I haven’t done one of these in a few months and I really want to get back to doing them weekly so that Brett’s picture and profile can be spread around, hopefully leading to us finding him a mama and papa! This week’s batch are off of BarnesandNoble.Com because I’m a NOOK person and a former Barnes & Noble bookseller. (I was a barista/bookseller for them in the summer and Christmas season of 2000 to pay for college and my latté habit.)
If you have an author you think I should feature, pleasepleaseplease leave me a comment. Thanks!
— 1 —
Swimmy by Leo Lionni. In this book, a black fish in a school of red ones teaches the others how to work together to overcome any danger. Given that Brett is in an orphanage, this would be a good book to teach him some teamwork skills and combat any attitudes he has about “every man for himself”.
— 2 —
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. This sounds like a good one. A little raccoon named Chester is afraid to go to kindergarten and his mama teaches him a special way of carrying her love with him. She kisses his hand and the love travels up his arm into his heart. I think this would be great book for Brett because it would possibly help him build trust with his new mama and papa to know that he can hold onto their love.
— 3 —
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch. This is a fun story that one of my counselors read every week at Girl Scout camp when I was in my first year of being a CIT (counselor-in-training). In the story, Princess Eizabeth is engaged to marry Prince Ronald but a dragon attacks the castle, burns it down, and kidnaps Ronald. All that’s left for her to wear is a paper bag. Elizabeth finds the dragon, outsmarts him, and rescues Ronald… only for Ronald to complain about how she looks. She turns heel and walks away, realizing that she is better off without him. No major lesson for Brett here (other than not to judge outside appearances) — I just love the book and have fond memories of it.
— 4 —
Tickle Monster Laughter Kit by Josie Bissett. I actually own this and really should break it out for my son Daniel who is *INCREDIBLY* ticklish. It comes with special tickling mitts so that the adult reading the book can follow along with it and tickle the kid. Depending on how well Brett tolerates it, this might be a fun way to get him to open up.
— 5 —
Time for Bed by Mem Fox. The cover of this book is awesome — a sheep nuzzling their lamb. It shows various animal parents tucking their young into bed including a human child being snuggled into their bed by their parents. I would totally use this as a bedtime book.
— 6 —
The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone. I grew up watching Sesame Street when it was still good, before the advent of Elmo (who ruined it IMHO) and Abbie Cadabbie. Grover is distressed to learn that there is a monster at the end of the book and begs the reader not to turn the pages (tying them together and nailing them together)… only to discover that he’s the actual monster at the end. 
I don’t know how much Brett would pick up automatically but it would be fun as his grasp of English improves.
— 7 —
Sunflower House by Eve Bunting. I chose this one because the cover was pretty. A boy makes a summer playhouse by planting sunflowers and then saves the seeds to do it again next year. I could see reading this with Brett and then going and planting a sunflower patch.
For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.
