I don't get to do much of it these days.
OK, that's not entirely true. I actually do quite a bit of reading, but the books I'm currently reading are not very literary in nature.
Currently board books are my thing.
When Little Man was a few months old he could care less about books. He didn't have the patience or attention span for them. They say parents or caregivers should read to their children daily. (Who are they, anyway?) I tried that, but he just wasn't interested.
How is that possible? I'm an English teacher for goodness sake. How would that look to have an illiterate kid? Would the state rescind my license? Was I doing irreparable damage to my baby by not reading to him every day? Will he not get into Harvard because of it?
Turns out such stressful questions were a little premature. Something clicked and for the past five or six months Little Man has been a reading machine.
His very favorite series these days is The Little Blue Truck Series. We got one as a gift from Aunt Betsy back when he was not a reader. Then one day he decided Little Blue was the coolest thing. I lucked into finding the second book at T.J. Maxx--I had no idea it existed before seeing it there-- right before Little Man's first birthday. It made the prefect gift.
Since then, we have read each of the two books many, many, many times a day (among a great many others, of course). I pretty much have them committed to memory. Actually, so does Little Man. There is one point in "Little Blue Truck Leads the Way" where Blue is leading a parade and the people watching yell "Hooray" and clap. Just before I ask Little Man to turn to that page, he claps. It's adorable.
But not as adorable as him saying "Bop, bop, bop" while making a honking motion to let me know he wants to read. Often the first thing he does when I go into his room in the morning is "bop, bop, bop" at me.
In fact, he "bop, bop, bops" at most trucks when we are out. It is easily the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life.
My boy loves to read! And best yet, he loves to read these books that have really great messages about helping your friends (and sometimes non-friends who happen to be in need) and going single file instead of pushing and shoving.
I very highly recommend these sweet books to any young reader. There are great street and animal sounds that get little ones engaged, good messages, and an unassuming and kind hero.
Recently a sticker/activity book was released, but I'm going to hold off on that until I can trust my little terror with stickers. We need to grow into that.
I really wish Alice Schertle would get cracking on another board book featuring Blue. Little Man does, too.
What are you reading to the little people in your life?
