5 wordless picture books to try with Mr3

"Before they read words, children are reading pictures."
― David Wiesner

I heart words. Printed, online, skywritten, painted... On billboards, in eNewsletters, books, subtitles on tv shows... I love them all. Yes, even the curse laden ones. Every time I read something it's like a mini-celebration that I can do so. It makes me squee. Which is possibly why I was thrown a little when I came across my first wordless picture book as an adult.

One of my earliest memories of reading is sitting with my dad and re-telling my own version of Sleeping Beauty - it had words but I was too young to read them (I was 3 years old, give me a break), and dad would flip the pages while I babbled away about what I thought was happening. (You can laugh at this bit: There had been a nits outbreak at kindy, and mum had had to check my hair, so of course that was in mind when reading Sleeping Beauty who had her head in somebody's lap and so I said "Shes' looking for nits, isn't she?" Gran was silenced, mum was mortified, and dad pretended he hadn't heard). My rendition of the story probably wasn't as good as the real thing, but it didn't really matter. As far as dad was concerned, as far as I knew, I was reading pictures.

It's very likely that I had come across wordless picture books as a kid, and just never noticed. But as an adult, it sorta blew my mind that whole stories could be told without words. And, as is usual with me, I requested any and all I could find in our libraries, and inhaled them like chocolate. (If you tell me you can't inhale chocolate then I will tell you to your face that you are wrong). It became one of those things that I then had to share with everyone. Mostly my nephews (who are now Mr15 and Mr16 and too cool for school, oh how I miss the days when they were little and books were magic). Mr9 doesn't like my help when choosing books anymore, and fair enough, otherwise I'd be angsting over why he hadn't gotten to War and Peace or Great Expectations yet. (Give me a break! I was an intense 9 year old).. But Mr3...he can't escape me. Yet. We're going to work our way through my favouritest wordless picture books (I suspect his mum thinks I'm being overly ambitious with expecting him to understand Robot Dreams and The Arrival but I don't think so) and see where it takes us.

If you have wordless picture book recommendations of your own (their subject heading is stories without words in the catalogue), then leave them as a comment, and we'll try those, too. Enjoy the list!

5 new books to help you make/craft/grow/cook in the holidays

List by Danielle

'Having a two-year-old is like having a blender that you don't have the top for.'

~ Jerry Seinfeld

School holidays are coming up fast, guys, and the weather's finally starting to show the odd dry patch. Here is a taster of the latest books for kid-friendly activities from the New Titles list, but there are plenty more where these come from (jump on the catalogue and browse through books on cooking, games, gardening and crafting with kids). Get a shot of fresh inspiration these holidays, from simple and delicious recipes and ideas for stuff to make and do and grow and go outside and muck around with, to books that will make you laugh and say yes, SO TRUE, how awesome that it's not just my family that does that (recent fave: Katie Workman's Mom 100 Cookbook, just hilarious and very recognisable).

5 picture books about families with two dads, two mums, and two uncles that I believe Mr 8 should know about

All at once, the suitcase burst open.
"Oh, my, it's a little girl from the jungle!" said the Queen.
"You're the child we've always wanted," said King and King.
- King & King & family by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland

Earlier this year a sibling and I were discussing the book And Tango makes three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. For those of you who don't know Richardson's book, it's a true story about a penguin that was raised by two male penguins. We were discussing picture books, this one in particular, when Mr. 8 walked in partway through the conversation. When he realised we were talking about a penguin family with two daddies, he looked puzzled, and somewhat confused. (Much later we'd find out that he'd gone to our mother, a counsellor, with all of his questions about why two mums or two dads couldn't marry each other, which is more or less how this post came about). It was then that I realised we'd never really talked about how some families have two mums/two dads. Not deliberately. It was more that we'd all assumed the boys would grow up seeing all sorts of different versions of families all around us and not see same-sex parenting as a curiosity. After all, Mr. 8 knows firsthand about single-parent families (his mum) and how extended families provide help and support and babysitting detail (his mum's siblings and parents), but zero about same-sex families. In fact, other than my dad's late brother, I couldn't even think of extended family members (such as aunts, uncles, etc.) in same-sex relationships. I couldn't come up with anyone in my family whose whanau resembled And Tango makes three. Is that important? Yes, I believe it is. I don't want him to believe that the idea of 'family' is about numbers (i.e. how many people make up a 'family') or sexuality. I don't want him to think that his way of being parented is the only way. I don't want him to think it's the 'right' way, because I don't think that it is. It's only *one* way. Nor do I want him to grow up 'tolerating' or 'putting up with' people. I want Kalani (Mr. 8) to enjoy people as they are, where they are. I want him to value people and never, not at any time, think that anybody's whanau is less in his eyes because they have two mums or two dads or even two uncles. If I want him to grow up with that way of thinking, though, it has to begin with us, in the home, and I'm going to start with these picture books.

Note: I had kinda noticed that we don't have a whole lot of recently published picture books on this topic so I've got a list of recommended/reviewed titles that I'm going to suggest the library purchase for our collections. Comments, as ever, are always welcome.

Our top 5 bedtime stories for April

List by Danielle

"It's very simple why kids are crazy about dinosaurs -- dinosaurs are nature's Special Effects. They are the only real dragons. Kids love dragons. It's not just being weirdly shaped and being able to eat Buicks. It's that they are real."

~ Robert T. Bakker, Honolulu Advertiser, Jul. 9, 2000

February was superhero month.

April - April was also superhero month.

I don't think the superheroes are going anywhere anytime soon.

Spiderman is up there as flavour of the month, though he's got tough competition from Ben 10 and the Powerpuff Girls. Also, as far as literal flavours of the month go, cookbooks are also still a firm favourite amongst the kids. They love to flip through pictures of food and chat about what looks good enough to lick the page and what makes them go EWWWWWW.

Over the last couple of months we've really enjoyed visiting our new local libraries (Glenfield and Northcote), and browsing through a whole new collection of picture books and graphic novels. (We also made a nostalgic trip back to Tupu - hey, Richie & the team! - and Botany to raid their awesome kids' collections.) The kids have been having a lot of fun exploring not only the libraries but their play areas, gardens and surroundings. You can't get much better for a free outing for little kids than taking them to a library they've never visited, for real. Plus - stuff to take home!

5 random parts of a customer conversation that are eminently requestable

@Auckland_Libs
Auckland LibrariesConversation w/customer went from Dr Who to awesomeness of @neilhimself to graphic novels to Supernatural to conventions & back to to Dr Who 3 days ago via HootSuite ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

The other day I worked at Tupu Library on Dawson Road. Long story made simple: they were a little short staffed for the day and desperate, so they asked me to work. (Yes, I am your last call when you are desperate). And I had such fun! I haven't worked a front counter like that since before we became Auckland Libraries, and I hadn't realised how much I had truly missed it. I was fortunate enough to meet a very lovely customer, Rebecca, while I was at Tupu Library whose love of reading and all things geeky made for the best conversation that day. Rebecca was returning a Doctor Who book (which makes up a part of today's list) and, me being the horridly nosey person I am, asked her for her opinion of it which, in turn, led to this post: 5 random parts of a customer conversation that are eminently requestable. All beginning and ending with Doctor Who, I might add. Because everything leads back to Doctor Who.

Top 5 picture books about knitting

"Knitting is a boon for those of us who are easily bored. I take my knitting everywhere to take the edge off of moments that would otherwise drive me stark raving mad."
- Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

If I could spend my days knitting and sleeping (with TV on in the background – and the occasional book to read), I would be very happy...

I <3 knitting. The meditative state it puts me in. The maths and problem solving. The physical nature of it. The pleasure in completing something. The joy in seeing that something being used and enjoyed.

One of my sisters made a rude comment once about handknitted socks – why did I bother making them when they’re so cheap to buy. So, being vengeful… I didn’t give her a pair for her birthday. And then, she had to listen to five other family members rave about their handknitted socks. So, I relented. And she said 'it's like putting your feet into heaven...' and that’s why I knit.

Because I really do knit love into each stitch (yeah, maybe a few swear words, or exasperated sighs along the way, but I try to keep them down)...

These picture books celebrate and acknowledge the love and caring – and addiction – that goes into knitting.

Nearly-made-the-list:
* Knitty Kitty / David Elliott ; illustrated by Christopher Denise
Knitty Kitty is knitting a scarf, a hat, and some mittens for her kittens, but when night falls and the snow comes down, the kittens request a blanket to keep them warm but Knitty Kitty has a better idea.

Annie’s comments: I appreciate the love that Knitty Kitty expresses through her knitting. But, the illustrations are a bit confusing for younger readers. Knitty Kitty is anthropomorphised – knitting, in a chair, dressed in human clothes… but her kittens are kittens. You know, cat-like... and she’s human-like. Mixed messages at best.

* Noodle's knitting / Sheryl Webster ; [illustrated by] Caroline Pedler
A mouse named Noodle finds a ball of wool and decides to knit a scarf, which grows so big that she is trapped inside her house.

Annie’s comments: Noodle shows the dangers of knitting – sometimes knitters become obsessed… and sometimes beginner knitters need to be reigned in – and taught how to cast off – before their knitting project takes over the world. Cute.

Annie Hoot and the knitting extravaganza / Holly Clifton-Brown
http://www.elgar.govt.nz:80/record=b2492044~S1 "Annie Hoot, an owl, loves to knit, but the other owls in the woods will not wear the clothes she makes for them so she goes off in search of other animals that will appreciate her knitwear."--Publisher's description. Annie’s comments: yeah, ummm… this one cuts a little too close to the bone :D. My name, the owl – and the frenetic, knitting-fixes-all attitude… and the lack of appreciation those closest to you can sometimes show towards your lovingly meant gifts. No, it’s not my picture book autobiography – but it feels like it could be.

Extra yarn / by Mac Barnett ; illustrated by Jon Klassen. http://www.elgar.govt.nz:80/record=b2649749~S1 With a supply of yarn that never runs out, Annabelle knits for everyone and everything in town until an evil archduke decides he wants the yarn for himself.

Annie’s comments: I want Annabelle’s knitting box. Seriously! Do you have any idea how big my yarn stash is? I think I’ve reached the level of SABLE (Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy... ie more knitting yarn than I will ever deal with in my lifetime). Not so sure I’d knit a sweater for a ute, tho!

With love from Grandma / by Harriet Ziefert ; pictures by Deborah Kogan Ray
Sarah’s grandmother loves to knit, and from her needles emerge hats and gloves, mittens and socks, sweaters and scarves, all to keep her children and grandchildren warm. Now it’s Sarah’s turn to get something extra-special: a big, beautiful afghan, made from wool Sarah has chosen herself. Something that large takes time, however. Summer turns to fall, school begins, Halloween comes, then Thanksgiving. Finally, Grandma announces she’s coming to visit—with the afghan. Sarah’s wait is almost over. But there’s still one thing left to do...

Annie’s comments: This is a heart-warming story of family love and traditions, and the joy to be found in precious handcrafted heirlooms.

Mr Nick's knitting / Margaret Wild & Dee Huxley
Mr Nick and Mrs Jolley met every morning on the train, where they both sat knitting until they got off. One morning Mrs Jolley wasn't there; she was in hospital. Mr Nick knitted her a present that would make her happy and help her get well.

Annie’s comments: knitters really do understand each other – and friendship can be formed, based on the fact you both knit. This book celebrates the knitting community and support that comes from within it. When a friend of mine lost their apartment in Christchurch, due the February earthquake, I cried. And I wondered what I could do – in Auckland. I knew she knitted. So I sent her down a copy of my favourite sock pattern (I’d sent her one earlier), a ball of my favourite sock wool, a set of needles, a sewing-up needle, and a card. And it made her cry, but in a happy way.

The story blanket / Ferida Wolff and Harriet May Savitz ; illustrated by Elena Odriozola
Babba Zarrah has a beautiful woollen sitting blanket, which the children sit on to listen to her stories. Babba Zarrah always says that 'every question has an answer', and when she realises the villagers need new clothes, Babba Zarrah begins to unravel her blanket in secret to make them. She makes so many surprises that soon there is no more blanket to sit on. But when the villagers discover Babba Zarrah's secret, they decide to give Babba Zarrah a surprise in return...

Annie’s comments: I love Babba Zarrah. What’s not to love? She gathers the children together on her blanket and tells them stories. She loves her neighbours so much, she sacrifices her blanket to keep them warm (even the tailor’s cat). And her neighbours respond in kind. Warmth and love leap out of this book.

List by Annie

Our top 5 bedtime stories for February

List by Danielle

Enchantress: Can I be in your video?
Thor: Nay, witch. Thou dost headbang like a girl. Now be gone, less thou detract from my mighty rocking. More cowbell! Thus spoke Thor.

No doubt about it, February was Super Hero month in our household. Our first dip into the mighty, marvellous pool of superheroes (if you don't count last month's fabulous Traction Man) was my 5 year old daughter's discovery of superhero phonics books, early readers about heroes such as X-ray Rex and Jumping Jade.

The find of the month, though, has been Marvel's mind-blowing Super Hero Squad, which comes in several formats - DVD, chapter book, and junior graphic novel. I say mind-blowing, because for those raised on Marvel comics (not me) and even for those who came to the characters late through films like Iron Man, the X Men and Fantastic 4 flicks, the various Hulks... this is a whole new world. Imagine brooding, angsty heroes like Wolverine turned into wisecracking kiddy characters. Hulk as comic relief. Captain America as the wise old mentor/butt of jokes. The characters now have no back story - the Hulk has no human form, Wolverine (or 'Wolvie') appears in flashbacks as a baby, complete with adamantium claws. Thor, as in the quote above, went to Valhalla High School.

It about blows your mind, huh?

Couple that with the most catchy theme song ever to grace a kids' cartoon... It's time to hero up, squaddies!

Top 5 anti-kissing picture books

List by Annie, Central Library

'A child's kiss is magic. Why else would they be so stingy with them?'

~ Harvey Fierstein

There’s a stage when your little guy doesn’t want a kiss or a hug – from mum, or auntie, or… These picture books acknowledge that stage, and its passing.

What I want to know is – why is it mostly aunties who are the problem? I can’t remember any of my nephews (and it’s always boys in these books) having an issue with their aunties, or grandmothers. Mothers, though, they were a different story. So, those ‘no kisses from mum’ books may be right. Or, maybe I was lucky in my nephews. Hmmm… wonder how well the great-nephews will survive?

Honourable mention:
No more kisses! / by Margaret Wild ; illustrated by Nina Rycroft.
Baby has had enough kisses. He squirms and giggles and cries Stop! Stop!. Then he runs away, across the garden. His friends playfully chase him - until baby turns the tables and tries to kiss them instead!

Rollicking rhymes and backyard fun, with a great repeating refrain, make this a wonderful read aloud.

Our top 5 bedtime stories for January

List by Danielle

"There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Blessed, beautiful holiday sleep-ins this month have meant that the kids aren't so tired at bedtime, and are often still widely, loudly, bed-bouncingly awake by the time *I'm* ready to sneak off to bed with my own book. At 3 and 5, neither of them are really reading on their own - though the 5 year old is surely working on it - so they tend to latch onto interactive books (flaps, puzzle-solving, spot-the-whatever type books), or books with simple, funny stories that they can remember and tell each other, or books with plenty of visual stuff going on to absorb them.

Top 5 sci-fi books from childhood

List by Danielle

As for courage and will - we cannot measure how much of each lies within us, we can only trust there will be sufficient to carry through trials which may lie ahead.
~ Andre Norton

New books are wonderful, but old books, stains, funny smells and all, are another pleasure altogether. Our Research Centre stacks have a trove of YA books from the distant past with the gloriously 70s-style covers I remember from my own childhood reading, with all of the terrible psychedelic 'space' pants-suits you could wish for. I've just finished H.M. Hoover's Another heaven, another earth, something I'd not come across before, but something that stands out in stark contrast to the newer YA I'd been reading lately. Don't get me wrong, I love recent YA to pieces, and it's cool seeing sci-fi dystopias making a comeback, but it was a nice change to read something that didn't wrap itself up in teen angsty knots, didn't obsess over forbidden love, and dealt both thoughtfully and emotionally with the ethics of colonisation from the points of view of both colonisers and colonised.

I'm not a big sci-fi reader, and I haven't read most of the classic authors, but I do remember a handful of great sci-fi stories that I read and re-read as a kid, including another H.M. Hoover that I was lucky enough to be able to buy, second-hand, ex-library, with all of it's stamps and everything. These stories had everything I was looking for, and more - excitement and adventure, great characters in tough situations, moments of despair and triumph - all the stuffs of good storytelling. So feel free to add your own recs in the comments, I'd love to take a tour through other folks' favourite space adventures!

5 books full to the brim with Christmas craft projects for kids.

List by Tosca

"He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree."
- Roy L. Smith

As a kid, my mum always had a roll of butcher paper, a container of crayons, colouring pencils, felts, various craft supplies and books full of craft ideas for all sorts of occasions. She would often tell us they were for rainy day activities and, seeing as how we lived in Wellington, there was certainly no shortage of those. Mum has always preferred homemade presents over store bought ones and, over the years, it's something I've been a bit wary about. I find it easier to to buy something than agonise over making something. Weirdly now, as an adult (or a pseudo-adult, anyway), I've found that it's something I'd like to go back to. So for those of you with children (sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, grandchildren) who're hoping to find some craft ideas to work on, look no further: 5 books full to the brim with Christmas craft projects for kids! (Although we do have screeds more titles if you need more ideas - I'm never sure in this instance whether 'less is more' or not).

Top 5 most requested titles for November 2011

List by Tosca

"A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint.... What I began by reading, I must finish by acting."
- Henry David Thoreau

I bet you thought we forgot all about our regular Top 5 most requested titles list, didn't you? We didn't! I've also added review comments where we have them listed in the catalogue. Which reminds me, I meant to ask: Did you know that you can look up reviews and author notes from within our catalogue? If you see a book that you're interested in *and* it has a picture of the cover attached to the record, click on the picture. You're then directed to an Additional Information page, and it's here that you'll quite often (*but not always*) find links to reviews, author notes, and excerpts. You can test it out now: click on this link to practice (and yes, I'm making you look at this book because it is full of WIN and BECAUSE I CAN).

Last seen standing still...

Top 5 photos I took using tips/tricks I learnt from a kids book
List by Tosca

"If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn't need to lug around a camera."
- Lewis Hine

I don't enjoy posing for photos. I never have. Flip through our family photo albums and you'd be hard pressed to find me there. I could care less about myself that way. Put a camera in my hands, though, and it's a different story. My fascination with photography isn't a new one. I like to think of it as more...rekindled. Something about being behind a camera, being able to provide some visual commentary about life, makes me appreciate how intrinsically beautiful everything is. No matter how seemingly random. A week or so ago I used tips from a pet photography book on my nephews instead. (Thankfully, they are still talking to me). I decided, after writing up that post, that I'd like to explore some more photography books, only this time from the kids area. The book I finally decided to bring home with me is Digital Photography: Point, Click, and Create Cool Digital Effects by Alan Buckingham (2005). Curiosity made me pick a book that was published some 6 years ago. Sure, the clothes and hair are a little dated, but the tips hold as true today as they would have then. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so, armed with nothing more than my iPhone 4S and four photo apps (instagram, Pixlromatic, Snapseed and Mosaiq), I took Buckingham's book for a test drive. The results, in no particular order, are below. As is a slideshow of extra photos that I didn't use in this post.

Top 5 kiddie-friendly scary movies Mr. 7 and I are considering for our Halloween movie marathon

List by Tosca

"Any horror element is as much psychological as special effects."
- Christopher Eccleston (who is, incidentally, Mr. 7's 2nd most favourite Doctor Who)

Every Halloween I stage a scary movie marathon. This year I had tentatively planned a gore-nography fest with, well, probably very little in the way of plot but bucket loads of blood and guts splattered all over the screen. If there happens to be a little romance along the way then so much the better (because people fall in love over splattered brains, right?). And if there's no romance I'd at least like for there to be one or two survivors who walk away from their experience a little wiser, a little stronger, and probably somewhat traumatised for the rest of their cinematic lives. I've had to change my plans slightly to take Mr. 7's tastes into account because he'll be joining me for the first part of the journey and then, after his bedtime, I'll be finishing it on my own. I've got 5 movies lined up that he has never seen before and so, later this week, we'll haggle over which one (or two) he could/should watch. There's no rhyme or reason to my selection except that they're a combination of movies that I've enjoyed in previous years with the older nephews or that are more (or a little bit less) appropriate for his age. He's a Doctor Who fan (oh! the tears we cried together during Tennant's The End of Time) so he's seen quite an array of scary-ish creatures already, but by the same token I don't want to psychologically scar him with something like Sleepy Hollow, either (even though I *loved* that). I think I've settled on a good mix, although I won't know for sure until the actual movie night.

Top 5 kids' cookbooks I couldn't walk past

List by Tosca

There is no love sincerer than the love of food."
- George Bernard Shaw in Man and Superman

Once upon a time, Mr. 14 and Mr. 12 and I used to bake a lot. Then, after a day that ended in pony cookies with legs missing and tears and shortbread dough up the wall (don't ask - we still don't talk about that day 7 years later) we never spent time cooking together again. Mr. 7, on the other hand, LOVES it. For some reason, we get along okay in the kitchen. Admittedly, he complains that I don't let him do more on his own but, other than that, he doesn't mind my 'thing' for order/symmetry/even numbers and I don't mind that he talks nineteen to the dozen (apparently without needing to breathe). I was downstairs in Manukau Library picking up a couple of requests and had a sudden brainwave to raid their children's cookbooks section - 641.5 - and came away with the following books/recipes that I think Kalani and I could do together. Bon appetit :)

Top 5 picture books with non-traditional illustrative styles

List by Annie, Central Library

'The artist's world is limitless. It can be found anywhere, far from where he lives or a few feet away. It is always on his doorstep.'
~Paul Strand

We're used to seeing picture books illustrated traditionally – you know, pen and ink, watercolour, oils, photos… Just like in non-book art, illustrators are branching out and playing with other media. What is interesting is seeing how well, or not, these 3D techniques translate to the 2D, flat image seen in a picture book page. That said, it can be difficult even with 'traditional' media to figure out what technique was used.

5 books I'm reading to Mr 7 tonight to celebrate 'Talk Like a Pirate Day'

List by Tosca

"And don’t they wear the bulliest clothes! Oh no! All gold and silver and diamonds," said Joe, with enthusiasm."
– The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

Shiver me timbers, it's Talk Like a Pirate Day! It was the first thing on my mind this morning and, thanks to a few picture books I've grabbed off the shelves, will probably be the last thing on my mind tonight. My nephew Kalani - or Mr 7 as I call him - loves pirates. Adores them in all their glory, even with (especially with?) their blackened teeth, questionable bathing habits and general grumpiness. So grab up your best stuffed parrot (?) and your sparkliest eyepatch as I give you...5 pirate books that little lads and lasses will enjoy!

Top 5 titles for Roald Dahl Day

List by three librarians, two kids and a library systems analyst

September 13 is Roald Dahl Day, the birthday of the master storyteller, and a great day for remembering all the fun we've had from his fabulous tales over the years. Each book is like a juicy, magical banquet of the unexpected. With his playful language and wild imagination, his fun-poking sense of humour and his gleefully sinister side, the stories read just as well if you're revisiting them as an adult. For kids, he has a way of showing both the things you want the most in your secret heart, as well as the faces of your truest fears, like being bullied by a particularly vindictive teacher, or being at the mercy of the arbitrary whims of adults.

Happy Roald Dahl Day! For more Dahlish celebrations, why not hop onto the 'Follow that Peach' website and launch your own paper or virtual peach out into the world, joining over 2,000 peaches already in transit in order to celebrate the 50th anniversary of James and the Giant Peach!

1,001 reasons to love kid's books, chocolate, songs, video games and albums

List by Tosca

"A good decision is based on knowledge and not on numbers."
- Plato

What if you had knowledge *and* numbers in the one book? 1,001 numbers, to be exact, with the accompanying 1,001 pieces of information to go with them? And if you were crazy enough to request and read 5 such books, well, those are some phenomenal numbers right there. My brain is crazy-jam-packed-full of bits of trivia and recommendations after the reading fest of the last four or five days. When I had the idea to do this list I thought it would be a relatively easy-ish thing to do: search the catalogue, request whatever interests me, read and add/not add. Foolish, foolish thought. Choosing which titles to request was hard enough but trying to play favourites with them was worse. I had to discount a whole heap because they weren't quite as interesting to me as I thought they'd be (golf? Really?!) or, really, were too 'highbrow' for my tastes (I think Mr. 7's fingerpaintings are a wonder to behold). I'm not a classy kind of person. Now I have a huge list of kids' books to re-read, chocolates to try, songs and albums to locate and listen to and video games to hunt down. Eek!

Also, I apologise for my absurdly long and somewhat dizzy version of 'honourable mentions.' And to the librarians who had to round up these enormous books to send them to me, thank you so much! And no, Sue, I'm not creating a bucketlist :) Well, not yet, anyway...

Top 5 things I hope Mr. 7 gets out of Keri Smith's book

List by Tosca and all about the book How to be an explorer of the world : portable life museum by Keri Smith

"WARNING: To whoever has just picked up this book. If you find that you are unable to use your imagination, you should put this book back immediately. It is not for you. In this book you will be repeatedly asked to... suspend your disbelief, complete tasks that make you feel a bit strange, look at the world in ways that make you think differently, conduct experiments on a regular basis, and see inanimate objects as alive."
- Back of book How to be an explorer of the world : portable life museum by Keri Smith

The other day I found what I think is the best kids nonfiction book to end all best kids nonfiction books. (At least until the next one comes along that I love times infinity). What book? How to be an explorer of the world : portable life museum by Keri Smith. Why? Because it is awesomeness personified. This is the kind of book I have been looking for/praying for/waiting for. I'm going to use it as a way to get Mr. 7 off the sofa, out of the house and into the big, scary outside world. Sometimes I believe he isn't curious enough. Other times he's too adventurous by half. In this age of instant gratification where an answer to everything is an app's distance away (or a Google search's distance away) I worry that he will lose the sense of curiosity and wonder that he used to have when he was five. I feel sometimes that he has become slightly jaded and cynical and I want him back the way he used to be, back to that time when every little thing was new and exciting and surprising. I want him to live a life outside of the interwebs and Sky TV, and to know that sometimes the best way of getting answers is to live the journey of finding them for yourself. Sounds somewhat existential, fluffy and frou frou? I did vaguely think so...and then three things happened: 1) I read the blurb for this book and 2) I took it home and discussed it with Mr. 7 and 3) he wanted to try some of the activities straight away. He even asked me for a few things to help out, namely a digicam, an extension on his half-hour daily computer time and permission to start a blog to put up his 'doings' (as he called them). The digicam is not a problem. He's 7 so I figure a cheap little cam is an easy enough thing to purchase and, should he develop an interest in photography, it's a great starting point and then, when he's a little older, we'll buy him something better. Extending his daily allotment of computer time...I'm not so sure about that. His theory is that he still needs computer time for 'play' and that it shouldn't be confused with 'experimenting.' My response to that is perhaps he should learn to use what time he does get a little more wisely, and I think now is as good a time as any for him to learn that sometimes 'experimenting' IS 'play.' Currently, it's a stalemate, and we'll have to talk about that a little more. The third request - permission to start a blog - that's not so easy. A lot of places have age restrictions and, really, that's fair enough. I'm currently considering a couple of alternatives: 1) that we use my personal blog to post his findings (which I don't like the idea of and neither does he) or 2) somehow I incorporate them in to our Top 5 blog as a kind of a guest post (something along the lines of 5 things he thought of/discovered/enjoyed about particular activities he chooses). I had initially envisioned a scrapbook full of his findings. He sees it as having a place online, as well. Maybe we're both right. Maybe we're both wrong. Maybe the best option will be somewhere in between the two. Either way I am OH SO HAPPY that he's excited about trying this book on for size. Rain permitting we're going to start this weekend. And fit in a side trip to the Auckland Art Gallery (which re-opens this weekend). So, what do I want him to get out of this book?