our shelf. She was a little scared of the North Wind (white beard, crazy hair, creepy white eyes) but I think she liked feeling a little scared. She also really enjoys the comeuppance Peter is able to exact on the unscrupulous innkeeper in the end.

7. Monet Paints a Day by Julie Danneberg, illustrated by Caitlin Heimerl

Monet and his canvas get washed into the sea because the painter, in his intense focus, does not notice the tide coming in. The illustrations are terrific, and I liked the little facts and biographical tid-bits included on each page.

 8. The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton

 This is one of my absolute favorites and I am always so happy when someone pulls it off the shelf for a re-read. It dovetails nicely with Building Our House, actually: "She was a pretty Little House and she was strong and well built. The man who built her so well said, 'This Little House shall never be sold for gold or silver and she will live to see our great-great-grand children's great-great grandchildren living in her.'" Doesn't that make you want to go buy a field and build a house on it??

 9. Hooray for Spring! by Kazuo Iwamura

 A cute tale (translated from Japanese) of three squirrel siblings trying to figure out what to feed the baby bird they happen upon. My kids love stories about animals acting like people. And the illustrations are adorable.

 10. People by Peter Spier

 This book invites all sorts of philosophical discussions, so it's best not to read it before bed. I loved that after we looked at it one morning this week (the kids particularly enjoying the page on which there are examples of many different written languages) we went to the post office to mail something, and the lady who works there, whom I've visited with before, and who I knew was a Coptic Christian from Egypt, wrote Harper's name in Coptic and Arabic for her.

 Wow. That is long. Maybe next week I will make it Two on Tuesday!