Thursday, March 21, 2013

Book Nook: We heart Lauren Child!

We LOVE to read in this house. We all have books we read alone. Then at night each child has a book they are reading with each parent, since we switch off who has MAP and Little Miss O each night. Thankfully, we have an amazing library that not only stocks great books but has a truly helpful staff in the Children's Department! :)  

But sometimes it is good to have new ideas of what to read from friends. 

In our first installment (there will be more...lots, lots more ;)  you need to learn about Lauren Child.

I CANNOT say enough about Lauren Child, an incredibly talented author and illustrator, who created my favorite brother-sister pairing in Charlie and Lola. Each book starts with big brother Charlie saying "I have this little sister Lola. She is small, and very funny" 

I happened upon one of Lauren's books when MAP was 2 1/2 and starting to become a picky eater. Up until then, he ate just about anything. White spinach pizza was a favorite. And then, one day, he stopped.

So when I spotted Lauren's book, I will Never, NOT EVER, Eat a Tomato, I knew we had to have it. And kid you not, I was able to get MAP to try some of the foods in the book by calling them the fancy names Charlie gave to them. We made up our own silly names for foods and it helped us to expand MAP's repertoire of foods. 
 

The books range on every topic from sharing, to being responsible, wearing glasses or losing a tooth. The relationship between the siblings is wonderful and rings true. There is a Charlie & Lola tv series (and available on DVD) and it is fantastic as well!! Being an English show, the children have British accents, which MAP would imitate quite well, adding another level of fun to it! The music is infectious and these are the only dvd's that my children asked to watch again and again.






Not only are her illustrations lovely, (the most amazing collages with incredible patterns and life to them!!) her use of creative type make the books fun for everyone to read.  


As if she weren't talented enough, Lauren also created additional series that my children are enjoying now that they are older. 



Little Miss O is enjoying Clarice Bean series right now (recommended for ages 8-11). The illustrations are wonderful, the story lines are perfect for this age and they deal with friendships and Clarice wanting to be like her heroine from her favorite books named Ruby Redfort.

And then, Lauren came out with a book about Ruby Redfort (so now you can read the books that Clarice loves too- utterly brilliant!!) MAP enjoyed the first Ruby Redfort book and will be thrilled to learn the next one is coming out in May!! (Recommended for ages 10-13)








I don't know if Lauren Child sleeps at all, because between all this, she illustrates amazing classic books! Little Miss O and I read Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren that she illustrated and we enjoyed it all the more with Lauren's whimsical illustrations. 



Next on our reading list is Anne of the Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery, with cover art and introduction by Lauren!



Thank you so much Lauren Child, for all the amazing stories, with which I get to snuggle my little (and now, not so little) ones! You have given me ways to help ease fears (wobbly teeth!) or to teach responsibility, sharing and taking care of our possessions. I have never met you, but I feel a kindred creative spirit in you!

If you have a favorite children's author, please share! We are always on the hunt for new books! 

Read on!




1 comment:

  1. I enjoyed reading these books with the kiddos over the years.

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