lewis carroll for littles! the jabberwocky board book by jennifer adams and alison oliver

Your memories of middle school English literature class either made you cheer or cringe at this post's title.  (I have always been Team Literature over Team Math/Science.  Give me a one million page paper to write any day over a math test.)  We all remember reading Lewis Carroll's epic poem, The Jabberwocky, seventh or eighth grade, and it might seem like an odd choice for a board book. But once you flip through this little book, you will realize that the whimsical, nonsensical rhymes are just perfect for young readers.  

The first time you read this to your toddler, they might look at you like you have gone a little crazy.  This ain't no mouse music, as Chris Strachwitz might say.  I have a feeling that once they catch on, this might be something your toddler will ask for a lot.  The great and unusual sounds in the language coupled with the playful graphic illustrations are a fun combination not to mention the sturdy board book pages make this a rough and tumble throw it in your purse or car seat, take to church, to the restaurant, to the store kind of book. 

the ultimate camping with kids reading list!

Fall is a great time for a camping trip.  Here in the South,  mid to late summer can be just a little too hot and humid for prolonged time outdoors, so when the first crisp and cool autumn weekend hits, we throw our old orange tent and sleeping bags into the car and go!  Here is a list of some of the best books to take along on your next trek into nature with the kiddos.  

• The Kids Campfire Book by Jane Drake and Ann Love with pictures by Heather Collins

inside the kids campfire book

We can't wait to take this on our camp out.  It is chock full of skills like how to make a kindling carrier out of a sweatshirt, how to properly handle a pocket knife, and (our favorite that we are most definitely going to try) how to make a campfire reflection oven using aluminum roasting pans.  The Kids Campfire Book also has enough fun games and sing-a-longs to remind my kids that not all fun comes from a screen!  ages: 5+ for the fire skills, although younger ones could definitely enjoy the games and songs sections.

•  Fred and Ted Go Camping by Peter Eastman

This classic duo from popular choices like Go, Dog, Go! are taking to the woods for a little rest and relaxation, but no relaxation is to be had thanks to the fact that Fred and Ted are exact opposites in every way.  When Ted wants to sleep in late, Fred wants to get up early.  This would be a great preschooler read to prepare little ones for what to expect from a camping trip.  ages: 0-4

• Fun with Nature Take-Along Guide

My nine year old loves to identify wildlife and plants when we go out to the woods.  This guide has almost three hundred pages detailing different species of animals and plants, what they eat, where they live, and more.  It also has several blank pages for young wild life watchers to catalog what they have seen.  

a peek inside Fun with Nature Take-Along guide

• My First Nature Book by Angela Wilkes 

My First Nature Book is great book to have around not only for camping trips but for everyday forays into park or even just the backyard.  It has projects like how to construct a terrarium, starting a seed collection, or how to press flowers.  The book is illustrated with over-sized and colorful photographs that make each project clear and easy to understand.  Most of the projects are best for elementary school aged kids, but I think my toddler would be able to do some of the more simple ones. ges: 3+

• Night Animals by Gianna Marino

One of the best moments during camping can be encountering the creatures that call your camping spot home on a more permanent basis.  Once on a camping trip, we were woken up by the sound of coyotes howling at the moon.  Listening to them gave us this sensation of excitement and maybe a little fear. They were definitely far far away from our little tent, but just the idea that we were sharing the night with other creatures was such an experience.  In Marino's book, Possum and Skunk and their friends are hiding because they have heard that the forest is filled with animals who only come out at night.  Night animals sound scary too them!  It isn't until the end of the book that they realize - they are night animals!  

   Hope you enjoyed this literary romp through the forest!  What camping reads would you add to the list?

on deck: my to-be-read pile!

There have been so many exciting and interesting new chapter books coming out this year that my head is spinning!  I can be somewhat of a slow reader. Maybe it's the writer portion of my brain that takes too long to ponder the author's word choices or character development or just rereads a well-written line a few times in a row, but I take a while to finish a novel.  This doesn't bother me necessarily.  When a book is good, I like to linger with the characters for as long as I can.  However, it does mean that the pile of books that I simply HAD to have in my life is growing taller and taller, and I stare at this pile every day so excited to start all of these amazing new books at the same time.  On my to-be-read list:

• Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley

The striking red and white striped cover of this one is enough to make me love it already.  This is the first novel for Beasley, and she seems to be having a good amount of success with it.  The story follows Micah, a boy being raised by his grandfather.  Micah's grandfather has told him stories about a fantastical, magical circus, Circus Mirandus. When his grandfather gets sick, Micah learns that the only one who can help him recover is the Lightbender, the world's best magician from the Circus Mirandus.  I am drawn to fantasy and magic, and this seems to possess a certain level of surrealism that I like combined with family relationships that are warm and loving.  Can't wait to read it!

• Adventures With Waffles by Maria Parr

This is an English translation from the novel's original Norwegian, and it seems to have that Scandinavian quality of carefree childhood adventure.  Trille and Lena are best friends who do everything together, except Lena has a secret.  I think this will be a good read-aloud book with my nine year old because it seems to deal with friendships with peers and sorting through the social issues kids can have while learning to be and make friends.  

• Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty

Serafina is a girl who secretly lives with her father in the basement of the grand Biltmore Estates in North Carolina.  When terrible things start happening at the mansion, Serafina holds the answer to who is behind it all.  With this one, I'm hoping for spooky but playful enough not to truly frighten young readers with a dash of the Southern charm that Asheville, North Carolina brings.

• Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson

I have wanted to read this series for a while.  We love. love. love Disney in our house, so a novel set in the Disney World parks has our number all over it.  In this, a group of friends must battle villians to save the future of the Magic Kingdom.  I can't wait!

That's what I'm reading next.  What about you?  Any awesome/amazing/must-have read that I need to know about right this second?