Just one more... please!

   This afternoon right before nap, I was reading with my two-year old.  I told him we would read two books.  That quickly turned into four.  I couldn't resist when he asked for "one more book, please," and "other book, please."  So, we chose a total of four from the library bag. 
  We started with School Bus by Donald Crews.  This is the author of Freight Train, which is also a favorite in our household.  This book is very simple and talks about the routine of a school bus on a regular school day.  The buses start empty, get across town, pick up children, and drop them off at school.  It also shows the children being picked up to be brought home and ends with the buses in their "home" in the bus yard.  This book is in the following category: Hobbies and Sports - Specifically Transportation.
  We read Down by the Station by Will Hillenbrand.  I read this just as if it were a regular story book, but in my head I couldn't help but "sing" the words.  I don't know if I am really not with it, but I didn't realize there were additional verses to this song beyond the basic, "see the little puffer bellies."  If there are other verses I feel really silly since I am a music teacher.  If there are not other verses and this was just the author's adaptation of the song, then I feel a little better about myself.  This book focuses on the basic song, and has the written music on the last page, but also mentions different animals that are along the path of the train.  The conductor picks up a variety of baby animals and then takes them to the zoo where a group of children come to see and play with the animals.  I really liked that the proper names for each of the baby animals was mentioned.  This book is in the categories of: Hobbies and Sports - specifically Transportation, Animal Books, and Songs.

   Elmer's Special Day by David McKee was next in our reading this afternoon.  This book is part of the Elmer series.  My toddler found this book fun for a couple of reasons: 1) he is obsessed with elephants right now, and 2) he made his daddy a father's day card with a sponge-painted Elmer the elephant on it so it was familiar to him.  The animals in Elmer's world are preparing for the parade for Elmer's Day.  The elephants get to paint themselves in fun patterns and colors and Elmer is the only elephant who can appear in "elephant color."  The other animals want to be included in the special day and everyone gets a chance to decorate themselves in fancy colors and patterns.  This book is in the following categories: Animal Books, Friendship, and Identity/Self-Appreciation Books.


 
   The last book we read this afternoon was Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni.  This is one of my favorites from when I was a child.  Little Blue and Little Yellow are friends that have a lot of good times together.  They have so much fun that at the end of the day they give each other a hug...resulting in a color change to green.  After some confusion among the parents, they are able to realize what has happened - - - that blue and yellow make green!  This book is a great book to introducing primary colors and how they mix to create other colors.  This book is in the categories of: Colors and Friendship.