Currently Obsessed with…Vintage Kids’ Books My Kid Loves

Last Christmas, I became obsessed with finding Jill Krementz’s A Very Young Dancer for Magnolia.

It’s an oldie, part of a series of oversize photography books that explored the lives of individual girls living out some universal girlhood fantasy (there were also very young gymnasts, riders, and skaters). The books were published in the 1970′s and are now out of print. Dancer follows the life of a little girl in New York City who is chosen to play the lead role in the Nutcracker one Christmas. Perfect for our own little ballerina.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered these books were published by Knopf (my employer), but out of print. Alas, no amount of treasure hunting around the office turned up even one copy of the series.

So I did what everyone else does these days and I Googled the book. And that’s when I made one of my favorite discoveries of the last year: Vintage Kids’ Books My Kid Loves.

This blog, run by San Antonio mom Burgin Streetman, is an absolute find. Burgin haunts vintage shops, thrift stores, estate sales, library sales; really, anyplace there might be a used kid’s book. And the stuff she finds is gorgeous and wonderful.

I’m always looking for great books to read to the kids, so I took time to ask Burgin some questions about her inspirations and strategies.

Q: Your site is so inspiring! It sounds as if you’re constantly discovering forgotten classics. Where do you find these great books? Where would you advise a novice book-sleuth to start their search (and are there any places to avoid)?

A: We find our books everywhere. Used books shops, thrift stores, estate sales, yard sales, library sales, on-line. If you are a novice, my suggestion would be go everywhere. The times when you feel an impulse to avoid someplace, go there! Odds are, everyone else gets the same vibe when they pass, so you’ll be the only one brave enough to search. The trick too is, if you find a shop that you really like, go there, often. That’s how you make sure that if something great comes in, you’re the one who snags it.

Q: What is your philosophy on buying vintage books? Are you looking for specific titles, or is it a treasure hunt? Is there a price point you won’t go over?

A: It’s a treasure hunt, really. For the most part, I stumble across things, but if I’m really desperate, I’ll pay for something online. As far as price goes, I’m pretty thrifty. I’ve only paid premium for two books. $50 for Jim Flora’s The Day the Cow Sneezed (before it was reprinted) and $125 for the Charles Harper’s Golden Book of Biology.

Otherwise, I probably won’t pay more than $10 for something I really want.

Q: Your son is obviously a big reader (sounds like he’s already reading alone at five?). How often do you read to him?

A: When he was three and four, we probably read together three hours a day. Now that he’s in kindergarten, we read maybe 30 minutes a day of picture books, and about an hour a night of longer chapter books. My biggest piece of advice to parents who want to raise children who love books aside from reading to them, of course, is audio books. I can’t sing their praises enough. My son started listening to books like Charlotte’s Web when he was around three, and eight million hours of audio later, he loves it. More than TV even. He listens to audio books almost constantly when we are home. While he’s playing and coloring. Children can listen to them anywhere and everywhere, road trip, alone in their room, and in the end, they’ll end up with gigantic vocabularies.

Q: We all have books we remember from our childhood, but as a parent I am always amazed at the wonderful books I discover that I never knew about (I Am a Bunny and Harold and the Purple Crayon both come to mind).

What are some of your favorite discoveries (or re-discoveries) you’ve made with your son?

A: Mercer Mayer, for sure. I loved Mercer Mayer when I was growing up, but I probably only ever owned one or two of the Little Critter books. The rest I would check out from the library. Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp was a book I saw once in a book store when I was four or five years old, and I remembered it passionately for years. I didn’t remember the name or the author, just a general idea of the story and pictures. About ten years ago when book searches became so easy on the internet, I tracked it down and fell in love all over again.

Q: Our six-year-old has just started asking to be read chapter books. Do you have any suggestions of books worth seeking out for this transitional stage (beyond Roald Dahl)? Any unsung (vintage) heroes in the adventure story/fantasy genre (beyond Narnia)?

A: You know, I wish there were more. My son really loves the fantasy genre like Harry Potter, Narnia and Percy Jackson, but I often find so many fantasy books of old were not written with children in mind so you really have to dig. He loves Peter Pan, Treasure Island, E.B. White’s books, and L. Frank Baum has lots of books (other than The Wizard of Oz) that he loves like The Magical Monarch of Mo. He is starting to get into Lloyd Alexander’s five-part series The Chronicles of Prydain. The Phantom Tollbooth. My Father’s Dragon.

Q: What are your three favorite picture books and why?

A: Just three, really?

William Steig’s Rotten Island… I’ve read this books to so many boys that I’ve lost count and every single of of them gets their mind blown when they read it. Steig had such a wonderful, off-kilter and somewhat dark imagination, but always with a spark of uplift and hope at the end. His books never get boring to me. EVER.

Mercer Mayer’s One Monster After Another… Mercer’s pictures are so fun to look at and his words so silly to read, my son adores this book, as do I. It’s a weekly read, but honestly, we could read it everyday and my son would never stop asking for it.

Tomi Ungerer’s Zeralda’s Ogre… Any book by Ungerer is gold in my mind. My son loves them. I love them. Dark and magical. And awesome.

Thanks, Burgin! Check out her blog for inspiration for your kiddos.

Just reading her blog brought back a few of my own childhood favorites:

Big Sister and Little Sister is one that my mom read to Katie and me when we were kids. Big Sister is (what some would say) typical: always instructing Little Sister what to do and how to do it. Little Sister has to show Big Sister that she can take care of herself before they can both take care of each other “because Little Sister had learned from Big Sister, and now they both knew how.” Just thinking of it makes me want to call my little sis.

The Three Little Horses by Piet Worm is a book my godmother gave to me when I was probably about seven. The three little horses of the title decide to take a break from horsey pursuits and visit the local town beneath the field where they play. They dress up as princesses and pass among the people. It’s a sweet book with gorgeous illustrations and it has recently been reissued. I bought it for Magnolia; she loves it as much as I did.

The Children’s Shakespeare by Edith Nesbit and illustrated by Rolf Klep. The inscription is to “Sarah Marie” (my mom) from “Mother and Daddy 1960.” And it has my mom’s childhood address in it, which makes it that much more special to me. About the book: it’s a gorgeous hardcover (published by Random House!) that essentially breaks down twelve of Shakespeare’s greatest to kid-friendly prose. I blame this book for my college, and later my graduate-school interest in Shakespeare. Worth seeking out, and in print.

Happy hunting!

Currently Obsessed with…Cute Kindle Covers

This started out as being an obsession with Kindle covers from Kate Spade…

Brilliant!

Love!

before I noticed the $85 price tag. That’s almost 1/2 the cost of the 3G Kindle itself! They sure are cute, though.

I quickly moved on to loving the Kindle cover by Diane von Furstenberg:

but again, the price ($85) put me off.

My next thought was Etsy, of course! So many cute ideas. Britgal Designs had a couple of cuties. I loved this whimsical cover for $12:

Sock monkeys, anyone?

Elizabeth David Designs had this case that spoke to me with its cheery and bright flowers:

Amy Butler Lotus Flower Kindle case, $45

Sakizome‘s sweet fabric choices made me smile. Hearts & clovers- luck and love (and look at that great interior); what could be better?:

Hearts & Clover by Sakizome, $22

One thing I love about this one from Made by Julie is the color of all things. Let’s face it, with snacks, pens, lipstick, a purse can get dirty! This one seems gray-resistant.

Made by Julie Kindle cover, $29.99

Which to choose?

**Note that many of these can be made for any e-reader you have!

October 23 – 24: Weekend Links for Brooklyn Mamas

Flickr photo by evilmini

It’s Fall Harvest Festival Palooza in Brooklyn this weekend. You could take your pick, really, but I think you should come to our school’s — the P.S. 295 Harvest Festival. Here’s why:

It’s gonna be FUN! Face painting and a bouncy castle, yes — but also awesome Day of the Dead diorama making, music, a pumpkin sale, a Tunnel of Terror, AMAZING family portraits by Stomping Ground Photography, and a chance to learn about the school. It’s the Studio School for Arts and Culture in District 15 and we are happy there, people. If you’re on the lookout for a school, come check it out and chat with us and other parents while your kids party on with Harvest Festival activities. Have the kids come in costume (you, too, if you’re game) and definitely don’t miss the photos — I can tell you they were super-cute last year. There’ll be plenty of grub, too. So come on out and say hi! (Saturday, 1 – 5pm. 330 18th Street, bet 6th and 7th Aves.)

And if you want to FILL your day with fall fun, you can head to the Harvest Festival @ Pier 6 before you come see us. (Saturday, 10:30 – 1.)

For more spooky ideas this weekend, including Sunday’s Big Green Extreme Halloween, a fab fall fundraiser for P.S. 166 on the Upper West Side — haunted house, costume contest, rides, and good food (some by a top chef) — see a full list of weekend events from Mommy Poppins.

Last, I attended an early literacy event this week sponsored by Parenting and Target at the New York Public Library. It was informative, inspiring, and very much about where we are right now since Jasper is learning to read. But part of the focus was encouraging us — parents, educators, community members — to move beyond our own children and homes to help others become literate and get excited about reading.

Volunteer to read at a school in a low-income neighborhood. Donate books to a local school library. Start a mystery book club for kids. Help set up author events — which reminds me…. I know Doreen Cronin, author of Giggle Giggle Quack, Duck for President, Rescue Bunnies, and other completely delightful children’s books, from Magnolia‘s preschool. Think I’ll ask if she’d be willing to come to our school and read to the kids one day. Think I’ll go do it right now.

Have a good weekend!

(evilmini on Flickr)

Tips for Helping Your Child Learn to Read

Reading: The Cat in the Hat knows a lot about that!

First grade is ON for Jasper, which means we are in the thick of learning how to read. In kindergarten, it was all about letters and sounds and connecting the two — now we’re down to the serious business of putting it all together and learning to read a book.

And, I have to say, just over one full week into school, he (finally!) seems ready for it. He brought home a book from school yesterday and reported happily that he was going to read it to us that night. And when it was time for stories, he climbed into bed and said with a big smile on his face that he got to sit in the middle (the moms and Magnolia on either side) because he was the reader. We read “Worm Smells” by Kathy Caple. It was awesome.

He had to have help with some of the words — he couldn’t do it all by himself — but he did pretty well. And he WANTED to read it which, after some resistance over the summer (“YOU read it, mommy!”), was great.

I’ve been looking around for tips on how to reinforce what he’s learning at school and how best to encourage and support him. Here are some highlights from learning to read tips I’ve found at Scholastic and PBS Parents — I’ve chosen the ones that, as we’re trying to teach Jasper, feel most relevant.

Habana Outpost: An Easy Outing with the Kids

I have neighborhood envy. Park Slope is okay…. We like our ‘hood. But I’m crushing on Fort Greene. The vibe is different, a little more freewheeling. It feels spread out and open — full of possibility and things to discover. And, oh, the big, beautiful buildings! Gorgeous.

Habana Outpost on Fulton Street in Fort Greene.

I’m reminded of it whenever I walk over to see my friend Maggie (though, technically, she’s more of a Clinton Hill girl), or we take the kids over on a pretty afternoon to Habana Outpost for lunch. We did that yesterday, and if you haven’t taken your kids there for a family meal, then get your behind on over before the season ends (they’re open from roughly mid-April to the end of October.)

Here are the deets:

Habana Outpost

It’s the little sis’ of Soho‘s Cafe Habana, plopped down on hopping Fulton Street (at South Portland Ave) in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. There are several big draws for families — a kid-friendly menu, an arts-and-crafts Kids’ Corner, and a big, festive outdoor space. A DJ spins tunes, which keeps the feel fun and funky AND tones down any kid noise.

The Kids’ Corner proved awesome for us — it’s staffed with a friendly young person who led our kids in an easy and engaging mask-making session (while the moms had a few moments to talk uninterrupted.)

There was strawberry lemonade on a sunny day — yum. (There are also margaritas, mojitos, and sangria if you’re in the mood.)

Go early — the single-and-child-free crowd descends for lunch later in the afternoon, so I recommend an early lunch or dinner.

Drop by for their third annual Back to School Bash (with free school supplies, face painting, arts and crafts, clowns, and more!) on Monday, September 6th, from noon to 5pm.

And while you’re in the ‘hood, check out:

Greenlight Bookstore — A beautiful new book shop on Fulton, right across the street. Scan the great children’s section for new bedtime reading material.

Greene Grape Provisions — A specialty foods shop with all sorts of pricey-but-delicious-looking goodies. You need *something* from this place, I guarantee it. We picked up some pesto for an end of summer pasta meal.

Mask-making at the Kids' Corner.

The end result, with a side of strawberry lemonade. Summer, we hate to say goodbye!

Weekly Menu Goes Ad Hoc

We’re on vacation but we are still cooking. Island eats are a variation on home eats. Slightly more indulgent and fun.

Mornings we eat at home, the usual stuff: oatmeal for Jas, cereal for Nola, and yogurt and granola for me. Lunch is packed and taken to the beach. Today it’s going to be a divine chicken salad for the moms on fresh baguette with high summer tomato and arugula. The creatures of habit who are our children will eat avocado sandwich (Jas) and PB&J (Nola). Plus plenty of water and snacks (watermelon, carrots, grape tomatoes, granola bars) for all.

The beach, btw, is divine.

Dinner, as always, is the most fun. Grilling is key, and we have a gorgeous deck to enjoy, but this year we have a great kitchen to cook in as well. Meat is expensive on the island (all the groceries are), so we trucked up skirt, flank & hamburger that we froze ahead of time. And then there’s the local fish, supplemented with veggies from the farmer’s markets. Just a few of our favorite things!

And a cookbook discovery: Every Night Italian by Giuliano Hazan (son of Marcella Hazan), borrowed from the Bush family on the way to the ferry. The subtitle is “120 Simple, Delicious Recipes You Can Prepare in 45 Minutes or Less.” We are grooving on the simple and delicious (not to mention the 45 minutes or less). Fresh Tuna, Arugula & Tomatoes? Yes, please. Thinly Sliced Sea Bass Marinated in Lemon? Yum. Red Snapper with Fresh Tomatoes and Black Olives, Fish Baked in Foil with Juniper Berries, Chicken with Green Olives, Grilled Lamb Chops with Lemon & Vinegar Sauce, Rum & Strawberry Layer Cake…all winners.

More to come from the vacation test kitchen, but now, off to find that baguette!

Summer Reading! What Should I Take on Vacation?

I have about two hours max a day (subway time) to get all the work-related reading I need done: 50-65 titles a season, three seasons a year. Luckily, I’m a fast reader.

My lack of free time does mean that other reading has to go. The only magazines I still get at home are food-related. Subscription to The New Yorker: cancelled (couldn’t take the pressure of having to finish an issue a week). Books I am personally interested in languish in the “hold for vacation reading” pile. And then, when the vacation comes, I have to be incredibly selective. Because I won’t have two hours a day to myself anymore; on vacation with my family I will only have stolen moments. So the pile must be whittled down to one special book.

This year’s contenders:

Don Winslow‘s latest, Savages, is on the short list. Don was a Knopf author until a very short time ago. You might know him from previous books like California Fire and Life or The Life and Death of Bobby Z. His mysteries are smart, fun and a bit wicked. Could be just the ticket.

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman won the National Book Critics Circle Award and countless fans. I can’t tell you how many people have recommended this one to me. The office pool is deadlocked: I have one passionate you-should-read-it vote (“if you like books that will add meaning to your life”) and one you-should-read-it-but-not-on-vacation-too-much-of-a-downer vote (“don’t you want to read something fun?”). Hmmm.

I admit I may be one of the only people not to have read The Time Traveler’s Wife. Her Fearful Symmetry is the most recent book from Audrey Niffenegger, and frankly, sounded a bit more interesting to me. Ghosts! Sign me up. Was all set to take this when a colleague bought me The Time Traveler’s Wife (and said it was better). Again with the dead-locked office pool: one vote “it’s a love story, a book you’ll go back to again and again” vs. “don’t ghosts sound more interesting than a love story?” Toughie. Gift book may edge out the other.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Full disclosure: I apparently don’t get out much. Haven’t read this one, either. Hear it’s good.

One Day by David Nicholls. Should this even be in the running? Currently being made into a movie with Anne Hathaway. Now that I typed that sentence I suddenly am reminded why it is in the running: it’s light. And maybe like a romantic comedy, that elusive but wonderful pleasure.

When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson. I know I’m not the only one out there who loved Behind the Scenes at the Museum (thanks, Ellen) and keep hoping for more of the same from Kate. The title of this one is putting me off a little, but BTSATM was so good I may have to dive in and try again.

So there you have it. What’s your vote?

Beyond Goodnight, Moon — A Short List of Favorite Board Books for Babies

A rash of new babies — they’re everywhere! — has me thinking again about board books. While everyone should, to my mind, have a copy of Goodnight, Moon, there are other board books — lesser-known perhaps to some, but no less wonderful — that will completely delight babies and young children. Keep them in mind for your own babes, or to give as presents. Some of our favorites include:

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo by Kevin Lewis tells the tale of a freight train, winding through peaks and valleys, morning to night. The best part is at the end, when the book pulls back to give you a bird’s-eye view of the room, and you see not just the train, but the little boy who has been imagining and acting out the story with his toy steamer. Truly one of our favorites and a perfect bedtime goodnight for train-obsessed tots.

Where’s Spot lets kids hunt through the house for Sally’s mischievous missing puppy. Is Spot under the stairs? No, it’s a lion! Is Spot hiding in the pink piano? No, it’s a hippo! This sweet book is one everyone should have in their library; my four-year old still asks for it at bedtime now and again. Not only is it fun to look for Spot, this book also helps kids learn their animals and colors.

Who knew Richard Scarry, the best-selling author responsible for Busy Town and all of its busy inhabitants (Huckle, Lowly, Sargeant Murphy to name a few) would also have such a gorgeous picture book?  I am a Bunny is one of the prettiest board books you will own. Nicholas, our bunny narrator, walks us through the seasons of the year, from daffodils blowing in the breeze, to watching the frogs and dragonflies play, to dancing as leaves fall to the ground and finally, the first snow.

Everyone will giggle as they watch the zookeeper on his last rounds, saying good night to the animals. What he doesn’t realize is that the gorilla is following him and liberating all the animals from their cages, with the entire zoo finally trailing him home and into bed! Imagine your surprise if you said “good night” and got a “good night” back from the entire zoo.  Good Night, Gorilla is a classic.

I have great memories of being on vacation and cuddling up in bed with our two reading We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. What I like about this book is that it’s an adventure for the whole family, from the baby, to the dog, to the parents. They head out to find a bear, and their journey takes them through forests, wetlands, blizzards and finally to the cave of…WHAT’S THAT? One shiny wet nose, two big furry ears…well, you can guess what they find. Completely entrancing and fun.

I admit that I didn’t see the appeal of Sandra Boynton books before I had kids. Then I started reading them out loud. Really, any of her board books are great (another favorite of ours is Blue Hat, Green Hat), but What’s Wrong, Little Pookie is a fave. In this story, Pookie’s mom tries to figure out what has her (her/him; who knows?) so upset. You and your kids will laugh as her guesses get sillier and sillier. In the end, even Little Pookie doesn’t remember what was wrong, but she’s stopped crying.

Finally, Hola, Jalapeno is a fun favorite that covers something near and dear to our hearts here in Brooklyn: Mexican food. The pages are bright and the food made creatively. This is part of a food series from Amy Wilson Sanger that includes sushi, dim sum, Southern, Italian & Jewish food. Many of the words are just plain fun to say, and the books teach your little one a bit about other cultures…well, at least about their foods!

Happy reading!

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