Finally! I finally found the exact basket I needed at Big Lots. I’ve been looking for months for a basket to put seasonal books in for the kids. Or books that I wanted to draw their attention to for some reason. Baskets are everywhere, but I couldn’t find the size and shape I wanted that would allow the children to take books in and out with ease. My littles struggle too much with getting books back on bookshelves neatly.
It is working wonderfully. Several times, I noticed the kids sitting on the couch or chair in the living room with a book from the book basket. Right now, I have autumnal-themed books in it.
I love Scarecrow by Cynthia Rylant.
“His hat is borrowed, his suit is borrowed, his hands are borrowed, even his head is borrowed…”
Isn’t there a lesson in that for all of us?
“And though the scarecrow knows that he can as quickly be turned back into straw and buttons as he was turned into a man, he doesn’t care. He has been with the owls in evening and the rabbits at dawn, He has watched a spider for hours making a web like lace. He has seen the sun tremble and the moon lie still.”
Yep, I’m a sucker for simple, yet eloquent language. Cynthia Rylant has a knack for that kind of thing.
Another favorite is Tasha Tudor’s Pumpkin Moonshine. While I don’t find Tudor’s language as graceful, this author/illustrator stimulates an appreciation for simple, everyday things. Her books are charming and delightful in their utter simplicity.
All the children, from 9-year-old Sidney to 2-year-old Prairie, really enjoy Every Autumn Comes the Bear by Jim Arnosky. His illustrations are lovely. The children are drawn to the pictures of the bear and other forest animals.
The other two books are so-so, not ones I would recommend, but the kids enjoy the variety. I’ve got a stack of Thanksgiving books high on the shelf that I can’t wait to put in the basket. I was planning on waiting until November 1st, but I might cheat and slip them in early.
I can do that. It’s my basket.
Prairie Sings 