Hooray for Hat!

Posted on August 22, 2019July 17, 2020 by keepinthesunlightblog@gmail.com

Hooray for Hat (2014) by Brian Won

The animals are all feeling grumpy today, but an unexpected gift of a fancy hat and the kindness of friends helps cheer the whole group.

My daughter loves this book right now. It’s sweet and simple. I love that it shows that our moods can be lifted by kind acts. We just celebrated St. Nicholas eve, so we were able to tie that in with the unexpected gift on the doorstep as well. Kids might like to notice how the order of the hats changes on Giraffe’s hat at the end.

The Twelve Gifts of Birth

Posted on August 9, 2019July 17, 2020 by keepinthesunlightblog@gmail.com

The Twelve Gifts of Birth (2001)
By Charlene Costanzo

“At the wondrous moment you were born, as you took your first breath, a great celebration was held in the heavens and twelve magnificent gifts were granted to you.”

I picked this book up years ago, before having children, and I immediately fell in love with it. I wanted to buy a copy for every new parent I could find. This simple, heartfelt book lists twelve gifts granted to us all—hope, courage, love, etc.—and how those gifts will help guide us through life. Each page is accompanied by a hand-colored photograph of children. Every time I read it now, I think not only of our daughter and how much each of these “gifts” resonates with what I want for her as a parent, but also the fact that these are gifts I possess as well. It’s an uplifting, powerful and simple book. The Twelve Gifts of Birth would make a great gift for a new parent, but also for a teen about to venture out into the world.

Ms. Costanzo’s website is amazing! I highly recommend a visit. She has posted inspirational stories, quotes, and ideas. She has a downloadable poster, which I adore. There are reading suggestions, coloring pages, activity ideas, and wonderful ideas for nurturing our children. Free of any ads or links, this is truly just a gift to anyone out there. Her messages and ideas are pure and inspirational.

Belinda the Ballerina

Posted on May 23, 2019July 17, 2020 by keepinthesunlightblog@gmail.com

Belinda the Ballerina (2001) by Amy Young .

With a daughter who loves ballet and a bagizillion books on the topic at the library, it’s hard to sort through and find the good ones. Fortunately, we stumbled across the Belinda books pretty early on.

Belinda is a hard-working dancer with a passion for ballet. Her feet, however, are quite sizable, especially for a dancer. She doesn’t mind, but the esteemed judges at an audition try to tell her otherwise. Discouraged, Belinda calls it quits for awhile, but her passion won’t let her stay still for long.

We love all the Belinda books (there are four in the series). She is kind, graceful, and best of all, has a true love of dancing.

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The Watermelon Seed

Posted on May 23, 2019July 17, 2020 by keepinthesunlightblog@gmail.com

The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli

What kid hasn’t imagined the awful things that might happen inside his tummy if he swallowed a watermelon seed? In this book, a watermelon-loving crocodile does just that. After swallowing a seed, this crocodile plays out all the scenarios that must be going on inside.

There’s no heartfelt message or sentimental tears at the end of this book; it’s purely for fun—short, colorful, and silly . My one-and-a-half-year old can’t get enough of this book right now, and our six-year old loves hearing it over and over as well. I’m excited to read more by Greg Pizzoli!

Bear by Himself

Posted on November 22, 2018September 13, 2019 by keepinthesunlightblog@gmail.com

Bear by Himself (1976) by Geoffrey Hayes

I picked this book up randomly at a used book sale a few years ago, and it has been a favorite of mine ever since. I really don’t know much about this book-if it is well-known or not, etc.-but I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Bear by Himself follows a bear and the quiet activities he does alone during the day, whether it’s smelling the rain or just lying down and remembering misty dim mornings. This book embodies peace and tranquility. If I could live inside of a book, it just might be this one. It’s a perfect, simple picture book for children and a really great reminder for adults to stop, breathe, and enjoy life.