The Mitten

This beautifully illustrated book is a Ukranian story of a boy who loses his white mitten in the snow. One by one, the animals take shelter in its warmth. The Mitten will be sure to bring a smile your child's face.

Not Enough Beds for the Babies

One of our family's favorite books was Not Enough Beds for the Babies, written by Mary Ann Hoberman. We found it at a library sale, well-worn from much use and thus being discarded.

It is a lovely collection of poems about three friends, 2 girls and a boy, who pretend together. As children often do, the friends act out the roles of mothers and doctors and grocers. They have their quarrels, but end the day looking forward to playing again tomorrow.

We read it so much that some of our pages are ripped and there is tape along its spine and a blotch of nail polish on the back cover.

I love this book because it intermingles the world of imagination with reality - without it being a problem. Children pretend, but they KNOW they are pretending and can easily hop from one world to another.

A Christmas Book

One of my favorite Christmas books is

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

Jonathan Toomey is the best woodcarver in the village, but he is a lonely and bitter. "Christmas is pish posh." A widow woman and her son seek his skills in recreating a lost nativity set. Over the next few weeks, a heart-warming relationship forms between the them.

Little Thomas persists in explaining how the pieces should look. "My sheep were happy...They knew they were with the Baby Jesus, so they were happy." The cow needs to show pride, the angel appears important, and Mary must look at her child with love, while the newborn reaches up to her. Jonathan is forced to face his hidden fears and memories to carve each piece with its special characteristics.

The illustrations of P.J. Lynch are spectacular

and show a subtle romance in themselves.

Moo, Baaa, and Silliness

Recently, I've discovered the silly, wonderful world of Sandra Boynton.

Her drawings of hippos, gnus, turkeys and umpteen other animals are hilarious.


The words are simple and perfect for the illustrations.


Sandra understands children.