Children's Books: Recent Reads List Ages (2-4)

This is a continuation of my previous post on recent books we've read and enjoyed. I wanted to separate the list by age group for easy reference.

The two year old seems to be developing a preference for certain types of books. Picture Books are still the top favorite. But, some of the I-Can-Read/Beginner-Reader Books of his sister's seem to have definitely caught his attention. Not that he can read them, but, he likes it when she reads them to him.

This again, is by no means a sorted list of favorite reads, just a small subset of the books we've read over the last couple of months that appealed to us.

1. Alphabet House / written and illustrated by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
   
   This instantly became my favorite as it came into my hands at the right time when I have just introduced the letter sounds to Og for a phonetic approach to reading.
   
   The book invites us into the Alphabet House to find the things that start with A to Z. Each page focuses on one letter. The cut-paper art work arranges a scene with some of the members of the rabbit family and objects usually familiar to a toddler - just objects around the house, fruits, toys, utensils and suchlike - in an uncluttered way so as to facilitate easy recognition.
   
   The simplicity of the cut-paper work, as well as the clever arrangement of the scene to pack as many things as possible that begin with that particular letter sound so that with subsequent reads the toddler confidently looks for more objects and thrills at discovering them, makes this book a valuable tool for learning.
   
   For example, for the letter P, as a small part of the scene, there is a Pan, Plate and Pie on the shelf. However, the Pan is Purple with a Peapod on it, Plate is Pink with a Pumpkin, and the pie is possibly Peach Pie or Pecan Pie. Now, whereas Og simply identified Pan, Plate, Pie in the first read, on subsequent reads with a little nudge like, "What color is the plate?" and so on, he could pick out the others. Another object on the bottom corner of the P page was a Pillow with Pink Plaid Pillowcase.
   
   I simply love this book as its deceptively simple presentation packs chockfull of learning fun. Of course, vowel sounds are tricky, and 'C' makes two sounds, which kids learn eventually as they sort it out in their heads. Judging by the 2 weeks of repeat requests, looks like Oggie likes this book as well.
   
   
2. Finn Throws a Fit! / by David Elliott ; illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering
   
   For some reason, Ana and Og like this book way more than I expected. Thanks Mom for giving this book! I love the art work, love the style. The text is simple, easy for Ana to read to Og, which she likes to do.
   
   If we've ever had a bad day in our lives, a day when we simply cannot handle even the things we used to like, when every little thing sets us off, erupting like an instant volcano, then this book will be easy to relate to. I admit, I've had many days like that thanks to Oggie not sleeping at nights...
   
   Little boy Finn, comically rendered as an egg-like blob with limbs, is having one of those bad days. The book doesn't dwell on why he has a bad day as that is immaterial. It also doesn't say how the fit subsides, as that is rather immaterial. But, it focuses on how the environment looks when Finn is throwing this fit. He cries... the house floods.
   
   Initially, I was a bit skeptical, wondering why on earth would a parent read this to their child, focusing on the fit, as if encouraging it and even reveling in it. It didn't help that the parents in the book seem to be portrayed as poor saps. But, I guess from my side of the fence, I can see the positives of this book, as Ana easily recognized the silliness of it, and Oggie didn't care about the fit all.
   
   As a bystander, this book made the whole toddler tantrum thing seem amusing. Which is an attitude some of us parents find it hard to develop when in the middle of it.
   
   
3. Dancing feet! / by Lindsey Craig ; illustrations by Marc Brown
   
   I loved this book as soon as I laid eyes on the cover - the happy dancing elephant simply teased my craft-y side: my mind immediately assembled corrugated paper, paints, scissors and glue to affirm that Imitation Is The Best Form Of Flattery Adoration. Ana and I have done a couple of projects based on this book's art work - that has to be its own post some day soon.
   
   But, the hint of the animal on the page along with lilting rhythmic text that is hard to read without tapping one's feet, "Tippity, Tippity Little Black Feet / Who is dancing on tippity feet?"... leads to the next page which shows that, "Ladybugs are dancing on tippity feet / Tippity tippity happy feet"...
   
   Stompity, Clickity, Creepity, Stampity - the repetition along with pictures of happy creatures dancing makes this cheery little book a lot of fun to read aloud.
   
   
4. The Adventures of Polo by Régis Faller
   
   Polo is a spunky pup who likes to set off on an adventure armed with just his backpack, resourcefulness, sunny disposition, and curiosity. The vibrant colors, playful cartoon-like drawing, and dynamic easy-flowing panels make this wordless book a treat to "read".
   
   Wordless books are wonderful for all ages - we can choose to interpret it as our minds allow. I just let Oggie point to the picture and "talk" about what he sees. Sometimes it is "Uh-oh, he fall in the water", sometimes it is "He in the boat"... and even if it seems like Oggie is just describing the panels, he seems to have fun turning the pages to read to "the end". And then, looks at me expectantly to read it again, this time using my words and interpretation to keep up the flow.
   
   Originally published in France, Polo seems to have cultivated a universal following. The stories start out simple and sometimes can get quite complex, depending on who is "reading" it. It reminded me a bit of Harold and the Purple Crayon in that Polo finds a rope, which becomes stairs that he uses to climb up and then slides down the rope slide to land on a cloud... It gets from absurd to fantastic in no time.
   
   Through close-ups in some panels, sometimes stopping the flow with a full-page panel, along with subtle hints like punctuation marks, not to mention facial expressions, artist Faller makes it a delightful experience to follow Polo along in his adventures, silently.
   
   
5. A pair of socks / by Stuart J. Murphy ; illustrated by Lois Ehlert
   
   I like Lois Ehlert and I picked up this book before even knowing about the MathStart series. The text is short and easy to follow, and the pictures are in bright bold colors to catch the eye.
   
   A lone striped sock wants to find its partner. It looks in the hamper, washer, dryer, the usual places and fails. It finally finds it in the dog basket.
   
   Finding the matching pairs of socks in each page makes this a fun learning experience for the little ones while honing the pattern-recognition skills. Plus, there are suggested activities at the back if we want to take it a step further.
   
   Not really a top favorite of mine, but, since I had to read it a zillion time to Og, it managed to grow on me. I am yet to explore the other MathStart books, but I am in no hurry.
   
   
6. Zero is the leaves on the tree / by Betsy Franco ; illustrations by Shino Arihara
   
   Most of the toddler counting books introduce 1 through 9 easily. Introduction of the numeral '10' could potentially add a certain complexity, but, many counting books seem to do it consistently, so, kids learn to recognize the number ten.
   
   The concept of zero while simple, may not necessarily be easy to present. Zero is the Leaves on a Tree was a book I had earmarked for Ana, and was surprised to find that her teacher had already done a good job of introducing zero into her world.
   
   Since Oggie showed interest in the book, I started reading it to him casually. The changing seasons and outdoor scenes, along with soft colors and tones, and some dynamic movement makes it visually appealing.
   
   "No sound is Zero sound". And since I had recently introduced the concept of Opposites to Og through a few examples and he was beginning to like the word "Empty" ("empty plate", "sippy cup empty") I was debating adding Zero to the mix, but, it didn't stop me.
   
   I've been encouraging Ana, (and thereby myself, as I have to set a good example), to minimize the use of negatives, depending on the situation: "Amma, can I have ice cream?" is easy to answer with a "No, Ana, No ice cream before bedtime!"... but with this new self-imposed rule, it prompts me to not snap an irritated No, but to rephrase with, "You can have yogurt or buttermilk if you are hungry; choose." to which a quick, "Zero yogurt, zero buttermilk, Amma" brings an instant smile that dies at birth when I hear, "I am hungry and I choose ice cream"...
   
   But, I am digressing...
   
   
7. The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear / by Audrey and Don Wood (reviewed here earlier)
   
   What's the only thing a little hungry mouse can do with a red ripe strawberry when a big hungry bear is expected any minute? Why, eat it, of course!
   
   And that is what he does in this sweet book with huge eye-catching illustrations inviting requiring the reader to pull the narration forward. The text is simple even if it has a few words that are possibly not part of a toddler vocabulary, but the pictures easily explain the meaning without me having to. The mouse is incredibly adorable, and the strawberry seems like a mutant giant next to the mouse who scrambles to keep it from Bear's hungry paws.
   
   The book also talks about sharing. Of course, Bear is never in the pictures, even if he is in the picture. Just the anxiety of losing this ripe juicy meal to a large and strong Bear seems to drive the mouse as he tries to save the strawberry for himself, thanks to the reader. And, the relief and elation he feels in the end after having eaten it (and sharing half with the reader) is simply precious.
   
   I would have loved to dedicate a whole post to this book. Left to itself, the mouse probably would have been fine just picking the strawberry and enjoying it at its convenience. But, (no) thanks to the reader, it gets very exciting.
   
   Thanks for giving us this book, Mom, you know the kids love it!
   
   
8. Mama's kiss / by Jane Yolen ; illustrations by Daniel Baxter
   
   We've enjoyed a few of Jane Yolen's books before. The pink-ness and the girl made this "Naanaa's" (Ana's) book in Oggie's mind. But, when the three of us read it the first time, Oggie started liking it more than Ana.
   
   Mama throws many kisses, but one kiss misses. This kiss is presented as red lips with wings, flying around. We track the kiss through the pages as the text describes its journey. The story is simple and sweet.
   
   Not one of my favorites, but, I liked the concept - just like how a smile propagates itself until the whole world is smiling - "A kiss can go the world around, And come back where it should be found." That, and the fact that I kiss my kids a lot, (to the point where even Oggie has learnt to say, "Stop! No Kiss"), and that somehow will show them how much they mean to me...
   
   
9. Thumb Thumb Books (1-10)
   
   A surprise package from my parents from India recently included a bunch of books for the kids. One of them is this set of 10 Thumb Thumb books - just about 10 pages each, about the size of a 5x7 photo album, in paperback, packed with wonder.
   
   There is no discounting the appeal of simplicity and playfulness in reading to kids. Thumbprint makes up the art work, and a few simple sentences makes up the story, such as it is. Each book affirms 'I can read this book' at the end which is empowering for beginner readers.
   
   Even if it takes a couple of minutes for Oggie to assert with some clarity, "I love Tum Tum Tum-bee Tum Tum Tung-ee", I wait patiently grinning from ear to ear for him to finish making his statement - music to my ears :)
   
   
10. What do you do when a monster says boo? / by Hope Vestergaard ; pictures by Maggie Smith
    
    Since the cover is mostly on a blue background, and all things blue are naturally his, Oggie picked it out from the library shelf. I liked the book when we read it there, so i brought it home expecting repeat reads. I was not disappointed.
    
    The "monster" in the book is the little sister who throws tantrums, bites, pulls hair and can generally be annoying to her older brother. Rather than reacting militantly, in anger, the book suggests positive ways to deal with such situations: "What do you do when a monster pulls hair?/Show it your teeth and pretend that you'll bite?/Forget all your manners and start a big fight? No, no NO! The best thing to do when a monster pulls hair/Is find its soft tummy and tickle it there."
    
    The repetition and rhythm, plus the bold bright pictures makes this book a fun read. The book easily appealed to Ana, even if she doesn't remember to practice it with Og when he pulls her hair or throws his truck at her. Oggie, at two, possibly didn't quite get the whole picture, but, he seems to have caught on the fact that there is no "monster" in the book and that the little girl is pretending to be one :)
    
    
11. Five for a little one / Chris Raschka
    
    Five Senses - Smell, Hearing, Sight, Taste, Touch - are what this book talks about. In a simple way. I liked Chris Raschka's artwork that I encountered for the first time in A Kick In The Head (An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms), and A Poke in the I ( concrete poems collection) (Paul B. Janeczko), and that's how I found out about this book.
    
    We've been reading it for almost 10 nights in a row and Oggie hasn't gotten tired of it. There's a lot of white on the pages which gives it an uncluttered look even if there is a lot on each page. The colors are soft, the outlines are dark yet fuzzy, and the text flows well.
    
    However, the counting aspect of the book seemed incongruous - "Smell is 1" - for the little guy, but, the concept of the five senses is presented well enough for Oggie to grasp.
    
    
12. Because a little bug went ka-choo! / by Rosetta Stone (Dr.Seuss) ; illustrated by Michael Frith
    
    I love Dr. Seuss, even if by any other name.
    
    Chain stories are fun - something insignificant happens, which sets off another event, which sets off another, until it has snowballed into this chaotic scene.
    
    This is a fun book to read aloud, and the pictures are busy, complementing the text well, making it easy to follow along. Which makes it difficult to skip pages like I do with McElligot's Pool or even Cat In The Hat Comes Back without Oggie catching me and demanding that I read correctly.
    
    Each time I read it, something new about the picture comes into view as the eye glazes over the familiar. A master at his craft, Dr. Seuss, writing as Rosetta Stone, has made this book both silly and profound at the same time.
    
    

Children's Books: Recent Reads List (Ages 4-8)

We've been reading randomly for the last few months, primarily because the kids have been bringing books home that they fancied on the library shelves during our visits. I did place a few on hold that I wanted to read to them, especially for Og.

The five year old likes to read to herself at nights till lights out, after I've read her a chapter or two from the current chapter book we are reading.

She has been reading simple I-Can-Read/Beginner-Reader Books - something between Picture Books and Chapter Books. Poppleton and Friends, Morris the Moose, The Knee Book, The Ear Book, The Eye Book, Stuck In The Mud (Thomas & Friends), The Tooth Book and such... she didn't care for Poppleton (she claims he is boring), but liked Morris (he is goofy and silly), the others mostly received favorable remarks.

The few I have read to her (or read together with her) range from simple Picture Books for Ages 4-8 to Chapter Books.

We started reading more of the collected tales from around the world to keep up with the Travel The World summer theme. One of the reasons I like to read these stories in the folklore tradition that are short and direct, is to introduce her to a different style of writing than she has been exposed to so far.

Another reason is that the stories, much like Panchatantra and Hitopadesha Tales I grew up with, have the lines blurred between animals and humans as they interact and coexist, sometimes helping each other, sometimes causing problems... teaching and learning from each other.

Questions like "Is that really how the goats came to live with us humans?","Did Haisuni, Talsuni, and Peolsuni really become the Sun, Moon and Star?", "Why did the tiger eat her radishes, but not the old lady?" lead invariably to, "Did this really happen?", at which point, I invoke the Eth-Noh-Tec's answer of, "Well... it was soooo looong ago that no one really knows for sure... maybe it happened and someone told their children who told their children and so on, so I can tell you now."

This again, is by no means a sorted list of favorite reads, just a collection of what we've read recently and enjoyed. I've been restricting myself to maybe one post per week, and it looks like this is leading to much longer posts than I usually write... No matter.

1. The quiltmaker's gift / story by Jeff Brumbeau ; pictures by Gail De Marcken
   
   The watercolor art work as well as the quilt block patterns attracted me to this book that relates a classic tale about the virtues of sharing, caring, and giving. A greedy king who has it all is not happy, not satisfied with all that he has. He covets the beautiful quilts an old quilt-maker painstakingly makes and gives away to those who need it most.
   
   Starting with why did the quilt maker refuse to give king her quilt, to why did she say he must give away all his stuff, to finally wondering why did the king feel happy in the end, Ana had a lot of questions, the answers to which may not have been obvious or easy to understand at five.
   
   She does periodically prune her clothes and toys to give away, so, at some level she must be understanding that there is some joy in giving. Happiness is not in having everything you want, but in not wanting anything - this is not easy for a five year old to comprehend... but, the book was a visual treat, even if a bit busy.
   
   
2. Albidaro and the mischievous dream / Julius Lester ; Jerry Pinkney
   
   The mythical elements mingling with children and parents and the world as she knows it made this fascinating for Ana. She was willing to believe that there is Albidaro (the "Guardian of Children" who lives in the sky) and his sister Olara ("Guardian of Animals") who watch over the kids and animals and make things happen in this world.
   
   The mischievous dream that Albidaro plants in children is that they can do anything they want without consequences, even not listen to their parents... this leads down a path I wasn't sure I wanted to go, but the mild chaos arising from this breakdown in structure and discipline came across well for the five year old when the animals started misbehaving(rather, behaving like humans) and the kids realize they need the parents to make things right... order is re-established and things end well.
   
   As a jaded adult, I was not as taken with this book as the five year old. However, being a fan of Jerry Pinkney, the illustrations were magical, with a dreamlike quality that makes this book visually satisfying.
   
   
3. Stand tall, Molly Lou Melon / written by Patty Lovell ; illustrated by David Catrow
   
   Itty-bitty Molly Lou Melon has a wise and strong grandma who taught her how to stand up for herself.
   
   See, Molly seems to possess some qualities that are generally considered undesirable - she is buck-toothed, with a voice like a bull-frog, and is rather clumsy. But, her grandma teaches her how to turn each of these supposed disadvantage to her benefit by finding her strengths and face the world confidently.
   
   The pencil and watercolor illustrations in rich colors has a rather exaggerated styling which lends a certain comical charm that Ana and I liked a lot. Molly's head is as big as the rest of her body, and most of her face is taken up by her large eyes. How can that not be cute?!
   
   After the first couple of reads, she wanted to read this book to herself every night for over a week, so I think the book made quite an impression.
   
   
4. Amazing Grace / by Mary Hoffman ; pictures by Caroline Binch
   
   You can't play Peter Pan in class play because... You are a girl... You are black doesn't stop Grace from being all the more determined about giving her best performance as Peter Pan.
   
   With some help from her grandmother, Grace, who loves stories and performance of all kinds, realizes that the outer façade need not hide the inner strength that comes from doing your best and believing in yourself.
   
   She auditions for and wins the lead and plays the best Peter Pan she can. The book seems to have made quite an impression on Ana.
   
   The illustrations are beautiful, and Grace is every bit lovable - so guileless and enthusiastic, full of verve and joy.
   
   
5. Fanny / Holly Hobbie
   
   Fanny does not look like a Disney Princess, but that's just fine. When her friends have a certain store-made coveted Connie doll that all girls want to have, Fanny joins the bandwagon. She yearns for it and puts it on her Christmas wish-list. When Santa refused to get her that doll, she puts it on her birthday wish-list.
   
   When Mom puts her foot down, Fanny, rather than sulking and throwing a fit till she gets what she wants (or not), decides to make a doll of her own - viz., Annabelle.
   
   Annabelle is... different. She is nothing like Connie. Which at first makes Fanny a bit embarrassed to play with her friends who prefer Connie. But, of course, Annabelle earns her spotlight thanks to Fanny.
   
   The simple story is charming and affirming. It seems to have inspired Ana a lot. She loves her cabbage patch doll Enid and understands how much Fanny loves her Annabelle. And at some level, possibly realizes it is OK to be different.
   
   
6. Shanyi goes to China / Sungwan So
   
   This is a re-read, much like Prita Goes To India, that we enjoyed a long time ago. Something about photographic books and the simple presentation of the trip is beginning to make an impression now that Ana is at the age when she can read and write, even if mostly phonetically. She wrote a few lines about her Spring Break trip after seeing the digital pictures I had taken during the trip, which I'd like to think was probably inspired by Shanyi and Prita...
   
   
7. Tracks of a Panda / Nick Dowson ; illustrated by Yu Rong
   
   The illustrations with characteristically elegant brushwork of Chinese painting is beautiful. The text is short and easy to follow, with a few facts on each page to make it educational.
   
   I liked the fact that the story starts off with a tiny baby Panda arriving in this world, with only its mother for support. This immediately appealed to the empathetic nature of the five year old. She felt instinctively protective about it and worried how the Mommy Panda is going to keep it safe and feed it.
   
   While she has been introduced to Pandas as cute and cuddly in baby books, this book provides the much-needed reality, a glimpse into the tough life of these huge yet gentle creatures who are endangered (no) thanks to losing their habitat to progress and development.
   
   
8. A Bear called Paddington / by Michael Bond; illustrated by Peggy Fortnum
   
   How can one not like this little bear from the Darkest Peru, with such a preposterous name? Beloved by children around the world, this almost-classic tale relates the adventures of this genial and courteous bear found at the Paddington station with a sign that said, "Please look after this bear".
   
   We've been reading the 50th Anniversary edition (hardcover), which has a simple full color illustration on each page. Much like Beatrix Potter's The Adventures of Peter Rabbit, I like reading this book to Ana as the style of writing, the language, is a bit different from what she has been exposed to so far in children's books. Not the usual lilt and rhyme, not the usual easy-reader words, but, simple enough to keep it interesting and follow along.
   
   
9. When the stones were soft : East African fireside tales / by Eleanor B. Heady; illustrated by Tom Feelings
   
   No elaborate colorful pictures, but, lots of small stories, each one told by Mama Semamingi when children gather at dusk. Mama Semamingi is so old that she was probably there when the stones were soft on the Earth, she probably saw most of the stories unfold.
   
   There is a story for explaining everything from why the Baobab tree grows so strangely to how the animals have the colors and patterns they now have.
   
   I liked that a few Swahili words are repeated in each story (a pronunciation key is provided), so that by the end, we are using "Jambo" (Hello), "Karibu" (Welcome), "Mzuri"(good) and "Totos" (children") in our daily conversations without thinking about it.
   
   
10. Korean children's favorite stories / retold by Kim So-un ; illustrated by Jeong Kyoung-Sim
    
    The illustrations are lovely and as the back flap states, "she uses traditional colors and painting methods to express a sense of Korean aesthetics".
    
    The stories are sometimes clever, sometimes straightforward, but usually with an underlying 'moral' of sorts, much like in Panchatantra tales. Animals and humans interact and coexist.
    
    Some made sense to Ana, others were a bit beyond her current level of understanding of human nature - the one about the adopted son lying about his father seemed to bother and puzzle her, but, through some questions and answers she managed to get past her discomfort.
    
    Many were quite interesting to read and quite a few were requested repeatedly.
    
    
11. Ivy + Bean / by Annie Barrows ; illustrated by Sophie Blackall
    
    There's something about unlikely alliance leading to lasting friendship that appeals to the young and old alike. Bean has an older sister she doesn't like. Not because the said older sister is necessarily evil, but, Bean seems to think so. And, Ivy, the lonesome girl across the street, who fancies herself a practicing witch, is certainly not Bean's "type", even though her mom is pushing for this friendship.
    
    In Book 1, we learn about how they meet and become friends. There are over half a dozen books in this series. We've only read the first three.
    
    As the author says in her Ivy and Bean website, "And people with great ideas need people who can put those ideas into action. For Ivy and Bean, their differences mean that they have more fun together than they could ever have separately. It also means that, together, they do more wacky things than any one kid could ever dream up. The Ivy and Bean books are about the adventures—and disasters—created by this unlikely team."
    
    
12. Fantastic Mr. Fox / Roald Dahl ; illustrated by Quentin Blake
    
    Possibly considered a children's classic, Fantastic Mr.Fox is well loved around the world. "Why does Mr.Fox steal the farmers' chickens and ducks?" was an inevitable question, which sort of gets answered in the book when Mr.Fox asks something like, "is there any father in the world who would not kill a chicken to feed his hungry family?" His response saved me some trouble.
    
    Boggis, Bunce and Bean,
    One short, one fat, one lean;
    
    seems to have stuck in her head. It also helped that we've been listening to the audio version of this book read by Roald Dahl himself.
    
    

Dover Little Activity Books of Sticker Paper Dolls

Paper Dolls need no introduction. Many traditional ones have a paper cut-out doll in bare minimum undergarments, along with various options for dressing this paper doll from head to toe - shoes, headgear, clothes, even accessories.

Around 2 and 3 years, Ana liked the Melissa & Doug™ wooden magnetic dress-up dolls - she named them Globs and Woosh - and could spend a couple of hours by herself, dressing them up and pretending that one is a doctor and the other hurt her leg, or that one is going out for running while the other is getting ready for a birthday party...



Very much like the wooden magnetic dolls, there are other simple magnetic doll kits that offer play scenes, sometimes in portable self-contained packages. A couple of these portable magnetic scenes came in very handy last year during the nearly 24hr long flight to India, along with Polly Pocket. Plus, there are lots of magnetic pictures sold separately which can be used with existing play scene/board.



At that age, paper dolls seemed a bit cumbersome, but somehow, when Nana got her Paper Doll Fairies, she took to it right away. It's a sticker paper doll, which is easier to handle, but the adhesive barely lasts as long as the interest lasts.



Around four years, Ana started showing more interest in paper dolls, with cut-out paper form having notches to hold the tabs for clothing, shoes, head gear etc. Having played with it, I know it can get a bit frustrating to insert the tabs correctly to hang the parts correctly and play dress-up dolls.

For some reason, Ana has taken to this activity, especially after she received this book filled with beautiful clothes and accessories and four cut-out dolls - two fairies, two princesses.



I get invited to play with these paper dolls once in a while, but, her irritated refrains of, "No,Amma, She does not want to wear that, she likes this pretty dress!" lead to "You are doing it all wrong, please go away Amma" and that is how these play sessions end as she has very specific ideas about coordinating outfits and accessories that clash with mine :)

Till she turned five, the slant has been towards fairies, with some princesses, ballerinas, and mermaids thrown in. But, to take it a step further, I stocked up on small Sticker Paper Doll books by Dover Publications which helps with the Travel The World theme we are focusing on this summer - mostly just a basic and casual introduction to the various countries, common foods enjoyed there, language spoken there, climate, flora and fauna, as well as traditional clothing.



And that's where these Dover Little Activity Books of Sticker Paper Dolls come in handy:

We meet Mei-Mei from China who shows what they usually wear to the Peking Opera, or on New Year's, even a Mongolian dress.
We meet Selena from Mexico who shows us China Poblana (Chinese Pueblan) and Mayan traditional outfits and so on.
We meet Arianna from Greece who shows us beautiful costumes from Crete, Corfu, Epirus and Florina, even Amalia, a traditional costume.

Similarly Sayoko from Japan (not sticker), Maya from Africa (not sticker), Nicole from France, Helen from Scotland, Camina from Brazil, Ping from Vietnam, Anastasia from Russia, Patty from Ireland, Maya from India and many more introduce us to the various traditional and some modern outfits from their country.

Some might dismiss it as clichéd and perpetuating stereotypes, but, that is what makes it stand out in the young mind about different customs, clothing, and food that people around the world call their own.

For fanciful little girls who like playing with dolls, these sticker paper dolls not only entertain, but teach at some subliminal level the clothing customs around the world.

It gives me an opportunity to learn new things as I try to introduce them to Ana. For instance, having no idea what Opera is or what Peking is, Ana wondered what that gorgeous Peking Opera Outfit that Mei-Mei gets to wear. Which opened up a door for me to add some information.

Similarly, after we had been reading some children's books with African theme (need to post these books soon), especially The Spider Weaver which talks about the Kente cloth, and Pretty Salma (an African Red Riding Hood Tale), to play with the little African Girl Paper Doll must've sealed the new information at some level.

Over a few thousand years, clothing has evolved with us - climate and local resources might dictate the type of fabric and style widely used, plus, available tools and techniques makes manufacturing some clothing easier than others. In this context, we looked through Clothes in Many Cultures by Heather Adamson which has pictures and simple notes that can supplement the Sticker Paper Doll play.

For now, it is nice that each little paper doll has a name which helps associating them with their country, and as Ana reads the names of the outfit she is currently sticking on the doll in hand, at some level, I think it might leave a lasting impression.

If not, no matter. She enjoys playing with them... for a couple of hours on some afternoons. And if that play time happens to coincide with Oggie's power-nap, I get the much-needed Alone Time.

And, she has expressed interest in making her own paper dolls - simple cut out in card stock paper, with dress she creates and colors in. I might need to help make them one of these days.

And, it lets me dream about sewing some new clothes for Ana based on these paper doll outfits.

p.s: the stickers in these sticker paper dolls don't last forever, but, using a piece of masking tape rolled onto itself to form a double-sided tape works for us after the adhesive power of the original has gone. Scotch tape might be OK instead of masking tape, but, I prefer masking tape - it seems easier to peel off than scotch tape as the sticker paper is quite thin and flimsy.

p.p.s: the tab cut-out paper dolls in Dover Little Activity Paper Dolls are a pain to get ready for playing - Xacto knife and plenty of patience by the adult is required. I prefer the Sticker Paper Dolls.

Riding the Unicycle while on Stilts

As much as I swore to myself about not jotting down potty training woes with Og, I am here now.

Watching me sitting at the sewing table swearing to myself in my mother tongue, not sewing, but generally on the verge of bawling, The Other Adult casually asked, "What are you mad about?".

That's all it took for the floodgates to be thrown open, spewing forth an honest answer of "I am mad at the Universe! I mean, if the kids are expected to use the potty by the time they can sit up or walk, why hasn't Evolution taken care of programming this in by now?"

Because it is supposed to be an acquired skill, and not innate as it has nothing much to do with survival. Much like riding a unicycle or walking on stilts has nothing much to do with survival, but comes with diligent practice.

All the well-meaning 'no kid has gone to college in diapers', 'it's not the end of the world' etc., while rational and sensible, don't do much by way of alleviating the exasperation that sometimes sets in.

Sure, in the light of genocide, poverty, and the general depravity of Human Soul, this issue is obscenely trivial and I have no business mentioning it.

However, as this article suggests, albeit in a totally different context, sometimes venting is just that - a release.

Not a complaint, not a search for some quick solution, not an invitation to be scrutinized under a microscope, not a petition to be patronized, but just a plain and simple disclosure to purge the mounting negativity, take a deep breath, and brace oneself for summiting the next peak in Life's endless mountain range.

Each kid is different.
What works for one won't necessarily work for another.
Some take longer and that's OK.
I am not a bad person because my kid didn't get out of diapers at age one or younger.
Parents have a hand in the matter, but, kids train themselves as soon as they feel ready. Parents like to take credit for it at times, though.
Ana got trained when she was ready, not before. I was at the end of the tether then, just like I feel now. (Thanks for your timely help, Mom!)
It's OK to shake a fist and scream silently at having to clean the carpet and floor, not to mention soiled undies, several times each day.
Books and "advice" are much like throwing darts on an invisible dartboard while blindfolded - one of them might actually hit the bulls-eye purely randomly, but, it might take a zillion tries.
Stock up on Patience and Encouragement. Especially Patience. Loads of it.

Kids Crafts: Pinecone Creatures

One afternoon, Ana and I sat together when Oggie was taking his brief power nap, and pored over some arts and crafts books we have. We do this once in a while for inspiration. Sometimes, just looking at something sparks an idea and that is all it takes to make an otherwise dull afternoon seem magical.

Anyway, she zoomed in on the pinecone critters idea. Only, we didn't have pinecones handy. So, over the next few days, when we went for walks, she diligently hunted and gathered pinecones of many different shapes and sizes. And when she had over a dozen interesting ones, I set out the materials she needed and let her have a go at it.

Many sites on the web have good instructions for making various animals using pinecone. Some are fairly easy, some are quite involved. Martha Stewart has a few that seem quite interesting for older kids (read: me) to do.

I didn't want to assist/direct too much and wanted to let Ana create whatever she liked, even if they don't quite resemble the penguin or moose or owl or turkey or peacock or chick that she intended.

Items Used: Pinecones, tempera paints, pipe cleaners, feathers, pom-poms, googly-eyes, glue.

It takes a while from start to finish as we have to wait for the paint to dry. Thankfully, it was a warm sunny day, and she decided to paint them all first and set them to dry. By the time she was done painting the last one, the first pinecone was dry and ready to be made into something.

The first few critters seemed like specimens from The Island of Dr. Moreau and I held back my urge to "fix" them for her. Since there is no set rule and we weren't trying to get fancy, it turned out all right.