I posted yesterday about the evolution of the girls’ reading habits. These days they L-O-V-E books. It’s rare that I sit down without them both piling into my lap to read. (And that’s my idea of Mommy Heaven, with calorie-free buttery caramel topping, whipped cream, and a cherry on top...)
The girls are very engaged in the books we read, too. They love to point out the animals by name and/or sound, usually accompanied by the baby sign. The five little monkeys that were dancing on the bed often prompt the girls to get their groove on. And I think it’s so cute when the girls confuse homonyms…Little Nut Brown Hare (the bunny) incites a tug at their hair (and sometimes each other’s…but that’s another story).
It’s so much fun to relate to the girls this way, and to know that they’re truly paying attention to the activity at hand.
But this awesome level of engagement has brought to light some challenges…such that I’ve removed all Dr. Seuss books from the current library.
Removed all Dr. Seuss books??? What kind of mother are you to deny your children the bread and butter of children’s literature???
Consider:
Big E, little e, what begins with E? Ear, egg, elephant. E…e…E.
No problem, right? Right. The girls are all over those words.
But Big Z, little z, what begins with Z? A Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz, as you can plainly see!
Not understanding the irony, my poor girls are trying to figure out what continent houses a Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz. And I would like to submit what’s wrong with a Zebra with a Zipper, as you can plainly see? Come on…
And as recognizable as the illustrations are in a Dr. Seuss book, I have to take issue there, too. The girls are quite familiar with a kangaroo, for example, but a Dr. Seuss kangaroo? The poor guy looks like a too-tall, emaciated rabbit with a fanny pack and an eerily deflated tail. Let’s just stick with the basics for now…
Also censored from the den at the moment are several Sesame Street books. The girls don’t watch TV, and they were seriously working hard to try to classify the Cookie Monster.
Don’t get me wrong…I love a good Dr. Seuss rhyme like nobody’s business. And all these books will come back into rotation in due time. But for the time being, I’m going to focus our efforts on more biologically-relevant species.
Ticker
4 comments:
Ooh - I love Seuss. Now I want to go see some weird kangaroos and z rhymes!
I know it's not meant to be funny, but it is kind of a funny post! Because really, where does (did) he come up with that stuff!? And I can see now how it could be confusing to little ones...though I'd never thought of it before!
I love that you care so much about what you are reading to your girls!
To me, Dr S is all about the imagination and not so much the real world. We read his books sparingly at our place. My older boys have never asked what a Jedd or a hinkle-horn honker is, it just sounds like fun!
My only beef with Dr S is that they are all tongue-twisters which is a tough call for a tired Mum at the end of the day :)
We have two favorite Dr. Seuss books in the mix right now- Hop on Pop and Go, Dog. Go! We have both the full length book and the smaller board book versions (warning, the smaller Go, Dog. Go! is completely different from the larger one, and we prefer the board book one). Tiny and Buba love then, and I don't mind them so much. They seem to get some of the silliness in them, and it makes them giggle (which makes me giggle). :o)
Theodor Geisel and I went to the same college, and I was told that he had lived in the room I occupied during my freshman year. So, I suppose feel and unnecessary duty to share his books with my kids. But the cold, hard truth is that I really do enjoy many of them too and look forward to the days when T & B will be ready for some of his longer books.
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