Every night we get 3 stories.

Here are a few stories that are in H's room swelling up the shelves, taking up dresser surface space, sprawling on the floor beside our reading chair, and collecting themselves in a nice pile in the reading nook:

1964-The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein- about a tree and it's love for a boy. Oh my god how could you not cry? More than once I have gotten choked up reading this one. I remember an elementary teacher reading this to our class and I love it just as much now as I did then. Probably even more so now...

2006-No More Diapers for Ducky- H requests this one nightly. About a duck learning to get rid of diapers. When recepient of story is asked if he would like to be like ducky- he says with the firmness only a parent could despair "no. I diapers". Sigh.

1907-The Cremation of Sam MaGee- classic northern Canadian kid's lit. Dark but a wonderful ending. Shawn asked me the other day if I didn't think maybe this wasn't for kids? Guffaw I say. And this book has pretty cool pictures and colours - and is real Canadian folklore- much better for his imagination than more Disney stuff (seriously I can't read that stuff to him- it makes my brain hurt it dumbs things down so much).

1941-Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey- about a pair of ducks finding the perfect spot in New York to have their babies and then getting them across the city to Central Park! Shawn does this for his job sometimes. For reals! So I like to talk about that when we are reading this.

1939-Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton- this is a story about a love of a man and his machine. H can relate for sure. He loves anything with motors or wheels like it is his J-O-B. It's a wonderful book and the sentiment of how just because something isn't the newest technology isn't garbage, in fact, someone could love it, makes my inner granola muncher all choked up.

1949-Blueberries for Sal  by Robert McCloskey as well, a friend of mine emailed me this title awhile ago telling me that it reminded them of H and so I have a very high fondness for this book! Bears, blueberries, hiking, onomatopeia! A wonderful story.

1979-The Hockey Sweater by Roch Carrier- with the initials HAB, and a family of Richard, Chelios, Carbonneau, Roy, Koivu, and the rest of Les Habitants fans going back generations-how could he not know this story? Next time you have a Canadian fiver in your hand waiting in line for timbits and a mocha yogourt and a tea at Timmy Ho's have a peek at it and check for the references from this wonderful book http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_five-dollar_bill

2008-The Potty Train- by David Hochman- despite H's enthusiam for this particular book and the "chugga chugga poo poo" noises momma has to read out - he still responds with a strongly worded "NO" when asked about his own potty training situation.

1987-Owl Moon- by Jane Yolen- this is the story of a young girl who finally for the first time gets to go out owling with her dad at night like her older brothers do. It is just her and her dad looking for owls and is so magical and lovely. Teaches about thewonders of nature, making sacrifices and putting in some effort out of the ordinary to see something magical that not everyone would get to. Reminds me of my family's night time walks when I was a kid. H loves it too because ever since I took him saw-whet owl mist netting and he got to pet one- he has been over the moon about owls and does a perfect saw whet call I must say. Sigh. I love this book.

1968 Corduroy. Written and illustrated by Don Freeman. A small stuffed bear in a department store is waiting to be rescued. This book could NOT get cuter. Seriously it is adorable. But I will warn you- this book and books of it's ilk is the VERY REASON I still have my stuffed animals from childhood. Ugh. I have so much trouble even giving them to Le Village de'Value for charity for fear they will end up being unloved or a dog chew toy or *gasp* thrown out. So I hoard them. In a plastic bag. Hidden from the mocking eyes of my domestic partner with some other non-essential-to-daily-living-but-still-need-to-keep-it crap. I'm sure that's no life for them either. And don't think I am not anguishing about that right now. Damn you Corduroy. Damn you.

Anyway- I am using this website, as well as our local library for other stories. With such rich children's literature I hope to keep him interested as long as I can. But don't worry Thomas still makes an appearance every once in awhile!
http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecotthonors/caldecottmedal