How I get my kids to read

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Max

Max

What’s one thing you feel good about as a parent? For me, one thing I’ve done right is that my kids love books.

(I remind myself of this after I lose it and yell. Right after the guilt sets in.)

Here are some ways I’ve gotten my boys interested in books.

  1. We read everyday. At bedtime and the oh so missed naptime.
  2. We visit the library a lot.
  3. We go to a lot of bookstores, including when we are on vacation.

Ok, so sometimes, it doesn’t work.

Here’s what I hear:

  1. I want to watch TV.
  2. I don’t want to go to the library.
  3. I want to watch TV.
  4. I want to watch TV.

So, I try some new things.

  1. I stop at the library on my way home from work. It seems like I brought home a present! When they ask, “Did you bring me anything, I can say, oh yes, I did!” I also pick them up from school with new library books in the car.
  2. I try to find books that appeal to their interests at the time be it dinosaurs, buses, bugs, or superheroes.
  3. I refer “our” books in conversation. This could be Fly Guy, The Big Toddlah, Harry the Dog, Frog and Toad, whatever is popular at our house at the moment.
  4. We buy books as gifts for other kids. (Along with a toy, don’t worry.)
  5. We’ve made our own books.
Calvin

Calvin

They know I read a lot and see my books.  They’re aware I have a blog and I try to get their ideas for it and say, “Hey, can we read this book? I might need it for my blog.” They love that.

For the most part all of this works. The other night, when they should have been sleeping, the three of us lay in my bed, each looking at our own book. They’ll ask me about what I’m reading. I also find books in their beds when it should be lights out.

This makes me happy.

But of course, sometimes they just want to watch TV.

Talking to my kids about the homeless

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My boys have been a little obsessed about the homeless lately. It started with a raccoon.

Nana and her grandson.

Nana and her grandson.

My husband took the trash out one night and found a raccoon peering out of the garbage can. He reported on this the next morning. The following night, he looked out the window and saw a deer sitting in our backyard. He was afraid it was injured and was relieved to find it gone in the morning.

A few mornings later, he asked us, “Guess what I found in the yard last night?”

We never could have guessed but he found a man passed out on our side porch. This is our tenant’s entrance so Eddie made him get up and move.

The boys were perplexed. “Why was he there?” Questions, questions.

“Well, he could be homeless,” I said.

“What is HOMELESS?” they screeched.

Oh geez.

I tried to explain that some people don’t have a place to live. This is a hard concept for two five-year-olds to understand. But it’s important to be honest. I told them there are ways to help people that aren’t as fortunate as us and we can help by volunteering.

CJ and his Nana.

CJ and his Nana.

I’ve tried to introduce the concept of volunteering in the past. The first time Max said, “I think when I’m a grownup I’m going to be too busy working to volunteer.”

“Some companies WANT you to volunteer, “ I explained. “They want you to help people.”

“I don’t know,” he said doubtfully, from the backseat of the car.

This time he listened. Two books about grandmothers helped me with this hard conversation.

First, we talked about the great book Nana In The City by Lauren Castillo. The boy in the story goes to visit his Nana. He doesn’t like her city. It’s too loud, big, and scary. The scary includes people asking for help on the streets.

Nana solves the problem by knitting the boy a cape and showing him the wonders of the city. This includes buying a pretzel for one of the people on the street.

I also referred to Matt De La Peña’s book, Last Stop on Market Street. (Illustrated by Christian Robinson).

We bought this book because it has a bus in it (Calvin’s obsession) but it also has a great message. CJ and his Nana take the bus every week to a neighborhood with “crumbling sidewalks and broken-down doors, graffiti-tagged windows and boarded-up stores.”

CJ resists this journey but his Nana points out the beauty around them. Their destination is helping at a soup kitchen where CJ is happy to see familiar faces.

I told the boys this is how we can help sometime; we can volunteer by helping people who need food.

I’m sure it will be an ongoing conversation. They notice people as we drive around the city, asking for help. They’ve asked me about volunteering.

The other day, we were in the parking lot of their dad’s business and they noticed a gray, scrawny one-eyed cat.

“Look, Mama! A homeless cat,” they yelled, while running to “help” it.

Here are some resources for helping the homeless.

Taking my blog on the road

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My book club and I are gaga for Ann. (Center. In the DRESS.)

My book club and I are gaga for Ann. (Center. In the DRESS.)

I took my blog on the road last week. On my way to the Tribe Conference in Franklin, Tennessee my fellow writer and friend Melissa and I stopped at Parnassus Books. The store is a literary mecca in Nashville, Tennessee.

Author Ann Patchett is the co-owner of the store. She’s also the author of my book club’s first read Truth and Beauty. We celebrated our tenth anniversary and love of all things Patchett by hearing her speak at the Cincinnati Mercantile Library’s Niehoff lecture in October.

May I digress? Ann talked about the importance of independent owned bookstores. We met her during the cocktail hour and she shared that her fabulous dress was a gift from her friend Liz (author Elizabeth Gilbert). We smiled, gushed, and probably spit like teenagers with braces when we told her that we love her work. She was gracious, engaging, and an intriguing speaker.

The Queen, her beefeaters, and corgi take off.I try to make it a point to hit independent bookstores when traveling with or without my boys. I found some gems at Parnassus. It has a beautifully stocked and comfortable children’s book section.

For Calvin I found, The Queen’s Hat by Steve Antony. Calvin has an obsession with buses and cities. His beloved London double decker buses and London Bridge feature large in this tale about the Queen losing her hat on the way to visit a certain baby. (Can you guess?)

Calvin also scored This is San Francisco by Miroslav Sasek. This was gold, pure gold, since we were there in June (see my blog post California Love) and he adores Sasek’s This is New York.

Max loves all things Star Wars these days. He was happy to get Star Wars Epic Yarns: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Yarns: A New Hope by Jack Wang and Holman Wang. These clever books show Star Wars figures made of yarn and the one word a page are great for new readers.

Melissa, me, and my gold handbag visit Parnassus Books.

Melissa, me, and my gold handbag visit Parnassus Books.

The Tribe Conference (for writers, bloggers, and entrepreneurs), the bookstore, and a little time away from my two kindergartners left me feeling inspired!

Ps. At the conference we were challenged to ask for email addresses for our blogs. I got around 60! Thank you to all who responded!

Where to find the books and other info

Check out your local bookstore or library for all the titles mentioned above or visit Powell’s City of Books for the The Queen’s Hat, and This is San Francisco.

Star Wars Epic Yarns: The Empire Strikes Back can be bought from Chronicle Books.

Read my friend Melissa’s blog post about The Tribe Conference. (Hint..she writes poetry.)

Elizabeth Gilbert will be at Parnassus Books on October 21 with her new book, Big Magic.

Stuffed animals are a kids best friend

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Me and Duck in our salad days - the 70s. My brother and Henry were close too.

Me and Duck in our salad days – the 70s. My brother and his dog Henry were close too.

My best friend growing up was a duck. A stuffed duck named………Duck. My Duck appears in all our family Christmas photos, traveled on trips, and earned me a nickname from a friend’s family…you guessed it, Duck. And yes, I still have him; he has a place of honor in my bedroom. But I no longer sleep with him, I gave that up in my 20s.

I’m proud to say my boys are followed my lead. Max’s best friend is a stuff lion named Lion. He’s often tells me, “I love you mama, but Lion is my best friend.” Calvin’s favorite stuffed creature is Little Orange Lion.

The Lions go everywhere, are well loved, and look a little gross. And yes, they have met my Duck. Sometimes they have secret meetings when we are all asleep.

Max’s Lion was a gift when I was pregnant. Max wraps him presents at Christmas (toys that we already own) and recently made him a birthday card. Word is that he’s 45. Sometimes Max makes him take a nap. Recently, he ended up at the swimming pool where he was forced to sit on the side.

Lion hangs at the pool.

Lion hangs at the pool.

Little Orange Lion was picked out by Calvin when he was gifted some birthday money last year. He already had the identical toy who became Little Orange Lion’s Mama. She does not live the life that Little Orange does. Calvin makes her stay home and wait for her offspring.

Little Orange Lion is naughty. He hides when he needs to take a bath. He also takes clandestine trips; he once went on a school field trip secretly stuffed in Calvin’s jacket.

When we discovered Mo Willems’ book Knuffle Bunny Too, A Case of Mistaken Identity, we hit the stuffed animal jackpot. (We were already Willems fans – if you don’t know about Elephant and Piggy or the Pigeon series, do yourself a favor and read them. Adults too.)

Trixie has a favorite bunny Knuffle, that she brings to school for show and tell. She gets to school and Sonja has the same bunny! A fight ensues. The teacher takes the bunnies until the end of the day and then they are returned. Willems’ illustrations are cleverly placed in real life settings: a school, a home, and New York City!

Trixie and Sonja lose their bunnies.

Trixie and Sonja lose their bunnies.

In the middle of the night, both girls realize they have the WRONG bunnies. Their bleary-eyed fathers trapse across town for the switch. The next day, the girls and the bunnies begin a beautiful friendship.

This book is funny and perfect for all of us who have had that favorite stuffed animal.

At this very the moment, Little Orange Lion is under the care of the U.S. Postal Service. He decided to stay in New Jersey for a few more days of vacation. Imagine my relief when he was found.

What was your favorite stuffed animal?

Calvin and Little Orange Lion get real in Florida.

Calvin and Little Orange Lion get real in Florida.

Where to find the book and other info

Powell’s sells Knuffle Bunny Too.  You can also buy Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale. (We need to read this one.)

Check out all things Mo Willems.

B is for building cities

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Max uses B is for Brooklyn as inspiration.

Max uses B is for Brooklyn as inspiration.

At our house, it’s pretty common to trip over traffic jams or cities. Calvin is constantly lining up vehicles in his room, the bathroom, on the treadmill, in the kitchen, on window sills, you get the picture. Accompanying the traffic jams are signs and buildings.

I found B is for Brooklyn written and illustrated by Selina Alko at the library and thought it had all the ingredients that make him happy – buses, bridges, traffic, signs.

B is for Brooklyn has all this and more. It takes you through the alphabet with beautiful illustrations of all that Brooklyn has to offer.

While reading it, Calvin and I talked about using a newspaper like Alko did to create buildings. My boys love building cities: Lego cities, box cities, paper cities.

Inspired by B is for Brooklyn, we go to work. The brotherly fighting ceased the day we built our latest city. They spoke to each other the way I imagine they do at school saying, “Please pass the glue.”

“Who are these kids?” I thought to myself, as I listened to their polite tones.

Calvin does his favorite thing: city building.

Calvin creates his favorite things: traffic and cities.

They were still bossy. If I stopped to survey my work or take a sip of coffee they would both direct, “Mama, get back to work.”

Using the Sunday New York Times, we cut up the travel section. Calvin was thrilled to see the Paris Metro. We also found a map of Arizona and New Mexico. I pointed out where their cousin Rahsaan was born and where he lives now. That was a big hit.

The final product – an unusually peaceful morning and a cool piece of art.

Where to find the book and other info

You can find the book and more on Alko’s website.

Alko’s created many beautiful books. This includes The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage. She illustrated this with her husband Sean Qualls. According to her website, “It is the true story of the interracial couple Mildred and Richard Loving, and the courage they needed to have to fight to get their

My view of the city builders from the porch where I took a coffee break.

My view of the two foreman from the porch. I was sneaking a coffee break.

marriage legally recognized in the 1960’s in the state of Virginia. Alko felt a personal connection to the Lovings’ story, being half of an interracial couple herself.”

I got to interview Jennifer K. Mann!

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Mrs. Benson is a lot cooler than my fourth grade math teacher.

Mrs. Benson is a lot cooler than my fourth grade math teacher.

My third grade math teacher was scary. And mean. And she wore brown. Every day. Most of us have a memory of a scary teacher.

Author Jennifer K. Mann captures these memories and the feelings that come with them in her new book, I Will Never Get A Star On Mrs. Benson’s Blackboard. The gracious writer and illustrator agreed to be interviewed for my blog!

I’ve written about her book, Two Speckled Eggs, and love her work. In her newest book, Rose struggles in class because she’s messy and never gets any stars from her teacher. Unlike my former teacher, Mrs. Benson sees talent. She sees that is an artist, albeit a messy one. (Spoiler alert – she gets a star at the end.)

Here’s my interview with Jennifer:

Can you tell me about your inspiration for Mrs. Benson’s Blackboard? I read it was from your own childhood.
I had a tough second grade year, with a teacher who was really hard to please —I kept a messy desk, and maybe didn’t get the math problems right the first time, and she scared me a little. My memories of that year, and the nervous feelings it inspired, have stayed with me ever since. The story of that difficult year was the first thing that I jotted down when I began in earnest to pursue a future in children’s books! I don’t think there are too many kids in the world who haven’t wrestled with the anxiety of pleasing a difficult-to-please teacher!

What’s the message (in the book) that you want to resonate with kids?
I want kids to know that it is okay to march to the beat of our own drums! So we’re a little messy. So we daydream more than others. So what? We all have gifts and talents that are worthy and unique. We just have to let them become obvious by being true to ourselves.

Mrs. Benson points out Rose's talent.

Mrs. Benson points out Rose’s talent.

I love that you attended Blueberry Hill Elementary. Will you use that name in a book someday?
Oh, I would love to! I also spent much of my childhood living part-time (divorced parents) in a magical house on a hill covered in wild blueberries. The house was also called, coincidentally, Blueberry Hill! I think there is no doubt that it will appear in one of my stories sometime.

You write that it is a really long process to get a book from start to finish. How did you feel when you first saw a completed copy of your book?
Oh my goodness. The feeling is almost indescribable. I used to be an architect, and it was such a neat thing to see a design go from paper to building. But so many people and processes were involved that it was also easy to feel a little detached. But to see a story, which has been squeezed from my memory and my emotions and my blood, sweat, and tears, in the form of a book, illustrated by me too…!! Wow!!! Of course I cried. I think I will cry every time, because it is an amazingly emotional life event.

How do your own kids respond to your books? Any words of wisdom from them?
My kids are both amazing artists and writers. So they always weigh in throughout the process. I have to say, some of my best critiques come from them. They are both quick to see where the story is a little flat, or doesn’t quite ring true, or could use a little something to raise the stakes. I am so grateful to have their support. And to see the pride on their faces at my first ever book launch—that alone was worth the entire long journey to get there.

Rose daydreaming. I did this during Math.

Rose daydreaming. I did this during Math.

Do you think Rose would be friends with Ginger and Lyla in Two Speckled Eggs?
Oh for sure. Actually Rose and Ginger share some DNA, so either they would love one another dearly and be inseparable, or be prone pointing out one another’s faults, despite being pals. Lyla and Rose, however, would be fast friends. They are not alike in many ways, but they would have a mutual, unspoken appreciation for the other’s free spirit.

Thank you, Jennifer.

Where to find the book and other info.

Max and Calvin like the book!

You can buy the book at your local bookstore or find it online.

Find out more about Jennifer, her books, her art, and read her blog on her website.

She has another book Sam And Jump slated to come out in 2016 by Candlewick Press.

After all, she’s only six

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Max and Calvin admire Eloise.

Max and Calvin admire Eloise.

There’s a six-year-old girl my boys can’t stop talking about. I felt the same way when I discovered her in my twenties.

Kay Thompson’s Eloise (illustrated by Hilary Knight) is a known wonder and delight. If you haven’t heard of the little girl who lives at The Plaza Hotel in New York City, for Lord’s sake go straight to your local bookstore or library.

Written in 1955, Eloise lives and wreaks havoc at The Plaza. She cohabitates with her British Nanny, dog Weenie, turtle Skipperdee, and a visiting pigeon.

Max and Calvin can’t get over her freedom and antics. “Eloise sits on top of the car,” they tell me, jealous and concerned. She runs around The Plaza by herself. “Why is she all alone?” You never see her absent mother who “sometimes sends for her.” “Where are her parents? Why doesn’t Nanny ever give her back?” they ask. That’s a hard one to explain.

"They will be glad to get home."

“They’ll be glad when they get home.”

After reading the first Eloise book, we checked out Eloise in Moscow, Eloise in Paris, Eloise at Christmastime, and Eloise Takes a Bawth. Talk about hard to explain. Eloise in Moscow, written in 1959, depicts a lack of privacy, cold weather, and frowning locals.

“They’ll be glad when they get home, this place is really different,” Max gravely said.

I worry that Eloise Takes a Bawth may give them ideas. (Eloise floods The Plaza with her bawth.) The boys love this. I try to discourage them with my own cautionary tale of knocking over a diaper pail that leaked through the living room ceiling, making their Pop Pop (my Dad) go mad.

Oooo.. I absolutely love Eloise and I’m glad my boys do too.

Where to find the book and more info

You can find Eloise at most bookstores or public libraries.

Learn more on the official Eloise website.

Visit Hilary Knight’s website (He also illustrated Betty MacDonald’s Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books. I love Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle.)

Hilary is the subject of a great documentary “It’s Me, Hilary” produced by Lena Dunham. (Dunham sports an Eloise tattoo.)

I have the good fortune of having my own Eloise. Calvin says, “Her name is like the book!” She wrote a guest blog post for me in March. I absolutely love my Eloise too!

California Love

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Max and Calvin check out the cable car.

Max and Calvin check out the cable car.

Our first day in California, Max burst out singing Tupac Shakur’s California Love. “California, California…” (Disclaimer… he doesn’t know all the words.) People smiled at him on the street. He was expressing all of our excitement to be in the sunshine state of the wild wild west.

We traveled to California two weeks ago for a family wedding in Petaluma, north of San Francisco. We also spent a day in the city. Thanks to author Virginia Lee Burton, the boys were excited to ride the cable car.

I’ve always loved Burton’s classics The Little House and Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. I’ve enjoyed discovering her other books with Max and Calvin. Her detailed illustrations appeal to the boys, especially Calvin who loves her drawings of traffic and transportation in Katy and the Big Snow and Maybelle the Cable Car.

Maybelle

Up and down Maybelle went.

Maybelle is a San Francisco cable car. She and her sisters have served the city for many years. With the advent of buses and cars, the city fathers are considering retiring the cable car. Even Calvin, who is a bus fiend, feels for Maybelle. Fortunately, the good citizens of Tupac’s home state vote to keep Maybelle so they can get up their steep hills. “I like it when they vote yes,” says Max.

The boys had a great time on the cable car although Calvin said, “He wished he could have ridden a bus,” and Max was too busy telling some strangers, “When my mom was 5, my dad was 14!”

Smiles all around on the cable car.

Smiles all around on the cable car.

Where to find the book and other info

Burton’s books span the 30s to the early 60s. You can find her books at most bookstores and libraries. Here’s a link to her books on  Powell’s.

Not only did Burton write children’s books, she was a textile designer, painter, and sculptor.

There’s a movie about her life: Virginia Lee Burton: A Sense of Place. You can find more on this site about this talented woman’s life.

A mansion, a frat house, a new library

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Calvin and Max at the new library.

Calvin and Max at the new library.

Our neighborhood boasts a historic mansion that was a fraternity house for many years. Friends from my youth probably remember the fire truck they had parked on the front lawn. As of last week, it’s now the new home of the Clifton branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Parkview Mansion was the home of politician “Boss” Cox.

Our family missed the grand opening but we were lucky that we ran into Mr. Eric and got a personal tour. If you frequent the Clifton branch, you know that Mr. Eric (Davis) is the incredible children’s librarian. He holds a mean story hour complete with a guitar and songs.

“It’s beautiful inside,” said Calvin. And that it is. The renovated mansion has original fireplaces, tile, floors, and a gorgeous stained-glass window. There are reading rooms, study areas, a teen section, rooms you can reserve for meetings, and an incredible front porch with tables and chairs.

Mr. Eric gives the boys the grand tour.

Mr. Eric gives the boys the grand tour.

Calvin adds that he, “likes the books and the drinking fountain. The elevator smells funny.”

My friend Sarah Hoctor grew up a couple houses down from the mansion (in a charming haunted house) and she says that tunnels connected the houses on that street during prohibition.

George “Boss” Cox had Hannaford & Sons build Parkview Manor in 1895. According to the library’s site, “Cox lived in Parkview Manor and entertained lavishly there from 1895 until his death from pneumonia at the age of 63 in 1916. His wife maintained the home until she died in 1938. It was bequeathed to the Union Bethel and became a home for girls until 1947 when it was purchased by Pi Kappa Alpha for a fraternity house. In 2007 Michael L. Dever purchased the property.”

A reading room in the Clifton branch library.

A reading room in the Clifton branch library.

Dever donated the property to the library.

If you live in Cincinnati or plan to visit, the new Clifton branch is well worth a look!

More information about Parkview Manor and the Clifton branch.

The library is located at the corner of Brookline and Jefferson Ave., across from Burnett Woods in the Clifton neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio.

See before pictures on the library’s Flickr feed.

Read more about the building’s history. Read and see photos of the grand opening.

Here’s another great article about the mansion’s past along with rumors of ghosts.

Visit George Cox’s Wikipedia page.

Watch a video featuring Mr. Eric.

Underwear is funny

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Todd suggest polka-dot underwear. Max and Calvin like superheroes.

Todd suggests polka-dot underwear. Max and Calvin like superheroes.

Here’s what I saw when I walked into the house the other day: two naked little boys, jumping on a mini trampoline with underwear on their heads.

Underwear is the cause for a lot of laughter at our house. Max put his on backwards recently, “just because I felt like it.” Calvin went with the opposite effect and didn’t wear it when we went sled riding a couple of months ago. I discovered this while we were changing out of wet clothes. When I asked him why he said, “I didn’t feel like it.”

My boys take great delight in Todd Parr’s, The Underwear Book. It provides helpful underwear Do’s and Don’ts. “Do go shopping for underwear with a hippo. Don’t let her try it on. (It may rip).” Other helpful hints include, “Do wear underwear on the first day of school,” “Don’t bring it for show–and-tell.”

It reminds me of Glamour Magazine’s fashion dos and don’ts. (If you’re not familiar with it, the magazine would photograph unsuspecting subjects on the streets and block out the eyes of the fashion don’ts.) But Todd is kind; there is no reason to block out eyes in any of his books. His stories and colorful illustrations address feelings, differences, being kind, families, and other groovy topics. That’s why he’s so popular and a best seller. Personally, I like to think he’s the godson of SARK with his bright colors and inclusive messages. (Anyone out there remember SARK?)

If you’re going to a party this weekend, you may want to heed Todd’s advice, “Do wear polka-dot underwear, don’t wear a plain pair.”

Where to find the book and more info

Our first introduction to Todd Parr was when the boys’ older brother bought them The Earth Book. We’ve since read many of Todd’s books. Go to his website to learn more.

Here are two more awesome books about underwear that the boys and I love: Brief Thief written by Michaël Escoffier and illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo. Picasso’s Trousers by Nicholas Allan is a family favorite.