Happy Reading!  

It's not perfectly done yet.  It needs a button, a belt buckle, and a waist closure.  It fits very differently in cotton to jersey; only needs one button instead of three.

There were a few days when I was sick of it and thought it was too much, too colorful, that I should cut the top off and use it as a skirt.  So I got the Masculine Quilt Advisor to take a photo.  I thought if I could wear it around (albeit pinned together) and see it in a picture, I could make a rational decision.  Now I like it, love it, and I'm going to finish it.  Yay!

At our local branch of the library, there are two long shelves that are usually filled with board books (we only read board books because someone has a tendency to tear the pages of regular books - I won't name names here). Since the summer reading program began, the two shelves are only about a quarter filled. Which means Columbus is reading this summer! 

This got me thinking about pumpkin's favorite books...because I was wondering, can I count the same book more than once for the contest since she makes me read them ten times a day? (I decided to only count each book once, regardless of how many times I have read it that day.) Here is a list of some of her current favorites:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Amazing Baby: Night-Night, Baby! by A. Wood 
Time for Bed by Mem Fox and Jane Dyer
Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann 
That's Not My Puppy: Its Coat Is Too Hairy by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss and Theodor Seuss Geisel 
The Going to Bed Book and Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton 
Ten Little Ladybugs by Melanie Gerth and Laura Huliska-Beith 
You're My Little Love Bug by Heidi R. Weimer 

What is your little one's favorite book?

[Photo Credit: Book]

6/11/2008 - Carnegie: Buggily Book Bunch! (Gr. 2-5) 2:30-4 pm
Sign up to be a part of our first ever Summer Reading Book Club! Earn 30 minutes of reading time each session. Enjoy reading, activities, crafts, and fun! Register online here.

6/12/2008 - Conley: Cool Caterpillars (3-5 yrs) 10 am
Come enjoy The Very Hungry Caterpillar and other stories by Eric Carle. We will make a very cool craft. Register online here.

6/12/2008 - Kennedy: Magician C.R. Ryan (Family Event) 6-7 pm
C.R. Ryan is back! Did you catch his show last year? This family friendly magician will astound you and amaze you with all the tricks he has up his sleeve. You might even get to be a magician's assistant! Register online here. Visit his website now!

 6/16/2008 - Kennedy: Backyard Safari (Gr. K-5) 10:30 am
Go on a bug safari with us! We'll read "buzzingly" good books and go on a bug scavenger hunt! Then, "fly" over to the craft table to create your very own bug to take home! Register online here.

Registration for all events begins May 31. Register online or in person at any library location or call one of the following numbers: Carnegie 741.5158, Conley  747.8216, Kennedy 741.7333 or Maring-Hunt 741.5151.

Wild and completely unsubstantiated declaration of mini-trend: Brightly coloured and highly detailed illustrations with pen outlines are like, so hot right now. I'm quite a fan of Tyler Stout's design for the Kiwi band Flight of the Conchords album.

:: Arwen ::

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DOS CUQUETS

Un cuc diu a l'altre:
—Amiguet, d'on véns?
fas molt mala cara;
no m'agrades gens!
—Ai, si tu sabessis!
M'he vist obligat
a marxar de casa...
—Doncs, què t'ha passat?
—El menjar coïa cosa de no dir:
era dins la ceba!
Déu meu, quin patir!
—Pobre amic! A casa
viuràs de primera;
vine a menjar amb mi
dintre la cirera.

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(Concert de poesia. Barcelona: Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat: 2004).

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I have read a lot of reviews about this book and Eric carle's book in general. This is the first time I have managed to get one in hand and boy! it is beautifully written and illustrated. 2 to 3 lines per page at the most with bold and bright colors catching the eyes.

The first time I read this book to my daughter, she was alarmed to see the caterpillar transform into a butterfly. She kept saying it is not a beautiful butterfly, it was a scary butterfly. After the third, forth read she loved the book and pretty much by-hearted by the fifth time. The illustrations are through pictures spawning the size of the page. Very simple to read. Her favorite page of all is the one where the caterpillar eats through a lot of different foods and ends up having a stomach ache.

Its a fun read and educational at the same time. The caterpillar eats different fruits on different days of the week. Also the number of items he would eat would increase by the count of 1. The pictures on the flap would also demonstrate the number of items. I would read the first one - On Monday, he ate through an apple. Would ask her - What comes after Monday. She would immediately say - On Tuesday, he ate through pears. I would ask - How many pairs? She would say -2 pears. And so on.

She loves the part where the caterpillar eats through a lot of foods, especially her favorites - cake, ice cream, lollipop and water melon. And guess? The caterpillar is not tiny any more, it has transformed into a huge, big, strong caterpillar. He then creates a cocoon and shelters in it for the next 2 weeks.
She asks - Mommy, what is a cocoon. I tell her its like her blanket where she cozily sleeps. Just like that, the caterpillar wraps himself inside the cocoon. Two weeks later, nibbles a hole and voila! Becomes a beautiful butterfly.

My daughter is very fond of, obsessed, fascinated with anything pink and/or princess. The third or forth time we read this book, she wanted to be a butterfly when she grew up. But she wouldn't let go of her pink princess fascination. So the latest is she wants to be a beautiful pretty pink princess butterfly!!